No ordinary comic book

Howard Zinn's influential tome "A People's History of the United States" might seem an improbable candidate to be turned into a comic book. After all, there aren't a lot of laughs in slavery, the Mexican-American War, or the Great Depression. But the cartoon version of the bestseller, which comes out Monday, isn't about yuks. "More young people are attracted to this format," Zinn told us yesterday. "Maybe we can reach a broader audience than would otherwise read the book." Considerably abridged from the original text, "A People's History of American Empire" has been blurbed by Ben Affleck, who calls the graphic form "ingenious." Does Zinn like his illustrated self (above)? "At first, I was taken aback," said the former BU professor. "It makes me look smarter than I really am."

Fashionable cause
Joyce Zakim, widow of the late Boston activist Lenny Zakim, was joined by co-chairs Alison Quartermain Gersten and Jacqui Budd, wife of former US attorney Wayne Budd, at last night's sneak peek at the new Nordstrom at the Burlington Mall. Among the 1,300 guests, who were treated to two fashion shows outside the 138,000-square-foot store, were Blake, Pete, and Erik Nordstrom, all fourth-generation members of the store's founding family. More than $160,000 was raised for charities. The store opens to the public tomorrow.

Star of stage and shelter
First-graders from the Boston Renaissance Charter School met Mikey, the mutt that plays Sandy in the musical "Annie," now at the Citi Wang Theatre. Mikey's handler, Alex Yepremian, brought the pooch to the Animal Rescue League of Boston yesterday to show the kids how dogs rescued from shelters can be trained.

Arresting development for Bon Jovi guitarist
It's too soon to say if the arrest of Richie Sambora (inset) will affect whether Bon Jovi plays Fenway Park this summer. Sambora, who did two stints in rehab in 2007, was stopped while driving in Laguna Beach, Calif., Tuesday night after police say they saw his Hummer weaving. Two minors, including the guitarist's 10-year-old daughter Ava, were passengers, according to police. Jon Bon Jovi's buddy allegedly failed verbal and manual field sobriety tests. He has been charged with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol. Bon Jovi is believed to be coming to Fenway, but dates haven't been confirmed. In February, Bon Jovi told Billboard: "We've got the Giants, Soldiers, Fenways on hold or we stay in Europe because of the state of the economy."

John Hickey's life used to be a holy mess. Between the ages of, say, 17 and 23, Hickey was busted repeatedly by police and spent more time in jail than out of it. But that was then and this is now. The hard-bitten kid from Charlestown is going Hollywood. Hickey, who's 29, has turned his life story into a screenplay, and it's attracted the interest of Tony Soprano himself. Actor James Gandolfini has met with Hickey and says he wants to produce his bruising biopic, called "Oxymorons." "It's all coffee and handshakes at the moment," says Hickey, who lives in the North End. "But for someone like Gandolfini to eat a pu pu platter with me at the Kowloon . . . It was unbelievable." The idea to write a script emerged after Hickey got into a brawl on the roof of the Marriott hotel in Quincy and fell 80 feet to the ground. "I woke up seven days later at the Boston Medical Center," he says. "I needed to do something or I was going to end up dead, overdosing on drugs, or in jail." Hickey's North End pals Paul and Nino Pepicelli eventually got the script into Gandolfini's hands. "He's like a street guy, totally down to earth," says Hickey. "And he really wants to do this."

Since Kevin Garnett's wife, Brandi, and Paul Pierce's fiancee, Julie Landrum, are both expecting, the C's feted the mommies-to-be before last night's game. The Green-themed baby shower at Nebo in the North End was organized by Corinne Grousbeck, wife of team owner Wyc Grousbeck, and Ray Allen's fiancee, Shannon Walker Williams.

Whatever happened to Quentin Tarantino? Maybe we'll find out this summer when the celebrated director of "Reservoir Dogs" is honored at the Provincetown International Film Festival. Fest director Gabby Hanna announced yesterday that Tarantino will receive the 2008 Filmmaker on the Edge Award.

Pittsfield native Elizabeth Banks is in final negotiations to play Laura Bush in "W," Oliver Stone's biopic about President Bush, according to The Hollywood Reporter. So who's signed on to play the commander in chief? That'd be Josh Brolin, fresh from his turn in "No Country for Old Men." Banks, who starred opposite Ryan Reynolds in "Definitely, Maybe," just completed work on Kevin Smith's "Zack and Miri Make a Porno." She's also an executive producer on "The Surrogates," starring Bruce Willis. It's set to shoot here in May.

After making several movies in a row, Kate Bosworth needed a break. Last year's shoot for "21" was particularly tough, the former Cohasset resident told David Letterman on his show Tuesday. "I spent six weeks in Las Vegas," Bosworth said of the film, which opens tomorrow. "I'd recommend two days at the most."

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