Issue 27 of ImagineFX, an U.K. digital art magazine, was released as a special manga-themed edition subtitled "Manga mayhem!". Some of the special features included in the issue are:

Manga mayhem! The beautiful cover art is by Kyoung Hwan Kim – who we discovered after he sent in his art for FXPose.

Manga Artist Q&A
Everything you need to know about creating amazing manga art

Manga workshop
Michael Chang Ting Yu shows how you can tell your fantasy story though your cover or poster art, using Painter and Photoshop

Anime studios special
GONZO, Bee Train and Studio Ghibli open their doors in this anime special

Source: Anime UK News

From Tiamat's Anime and Manga Reviews comes an article titled "The Manga Gray Market," which looks at gray market manga in the U.K.:

In the UK over 90% of available manga is bought through the gray market, whether it's bought from your local book store or from amazon.co.uk, what your buying is a gray market item.

Source: MangaBlog

From BusinessWeek comes an article titled "Europe's Manga Mania," which looks at how European fans are favoring manga over traditional Western comics:

While Western comics such as Donald Duck, Tintin, and Asterix long dominated the European market, young readers like Malis are looking eastward. The Japan External Trade Organization says German and French sales of manga totaled $212.6 million last year, making Europe the largest consumer of manga outside Japan.

Anime UK News is reporting that publisher Urania has teamed up with artist Viviane to create a set of manga-style tarot cards called "Magic Manga Tarot." Samples of the cards can be found here.

DIMENSIONAL MANGA PRESS RELEASE: DECEMBER 2007

Dimensional Manga is a publishing company registered under the company name Fifth Dimension Limited. It specializes in producing manga for worldwide audiences. Its first title is Demon Prince: Children of Gaia (14 part series). Volume 1 is scheduled for release in February 2008. It will be distributed by Diamond Comic Distributors and has appeared in December ’07 issue of Diamond Previews (Page 3).

Read More »

From Active Anime comes an interview with BL manga author Hinako Takanaga, writer of Little Butterfly.

Also, Yomiuri Online has published an article titled "Rolling with the Punch / Lupin III Auteur Explores World of Technology, Manga," where it talks with Monkey Punch, creator of Lupin III.

Finally, Times Online has interviewed Moyoco Anno, mangaka of Hataraki Man.

Via: ANN

Voting for Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga UK and Ireland 3, People's Choice Award is now open to the public. Voting will end at 6pm PST November 30, 2007, and the results will be announced in the first week of December.

Via: MangaBlog

From YaoiSuki comes an interview with Yen Press' Kurt Hassler.

Newsarama's Benjamin Ong Pang Kean interviews Emma Hayley, director of Self Made Hero, the graphic novel and manga division of Metro Media UK.

The Star Online talks with Captain Tsubasa creator Youichi Takahashi.

The UK Times talks to Hataraki Man mangaka Moyoco Anno.

Via: MangaBlog

Oxford and Cambridge, UK, 5 September 2007 - Oxford indie Infinite Ideas will launch self-help books in manga format in a groundbreaking new venture with the UK's leading manga collective Sweatdrop Studios. Set to hit the shelves in April 2008, manga versions of Be creative and Find true love will marry manga images with tried and tested expert ideas in a stunning mixture of art and advice that takes self-improvement to a new level and is guaranteed to win a new generation of readers. Two further titles will follow in June 2008.

Read More »

This month's Sweatdrop podcast is a special event, as each of the four presenters were previously winners of Tokyopop's "Rising Stars of Manga" competition. They talk about how they prepared and planned their comics, and what they went through whilst producing them. They also offer tips and advise for anyone that is entering Rising Stars of Manga or any other short manga competitions. Sweatdrop Studios have been releasing podcasts for a while now, with three previous episodes covering UK events, San Diego Comic Con, and various Sweatdrop Studios members, as well as interviewing UK manga industry personalities such as Helen McCarthy.

Read More »