Welcome to 2007! I’m beaming good wishes through your monitor right now for a happy and healthy and manga-licious new year!
Time Magazine comics critic Andrew Arnold lists his top ten comics of 2006, which includes two manga: The Push Man and Abandon the Old in Tokyo, mysteriously lumped into a single entry. Found via Precocious Curmudgeon David Welsh, who also links to this best-of thread at The Comics Journal messageboard and German blogger TZG2.0’s top manga list.
The Economist, of all places, reports on the state of French comics, with an aside on the threat from manga, which currently comprise one-third of all the comics sold in France. (Via ComiPress.)
At the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Jason Yadao pulls out the ol’ crystal ball and looks forward to 2007. Mostly it’s about anime, but he does predict that yuri will gain popularity if Seven Seas’ Strawberry line takes hold.
Wow! Here’s an interesting essay to start your New Year’s Day: Hello Kitty Has No Mouth. (Via When Fangirls Attack.)
Erica Friedman continues to chronicle her adventures at Comiket.
Reviews: At Anime on DVD, Sakura Eries suspends disbelief and enjoys vol. 1 of Penguin Revolution. Mangamaniaccafe gives the yaoi anthology But I’m Your Teacher a C+. At Slightly Biased Manga, Connie is on a roll, with reviews of vol. 15 of Dragon Ball, vol. 4 of The World of Narue, vol. 14 of Fruits Basket, and vol. 1 of Happy Mania. Comic Book Bin takes a look at one of 2006’s stranger but much admired comics, 12 Days.
Thanks for that Hello Kitty article. That was interesting!