Recently we received the truly wonderful news that James Kochalka will be named the Cartoonist Laureate of the state of Vermont! That makes him the first Cartoonist Laureate in the continental US, and nearly first in the entire country (second only to Chad Carpenter of Alaska).

James will serve a term of two years, beginning on March 10 with a day-long celebration in cities across Vermont! Stay tuned for details on those events and more. For now, check out the official announcement from Vermont's Center for Cartoon Studies.

James, of course, is the author of several dozen comics & graphic novels, including the Monkey vs. Robot series, SuperF*ckers, the all-ages series Johnny Boo and Dragon Puncher, and his magnum opus, the daily diary strip American Elf. He's a brilliant cartoonist, a relentless creator, a certified rock star, and an inspiration to us all. For more on James, visit his web site AmericanElf.com, or check out this great profile from Top Shelf pal and CCS librarian Jen Vaughn. And to peruse the amazing Kochalka works available in our online catalog, click here!

Congratulations to James and to the state of Vermont - you folks are lucky to have him!