Sorry about dropping out of sight for a few days—I had one of those weeks—but I’m back with the latest news. First on the list: Check the ever-growing Manga Moveable Feast archive post at A Life In Panels, which chronicles a robust discussion of this month’s selection, Barefoot Gen.
Also, don’t forget to cast your vote in the 2011 About.com Manga Reader’s Choice Awards.
Speaking of readers’ choice, Melinda Beasi asks readers to name three series they would like to see discussed at Manga Bookshelf. And things are quiet at the Digital Manga Guild, but Melinda checks in anyway.
Does Kate Dacey have ADHD, or is she just reading series that get worse with each volume? You be the judge, as Kate lists four series she’s ready to give up on—even though they are not complete—and explains what’s going wrong with each one. Johanna Draper Carlson picks up the discussion and asks readers which series they would stick with to the end. Lori Henderson, on the other hand, can’t stop collecting a series—even if she stops reading it.
Lori Henderson posts this week’s all-ages comics and manga at Good Comics for Kids.
Over at Manga Widget, Alex Hoffman asks readers to name their favorite manga.
Jason Thompson’s House of 1000 Manga column this week continues his look at oddball manga you can read on your cell phone; this week, it’s sports manga, Ginga: Silver Shooting Star, and Appleseed.
Erica Friedman provides an introduction to the Japanese manga magazine Big Comic at MangaCast.
At Manga Bookshelf, Melinda Beasi, Robin Brenner, Connie C., Khursten Santos, Michelle Smith, and Eva Volin continue their roundtable with a discussion of vols. 11-13 of Banana Fish.
David Welsh’s latest license request is Zipang, and he features the letter C in the latest installment of The Josei Alphabet.
The Manga Out Loud podcast discussion of Ayako encountered technical difficulties, but host Ed Sizemore posts a brief summary of the conversation.
Christopher Butcher is giving a talk on manga censorship next week, and he gives an example of censorship and some links at Comics212.
News from Japan: Hideo Yamamoto’s horror manga Homunculus will come to an end in the Feb. 21 issue of Big Comic Spirits. And ANN has the latest Japanese comics rankings.
Reviews: Carlo Santos takes a quick trot through the new releases in his latest Right Turn Only!! column at ANN.
Julie Opipari on vol. 6 of 13th Boy (Manga Maniac Cafe)
Todd Douglass on vol. 2 of AiON (Anime Maki)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 2 of AiON (The Comic Book Bin)
Carlo Santos on vol. 2 of AiON (ANN)
Erica Friedman on vol. 6 of Aria (Okazu)
Johanna Draper Carlson on Ayako (Comics Worth Reading)
Lori Henderson on vol. 8 of Black Jack (Comics Village)
Rob McMonigal on vols. 7 and 8 of Bleach (Panel Patter)
Kristin on vols. 33 and 34 of Bleach (Comic Attack)
Ed Sizemore on Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga (Comics Worth Reading)
Anna on vols. 1 and 2 of Eensy Weensy Monster (Manga Report)
AstroNerdBoy on vol. 5 of Fairy Tail (AstroNerdBoy’s Anime and Manga Blog)
Kate Dacey on vol. 2 of Genkaku Picasso, vol. 2 of House of Five Leaves, and vol. 3 of 7 Billion Needles (The Manga Critic)
Erica Friedman on vol. 5 of GIRL FRIENDS (Okazu)
A Library Girl on vol. 1 of Hetalia: Axis Powers (A Library Girl’s Familiar Diversions)
Deb Aoki on vols. 1-3 of Hyde & Closer (About.com)
David Welsh on Ivy and vol. 1 of The Stellar Six of Gingacho (The Manga Curmudgeon)
Penny Kenny on vol. 2 of Library Wars: Love and War (Manga Life)
Johanna Draper Carlson on vol. 4 of Library Wars: Love and War (Comics Worth Reading)
Connie on vol. 5 of Maid-Sama (Slightly Biased Manga)
Lori Henderson on vol. 50 of Naruto (Comic Attack)
Michelle Smith and Melinda Beasi on One Thousand and One Nights (The Hooded Utilitarian)
Connie on vol. 8 of Rasetsu (Slightly Biased Manga)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 3 of Rosario+Vampire Season II (The Comic Book Bin)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 1 of Sasameke (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Ken Haley on vol. 3 of Silent Möbius (Sequential Ink)