May 13, 2010 Johanna Comic News One comment

Toon Books Launches Kids’ Blog

Toon Books, publisher of wonderful graphic novels for kids (although they think they’re too short to be graphic novels), has just launched a special blog for emerging readers (no longer available) featuring the adorable mice Benny and Penny, created by Geoffrey Hayes. The characters can also be found in the books Just Pretend and The Big No-No!. The blog will feature a new comic strip every Monday and a “you write the cartoon” blank every Wednesday. The author has promised […]

May 11, 2010 Johanna Manga News Leave a comment

Bad News for Manga Companies Continues: Viz Lays Off 40%

Publishers Weekly is reporting that Viz Media laid off “as many as 55 people”. In addition, it appears its small New York office, which had about 5 staffers, has been closed. The number of staff released represents about 40% of the employees at Viz Media. Declining sales in the US manga industry over the past two years are blamed, although manga still does well in comparison to other book genres. In a formal statement the company confirmed the layoffs although […]

May 11, 2010 Johanna Comic News One comment

Rainy Tuesday LinkBlogging: Out of Print Books, Digital DRM, Webcomics.com, and Good Advice

Before I start, I’m sorry there are no pictures here, but I believe you’re smart enough to keep reading even without some loosely connected image to draw your eye. Books Are Perennials I’ve slammed Marvel before for not understanding how to handle book-format comics, and now it’s DC’s turn. Via speedforce.org comes a stunning survey of which key DC books are out of print. This should not happen, especially when we’re talking about items in a series. You cannot sell […]

May 11, 2010 Johanna Comic News Leave a comment

Comic Charity Tax Exemption Followup

In late April, I sent queries to the three best-known charitable organizations related to comics: Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Hero Initiative Friends of Lulu attempting to confirm that they had followed requirements to file tax returns. (The rules changed in 2006, so according to the New York Times, some organizations were in danger of losing their tax-exempt status.) Both the CBLDF and the Hero Initiative have now confirmed that they have no issues. The CBLDF response can be found […]

May 11, 2010 Johanna Manga News One comment

Go! Comi No Longer Online; Do They Have a Future?

Speculation has been swirling this week over what’s going on with manga publisher Go! Comi. Signs aren’t good, with their online presence now gone. Go! Comi launched in 2005 with four titles: Cantarella, Her Majesty’s Dog, Tenshi Ja Nai!!, and Crossroad. (All of which are still available from Amazon.) They went on to publish a variety of series, of which the only one I read was Japan Ai (published in 2007, now out of print). Their last big project was […]

May 11, 2010 Johanna Comic Book Films Leave a comment

The Losers Get Lucky

Review by Caroline Pruett If you want to see a future cult classic right now, skip the big summer blockbusters and check out The Losers — assuming you can find it. This movie opened weakly at the box office, drowning in a glut of similar-sounding films. A lot of comics fans knew it because the film, directed by Sylvain White, is based on a series created by Andy Diggle and Jock and published by Vertigo (more on that below). But […]

May 9, 2010 Johanna Books About Comics 17 comments

Cartoon Cute Animals

Christopher Hart’s latest how-to-draw book, Cartoon Cute Animals, is subtitled “How to Draw the Most Irresistible Creatures on the Planet!” but I would have called it “A pose book for ripping off Chuck Jones”, since all these adorable kittens and puppies and chipmunks look like they stepped right out of one of his cartoons. There are plenty of examples of expressions and poses, with chapters determined by animal type: cats and dogs, bears, woodland creatures (including chipmunk, beaver, raccoon, rabbit, […]

May 6, 2010 Johanna Bloomsbury USA 2 comments

Rapunzel’s Revenge

Rapunzel’s Revenge is a twisted take on the fairy tale that sparkles with life, intelligence, wit, adventure, and just plain fun. For the first time, the story of a girl locked in a tower by an evil stepmother and her excessively long hair makes a certain amount of sense. Writers Shannon and Dean Hale give Rapunzel character and motivation — she’s active, making choices, instead of someone bad things are done to. Oh, there’s plenty of that, too, but she […]

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