The Comics Journal 310, edited by Gary Groth, Kristy Valenti and Austin English. $24.99. 300 pages, published by Fantagraphics.

This issue took a long time, but it’s 300 pages (!!??!) of incredible material, one of the most overflowing with material issues of The Comics Journal ever published. Taken as a whole, the issue covers comics as an art form from as far back as the 1800s with the first ever conversation between scholars Peter Maresca, David Kunzle and Thierry Smolderen, then into the 60s with a 100 page interview between visionary satirist Gerald Scarfe and Gary Groth. Scarfe’s transgressive art rhymes with our second feature interview between Lale Westvind and Aidan Koch, two of todays absolute best cartoonists, as well as features on the art of Jess Johnson (her never before seen sketchbooks see print for the first time here), a brilliant original comic by Allee Errico and a spotlight on Juliette Collet. A massive critical essay on Marvel business practices under Bill Jemas by Zach Rabiroff with spot illustrations by  Nate Garcia, pointed criticism on alt comics sacred cows by Brian Nicholson provide counterpoint, plus much much much more. Taken together, a look at comics past, present and future potential alongside the forces that suppress true expression.