Lissa Pattillo picks up on two new Digital Manga licenses that were announced via Facebook and Twitter: Wild Honey and Tender Hearts. And speaking of Lissa, Justin interviewed her at Organization Anti-Social Geniuses.
A member of the Digital Manga Guild group Cynical Pink tries to clarify the situation with regard to the DMG groups, noting that they are all independent and are freelancing for Digital Manga Inc., so dissatisfaction with one should not transfer over to all the others. And here’s some excellent advice:
Readers have commented that the quality of DMG titles can be hit or miss, and with the huge selection of titles available now, it’s difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. To that, I say – PLEASE REVIEW. If one out of every 10 people who read a DMG title left a review on Amazon or B&N or even just on their own blog site (which would then show up in a Google search), then deciding what to read would be that much easier. The localizing group is listed on the credit page of each book. If you find a book you like, look for more by the same group, and vice versa if you unfortunately didn’t like it.
On a more technical note, Erica Friedman explains how manga is produced and how the process differs from other books. The bottom line: Fewer eyes during the editing and production phases results in more typos and clunkier translations in the finished product.
On the latest Manga Out Loud podcast, Ed Sizemore and Johanna Draper Carlson discuss the Jiro Taniguchi MMF, the possible surge of manga sales in comics stores, and the news that Vertical will allow Twin Spica to go out of print.
Melinda Beasi and Michelle Smith discuss the rather odd vintage manga Moon Child in their latest Off the Shelf column at Manga Bookshelf.
Khursten Santos turns the spotlight on BL/josei manga-ka Tomoko Yamashita at Otaku Champloo.
Elisabeth Watson talks to Kurt Hassler about scanlation and its effect on overseas licenses at Publishing Trends:
Hassler argues that rather than “pushing” manga publishing into the digital age, the genre’s robust digital piracy-base has retarded its progress. As if the challenges of image-rich content weren’t enough, Japanese publishers have feared that licensing digital editions internationally is as good as hanging out a “pirates welcome” Jolly Rodger. Consequently, digital rights have been all but impossible for US and other international publishers to negotiate.
At Manga Xanadu, Lori Henderson reviews the April issue of Shonen Jump, which is the final print issue, and she has some thoughts on how Viz handled the digital transition.
Anna is giving away vol. 1 of Toradora at Manga Report; click the link to see how to enter.
News from Japan: Here’s exciting news for those of you who read Japanese (and even those who don’t): A free online version of Hana to Yume. According to the French site Manganews, the site will update every Friday and right now, only series by the younger creators are available online but more are on the way. AstroNerdBoy calls attention to a proposed Japanese copyright law that has some rather alarming provisions—including forcing creators to share copyright with publishers and allowing publishers to shut down doujinshi—and suggests that may be the reason Ken Akamatsu wound up Negima so quickly.
Reviews: Lissa Pattillo links to some short reviews by her and Shannon Fay in their local paper, The Coast.
Page McKee on vol. 6 of Blue Exorcist (Sequential Tart)
Sheena McNeil on vols. 1 and 2 of A Devil and Her Love Song (Sequential Tart)
Kate Dacey on vol. 2 of A Devil and Her Love Song, vol. 3 of Drops of God, and vol. 2 of GTO: 14 Days in Shonan (The Manga Critic)
Johanna Draper Carlson on vol. 3 of Drops of God (Comics Worth Reading)
Lesley Aeschliman on vol. 1 of Gate 7 (Blogcritics)
Margaret O’Connell on In the Bed of My Dear King (Sequential Tart)
Rob McMonigal on vol. 8 of Jormungand (Panel Patter)
Sheena McNeil on vols. 7 and 8 of Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan (Sequential Tart)
Sheena McNeil on vol. 7 of Rosario + Vampire: Season II (Sequential Tart)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 8 of Rosario + Vampire: Season II (The Comic Book Bin)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 4 of Sailor Moon (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 7 of Sakura Hime (The Comic Book Bin)
Johanna Draper Carlson on vol. 1 of Soulless (Comics Worth Reading)
Wolfen Moondaughter on vol. 7 of Stepping on Roses (Sequential Tart)
The link in the second paragraph seems to direct to an unrelated manga review, rather than the DMG discussion.
Fixed it! Thank you!