Quick news roundup for Tuesday

Jean-Marie Bouissou has an interesting meditation on why manga became so popular worldwide in this month’s Eurozine. The article draws on Bouissou’s experience of growing up reading BDs—and leaving them behind as he got older, with his sisters abandoning comics even earlier than he did. He also contemplates a number of cultural factors that make manga unique. Good stuff to read over your morning coffee.

Japanator lists this week’s new releases.

Christopher Butcher has a peek at the covers of the first two volumes of 20th Century Boys.

Let’s fall asleep, a web seminar on josei manga, winds up with an overview and some interesting notes about the josei manga holdings of a few major libraries.

Kris of Manic About Manga visits the Artists Alley at Anime Banzai.

News from Japan: Ashita no Joe creator Tetsuya Chiba will draw a 90-page manga, Tomogaki, which will run in two parts in Young Magazine. Two manga series, Jinki- Shinsetsu- and Dokuro-chan Ripiru, are coming to an end. And Kairi Shimotsuki, creator of the Devil Kings Basara manga is starting a new series, Death Edge, in Dengeki Maoh magazine.

Reviews: David Welsh casts his vote in favor of Solanin, and he explains why at The Comics Reporter. Carlo Santos turns his sharp eye on a crop of new titles in his latest Right Turn Only!! column and pens a longer review of vols. 1 and 2 of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion at ANN. Casey Brienza reviews vols. 1 and 2 of Zig*Zag there as well. At Comics Worth Reading, Ed Sizemore has some short reviews of recent releases. Let’s fall asleep reviews one of my favorite manga, vol. 1 of After School Nightmare. Deb Aoki takes a look at an unusual manga, vol. 1 of Ghost Talker’s Daydream, at About.com. Connie checks out vol. 1 of Evylon: Ocean Fantasy, vol. 3 of Fairy Cube, Ohikkoshi, and vol. 3 of Dororo at Slightly Biased Manga. Dave Ferraro reads vol. 1 of Black Jack. Julie checks out vol. 1 of Captive Hearts at the Manga Maniac Cafe. Lissa Pattillo continues her Halloween theme with a look at vol. 4 of Nightmare Inspector at Kuriousity. At the Boys Next Door blog, Cynthia reads vol. 1 of Kabuki, vol. 2 of Mister Mistress, and vol. 3 of Kiss All the Boys. Oyceter takes a look at The Voices of a Distant Star and vol. 2 of Silver Diamond at Sakura of DOOM. At Manic About Manga, Kris unwinds from Anime Banzai by reading vols. 2, 3, and 4 of Passion, vol. 2 of Sunflower, Romantic Illusions, and vol. 2 of Pathos.