It’s pleasurable to note this morning that Brent Frankenhoff (who works in the desk across the aisle from me) has finally wrapped up production of CBG’s “Retroviews on DVD” project. Pleasurable because I’m looking forward to having a searchable DVD of Retroviews in my computer in the near future -- and because Brent has been really snarky, as he simultaneously prepares DVD content, edits material for the next Comics & Games Retailer (which goes to press today), and roughs out the next issue of Comics Buyer’s Guide.

Mind you, the tension level remains taut, thanks to the C&GR goal of the day. (And that’s another cool project: the Industry Directory for retailers, a directory providing information on the vast variety of businesses serving the comic-book industry. I use it all year long. But I digress.) But I’ll soon have the benefit of being able to check easily on back-issue summaries, reviews, and additional information that has appeared over many months in our Retroviews feature.

Thing is, we’ve struggled for years with the need to find material in back issues that, now, are on the verge of filling an entire shelf of the bookcase by my desk. And now, by the end of 2007, I can pop a DVD into my computer to find out when we ran “Comics Ideas Gone Wrong” (remember serial numbers on comics? cut-out collector stamps? newsprint covers?) and not only discover that the article appeared in CBG #1599 but also read the full article. Cover price on that issue was $5.99 (and it’s long out of print), and for less than five times that cover price, there are a couple dozen issues -- with the additional merit of actually being able to find that review of Artesia Afield (CBG #1609).

And, soon, I’ll be able to locate quickly all the Jesse Marsh-illustrated Tarzan stories — thanks to the “Retroviews on DVD” release.

(No, you can’t order the “Retroviews on DVD” project yet. But, just to remind you, the “CBG on DVD” is on hand and ready to ship.)

And Brent is starting to cheer up, although he’s also fighting a head cold; the issue of C&GR is almost ready for the printer.