The Magazine of Comics News and Criticism. In this issue: The Comics Journal is proud to present a cover-length interview with Eric Drooker, examining his fascinating life and art, his marvelous wordless comics work, particularly his recent novel Blood Song and the seminal Flood! A Novel in Pictures, as well as his illustrations for clients like The New Yorker and Rage Against the Machine, and his collaboration with Allen Ginsberg! Also, esteemed Hal Foster biographer Brian Kane has a brief but utterly absorbing chat with veteran comics legend and inheritor of the Prince Valiant series, John Cullen Murphy! Plus, Eurocomics sensation Jason is interviewed! As always, the issue is packed with the kind of arts/literature coverage on the entire world of comics that earned it a 2002 Utne Independent Press Award.

Editorial
Gary Groth, "Things Change" (p. 7)
Letters
Blood and Thunder: "Critic's Corner" (p. 4)
News
Newswatch (p. 9)
Interviews
Robert Williams (p. 42)
Mark Newgarden (p.74)
Reviews
Rob Rodi, "Bone of Contentment" (p. 95)
Rich Kreiner, "Tragedy Strikes; Critics Delighted" (p. 96)
J.S. Russell, "Growing Up?" (p. 100)
Columns
Robert Boyd, Mini-Malism: "Zum Phenicribe #1, Alas! Comics: Dream of War, Exquisite Corpse, Cherise Mericle" (p. 71)
Cool Comics Shops (p. 93)
David Collier, "Hey, Kids! Comics!" (p. 103)
Hit List (p. 104)
Illustration
Richard Sala Sketchbook (p. 107)