Some changes seem to be afoot at Tokyopop, but it’s hard to see what they are just yet. In her excellent site roundup, ChunHyang72 reveals that Tokyopop has gathered links to all the editors’ and creators’ blogs on a single page. I couldn’t see a link to it on the home page, but then, that’s why I read ChunHyang’s blog.
Meanwhile, at Comics212.net (note new url), Christopher Butcher reveals Tokyopop’s newest pitch to retailers: If your customers like indy comics, they’ll like ours! The comparisons fall short in a few places, but I can see where it’s a good idea. It’s probably aimed more at retailers who are reluctant to stock manga in the first place than those who, like Butcher, keep a large selection on hand.
And I’m still trying to figure this out: If you go to TokyoSpace and click on a manga preview, you get, not a manga preview, but a mysterious message about VIP membership coming soon. Whassup with that? The message mentions being able to access all the manga previews in the archive, which seems like a possible step toward the online delivery that we’ve all been talking about. But only if they turn it on.
In other manga news, MangaCast’s Ed Chavez is getting ready for Yaoi-Con, which kicks off Friday in MC’s hometown of San Francisco. He has an ambitious schedule planned and it looks like he will be recording many of the panels. Stay tuned!
ICv2 has analysis of the September sales numbers.
For those who like their manga raw, Dirk Deppey has consolidated his guide to scanlations into one convenient post.
At Tokyopop, ChunHyang72 is offering to look at your fanfiction/art/blog if you can explain why it’s worth a look—and if you’ll read one of her posts in return.
Love Manga has the rundown on manga in stores this week. Having trouble deciding?MangaCast links to previews of Train_Man, Ohikkoshi, and Afterschool Nightmare, Recipe for Gertrude, and the novel A Strong and Sudden Thaw. And remember, if you subscribe to the MangaCast feed, you can get these previews directly downloaded to your podcast catcher.
David Welsh devotes his Flipped column this week to three manga that feature kids: Yoki Koto Kiku, Reborn, and After School Nightmare, the latest entry from Go!Comi.
Tangognat gives Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service four stars. At Comics-and-more, Dave devotes Manga Monday to volume 2 of Drifting Classroom and the new Shojo Beat title Punch! MangaCast reviews Close the Last Door, Densha Otoko, and volume 2 of The Great Catsby.
I’m not sure what’s happening with the editor/artist blogs, either. I stumbled across the list by accident while searching for an older posting. There hasn’t been much blogging activity as late from the editorial staff. I don’t know if everyone ran out of gas or if TP is trying to develop a strategy for how to use the blogs. It will be interesting to see what (if anything) is in the works.
Mayday, Mayday. Tokyopop website appears to be down! XD
Though I have to say I agree with a bit of what Chris says, especially: The most glaring, obvious deficiency in the piece is the lack of creator credits, in my humble opinion, as it is the creators of “Indy” books that give those books their “fresh creative voices, dynamic art styles, and a broad diversity of subjects and genres!”
IMHO, I’m glad to see TP finally broadening it’s outreach in who they market our books to and focusing more on the direct market, but not giving creator credit when mentioning our titles is a bit irksome.
Tokyopop’s logic in compiling a list of editor/creator blogs is sound, but then again, it’s more of a token measure if no one can actually FIND cette list. Also, I tried the link for the Manga Monday article at Comics-and-More, I ended up rather baffled at a MangaCast piece about “A Strong and Sudden Thaw”- was the article you were trying to link to if fact this one??
http://comics-and-more.blogspot.com/2006/10/manga-monday-13.html
Thanks, Higashi! I fixed the link. Serves me right for posting in a hurry.
I agree about Tokyopop—I wish they’d make the list more obvious.