As ICv2 has reported previously, sales of magazines through the newsstand distribution channel have been declining for the past decade. Now Advertising Age has published an Audit Bureau of Circulation survey of the paid circulation of the top 200 magazines showing more stable circulations over the past six months--only five of the top ten magazines showed declines.

As of Friday, April 13, efforts are continuing to sell the assets of Fandom.com, including those of the retail operation, once the largest pop culture retailer in the US. According to sources close to the situation, an 'assignment for the benefit of creditors' has been made.

Here's a distant early warning from ICv2's Japanese correspondent-- Katsuhiro Otomo, creator of the classic Akira manga, is publishing his first comic work in five years. The first installment of the new Otomo story, Orbital Era , will appear in Kodansha's weekly Young magazine.

Variety reports that four state legislatures are considering criminal penalties for allowing anyone under the age of 17 access to 'R-rated' films. In Massachusetts, a bill introduced by Rep. Brad Hill includes stores that offer video products (both rental and sell-through) as well as theaters.

Magazine publisher H& S Media has cancelled its monthly 'unofficial' Pokemon magazine, Pojo's Pokemon , which was selling 500,000 copies per month, primarily via newsstand distribution, at the height of the Pocket Monsters craze.

Here's a typical example of the kind of reactions we received. 'After reading Mr. Jemas's comments on the overshipping, I must say that I can count the number of digits in his IQ by his 'I know better than you do' attitude (zero).

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Scott Rosenberg's Platinum Studios has signed with AMG (Artists Management Group) to oversee the packaging of Rosenberg's catalog of comic book characters for television, film, and new media projects. In addition. Rosenberg will return to comic publishing indirectly at least by packaging some twenty-odd titles under the editorship of Lee Nordling.

According to Cinescape Online, the Wall St. Journal is reporting that 20th Century Fox is suing Marvel over a planned Mutant X syndicated television series. Fox reportedly feels that the series represents a breach of the agreement it reached with Marvel in 1993 for movie rights to the X-Men.

Though many of its news sites continue to function, Fandom's on-line and catalogue retailing operations have been shut down since Saturday. In a letter posted on the Fandom Shop site, the company maintains that it is in the process of being acquired and that no selling or shipping will occur until 'the process is finished.'

The Topps Company has signed a three-year deal with PSA, a Division of Collectors Universe. Under terms of the agreement PSA will provide Topps with graded cards, which will be sealed in clear plastic, tamper-evident cases and included in product sent to retail.

We're compiling here for your benefit a list of all of the anime titles currently on network television (cable or broadcast). These are obviously the anime with the broadest appeal, and the ones most likely to bring new customers to your store.

Not every retailer has the same opportunity to succeed with 'kids comics' as the three profiled in this story, but many can utilize at least some of the stratagems employed so effectively by these storeowners. One theme that is consistent with all three retailers is that they provide one area of their store as an enclave for younger readers.