Friday linkage

LJ’er halifax_slasher, who works in a comics store, has a very articulate dissertation on why manga is succeeding where superheroes have failed. It’s not a “superheroes are crap” article, just a thoughtful examination of why manga is picking up new readers and superheroes aren’t. (I’m not so sure about his opening point, though, that Fruits Basket and Naruto are the best selling comics; some of those Complicated Tales books still sell over 100,000 per issue.) There’s some interesting cultural commentary woven in as well.

Yuri week continues at Manganews with an interview with Seven Seas editor Adam Arnold about that publisher’s new Strawberry imprint, a translated article about categorizing yuri, and reviews of Blue and 12 Days.

I haven’t been following the Marshall library story at all, because it doesn’t involve manga and because David Welsh has been all over it since it broke last October. But the general principle applies to all of us: What do libraries do about books that some patrons deem offensive? David has the latest news, which may be the end of the affair: The library has come up with a materials selection policy to use going forward. It’s worth a look for anyone who uses the library—or anyone who doesn’t but wants to be a member of Team Comix. (And shame on you if you don’t use the library—who turns down free comics?)

I’m guessing the Marshall Public Library doesn’t subscribe to the French newspaper Liberation, which surprised hentai manga artist Gengoroh Tagame by printing some of his work uncensored. (This link is pretty SFW but I can’t vouch for any of the links from there.)

Queenie Chan posts on “otome” and throws in some drawings just for fun.

The Daily Colonial devotes a short article to the “Shojo Manga: Girl Power” exhibit, which is now in Washington, DC.

Simon Jones has the best take on the American Anime Awards manga finalists:

So umm… how many votes came from Florida?

See and hear the glories of H day at Comiket via the MangaCast, where Ed has a Maki Side Dish and some mildly NSFW doujinshi for you.

Newsarama interviews My Dead Girlfriend creator Eric Wight. Want a sample? Tokyopop has previews up of the first two chapters.

New titles and releases: Tokyopop may be hiding their light under a bushel, but Ed has some snippets on the upcoming Kingdom Hearts II series. He also posts some press releases on Ichigenme…The First Class is Civil Law, the new Fumi Yoshinaga title from 801, and vol. 6 of Kamui.

David Welsh has some thoughts on the third volumes of two series, Absolute Boyfriend and Omukae Desu.

Reviews: At Comicsnob, Matt Blind enjoys vol. 1 of Amazing Agent Luna even if it’s not stunningly original. At the BasuGasuBakuhatsu Anime Blog, Hung likes vol. 2 of Galaxy Angel better than the first but finds vol. 1 of Buso Renkin rather “generic.” It’s Lengthy Series Day at Active Anime, where Holly Ellingwood reviews vol. 22 of Boys Over Flowers and vol. 22 of Basara. At Mangamaniaccafe, Julie is still enjoying vol. 3 of Yakitate!! Japan. At Prospero’s Manga, Miranda compares vol. 1 of Mushishi to the X-Files and offers it as the antidote to manga skeptics:

So kids, if you want to convince your parents that manga isn’t all gigantic eyes, short skirts and gay boys, offer them a copy of Mushishi.

Also at Prospero’s Manga, Ferdnand finds a different take on cat people in vol. 1 of Free Collar Kingdom. Tangognat gives four stars to Wild Adapter.

Self-promotion: Got the Valentine’s Day blues? Rachel Nabors has the cure. Check out my latest post at Digital Strips for more.

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