Tokyopop goes to Diamond for distribution
Tokyopop has just signed a deal with Diamond Book Distributors for distribution to both comics shops and bookstores. This marks Tokyopop's return to Diamond...
The coming of Kodansha, part 2
Yesterday Japanese publishing giant Kodansha held an event to announce their 2011 manga plans. This was fortuitous because since they have launched their American imprint, observers have noted their output has been minimal given the depth of their catalog. In October it was announced that Del Rey Manga would end and its Kodansha licensed titles would go over to Kodansha proper, while Random House would act as distributor. With that in mind the list is quite ambitious, and includes a mix of pick-ups from Del Rey, new titles and some titles formerly licensed by other US publishers:
Sample work schedule of a manga artist
How do they do so many pages?
Three hours of spare time a week.
And we thought WE had it rough.
Via Kwanza Johnson.
Coming Attractions: December 2010
Well here we are, the final month of the year.
Most publishers have already launched their big titles last month, so that titles would be...
Viz adds old and new manga licenses
Viz has just released info on some of its spring manga license, including at least one pick-up from the now defnuct CMX line, TENJO...
Urasawa's PLUTO coming to the screen?
Naoki Urasawa is almost surely the most important genre-related cartoonist working today. The recently concluded Pluto and still-coming out 21st Century Boys have more suspense, action and mystery in one volume than entire months of most other publishers comics. But he remains a bit of an acquired taste here in the US -- cartoonists love him, but sales remain modest. So maybe it's good news that Illumination Entertainment is developing a live action/CGI PLUTO movie .
Frankfurter Buchmesse Comics Awards
While comics fans were celebrating comics and other delights at New York Comic Con, publishers and fans in Europe were congregating in Frankfurt, Germany,...
Observers: Kodansha Comics has a big task ahead
Following yesterday's announcement that the Del Rey Manga imprint was folding into a distribution arm for Kodansha Comics, a US branch of the Japanese publisher, American manga watchers were NOT jumping for joy. Chris Butcher came right out and said it:
Del Rey Manga gives way to Kodansha Comics
As rumored for months, Kodansha, the Japanese publishing giant, is shifting its relationship with Random House. Del Rey Manga is shutting down, but Kodansha Comics will remain, to be distributed by Random House. Del Rey Manga's associate publisher, Dallas Middaugh, will move over to Random House Publisher Services to act as the liaison for Kodansha.
Two years older ONE PIECE characters
Attention, continuity-obsessed readers of 70 year-old franchises -- THIS is how you handle growth and change. Click on the image for the full spoiler of the new, two years older cast of ONE PIECE -- the best selling comic in the world -- and check out Topless Robot for a character-by-character analysis.
Shifting demographics mean harem manga is just no fun any more
Harem manga -- the genre in which a helpless young man is surrounded by hot, hot girls who keeps getting naked and climbing in bed with him, despite his strong wishes that they not do so -- is totally passé, according to manga-ka Ken Akamatsu who created two of the most popular examples, Love Hina and Negima. Over at Robot 6, Brigid Alverson examines this Akamatsu blog post translation, which gives the reasons for the declines of harem manga and moe:
