Episode 42 of Right Stuf's Anime Today podcast features an interview with Shojo Beat Editor-in-Chief Marc Weidenbaum and Senior Editor Megan Bates:

In this new interview, Weidenbaum and Bates discuss the publication's history, the role reader feedback plays in editorial decisions, how female readers are driving the U.S. manga market, and what the future holds for Shojo Beat as the magazine celebrates its second anniversary and kicks off its third year.

A full press release can be found on Active Anime.

From Comic Book Resources comes Top Cow's schedule at this year's Wizard World Philadelphia, taking place in the Pennsylvania Convention Center from June 15th-17th. Top Cow has announced many exclusive contents for the convention, including Witchblade Takeru #5 featuring a new cover by Eric Basaldua.

The new comic release list for June 6th 2007 from ComicList, compiled by MangaCast.

On the USA Today Booklist Top 150 (PDF) for the week ending June 3rd, volume 14 of Del Rey's Negima! ranks at #94. Viz's Bleach volume 19 ranks at #104, while volume 14 of Naruto drops to #118.

Nymphet (Kodomo no Jikan) creator Kaworu Watashiya has posted on her blog her thoughts on the recent cancellation of Nymphet in the U.S. japanator has a translation of the post:

There are differences in the border [between what's acceptable and not] for representations of young girls in each place, time, and culture, so if the people there have decided that it's unacceptable then that's that. To those commendable Americans who wanted to read it, I???ll say "There's always the original."

The official website of Otaku USA has been launched at www.otakuusamagazine.com.

The year is 12,090 A.D., and what little is left of humanity has finally crawled out from the ashes of war and destruction. From the darkness of fallout, mutants and a race of vampires known as the Nobility have spawned. They rule the weak with no remorse. Once bitten by a Nobility, one is cursed to become a member of the undead. Villagers cower in fear, hoping and praying for a savior to rid them of their undying nightmare.

Vampire-D.com brings you the latest information on the new manga to be released in November 2007. And for those that can find the secrets to the website, only the "nobility" are allowed access...

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From ICv2 comes a 2-part interview with VIZ Media's Vice President of Sales Gonzalo Ferreyra and Director of Retail Marketing David Rewalt, who talk about Viz's aggressive release schedule of Naruto, and its impact on the manga and anime markets.

Monthly comics top 10 in the U.S. according to PWCW.

1. Naruto, Volume 14
2. Civil War: A Marvel Comics Event
3. Fruits Basket, Volume 16
4. Death Note, Volume 11
5. Vampire Knight, Volume 2
6. Full Metal Alchemists, Volume 13
7. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
8. Civil War: Amazing Spider-Man
9. Naruto, Volume 13
10. The Road to Civil War

PWCW's Kai-Ming Cha interviews Seven Seas's Jason DeAngelis, who talks about the recent controversy surrounding the cancellation of Nymphet.

Via: Icarus Blog