ICv2 has learned that Dark Horse Comics has just acquired the license to publish the entire 23-volume Astro Boy manga series, which was published in Japan as Tetsuwan Atomu (literally ' Mighty Atom ').

For Part II of our series on successful retailing of apparel in pop culture stores, ICv2 talked with Warp II of Edmonton, Alberta.

With two weeks left until Tim Burton's refashioning of Planet of the Apes opens, ICv2 conducted an unscientific survey on the sales of POTA merchandise by contacting some twenty retailers from coast to coast.

There is no doubt that manga's influence on American comics appears to be growing. Witness two stories that appeared on Newsarama this week. Michael Doran broke the story of Marvel's plan for an eight-title Marvel ' Mangaverse ' event planned for January, 2002, while Matt Brady detailed plans at DC Comics to use manga artist Kia Asamiya (Silent Moebius, Dark Angel) for a series of Titans covers.

The July issue of Diamond Previews includes a shared exclusive (with the Electronics Boutique chain) of Radioactive Man and Fallout Boy figures from the comic-savvy Simpsons TV series (and, of course the Bongo Comics series).

Max Allen Collins and Richard Piers-Rayner's graphic novel The Road to Perdition never received the attention it deserved in the comic market, but it did raise eyebrows in Hollywood, where this depression-era saga of a hitman's revenge has been developed into a starring vehicle for Tom Hanks.

The CMAA contacted Marvel and the publisher admitted that putting the Code Seal of Approval on Wolverine #165 was 'a mistake' on the company's part. ICv2 has learned that Marvel has not been submitting books to the CMAA recently and other current issues that carry the code (e.g., Tangled Web #3) are also 'mistakes.'

Reuters News Service is reporting that AOL Time Warner will shutter all its Warner Bros. Studio Stores by the end of October. AOL Time Warner announced in January that the newly merged entertainment juggernaut was seeking a buyer for the retail stores, but reportedly gave up the search for a buyer in February.

Crossgen, the Florida-based comic publisher, announced the signing of artist Karl Moline, who is currently penciling Joss Whedon's Fray.

Tokyopop has announced a major expansion of its manga line, which will double by the end of the year.