Top tens, flopping floppies, and manga misfits

Here’s today’s must-read article: Jeff Vandermeer interviews librarian and uber-manga fan Robin Brenner at Bookslut, then gives her space to list the top manga, not of 2007, but of all time.

At the Del Rey blog, Dallas Middaugh lists his top ten manga of 2007, along with some commentary about the PW list.

Yaoi Press publisher Yamila Abraham (at least, I assume she writes the blog) wraps up 2007 with a review of YP’s accomplishments and failures. This is interesting:

Our greatest failure was the comic books. Without book store sales the comic book line was unsustainable.

I had forgotten they were doing those. Yamila also discusses plans for the year ahead, which include releasing fewer new titles, devoting more time to promotion of both new titles and backlist, and diversifying into different types of merch, including figures. Plus Yaoi Jamboree!

In this week’s Flipped column, David Welsh is stranded on the Island of Misfit Manga, with reviews of three series about folks who just don’t fit in. (Although, when you think about it, a book about someone who does fit in would be pretty boring. Problems=plots!)

Christopher Butcher’s account of his visit to the Osamu Tezuka museum continues with photos of Tezuka’s how-to-draw illustrations, embedded in the museum’s floor.

LJ’er Strangeratu is compiling a guide to Weekly Jump series that have been adapted as anime, with links to clips on YouTube. (Via ComiPress.)

The nominations are out for the Cybils, the bloggers’ awards for YA and children’s books. Tangognat has the Graphic Novel nominations, and only one manga made the cut: Yotsuba&!, in the Elementary/Middle Grade category.

Viz relentlessly promotes their new series for the first quarter of 2008. Lots of good info here. Plus: Library bindings!

Active Anime is reviving the Top 25 Anime/Manga Website poll. Note: Scanlators need not apply.

Happy blogiversary to Chloe of Shuchaku East, who is celebrating her first year on the internets by giving away a copy of everyone’s favorite manga, Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms. And if you’re not reading this blog already, bookmark it; Chloe has a special talent for finding a new take on whatever everyone else is talking about.

Gia is writing about underrated manga at Fanboy.com; check out her writeup of Gintama.

Reviews: Monday Manga Reviews are up at About Heroes. Kurishojo checks out vol. 4 of Princess Princess at Manga Jouhou. At ComicMix, Andrew Wheeler looks at a classic, Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga. Patricia Beard reviews Saihoshi and Greg Hackmann takes on vol. 1 of MPD-Psycho at Anime on DVD. Daniel P. reviews vol. 2 of The Last Uniform at Okazu. Lissa reviews vol. 1 of Psychic Power Nanaki at her blog, Kuriosity.