Nominations for the Ignatz Awards, which recognize the best independent comics of the year, have been announced, and there are two manga on the list: Susumu Katsumata’s Red Snow was nominated in the Outstanding Anthology or Collection category, and the first volume of Summit of the Gods, by Yumemakura Baku and Jiro Taniguchi, was nominated for Outstanding Graphic Novel and Outstanding Series. The winners will be announced at Small Press Expo on September 11.
On Facebook, Dark Horse thanks its readers for their support and asks what they want to see next, suggesting a possible shift in direction for the longtime publisher of Manly Manga for Manly Men.
For your weekend enjoyment, the Ninja Consultants post a podcast of Jason Thompson’s History of Manga in the U.S. panel from SDCC a couple of years ago.
Deb Aoki talks to Tokyopop CEO Stu Levy and the Otaku Six, who are touring the country not only to promote manga but also to film a reality show to be broadcast via Hulu.com.
Lori Henderson has this week’s list of new all-ages comics and manga at Good Comics for Kids.
News from Japan: The virtual idol Hatsune Miku (her voice is computer-generated) will be the subject of a new 4-koma manga in Weekly Young Jump. A new manga cafe in the city of Nagoya offers lessons and equipment for would-be manga-ka. The sixth volume of Ooku will include a special guidebook to the world of the story. And Bamboo Blade is drawing to a close.
Reviews: Danielle Leigh, Melinda Beasi, and Michelle Smith discuss vols. 13 and 14 of Nana in the latest installment of The Nana Project at Comics Should Be Good. EvilOmar posts a fresh set of brief manga reviews at About Heroes. Other reviews of note:
Ed Sizemore on vol. 1 of Bakuman (Comics Worth Reading)
Kristin on vol. 3 of Biomega (Comic Attack)
Sean Gaffney on Color Bleach (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Connie on vol. 2 of Dorohedoro (Slightly Biased Manga)
Angela Eastman on vol. 1 of Gente (Suite101.com)
Kate Dacey on Gente and House of Five Leaves (The Manga Critic)
Erica Friedman on vol. 4 of Girl Friends (Okazu)
Greg McElhatton on vol. 1 of House of Five Leaves (Read About Comics)
Connie on vol. 4 of InuYasha (VizBig edition) (Slightly Biased Manga)
AstroNerdBoy on vol. 5 of Kitchen Princess (AstroNerdBoy’s Anime and Manga Blog)
Ryan Cecil Smith on The Legend of Kamui (Attentiondeficitdisorderly)
Ed Sizemore on vols. 8-10 of Mushishi (Comics Worth Reading)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 4 of Ooku: The Inner Chambers (The Comic Book Bin)
Connie on vol. 2 of Pokemon Adventures (Slightly Biased Manga)
Billy Aguiar on vols. 1 and 2 of Portrait of M&N (Prospero’s Manga)
Shannon Fay on vol. 21 of Skip Beat! (Kuriousity)
Liz Reed on vol. 4 of Sumomomo Momomo (Manga Life)
Tangognat on vol. 1 of There’s Something About Sunyool (Tangognat)
Lori Henderson on vol. 2 of Twin Spica (Comics Village)
Thanks for the link! Much appreciated.