Big news roundup

Lots of news today!

Tuesday brings a fresh edition of PW Comics Week, and this week they look at the “Cartoon Network effect,” which has been noted here: manga sales take off when the anime is broadcast on Cartoon Network. The effect applies to non-manga titles as well, but it’s less pronounced; sales of volume 1 of Bleach went up 40% when the anime started running on Cartoon Network. With Fantastic Four, the effect is spread across more books so is likely to be less noticeable. I thought this was interesting:

The sweet spot for Viz’s action properties is boys ages six–12, which meshes perfectly with the demographics of the Cartoon Network and the Kids’ WB animation block.

True, but what are the girls doing? Playing with their Barbies? My daughters watched CN too, when they were that age, and I’d love to see some shoujo anime on TV. The article also notes that anime of Basilisk and Gunslinger Girl will be running on the Independent Film Network starting this winter.

PWCW also takes a look at manga and manwha publisher Infinity Studios.

Jay Chung, Infinity president and CEO, says initially the company planned to publish shonen manga, “stuff for the younger generation of kids.” But he soon found that “in the American market, people are not very picky about genre. They like good titles, good artwork. It doesn’t work to our advantage to stick to one genre but to publish what’s popular.”

Interestingly, Chung goes on to say that it’s harder to work with Japanese publishers because they want to get a feel for a company and know it’s history; it would seem that focusing on a specific genre would help there. Anyway, Chung started licensing manwha because the Koreans are more willing to work with a new publisher, but is transitioning to manga because it sells better in the American market.

Ian Brill wonders why used bookstores won’t take manga; a commenter suggests it’s because he’s on the wrong coast. (Via Comics Worth Reading.)

Stephanie Folse has a new column up at Tokyopop. This one is about mangaka Minekura Kazuya, and it’s worth reading just for lines like “Minekura has developed a distinct style, with bishounen built like toast racks on heroin.”

MangaCast checks out today’s comics with lots of juicy commentary. The Carl Horn worship is reaching cultlike status over there. Jog is having a big manga week as well.

More fanservice please, we’re British: Unlike its U.S. sister company Del Rey, the British publisher Tanoshimi will be putting the uncensored cover on volume 2 of Air Gear, which shows a young woman in leggings and a thong, seen from below. Del Rey will run the original cover inside the book. At Love Manga, David Taylor has the full story, complete with picture of said cover.

If I’m reading this vaguely worded press release correctly, Viz will be selling Bleach paraphernalia in an “exclusive” arrangement with Borders, Waldenbooks, and Hot Topic.

Dark Horse has a preview of Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human Error Processor #1. I must say that armor looks rather impractical.

Jarred Pine reviews Ode to Kirihito and gives it a rare A+. I just got my copy yesterday, and it looks absolutely beautiful. I’m thinking this will be the Christmas gift of choice in the mangaworld.