Monday early roundup

In case you missed the most recent Print magazine, David Welsh’s article on manhwa is online, having been picked up by Business Week. I’m not sure how that particular synergy works, but it’s all good.

Comipress translates an article that takes a glum look at Japanese manga magazines and another about a series going on hiatus because the artist is going blind. But there’s also a bit of good news: two new series in Weekly Shonen Jump and a new shoujo manga magazine aimed at males. Go figure.

Manga is huge in France, but apparently that’s not sitting too well with French presidential candidate Segoline Royale, who has complained that manga is too violent and pornographic. The famously otaku Japanese foreign minister, Taro Aso, countered by saying “I think she should read a little bit more.” David Welsh and Chloe give their takes on the topic.

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin has a nice article about Scott Yoshinaga and Audra Furuichi, the creative team behind the uber-cute webcomic Nemu-Nemu.

Manganews translates an article about whether copyright should be handled differently for doujinshi and other derivative works.

In a move that I certainly didn’t see coming, the Catholic Church in England is using a manga-style comic to encourage vocations. The comics will tell the stories of five real people who chose the religious life.

Reviews: Continuing the religious theme, Mecha Mecha Media’s John Thomas reviews vol. 1 of Puri Puri. At Active Anime, Christopher Seaman reviews vol. 10 of Neon Genesis Evangelion and Holly Ellingwood checks out vol. 2 of Flower of Life. At the MangaCast, Erin F reviews vol. 1 of the light novel Twelve Kingdoms and Mangamaniac Julie reads vol. 2 of E’S. Back at the cafe, she posts a revew of vol. 10 of Gals! Evelyn Shih reviews vol. 1 of The Dark Goodbye and vol. 1 of King City for the North Jersey Media Group. At Okazu, Erica Friedman checks out vol. 2 of Ninin Ga Shinobuden. And Comics Worth Reading’s Johanna Draper Carlson has updated her manga reviews page.