Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. has announced that it is taking control of “all operational and business aspects” of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game , effective immediately.

DBD VP Sales and Marketing Kuo-Yu Liang pointed out that the schedule of key releases from DBD’s list may have had an impact.

Bookstores and other retailers tracked by Nielsen’s BookScan service sold 14.7% fewer graphic novels in Thanksgiving week 2008 as compared to Thanksgiving week in 2007.

UPDATE: This chart was updated to show Dark Tower: The Long Road Home as if all four covers were counted as a single title (putting it at #8). The Killing Joke Special Ed. HC was the #20 title before that update. For the fifth straight month Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s Watchmen topped BookScan’s list of the Top 20 graphic novels sold in bookstores

These charts of the Top Five CCGs Over-all, Top Ten Hobby Channel CCGs, and Top Five Mass Channel CCGs reflect sales in August, September, and October.

Thirty-five year comic industry veteran George Perez will appear as a Guest of Honor at the 2009 New York Comic Con in support of the Hero Initiative, which provides a financial safety net for comic creators.

Konami and Upper Deck are launching a new Yu-Gi-Oh! organized play program, the Dragon Duel League, behind the new Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s TV show and licensing stream.

4Kids Entertainment has reported sales of some $7.3 million in sales of the Chaotic T CG for Q3.

In Part One of this two-part interview, Leford talks about the current status at ADV; ADV’s changing strategy; some new anime announcements; his assessment of the anime market in North America, and the changing licensing environment.

This week, Steve Bennett discusses trends in cartoons on TV.