David Taylor notes that the same volume of Naruto is still breaking records on USA Today’s Top 150. If you’re in the San Francisco area and hear strange popping noises, it’s probably champagne corks flying over at the Viz offices.
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Speaking of youth-friendly properties, Barnes & Noble is having an online-only Kids’ Sale. Being curious about these things, I gave a quick scan to see if any graphic novels were included, and lo, they were, under the listing for teens.
It’s kind of a weird mix of product, with lots of film-friendly choices starring the X-Men and Fantastic Four, some high-end DC products that were probably gathering dust on the warehouse shelves, and some manga (though no Naruto, because it clearly doesn’t need any kind of discount incentive attached to it).
The manga choices include the first volumes of Bleach, Cromartie High School, and Fullmetal Alchemist, along with a Fullmetal art book and 500 Manga Heroes and Villains.
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Maybe this will be better than the television series that inspired it.
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There’s a new elliptical trainer at the gym. This would normally be a cause for great rejoicing, as there are never enough machines to accommodate all the people who want to use them. This one is just murder, though. The low-impact cardiovascular workout is counterbalanced by the spinal reconfiguration endured by anyone taller than 4’6”. The only thing the machine is lacking is a little tray where chiropractors and physical therapists can put their business cards.
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Just who is “the HBO of comics”? AiT/Planet Lar claims squatter’s rights to the title. And if Big Love and Deadwood move to Showtime, we’ll know for sure.
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Unsettling possibility of the day: the notion that the Project Runway producers would specifically edit out any mention of Zulema’s sexuality, in spite of frequent references to her wife in interviews and conversation.
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It’s almost Wednesday, you say? Why, that must mean the wait is almost over for Hope Larson’s Gray Horses (Oni), which is bound to be lovely. “Lovely” probably won’t apply to the first volume of Anne Freaks (ADV, which has no solicitation information for the book up on their site, but they still hasn’t gotten around to posting anything for Yotsuba&!, so no big surprise), but I’m looking forward to it all the same. Last week’s issue of Mister Miracle didn’t leave me very warmly inclined towards the Seven Soldiers experience, but perhaps the final issue of The Bulleteer (DC) will turn things around for me.