The Dirt on Tokyopop

On June 2, a week ago today, Tokyopop announced a sort of splitting of their company. Tokyopop is literally THE Manga company, and are responsible for most (if not all) the translated material we get here in North America. They have decided that they will spin off their comics-to-film and digital operations into a new company, called Tokyopop Media LLC.

Publishing, which will still remain with Tokyopop Inc., will be reduced by around 50%, reducing output to only 200-250 titles per year. Tokyopop had over 500 titles. This move has required the ‘reducing of their workforce’ by 39 employees, however the executive level will also see some changes.

ICv2 reports that “Group President and COO John Parker will take over as Publisher at Tokyopop, Inc. Marco Pavia, previously Director of Marketing, has been promoted to Associate Publisher. Mike Kiley, who has been serving as Publisher at Tokyopop Inc., will take over as the key senior executive in Tokyopop Media.

If you think about all this, however, it seems to make sense. Out of 500 titles per year, dropping it to 200-250 means only halting the translation of the ones who don’t nearly do as well anyways. Guaranteed the top 200 are the breadwinners with Tokyopop, where the last few are lucky to sell a few hundred copies. The market is simply diluted with far too much material out there to absorb! By separating resources into this new venture, Tokyopop will be able to fully focus on success in the two departments that mean something currently.

50% of the company can now focus solely on producing these excellent titles, while the other 50% can fully focus on their job of bringing these materials to the big or small screen, and onto the internet in unique ways. As we can all see, when Marvel made their big push into entertainment, it was pure gold for them. With Tokyopop now able to focus on comics-to-film, we can expect to see big things coming from them through different forms of media.

ICv2 has a new article up just today of a particularly insightful interview they had with Mike Kiley, the former Tokyopop Publisher who will be taking a ‘yet-to-be-named’ position at Tokyopop Media. I urge you to read it!

‘C’ is for Comic Books - An Encyclopedia Blitz!

I think it started sometime in 2006. Yes, that’s when the Marvel Encyclopedia was published by DK Publishing. I have a handy copy of it right here, and as I flip through I can tell you that this is a pretty in-depth look at the Marvel universe and her characters. More than a thousand articles in here.

I’ll agree with a friend of mine and allow that Deadpool doesn’t get nearly the page space he deserves... still a very comprehensive look, however.

The Marvel Vault, published by Running Press, followed suit in 2007. The ‘Museum-In-A-Book’ did extremely well during the holiday season, and traced the history of Marvel from the Golden Age all the way to present day. Nearly 70 years of history and over 30 pieces of removable memorabilia – such as old trading cards, reprints, artwork, etc. – all in a book. Makes you feel like a kid again just by opening it and exploring the treasures inside.

This is why Running Press will be releasing ‘The DC Vault: A Museum-In-A-Book’ this October! Following the success of its predecessor, The Marvel Vault, Running Press has ordered a huge first printing of 100,000 copies of this new Vault collection. There will be tones of extras to be found in this vault, such as exact reproductions of early sketches, memos and even a working model of a 1942 Junior Justice Society of America Decoder!

How cool is that?!

Look for that one in stores in October for roughly $50.00!

DK Publishing won’t be missing the boat this holiday season
either, as they will be releasing a thoroughly informative collaboration to follow up on the Marvel Encyclopedia! DK’s The Vertigo Encyclopedia ($30.00) will be a 240-Page, full color hardcover edition will be out for the holidays and will most definitely be a top seller. In here you will find all of the primary Vertigo labels such as Hellblazer, The Sandman, Preacher, Swamp Thing, Fables, and Y: The Last Man. That’s not all, there will be tones of other articles on other Vertigo properties. Look to the shelves this holiday for this one to add to your collection!

But DK’s not done yet! With the success yet again of its Marvel Encyclopedia, DK is coming back with Marvel Chronicle (roughly $50.00)! It’s a 352-page, year-by-year accounting of the history of the Marvel Universe! From its early days all the way up to the recent events of Civil War and Secret Invasion! Along the way it will also note the key events of our time to coincide with what comic books were being published in those years. This book will be a great idea for those who wish to find out just how Marvel found themselves in the position they are today – how they and their characters built up so much steam to become the true marvels they are today.

So a bunch of encyclopedic knowledge about comic books will be out for the holidays this year. So throw away your Encyclopedia Britannica – there wasn’t much in those anyways – and make some shelf space for a whole new set of books containing all you need to know about the comic book titans of history!

Disney Creates Graphic Novel Medium

Walt Disney Studios is now launching Kingdom Comics, through which they will begin to adapt graphic novels for the big screen. Also, it will be Kingdom's job to handle work on rejuvenating Disney's live action film properties. ICv2 reports that 'Disney Publishing will have the first option to publish the material, although Kingdom will be able to take its packages elsewhere if Disney declines to publish.'

This means that Kingdom Comics will be creating new graphic novels and characters and optioning their creations for film adaptations. Also they will be taking movies from the Disney Vault and re-imagining them as graphic novels.

Who knows what we will find turning up in graphic novel form in the future? Perhaps a Davey Crockett graphic novel series? I think that would be pretty awesome. Loved that film when I was but a boy. Ooooh. Old Yeller would be awesome.

Kingdom Comics will be headed by Ahmet Zappa (Check IMDB to see what he's been in. He's also written 'The Monstrous Memoirs of a Mighty McFearless' which is also being considered for a film. Ahmet is also currently executive producer of a Fraggle Rock feature), Harris Katlemen (His key to fame is when, from 1980 - 1992, he ran 20th Century TV which developed The Simpsons during that time), and Christian Beranek (who founded Silent Devil).

So far no writers or artists have been signed on, but that will likely change soon.

Stan Lee and Virgin Comics Ultimate Team-Up!

Mr. Stan 'The Man' Lee has opted to form a partnership with the guys over at Virgin Comics! Their mission? To create a new universe of superheroes, unlinked to anything out there in the market. Stan has, in his time, created or had a hand in creating some of, if not THE most, memorable characters in comics history. Spider-man, the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, Iron Man... all of these and many many more fall under Stan's imagination.

"What a dream assignment!" enthused the always-ebullient Lee. "I can't wait to start pitting my newest, most exciting superheroes against comicdom's most powerful, diabolical super villains and then have the fun of tossing them into far-out, thrill-a-minute adventures to challenge the readers' imagination! And who better to share in the fun, creating wondrous new worlds without limit, than the incredibly talented and dedicated guys at Virgin Comics!"

Hold onto your hats, everyone, this is gonna be one hell of a thrill ride.

The comic series is due out sometime in 2009, so look forward to seeing more and more news about the project in the months to come! Our friends at Comixology has more to say on the matter, so head on over at this link here!

Eisner Nominees now Online!

The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards nominees have been officially listed for 2008!

For those who don't know, the Eisner Awards are dished out to deserving winners every year at the San Diego Comic Convention (Tommy and I have our tickets purchased and as of tonight will have the hotel and flight officially booked - a word to the wise, next year do not procrastinate as we have. Hotels are... tough... to find). The Eisner Awards have been kicking around for roughly 2 decades now but honestly, this one seems to have a fair turnout from all producers, with nobody really having a majority seating among nominees.

I'll draw your attention to Red 5 Comics (who I am, as you may have noticed, a big - nay - large fan) who hauled 2 nominations this year for Atomic Robo! Best Limited Series and Best Coloring - two noteworthy categories.

For the full article on nominees and the event, feel free to visit CBR News. You'll find anything else of note there!

Bookoff to Payoff

The Anime News Network has reported that popular used-bookstore chain, "Bookoff Corporation" has opted to pay numerous creators' associations 100 million yen (approximately 1 million dollars US) in order to address mounting complaints. The growing used-book industry has begun to take a certain toll in new book sales, to the discomfort of creators.

Bookoff currently has hundred of stores in Japan and numerous others overseas, and clocked roughly 460 million dollars this last fiscal year. Their primary specialization are manga, books, CDs, DVDs and video games.

This marks the first specific offer of payment to any of these organizations from bookstores.

If you wish to read the rest of this article, just follow this link!

Gonzo to take a cue from Radiohead

Fans of Radiohead's new album may recall the unique 'pay-what-you-think-it's-worth' strategy the band took back in October. For those who missed it, essentially it was an open-pricing model where a person was prompted to input whatever dollar amount (British pounds, actually) that they felt the album was worth.

The release prompted over 1.2 million downloads, and while Radiohead refused to release sales numbers, analysts estimated they earned approximately $5 per download.

Since this time, other artists including Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor and poetic rapper Saul Williams have used this method to some degree of success.

Gonzo Animation Studio's parent company GDH has announced today that they will be releasing two anime series using the same open-pricing method as the bands. The Tower of Druaga and Blassreiter will have episodes available to download in full on the Crunchyroll website on the same day as they air on Japanese TV. The price you pay will be up to you!

While GDH is just testing the waters at this time, the company should be applauded for it's foresight into the future of digital media. Many companies are beginning to realize that the old pricing methods are quickly becoming obsolete. Rather than fight it, many are striving to find new and creative ways to get the content to the fans while still maintaining a healthy profit.

While the open-pricing model may not be the final solution, it is certainly a step in the right direction and I'm glad to see companies willing to try it out.

Stan Lee: New York Comic Legend

Stan "The Man" Lee, father of the Marvel Universe of comic books, co-creator of some of the most memorable characters in comic book history, will be receiving the first ever New York Comic Legends Award according to the New York Comic Con.

The Award was created by the New York Comic Con as a form of appreciation for the greatest people to influence the comic book industry who hail from the Big Apple. The award will be handed to Mr. Marvel himself at the Virgin Megastore on Times Square at a special VIP party. A limited amount of tickets for entry will be made available and can be found via the New York Comic Con website on March 28th.

It's quite obvious to see why Mr. Lee deserves this award. Even non-comic book fans know who Stan Lee is! His work to light a fire in the comic book industry will never be forgotten. For decades in the past and for decades in the future, Stan's character driven stories will live on. Perhaps you know some of them. There's that spider guy, those mutants, that huge green fellow, and even that lovable family of heroes.

If you want to read more about Stan's life, you can do so here!

The US Credit Crunch may claim another victim...

It's been hard to miss in the news. Nearly every newspaper, blog, newscast, and magazine has covered it at one point or another: the US credit crunch.

While economists are still unsure if the market is in full recession mode or not, anyone living in North America (if not many parts of the world) have dealt with the repercussions of the credit problems the US has been facing.

In order to grow the business (or stay afloat) many companies use borrowed funds (or leverage) to meet their financial needs. Borders is no exception. The company has been on the forefront of the manga movement in book stores, offering one of the most diverse selections of graphic novels in store in relation to it's peers.

Borders (NYSE:BGP) realized a nearly 29% loss in share price today upon announcing that it would be suspending it's dividend and would be looking for alternative financing options. Borders CEO George Jones noted that "the current credit environment has made many of these alternatives prohibitively expensive or entirely unavailable."

Investors can expect an announcement within the next two weeks if Borders can find successful financing.

There is a Canadian twist: rumor has it that Canadian retailer Indigo Books (TSE:IDG) may be interested in purchasing the floundering company. While this is only speculation at the moment, it could be a great opportunity for the Canadian bookseller to expand into the US markets.

Comics are the Work of the Devil!

Perhaps comparing comic books to Hitler would make us laugh in this day and age, but a half-decade ago millions of people were taking it very seriously. Frank Werthham wrote in his 1954 book Seduction of the Innocent that comic books bred juvenile delinquency. This book set into action a chain of events that led to many American children being forced to throw their beloved comic books into church-held community bonfires.

Shortly after World War 2, comic books were a hit. The comics industry employed over 1000 writers and artists, and an estimated 80 to 100 million comic books were sold each week.

The major comic book publisher at the time, EC Comics, did work mostly in the horror and crime genres. Many of the published titles included gruesome artwork such as severed heads and pools of blood. As time went on, concerned parents, backed by religious and community leaders, revolted. The climax was when EC's publisher Bill Gaines stood in front of a senate committee to explain how an illustration of a man holding a severed head could be in good taste.

David Hajdu's new book, The Ten-cent Plague, details the trials and tribulations of the comic book industry in the decade after World War 2. It is a spectacularly frightening look into a witch hunt that cost many their livelihoods.

Many of us were not alive when these events transpired. Others were likely very young and could not comprehend what was going on around them. Regardless of who you are, I urge you to pick up this book and read it from beginning to end. No other books better capture the events that have so greatly influenced North American culture.

The All Powerful Loonie

Don MacPherson over at Eye on Comics posted yesterday a bit of interesting news from the DC front. Though a number of months behind Marvel's switch, DC has decided to begin reflecting Canada's stronger dollar into their periodical comic rates, making them effectively cheaper for Canadians.

Don continues on to contemplate on a number of issues revolving around the key word 'periodical' and whether graphic novels and volume compilations will also reflect the stronger buying power of the loonie.

I really do hope so. Graphic novels are pretty close to my main purchasing focus, as I highly enjoy filling my book shelf with things other than flimsy pamphlet issues. Regardless, pennies saved are pennies earned!


Also I'll take a second to point out the new Scott Pilgrim themed banner. Scott Pilgrim, created by Bryan Lee O'Malley is definitely on my favorites list and I'll definitely enjoy meeting the creator at the Calgary Comicon in April.

Paul Pope x DKNY: Collaboration!

It's often been said that comic books are gaining wider recognition and acceptance in North America. The Goliath!? crew has been seeing this for years! It's evident every time you walk into your local bookstore: manga and graphic novels are showing up everywhere, and are finding their way into much more prominent locations in the stores.

Much of this growth can be attributed to the onslaught of comic related movie releases in the last few years. While this is nothing new, the sheer volume of releases since the late 90s has certainly helped publishers establish their characters into the North American psyche.

Japan has had a close relationship to comics for years. As many of the Japanese creations became run-away hits in North America, the publishers realized they were on to something. In Japan, it is not uncommon to see a businessman read manga on the train to work or a housewife reading manga while watching her children at the park. It is the hope of many to eventually see the same level of acceptance on our shores one day.

Paul Pope, the legendary comic book artist and creator of hits such as Batman: Year 100 and THB, has recently announced a collaboration with DKNY for a series of clothing featuring his illustrations. While comics have influenced designs in streetwear for some time now, this new collaboration has been the first time a major player in the industry has taken an active role in it's creation.

Read the lengthy Wall Street Journal article on the announcement here.

Controversy: Comic World Murder, circa 1990

The prosecutors office and township police for Macomb County, Michigan charged comic shop owner Michael George with the 1990 murder of his wife Barbara George. The trial has continued for a number of months and has been a topic of interest in the Goliath!? circles as of late.

Barbara George was found dead in the back room of their comic store: Comic World back in 1990. The case went cold for nearly 17 year before being re-opened after a critical piece of evidence was realized: The testimony of Mike Renaud stating that he had called the store at approximately 5:15 or 5:30 the day of the murder when Michael George answered the phone, seemingly rushed. This small bit of information has created doubt to George's alibi of being miles away from the store at the time of the murder.

Recent testimony from Kimberly Koliba, the employee of a neighboring nail salon to the Georges', states that she often heard Michael and Barbara George arguing in the months leading up to the murder. Notably, she called the argument on the day of the murder particularly 'violent'

Read Jameson Cook's recent article at The Macomb Daily for the whole story.

Marvel on Facebook

Marvel Comics has entered into the Facebook App. fold. Yesterday, 'Marvel Digital Comics' came online for any Facebook user to add to their applications list. The app itself opens up the availability of over 3000 Marvel Digital Universe Unlimited titles (the collection of which ICv2 has posted here).

Another feature of the application is the "My Must Reads" option, where you may post your favorite comics on there for your friends to see. From there you may also note your friends and their recommended comics. Marvel news will also be posted on the app's home page, as well as image galleries, videos, and information on other marvel entertainment ventures.

I know what some are thinking: if comics are released online to read, won't purchasing go down and eventually be wiped out? Actually no! The titles that will be released on the Facebook app are all the titles that are released through Marvel Digital Universe Unlimited, as mentioned. However, comics are only added to that list 6 months after publication, leaving a very healthy amount of time on the store shelf before being available to view (but not own or download) online.

I think this is an incredible idea to draw back the readers of comics who have left over time, and also a good way for readers to catch up on their series before plunging back into a comic store to buy the newest one!

Here's the link to the MDUU website! Go! Read!

Marvel: Still a Screaming Buy!?

Investor worries over a limited film schedule for 2009 led to a $2 drop in stock price (NYSE: MVL) on yesterday's close. This hasn't stopped The Motley Fool's Tim Beyers from giving his list of reasons why Marvel is a screaming buy.