Hey Kids! Comic Books! In this case, Starslip Crisis books being used as a traditional Chinese aphrodisiac. To battle the underground trade in, um, Starslip trades, creator Kris Straub is offering free upgrades to the Artist Edition (i.e.: you get a sketch) until Saturday, and passing the savings (i.e.: ten smackers) on to you!

So, for that matter, is Straub’s hetero life partner Scott Kurtz; given the recent discussion had at Webcomics Weekly (episode 4) about the raw economic necessity of charging for sketches that amount to more than fast pencil jobs, I was suprised to see this.

Also new on the book front: a Diesel Sweeties mini drops tomorrow, and Jeff Rowland has finished the latest Wigu collection, The Case of Mars. Because he loves you so very much, Rowland is allowing all & sundry to read TCoM for free online, but you may have to squint a little.

In other news of awesome things, you’ve got a Penny Arcade cameo in today’s Little Dee, a report on free Achewood tattoos in Portland, and a new Southworth ready for imminent debut. If you do nothing else today, give Paul’s wife your sympathy for having to carry his gargantuan hellspawn in her body for nigh on a year.