Wait, there are Van von Hunter strips prior to those in book 1?

[lilfluff]

Can you believe that despite having gone to the Van von Hunter site some months ago after reading the first print volume, and starting in on the strips that follow the events in the book, I hadn't noticed that the book doesn't start with the first strips. D'oh. And I mumble at work when people call in and haven't looked closely at what they're doing.

Nift! A whole new storyline, a prequel!

On another note, having been posted late Christmas eve, some may have missed my call for Anime and Manga viewing/reading suggestions. Especially cute stuff. So far it's largely an agreement that Merle isn't as annoying as popularly claimed.