Akria Cast Questioned

Akira is facing the same question that arose with the cast of The Last Airbender.  Akira is being looked at for a live action movie from Hollywood.  At this time Warner Bros. is wanting the location of the story changed from Tokyo to New York.  By doing this they are also recasting the movie with Anglo actors, instead of casting actors with an Asian background.  The question is why does Hollywood feel the need to change the ethnicity in a story to make a movie?  Even with the location changed to New York, we are the United States where all ethnic backgrounds are to be blurred.  Check out the full story at ICv2’s site linked below.

http://www.icv2.com/articles/markets/19902.html

Ep. 4 Tips & Tricks: Shelving

When shelving graphic novels we use the “One-Stop-Shopping” method.  We catalog our graphic novels just like all of my library’s material.  However, when we shelf the graphic novels/manga we use the title or character on the spine label and in the location setting in our cataloging system.  We also set aside a specific section for our graphic novels/manga, this allows people to know right where to go for graphic novels/manga.  It’s just like when libraries have separated out Science Fiction or Mysteries into their own section within the library.  We use “GN” (Graphic Novel) and “GN-NF” (Graphic Novel Non-Fiction) as the main shelving location for the graphic novel/manga section.

Using Batman and Detective Comics titles as our examples, when we label these two titles, both titles can be found under the location of Batman.  If you use the writer on the spine for the location the Batman titles would be sprinkled throughout the graphic novel section.  Our patrons like the fact that they can go straight to the graphic novel section of the library, look under Batman and find all of the Batman titles we currently have available in one spot on the shelf (GN, Batman, instead of GN, O’Neal).  With our Non-Fiction titles we do use the authors last name, because it is usually only one book we are dealing with not a series.

This is just how we shelf our graphic novels/manga.  There is no right or wrong way.  This is just an example of how shelving can be simplified.

Jefferson Muzzels

Each year the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression awards the Jefferson Muzzel Awards.  The awards are to point out, “abridgments of free speech and press and, at the same time, foster an appreciation for those tenets of the First Amendment.”  Linked below is the listing of the eight reciepeants of the Jefferson Muzzel Award and why they recieved them for this year.

http://www.tjcenter.org/muzzles/muzzle-archive-2011/

Will the Crow Fly?

It was reported earlier that Relativity was producing a new Crow movie.  As tends to happen in Hollywood, the movies wings might have been clipped.  ICv2 is reporting that the Weinstein Company is suing Relativity stating that the Weinstein Company owns sole rights to the Crow.  So it’s a wait and see if the Crow movie will make it to the big screen.

http://www.icv2.com/articles/markets/19900.html

Upper Deck Teams up with Marvel

For librarians that have patrons that like comic books and trading cards will want to share this information.  True most patrons interested in these two collectibles will be the same, but their might be a few that just collect one type of collectible.  For those patrons that only collect one type share with them that Upper Deck is producing a trading card series that when put together will form comic pages that tale the story of the Avengers: Kree-Skrull War.  This is a cool cross promotional and will give librarians some talking points with your patrons.  For the full article link below to ICv2.

http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/19884.html

Boom not Soliciting Classic Disney Titles

For librarians ordering classic Disney comics from Boom Studios they will need to look elsewhere now.  ICv2’s site is reporting that Boom has no solicitations for July for any of the classic Disney characters.  However, librarians don’t groan to much.  I believe that Marvel will be picking these titles up, since Disney owns Marvel to keep the publishing in-house.  Boom still has the Rescue Rangers, Ducktales and Darkwing Duck titles, but I wouldn’t be surprised that when the license agreements are up Disney will move them over to their Marvel publishing branch.

http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/19883.html

Episode 4 Shownotes

Criminal Vol. 5: Sinners, Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips, 2010, Marvel Books.  ISBN: 978-0785132295, $15.99.

Library Wars: Love & War Vol. 1, Kiiro Yumi & Hiro Arikawa, 2010, Viz Media.  ISBN: 978-1421534886, $9.99.

Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam, 2010, Warner Home Video.  DVD – ASIN: B003Z8ZCDo, $19.98.  Blu-Ray-ASIN: B003Z8ZCD4, $29.99.

Due Date, 2011, Warner Home Video.  DVD – ASIN: B004I9SJH0, $28.98.  Blu-Ray – ASIN: B004I9SJFW, $35.99.

Natsume Ono to appear in New York

Librarians in the New York area mark your calenders.  Make sure the patrons that read manga are aware of the appearance of Natsume Ono.  Natsume Ono, sponsored by Viz Media, the Japanese store chain Kinokuniya and the Japanese publisher Ohta Shuppan, will be at the New York location of Kinokuniya on Tuesday May 10, at 7:00 p.m.  Readers will know her from House of Five Leaves, Ristorante Paradiso and Gente.  Thanks to Anime News Network for the info.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-04-18/house-of-5-leaves/ristorante-paradiso-natsume-ono-to-appear-in-nyc

Legend of the Fist

The movie Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen will more than likely appeal to your anime and manga fans.  It does have a superhero feel to it, since the character wears a mask, so your patrons that like comic books might like this to.  If nothing else the martial arts angle will be appealing to many people.  This moive has a limited release so librarians will have to check local movie houses to see if it is showing in your area. Thanks to Yahoo Movies for the trailer below.

Graphic Novel for True Crime Fans

All libraries have their true crime fans.  Dark Horse is publishing a new graphic novel that libraries can use to bridge true crime fans with graphic novels.  Jeff Jensen and Jonathan Case have produced a book entitled Green River Killer: A True Detective Story, which is about the Green River Killer that terrorized the Seattle area during the ’80’s and ’90’s.  Link over to Dark Horse’s site for the full article.

http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/358/jonathan-case-case