A bit of business first: I didn’t update yesterday because of WordPress problems; the site mostly stayed up, but my Akismet spam-blocker did not, so I got over 1,000 spam comments during that time. So, if you commented here and your commen never got posted, it’s because it got washed away by all the Tramadol and Paris Hilton sex tape ads (apparently she has a new video out). Sorry about that; just resend if that’s the case and I’ll post it. (Unless you’re a bot, in which case—go away!)
If you haven’t checked PWCW yet, go see my interview with Amy Reeder Hadley, author of Fool’s Gold and the artist for the upcoming Madame Xanadu series from Wildstorm. Also at PWCW: an introduction to Gothic Lolita style, a preview of the manhwa Kingdom of the Winds, and the February bestsellers, five of which are Naruto (also checking in: Fruits Basket, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Black Cat).
David Welsh looks at upcoming manga, both this week’s new releases and those in the latest Previews.
ComiPress presents another chapter of Manga Zombie, this one about Kaiiwara Ikki and his “lunatic period.” They also post the latest manga updates from Japan, including word of a new Rumic Theater chapter by Rumiko Takahashi.
Viz is setting up a Manga Cafe and Reading Lounge at the Kennedy Center as part of the Japan! Culture + Hyper Culture exhibit there. This is the third time I have heard of this—they had one at the Tezuka exhibit in San Francisco and at NYAF.
Check out the cover of the latest Shojo Beat, drawn by Bryan Lee O’Malley (Scott Pilgrim) at Comics212.
Daniel Hernandez has pictures of the Manga Comic TNT convention in Mexico City.
Reviews: It’s MW mania out there: David Welsh devotes his final Flipped column to it, andat Thought Balloonists, Craig Fischer discusses Tezuka’s presentation of homosexuality, among other things, and co-blogger Charles Hatfield responds. (Last two links via Journalista.) Also picked up at Journalista, and well worth a read: Noah Berlatsky critiques Cardcaptor Sakura. Kethylia reviews two yuri titles from Seven Seas, vol. 1 of First Love Sisters and Voiceful.
Let me get this straight. manga fans don’t like the MANGA association with the “Manga Bible” and Christians don’t like the BIBLE association with the “Manga Bible”?
Feel the manga love:
“To fans, Manga is an instantly recognizable art form characterized by sharp lines etched in black and white. Characters typically have large, intense eyes and small mouths, and many scenes have a high-energy, wind-swept feel to them.”
“Christopher Sharrett, a professor of communication and film studies at Seton Hall University, says that although comic-style Bible stories are not necessarily new, what may surprise some is the association of the Bible with Manga — an art form typically connected with violence or erotica. ”
Name a manga more violent than The Bible…