Led by Pete Wentz's efforts, Fall Out Boy launches its new comic-book series. (Image Comics)

It's a bleak, futuristic setting. Forces of authority are trying to control the development of machines. And in this illustrated tale, a toymaker scientist tries to imbue a doll-like machine with human emotions.

Nope, we're not talking "9," even though Shane Acker's current film echoes some of the same themes. That description actually applies to "Fall Out Toy Works," the new five-part comic-book series co-created by Fall Out Boy's bassist/lyricist, PETE WENTZ. The title, from Image Comics is "inspired by the ideas & lyrics" of the Illinois-spawned, Grammy-nominated emo/pop-punk band, particularly -- though loosely -- its recent hit "Tiffany Blews." (Part 1, launched this month, is titled "Tiffany's Blues.") The creative team includes co-creators Darren Romanelli and Nathan Cabrera, writer Brett Lewis and artist Sam Basri.

Wentz, 30, is constantly looking at numerous ways to expand his artistry -- from beyond music to include comic books, animation, fashion, gallery art and mobile apps. Comic Riffs recently caught up with Wentz to find out precisely why he and his bandmates -- Patrick Stump (vocals/guitars), guitarist Joe Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley -- decided to venture into comic-book land.

Pete Wentz (Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

MICHAEL CAVNA: So first, I'm all but obligated to ask: I've always heard that your band name came from Radioactive Man's sidekick character from "The Simpsons." As a big-time cartoon fan yourself, Pete, can taking the name Fall Out Boy be seen as homage to the show?

PETE WENTZ: Oh, definitely. ... When we started, we did a show or two with no name before calling ourselves Fall Out Boy. The show has been always been really cool with us about it. They even had us play the theme song. And they gave their employees original Fall Out Boy shirts. They've always been really awesome.

CLICK TO CONTINUE READING THE Q&A.

THE MORNING LINE:
Our five favorite cartoons this moment, culled from across the mighty mighty Web...

5. TV AS Rx: CNN! CBS! Oxygen? To peddle his health-care reform plan, President Obama is visiting more networks than Emmys host Neil Patrick Harris can sing about in 60 seconds. Fortunately, there's a doctor-of-satire in the house. Steve Breen prescribes this cartoon about Obama's full-channel TV blitz.

(To which we advise: Forget the daytime soaps. We'd most like to see Obama make a cameo on "House," as he tries to persuade Hugh Laurie's cantankerous, Vicodin-popping doc. Because really, what could re-create the reality of seething town-hall citizens more aptly than that?)

4. NO OKEFENOKEE, THIS: Some days, the gravitational pull to like "MARK TRAIL" for ironic reasons is too strong for mere mortals to resist. And what really lures me in this wretched gator. Just look at 'im -- he's smiling a knowing crooked smile, as though he's fully aware of what role he's playing in this muddy melodrama. He knows there will be Snackus Interruptus. He knows he'll be lucky if he even gets to taste Mark's trail boot. And given the strip's penchant for fisticuffs, he just knows he might even get boxed in the snout. Still, it's a helluva thing, a self-aware gator grin.

3. ROAD GUNNER: A nod to Clay Bennett for this missile-defense cartoon. Yes, the gag is good, but 'Riffs has also got its shallower reasons: I'm a patsy for any political cartoon that smartly invokes Wile E. Coyote.

2. REAL KITTY WHISKERS: Sure, President Garfield has been invoked in "Garfield" parodies for years. But today, the culinary references render it a dead-heat tie between two Tuesday webcomics: "GARFIELD AS GARFIELD" and "NEW ADVENTURES OF QUEEN VICTORIA." (And yes, that second-panel quote is indeed attributed to Garfield. James G., that is.)

1. ON A MORE SOMBER NOTE: Nearly two weeks ago, internationally known Japanese cartoonist Yoshito Usui went missing after going hiking alone on a mountain north of Toyko. Over the weekend, the 51-year-old artist's death was confirmed. In the days since, the tributes from manga fans around the world have poured in.

Usui, as many of you know, drew the popular "Crayon Shin-chan," about the wise-cracking 5-year-old scamp that is Shinnosuke. The magazine series begat the books, which begat the animated version. The cartoon books have sold 50 million copies in Japan alone, and his animation aired in some 30 countries.

(Note: An official with his publishing house, Futabasha, said the last picture on Usui's broken digital camera found near his body was of the vantage point of peering down a steep cliff. Citing Usui's artistic "curiosity," the official said: "We think he fell off at the moment he took the picture,")

In tribute to Usui, Comic Riffs remembers him through his creations -- particularly this opening theme to his animation. In this, we celebrate his life, as well as his life's work:

"CRAYON SHIN-CHAN":

In addition, here's one of the better fan tributes now out there:

Pearl Jam's "Backspacer." (AP Photo/MonkeyWrench Records)

At the recommendation of new Post pop-music critic Chris Richards, I'll get around soon to listening to all of "Backspacer," the Pearl Jam CD that drops/lands/arrives/roars-toward-consumers today (here's Chris's review). Thing is, at the moment, I'm more consumed with studying the cover art.

The beautiful nine-image cover for "Backspacer" was created by "This Modern World" cartoonist Tom Tomorrow -- aka Dan Perkins, the real-life name of the artist who is the real-life pal of Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder.

Of creating the "Backspacer" art, Perkins wrote on his blog over the weekend:
"My usual relationship to my art is that of a parent to a small child -- you keep an eye on them, you know what they're up to all the time. This is more like what I imagine a parent's relationship to grown children must be like -- they go out in the world and do all these amazing things on their own, and you kind of watch from a distance, trying to keep track of it all."

Like many alt-weekly cartoonists, Perkins -- who also writes on his blog: "I absolutely love this album" -- has endured serious cuts in his client list in the past year, including the Village Voice Media. (Note: This month, "This Modern World" returned to the Voice after a seven-month absence.). And his friend Vedder has been outspoken in his support of alt-comics. (We knew the man had good taste.) In March, Vedder's plea contained this passage:

"Cartoons are a great deal for alt-weeklies: they provide some of the least expensive and yet most popular content. Many times you have picked up Seattle Weekly, the Village Voice, Minneapolis City Pages or LA Weekly - just some of the Voice Media papers - and turned right to the cartoon section. Now that has vanished.

The only way this vital artwork will return is through a sustained outcry from readers. We have to tell editors at our local alternative weeklies that we don't want them to suspend cartoons; if they already have, we want them brought back. "

(Hold for applause.)

Alternative visual artists and popular music have a storied connection, of course. Among the most notable is R. Crumb, who has drawn scores of covers . And from Jim Flora to later "Saturday Night Live" comedian Phil Hartman, there's such a rich and long history of cartoonist/illustrators designing covers, of course.

But herewith is Comic Riffs' All-Time Top Five List of Album Covers by Cartoonists.

5. JOHNNY HART's Men of B.C. evolve into The Four Freshmen.

4. SHANNON WHEELER's "Too Much Coffee Man" amps up Bob Dorough's second album for Blue Note.

3. PATRICK McDONNELL's pets cozy up to Tchaikovsky (visually turning "suite" into "sweet.").

2. GARY LARSON goes "Doggin' Around" for Herb Ellis with Red Mitchell.

And naturally...

1. R. CRUMB's "Cheap Thrills" for Big Brother & the Holding Company. Here, Crumb explains why he chose to draw for friend Janis Joplin -- but NOT for the Rolling Stones. (Classic Crumb, this.)

THE MORNING LINE:

From flood zones to low-fi headphones, here are today's Fave Five Cartoons from across the mighty mighty Web...

5. In today's Atlanta Journal Constitution, MIKE LUCKOVICH offers a little (comic) relief to his fellow Georgians weathering the high waters.

4. BREWSTER ROCKIT gets a nod not just for the gag, but for the visual attention to detail on the "Operation" board game. The subtle touches on the "Abduction" game are minor grace-notes all their own.

3. I wouldn't necessarily recommend basking in this graphically intense illustration over breakfast, but once you've finished your Weetabix and fruit wedges -- and provided you have a natural appetite for how anatomy is rendered, this PIBGORN is visually startling. (Brooke McEldowney draws blood in perhaps the most comically hyper-saturated crimson tones I've seen since the vivid opening to the Johnny Depp "Sweeney Todd" by Tim Burton,) Today, you may well call it "Pibgore."

2. Perhaps because I'm currently surrounded by four phones (two of 'em mobile), my occasional Luddite rebel loves this SLOWPOKE cartoon by one of the best social commentators currently wielding a mouse. Jen Sorensen.

Annnd....

1. I'm genuinely thrilled to present Riffs Top Pick of the Day: It goes to the great and graceful "Judge Parker" artist EDUARDO BARRETO -- recently featured in this CNN En Español footage. Any of his superhero cartoons or his "Judge Parker" Sunday drawing shown in the interview might rate the top spot, but I seriously dig the Batman illustration he paints during the last 40 seconds of this video:

Thanks to Riffs readers for spotting this clip -- and if you don't speak Spanish and would like to read the accompanying translated article, you can click here..

THE RELATED READ:

THE 'RIFFS INTERVIEW: Political cartoonist MIKE LUCKOVICH sizes up Obama.

THE 'RIFFS INTERVIEW: Alt-cartoonist JEN SORENSEN diagnoses the Second Great Depression.

ELSEWHERE...

'FRAZZ' (UFS)Enlarge Image

It's a simple question, really: Do you like "Slylock Fox" -- or other such one-off comics-page features -- fraternizing with your "Fox Trot"?

Riffs reader kilby raises a good point this week, questioning the necessity as to why non-comic features as "Slylock" and "Jumble" and "Samurai Sudoku" -- which by all rights sounds like a swell John Belushi sketch, btw -- must clutter up our Sunday funnies.

The traditional thinking, of course, has long been that offering games and similar features draws readers young and old to the paper in a particularly inviting -- some would say addictive -- way. And that comics and puzzles go together like Nancy and Sluggo, like Archie and Veronica (making Betty the "Horoscope" in this scenario, I reckon), like Frazz and triathlons.

And speaking of: Shipping out "Frazz" to the Kids Post page continues to spur questions, if not suggestions. So that said, the Official Riffs Offer of the Day is: Do you have any questions about comics production -- anything from The Post's decision-making process to broader industry issues of syndication and space? Anything related to this, Comic Riffs will endeavor to answer.

Meantime, I've got a sketch to rough out quickly here -- color me danged curious to figure out what a "Slylock Fox Trot" mashup might look like.