This December Viz will publish the first English edition of Kazushi Hagiwara's Bastard!!, while Image Comics will debut a prime example of American 'manga,' Bastard Samurai .

ICv2 has learned that WizKids, the company that created the category-defining collectible miniatures game Mage Knight , has tapped Jonathan Leithuesser for the post of Advertising and Public Relations Manager. Leithuesser is a veteran of the games industry with solid credentials.

As was the case last month, DC was the greatest percentage gainer after reorder dollars were included. There was one shift in ranks -- Viz topped CrossGen for the #6 slot--after reorders were included.

The biggest surprises at the top of the lists in August are the #1 toys product -- Clive Barker's Tortured Souls from Mcfarlane -- and the #1 anime -- the El Hazard OVA DVD box set.

Marvel will be rescheduling and resoliciting its Mutant X comic, based on the new live action TV show.

Now Diamond Select has inked a deal with CMG Worldwide, the marketing agency that controls licensing rights for over 200 dead celebrities including Marilyn Monroe.

The initial advance orders to Diamond Comic Distributors for comics shipping in September showed surprising strength this year, with an increase of around 6% vs. August.

Out of respect for the gravity of today's events, ICv2 is suspending its normal coverage except for the news we've been able to collect to date on the immediate effects on the industry.

Veteran comic scribe Chuck Dixon, who began writing for four-color heroes back in 1985, is heading to Tampa to join forces with the Crossgen team on March 1, 2002.

The Radiant Light Dragon will be the last dragon figure that Wiz Kids will release until the second half of 2002,