CLAMP member Mokona will be holding an autograph session in February:

Shibuya:
Start: 13:00.
Place: Logos Gallery (where an special exposition will be held from February 16th~28th.
Tickets will be given for the first 200 people who purchase CLAMP Mokona no Okimonokimono at Logos Gallery on February 16th at 10:00.

Ikebukuro:
Start: 17:00.
Place: Libro Ikebukuro Parco Shop.
Tickets will be given for the first 200 people who purchase CLAMP Mokona no Okimonokimono at Libro Ikebukuro Parco Shop on February 15th at 17:00.

*Translation from Chibi Yuuto's CHRoNiCLEs

Read More »

The Consumerist has published an article criticizing Walmart.com and Target.com for selling the BL manga Yaoi Hentai (published by Yaoi Press).

From the article:

The Consumerist may not be porn, but Walmart is now in the business of selling it, in comic book form. [...] Yes, we're surprised as well. Not that we're prudes or anything. It's just, you know, Walmart. Are congratulations in order? Golden tentacles? Target, meh, we knew they're sluts anyway. —MEGHANN MARCO and BEN POPKEN

Read More »

Creator's Partner has announced a new free manga magazine aimed at girl otaku. The magazine, titled bourgeon, will be made available both in print and online.

From ANS:

Read More »

From Manga Jouhou comes a complete translation of Yomiuri Online's 2006 article, which looks back on the Japanese manga industry in 2006.

The latest issue of PCWC looks at Diamond Book Distribution and its business in "Revenues Up, Returns Down at Diamond Book Distribution."

The Perseus Books Group has announced that it will offer the publisher clients of Publishers Group West a deal to pay them 70% of the money owed to them by PGW, in exchange for distribution contracts with Perseus, which would benefit publishers affected by the AMS/PGW bankruptcy.

Source: Icarus Blog

New Akiba reports that during the 25th Anniversary Jisedai World Hobby Fest, a new Obake no Q-taro (by Fujiko Fujio) manga titled Shin Obake no Q-taro was announced for Shogakukan's children's magazine CoroCoro Comic.

Source: Manga Jouhou

A live event called Suzumiya Haruhi no Gekisou (涼宮ハルヒの激奏) will be held at Omiya Sonic City on 3/18. The event, expected to last four hours, will feature all five SOS-dan members, as well as Tsuruya-san, Kyon's sister, and Taniguchi.

On 1/20, Animate began selling tickets in advance at selected stores and online website for 4,500 yen. As expected, the tickets were sold out in a very short amount of time. Now the tickets are available on Yahoo Auction for 10x the original price. The ticket of a good seat was sold for 66,000 yen, while tickets of slightly less desirable seats are around 30,000 yen.

Read More »

The winners of the 52nd Shogakukan Manga Awards have been announced.

Children's Category:
- Kirarin Revolution by An Nakahara
Serialized in Ciao (Shogakukan)

Boys' Category:
- Kekkaishi by Yellow Tanabe
Serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday (Shogakukan)

Girls' Category:
- 7 Seeds by Yumi Tamura
Serialized in Flowers (Shogakukan)

General Category:
- Bengoshi No Kuzu by Iura Hideo
Serialized in Big Comic Original (Shogakukan)

Judging Committee Special Award:
- Kimagure Concept by Hoi Choi Production
Serialized in Big Comic Spirits (Shogakukan)

Read More »

ICv2 has announced the addition of six new panelists to its second annual ICv2 Graphic Novel Conference at New York Comic Con in February. The new panelists are: Larry Gonick (graphic novelist); Kurt Hassler (co-publisher of Yen Press and ICv2's "#1 Most Powerful Person in Manga" last year); Glenn Kardy (CEO of Japanime, publisher of Kanji de Manga, etc.); Dallas Middaugh (associate publisher of Del Rey Manga); Ted Rall (Pulitzer Prize-nominated cartoonist, and graphic novelist); and Tomoko Suga (Senior Manager, Foreign Rights Department of Kodansha).

Source: MangaBlog