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Thursday Runaround – The Tower Of Babel

Thursday Runaround – The Tower Of BabelNewComicWatch: Nicholas Sutton Bell creates Brian The Great And The Hungry Primate for Act-I-Vate. (left) It's really really nice.

DigiWatch: Todd Allen throws insult upon insult on Diamond Digital.

So, once again, we have a set of publishers off on one proprietary platform (iVerse) and then we have another set of publishers (DC, Marvel, etc) on other platforms (Comixology, Graphic.ly, etc).  So what is being encouraged here is to split up your digital collection over several proprietary file formats.  The Tower of Babel syndrome is just not helpful.  It's a larger issue, but comics need a standard format (like MP3 for music).  Diamond, and by extension , the retailers, aren't helping matters by backing a seriously incomplete selection of publishers on a proprietary format.  Well, unless you're trying to be a monopoly and force everyone on your own format.

JapanWatch: The New York Times covers the Tokyo Comics Code and its immediate effect on modern manga.

"There are no victims in manga — we should be free to write what we want," said Yasumasa Shimizu, vice president at Japan's largest publishing company, Kodansha, which is participating in the boycott. "Creativity in Japanese manga thrives on an 'anything goes' mentality."

Legal experts say that Japan's laws against child pornography are lax by international standards. Japan has banned the production or distribution of any sexually explicit, nude images of minors since 1999, when Parliament passed a law in response to international criticism of the wide availability of such works in the country. But even now, unlike the United States and most European countries, Japan does not ban the possession of child pornography.

"We believe that when the rights of adults or businesses violate children's rights, children must come first," said Tamae Shintani, head of Tokyo's parent-teacher association for elementary schools. "But we also respect free speech, so the least we can ask is people keep their fetishes under wraps."

WerthamWatch: Dark Horse are to collect and republish the  punchbag comic Crime Does Not Pay.

Published between the years of 1942 and 1955 by Lev Gleason Publications, Crime Does Not Pay proved to be a turning point in the medium. The series was a favorite target of Dr. Fredric Wertham and other censors and is partially responsible for the creation of the Comics Code Authority—yet it was also an inspiration for Harvey Kurtzman's reality-based EC Comics.

BC ComicChronThis is The Bleeding Cool ComicChron Robot speaking. I come for your women. But for now I merely collate comic-related bits and pieces online. One day I will rule. Until that day, read on.

ComicsPRO Annual Meeting 2011 first thoughts

In the wake of Diamond's announcement about a retail tie-in for digital sales, lots of retailers have questions about how that will be implemented, and what the cost breakdowns will be. A few had questions about whether it was wise to promote digital comics in their stores at all. While last year's meeting focused on digital a great deal, the retailers seemed more comfortable with the concept prior to this year's meeting. With the Diamond/iVerse announcement already made, and with comiXology having a retail tie-in program in the works, most retailers seemed willing to hear out the possibility of making some revenue from digital sales.

BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY comic book miniseries announced!

Written by Batman: The Animated Series writer Paul Dini (who also penned both Arkham games) and drawn by Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City concept artist Carlos D'anda, BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY picks up one year after the original game, where former Arkham Warden turned newly elected Mayor of Gotham City Quincy Sharp has decided to close down the infamous institution. In its stead, he establishes "Arkham City," the new maximum security "home" for all of Gotham City's thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds.  Set inside the heavily fortified walls of a sprawling district in the heart of Gotham City, inmates can roam free and do whatever they want as long as they don't try to escape. To run this urban prison, Sharp has appointed Dr. Hugo Strange, a man who knows that Bruce Wayne is Batman.

Inside DC Part One

Ever wonder what it looks like inside the offices of your favorite comic publisher?

YouTube – DC Universe: Fractured Future

The DC Universe: Fractured Future trailer paints the picture of a bleak future.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1XASjNvNFY[/youtube]

Japanese Comic Ranking, January 31-February 6 – Anime News Network

The 61st volume of Eiichiro Oda's One Piece pirate manga sold 2,086,080 copies between its first official day of sales (February 4) and February 6. It is the first book to sell over 2 million copies in just three days since Oricon began reporting its book ranking charts in April of 2008. 40 of the manga's 61 volumes were also in the top 100 chart this past week.

Controversial Classic "Crime Does Not Pay!" Comes to Dark Horse! – Comic Book Resources

Published between the years of 1942 and 1955 by Lev Gleason Publications, Crime Does Not Pay proved to be a turning point in the medium. The series was a favorite target of Dr. Fredric Wertham and other censors and is partially responsible for the creation of the Comics Code Authority—yet it was also an inspiration for Harvey Kurtzman's reality-based EC Comics.

So Many Avatar Comics, So Little Time

Following the breakout success of last year's Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Art of the Animated Series, Dark Horse is proud to collaborate with Nickelodeon on a comprehensive publishing program built around this beloved and exciting Emmy-winning animated series!

Jeffrey Reiner Closes In On 'Wonder Woman' Pilot Directing Gig – Deadline.com

Jeffrey Reiner is finalizing a deal to direct the NBC drama pilot Wonder Woman, David E. Kelley's reimagening of the iconic D.C. comic.

Bowdoin College museum hosts exhibit of cartoon artist's Bible vision

"It's definitely a groundbreaking for Crumb," said Kate Herlihy, curatorial assistant at the museum. "In addition to being a cult hero, he's also been controversial over his career. He's credited with bringing 'R-rated,' adult comics to this country, so for him to take on a book of the Bible was not without controversy."

Egyptians draw inspiration from Civil Rights Movement comic book

But did a 50-year old comic book about Martin Luther King help change the course of history in Egypt? Rep. John Lewis thinks so. On MSNBC the congressman and veteran of the civil rights movement told Andrea Mitchell that young Egyptians have been buying a comic book called the The Montgomery Story.


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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.
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