Aurora Pulls Online Manga From Netcomics

Netcomics, the online manga pay site, has posted a notice that reads, in part:

In response to a request from our provider Aurora Publishing, we will be dropping all series from Aurora publishing, including those under Deux Press and Luv Luv Press imprints, promptly after midnight PST April 14th.

Aurora last released a new title in October 2009 (a book originally promised for March). Throughout most of last year, and still ongoing, their books have been available at fire-sale prices. Their website is otherwise woefully out of date.

What does this mean for the company? If they’re in financial distress, one would think that they’d want to maintain any source of income … unless maybe they think that online sales are cannibalizing their print sales, and they want to get rid of more books in preparation for winding up the company. But this is all pure speculation, until someone from the company says something. The contact I used to have is gone — anyone know what’s up with Aurora?

Update: (4/9/10) Simon Jones (link no longer available) has discovered a listing for a manga company for sale, and he speculates that it might be Aurora, based on a number of similarities.