The second printing of Batman #608, which was about 30% of the size of the first printing, has sold out at the distributor level less than a week after it hit stores.

Viz Director of Manga Sales and Marketing Dallas Middaugh told ICv2 today that Viz has decided to abide by its decision to eliminate most of its direct U.S. customers for manga.

DC Comics-based live action series Birds of Prey is about to be canceled by the WB, according to Variety .

Retailers reporting their top dollar products to ICv2 based on October sales listed products with retail prices varying by over a factor of 100, showing that it's not necessarily a high price (or a low one) that produces big dollar volume.

Sales rankings obtained by ICv2 for one recent week's sales in U.S. bookstores as compiled by a major industry reporting service showed eighteen of the top twenty graphic novel slots and all of the top ten held by manga titles.

The hugely successful Superfriends animated series is going to be released on VHS and DVD beginning in April of 2003.

Warner Bros. is planning a direct-to-video animated Batman movie called Batman: The Mystery of Batwoman for release next fall.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is receiving some much needed financial support from two major auctions on e-Bay. The first auction was initiated by artist Jim Lee, who offered to pay all of his expenses for a store signing anywhere in the U.S.

CrossGen is reprising its 'money-back guarantee' offer on six key upcoming releases, three in January and three in February. Retailers don't have to process anything in the 'money back' program, since the reader, not the retailer, is required to return the unwanted book.

Gail Burt of Metropolis Comics in Downey, California responded to Jerry Ringi's missive on Marvel's description policy, and Marvel's no overprint policy.