Beast Wars 10th Anniversary toys have started showing up in midwestern Wal-Marts, bringing along with them the next wave of Alternators. Skids, Sunstreaker (both new), Tracks (brought back 'cuz he was really scarce), and Prowl (good as new) are in this assortment, so it's a damn good set to buy a case of, if you are so inclined. I will be after Skids like a mo'fo'. Sure, he was barely in the cartoon, but in the comic he got washed by sexy cowgirls, so he didn't come off half bad. (At last year's OTFCC, we asked writer/creator Bob Budiansky if that scene was intended to be as provocative as it appears. It was. Score!)

There's more Kong in this week's free Joyce and Walky!. I realized too late (and was brought to my senses by an anonymous forum poster) that my latest limited print should have been Kong-inspired. I mean, c'mon, I have a giant robot monkey. And a cute blonde, I'm pretty sure. So I'll probably do it as a J&W! members-only wallpaper as a consolation prize.

Today's Shortpacked! was inevitable, considering there's apparently a War on Christmas waging in the battlefields of our retail stores. This month's strips sure have been Jesusy. Must be something about the time of year...