Ants Marching – This Week’s Links

A classic jinx in last week’s this week’s links, with the noting of the fact that it was a ‘quiet period’ in terms of news, inevitably leading to this week’s links, below, being compiled during a week in which the news, well, it just absolutely will not stop, spewing forth from the pipes of the internet like so much sewage water, as it is wont to do, on occasion. May you live in interesting times.

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— Julia Gfrörer (@thorazos.bsky.social) 2026-02-19T22:39:29.691Z

This week’s news.

• Starting this week with news out of Japan, as a civil suit was finalised against manga writer Kazuaki Kurita for grooming and sexually assaulting a student over a number of years, while working as a teacher at a private high school, with Kurita having previously been arrested and fined for possession and creation of child sex abuse material. Parallel to this, publisher Shogakukan, operator of the Manga ONE digital platform, had cancelled the series Daten Sakusen, which Kurita wrote under the pen name Shoichi Yamamoto, due to Kurita’s CSAM arrest, before rehiring Kurita under the new pen name of Hajime Ichiro to write the series Jōjin Kamen, which has now also been cancelled in the wake of this new scandal. It further transpired that, during this period of cancellation and rehiring, an editor at Shogakukan had attempted to mediate between Kurita and the victim of said grooming, proposing a settlement of ¥1.5 million under the provision of silence on the abuse and the fact that publication of Jōjin Kamen would be continuing, in spite of this. These myriad revelations lead to a number of mangaka removing their work from the Manga ONE platform and demanding a response from Shogakukan, prompting an apology from the publisher, along with the even further admission that, yes, actually, it had also during this period rehired Tatsuya Matsuki, co-creator of Act-Age, under the pen name of Itsuki Yatsunami, following Matsuki’s own indictment for indecent assault, and closed out proceedings with the announcement that it would be setting up a third-party investigative committee to determine just exactly how this entire convoluted debacle was allowed to occur, not just in the first place, but in multiple instances.

• Elsewhere, in other manga news, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that it has been acquired by the MEDIA DO Group, Japan’s largest eBook distro company, with operations continuing under Seven Seas’ existing leadership and editorial team, and Penguin Random House remaining as the publisher’s print distributor.

• In other acquisition news, the ultimate parent corp of DC Comics changed overnight once more, as Paramount Skydance looks set to take ownership of Warner Bros Discovery following the collapse of Netflix’s bid for the company — barring any further changes in which bid is seen as the winning bid for the acquisition, we now await the Department of Justice’s decision on the antitrust implications of such a deal, along with further regulatory approval from relevant bodies in the European Union and the United Kingdom.

• In “and this is then what happens further down the line” news, Embracer announced that Mike Richardson will no longer be CEO of Dark Horse, the company that Richardson founded in 1986 before selling it to Embracer in 2022, and will instead be replaced by video game company executive Jay Komas, whose “background in managing and expanding IP across multiple categories will be instrumental as we build on Dark Horse’s legacy and strengthen its position in an increasingly connected entertainment landscape,” apparently.

• In memoriam, remembering those the world of comics has lost, as news was shared of the passing of artist Jacopo Camagni, co-creator of Nomen Omen, who has died at the age of 48, due to complications arising from heart surgery.

• News was also shared of the passing of storied colorist Tatjana Wood, whose work appeared on the covers and interiors of myriad DC titles, who has died at the age of 99.

• Finally this week, news was shared of the passing of Clément Oubrerie, artist on the Aya series of graphic novels, alongside many other comics albums, who has died at the age of 59, due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

requiem for vanished birdsong

— ivyteas (@ivyteas.bsky.social) 2026-03-03T21:01:11.932Z

This week’s reviews.

TCJ

• Mark Peters reviews the enduring greatness of Geof Darrow’s Shaolin Cowboy: Beginning of the End Results — 21 Years of Blood, Sweat, and Chainsaws — “Darrow has always had a talent for the absurd, as seen in panels of musical instrument-playing penguins jamming with Thret. The minuteness and mayhem are such that no one would confuse these pages with the output of any other artist. Darrow is monolithic, an utterly one of a kind sicko, thank the gods.”

• Brian Nicholson reviews the rich moments of Kris Bertin and Alexander Forbes’ Hobtown Mystery Stories 3: The Secret of the Saucer — “Either way you read it, the opening and the closing of the book reassert a status quo to affirm the core of the book is the friendships between characters. There is an earnestness to this series in the sense of affection these characters feel for each other which provides a degree of coziness to contrast the otherworldly strangeness of the dangers presented, and keeps it grounded in something human.”

• Kristian Williams reviews the heavy questions of Partisans: A Graphic History of Anti-Fascist Resistance, edited by Raymond Tyler and Paul Buhle — “All of these stories are heroic, some rousing, some tragic. And the authors do not paper over the risks, the sacrifices, the brutality, or the moral and political complexities. Images of mass graves and bodies hanging from gallows appear repeatedly, alongside text informing us of the thousands murdered by fascists as collective punishment for partisan attacks.”

AIPT

• Chris Coplan reviews the life-affirming resonance of Alex Paknadel and Troy Little’s Cult of the Lamb: Last Sacrament Special.

• Kevin Clark reviews the contemporary paranoia of Tim Leong, Laura Hudson, Emiliana Pinna, et al’s Exploit #1.

• David Brooke reviews the procedural focus of Benjamin Percy, Madibek Musabekov, et al’s Star Wars: Shadow of Maul #1.

• Collier Jennings reviews the welcome spotlight of Ashley Allen, Edoardo Audino, et al’s Moonstar #1.

• Alex Schlesinger reviews the rowdy fun of Cody Ziglar, Ryan North, Christos Gage, Rogê Antônio, Javier Garrón, Alan Robinson, et al’s Wolverines & Deadpools: Claws & Mercs.

• Colin Moon reviews the perfect tone of Kelly Thompson, Mattia De Iulis, Marcio Takara, Filipo Andrade, et al’s Jessica Jones: Blind Spot.

• Michael Guerrero reviews the disappointing momentum of Jeff Lemire, Nick Robles, et al’s Absolute Flash #12.

• George Loftus reviews the sanguineous struggles of Tate Brombal, Takeshi Miyazawa, et al’s Batgirl #17.

• Diane Darcy reviews the final question of Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson, Javier Fernández, Xermanico, Wes Craig, et al’s DC K.O. #5.

The Beat

• Tim Rooney reviews the dreary slog of Jed MacKay, Netho Diaz, et al’s X-Men #26.

• Clyde Hall reviews the familiar beats of Ben Stenbeck et al’s Lands Unknown: The Skinless Man #1.

• Sean Dillon reviews the contrasting tones of Patrick Horvath et al’s Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #6.

• Gianni Palumbo reviews the angry satire of Tim Leong, Laura Hudson, Emiliana Pinna, et al’s Exploit #1.

• AJ Frost reviews the visual delights of Barbara “Willy” Mendes’ Queen of Cosmos Comix Trilogy.

• Avery Kaplan reviews the vibrant variety of Fantagraphics' The Disney Afternoon Adventures: DuckTales - Treasure of the Lost Lamp and Other Stories.

• Merve Giray reviews the tangled tensions of Aki Shimizu’s Hinatsugimura, translated by Eleanor Summers; and the charged vignettes of Takako Shimura's Scenes from Awajima, Volume 1, translated by Andria McKnight.

• Zack Quaintance reviews the open-ended ending of Zander Cannon’s Sleep #8, the deadpan hilarity of Kevin Alvir’s Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar Book 2 – The Rock God Complex, and the immersive strengths of Andrea Chalupa and Brahm Revel’s Mrs. Orwell.

Broken Frontier

• Gary Usher reviews the narrative complexity of Sleepyhouse2’s Hard Core Drugs.

• Edward Picot reviews the folkloric intrigue of James Tynion IV, Steve Foxe, Piotr Kowalski, et al’s Let This One Be a Devil, Volume 1.

Comics Grinder

Henry Chamberlain reviews the top-notch insights of Sid the Cat #3, edited by Andrew Greenstone.

House to Astonish

Paul O’Brien has capsule reviews of Marvel Comics’ Inglorious X-Force #2, Spider-Man & Wolverine #10, Rogue #2, and Psylocke: Ninja #2.

Journal of International Women’s Studies

Minae Savas reviews the insightful connections of Lynne Miyake’s The Tale of Genji Through Contemporary Manga.

Solrad

Hagai Palevsky reviews the dulled potency of Marie Derambure and Paco Moccand’s Basket.

Want to help run TCAF? (and get a cool free shirt?)Now's your chance to volunteer with us!You could help set up the space, guide attendees, support programming and artists, or whatever skills or interests you want to bring. Sign up for a June 5, 6, or 7 shift here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

— Toronto Comic Arts Festival (@torontocomics.bsky.social) 2026-02-27T20:19:00.067Z

This week’s interviews.

TCJ

Zach Rabiroff interviews Scott Dunbier about Artist’s Editions and Act 4 Publishing, leaving DC and leaving IDW, page scanning and sourcing processes, and the problem of AI — “I don't necessarily try to pick what I think is going to be the biggest seller, which is probably not a good idea for running a business, but I try to choose things that I would like. I think I have good taste, and I think that people will find good things in the books that I like.”

AIPT

• David Brooke speaks with Ben Stenbeck about Lands Unknown: The Skinless Man, the long gestation of the project, and narrative connections.

• Chris Coplan talks to Doug Wagner and Daniel Hillyard about Narco, collaborative harmony, telling standalone stories, and focusing on the psychological elements.

Autobiographix

Amaris Ketcham and Nora Hickey chat with Brian Fies about the twentieth anniversary of Mom’s Cancer, early career rejections, finding your artistic voice, and the challenge of nonfiction research.

The Beat

Diego Higuera interviews Chris Yates about Marcus Walker: Kingslayer Protocol and shifting the protagonist spotlight, and Katelyn Windels about The Devil in the Herd and the winning genre mix of westerns and horror.

Chicago Tribune

Christopher Borrelli shares conversation between Nora Flanagan and Jarrett Dapier about Wake Now in the Fire, book bans in the Chicago Public Schools system, and the changing access to libraries in schools.

Creative Australia

Talk with Elizabeth MacFarlane, Ronnie Scott, Gabriel Clark, and Meg O’Shea about the Folio: Stories of Australian Comics project, the research behind Folio, and how attitudes towards comics have changed over the years.

CTV News

Angela MacKenzie interviews Drawn & Quarterly’s Tom Devlin about rising book sales in Québec and the increased drive from customers to shop locally.

Cult MTL

Toula Drimonis talks to Arizona O'Neill about Opioids & Organs, and the family connection with the book's focus on overdose deaths and organ transplants.

Fanbase Press

Barbra Dillon speaks with:

Barbara Perez Marquez about The Curie Society: Game of Code and making stories that inspire younger readers.
Bruno Redondo about The DC Art of Bruno Redondo and the unique strengths of the comics form.
Doug Marcaida about Lineage and each blade having a story to tell.
Chris Yates about Marcus Walker: Kingslayer Protocol and time spent in Creative Acquisitions at the House of Mouse.

Focus Taiwan

Teng Pei-ju interviews Beatrice Zani, Valentine Boucq, and Emilie Garcia about Women, Bras and Chicken Feet: The Journey of 'Made in China' and adapting the book from doctoral thesis to graphic novel.

Forbes

Josh Weiss interviews Mike Mignola and Ben Stenbeck about Lands Unknown: The Skinless Man, creating a whole new fictional world, and differing storytelling instincts.

FreakSugar

Jed W. Keith talks to Sherard Jackson about Darbi, picking dinosaur favourites, T. rex family units, and letting the characters tell you who they are.

Graphic Memoir

Jonathan Sandler speaks with Jordan Mechner about Replay: Memoir of an Uprooted Family, the decision to tell this story via memoir, and the family research that went into the book.

NPR

Junna Summers interviews Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett about the return of Gorillaz, satirising manufactured pop bands, and the cartoon inspirations for the group.

Smash Pages

JK Parkin talks to Bruno Redondo about The DC Art of Bruno Redondo, the changing stages of working with DC, and evolving collaborations with Tom Taylor.

We are very pleased to share with you the SPX 2026 Banners done by Ignatz Award winning cartoonist, Sanika Phawde!They’re so beautiful and we are so in awe of your talent! Thank you so much, Sanika!

— Small Press Expo (@smallpressexpo.bsky.social) 2026-03-02T19:28:05.500Z

This week’s features and longreads.

• Here at TCJ, Valerio Stivé reports on last year’s edition of Lucca Comics and Games, which ran from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 in the Italian city, and logs some of the complaints to be garnered from attendees at the event — “The most peculiar and interesting exhibition was dedicated to French artist Rebecca Dautremer (curated by Cosimo Lorenzo Pancini), who also created this year’s edition poster. Not only was her artwork on display, but her studio itself was moved and reconstructed in its entirety inside one of the palace rooms. During the days of the festival, she was there working on her first-ever graphic novel (after years of illustrated books).”

• Also for TCJ, Brigid Alverson continues analysis of the Diamond Comics Distributors bankruptcy case, as consignments are held hostage and Chapters converted, while the wider post-Diamond industry looks to continue recent growth trends in a new landscape of multiple distributors — “I was surprised to hear retailers telling me that DC’s Absolute comics, the best-selling universe in 2025, accounted for maybe half their sales. The world of comics, including monthly comics, has gotten much bigger than just one superhero, publisher, or distributor. And if there’s one thing that was clear, it’s that the industry not only survived the death of Diamond but, despite the damages inflicted on the publishers and the hassles for retailers, it has emerged stronger than ever.”

• For ICv2, Rob Salkowitz runs through the various permutations of what the mooted Paramount/Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition deal may mean for DC Comics, if we don’t see another do-si-do changing of dance partners.

• Brandon Beck, co-founder of the intermittently legally embattled Riot Games, went on something of a comics donation spree this week, resulting in articles on the acquisition of original copies of Captain America Comics #1 and other titles by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and the United States Holocaust Museum.

• Other comics collection coverage this week, from Cultured North East, as Tony Henderson reports on the largest collection of British comics in the world heading to the auction block, with original owner Peter Hansen looking to sell up the tens of thousands of comics, artworks, and bound publisher volumes amassed over decades of visits to the newsagents.

• For Nippon.com, Kuramochi Kayoko writes on Ichinohe Rumi’s I See Your Face, Turned Away, and how the currently on-hiatus shōjo manga achieves a delicate balance of adhering to classical tropes, while updating its characters for a modern reading audience.

• Shelfdust’s Year of Evil continues, as Steve Morris writes on the inherent villainy of current co-worker Judge Death, and the tightrope of setting up a foil to the fascist antihero of Judge Dredd.

• A fresh Mindless Ones newsletter fwoomps into the pneumatic tube, as tribute is paid to the passing of writer Rob Grant, and the Venom symbiote fixated on.

• Paul O’Brien’s accounting of the villains of Daredevil receives a new entry, over at House to Astonish, as the post-Born Again era means that we’re heading into Ann Nocenti’s tenure, so it’s time to make oneself acquainted with Project Reptile.

• Mike Peterson rounds up the week’s editorial beat, for The Daily Cartoonist, as the ushering in of yet more wars are presumably attempts by hawks to mitigate inevitably becoming lame ducks at the cost of the doves of peace, to extend an already tortured avian metaphor to breaking point.

CZF will be back on Saturday October 10th!! We're thrilled to be returning to the Winter Garden in the Harold Washington Library Center, thanks to the generous partnership of @chipublib.bsky.social!

— Chicago Zine Fest (@chicagozinefest.bsky.social) 2026-02-28T18:00:41.978Z

This week’s audio/visual delights.

• Michel Fiffe’s Files on Keith Giffen continued this week, as we reached the penultimate installment (not counting bonus episode/s), and consideration was given to the difficulties inherent in the '90s comics market and in sourcing copies of Giffen deep cuts.

• Inkstuds happily returned with a new podcast after a brief 7-year hiatus, with Robin McConnell interviewing cartoonist Nicholas Burns, as part of an ongoing research project focusing on the history of Canadian comics through the 1960s-1990s.

• House to Astonish opened its doors once more, as tribute was paid to the recently passed Tatjana Wood, consideration given to 3 Worlds 3 Moons’ headed to print, and reviews and thoughts shared on comics from across the Direct Market.

• Henry Chamberlain welcomed Matt MacFarland to Comics Grinder this week, as they spoke about Cookies and Herb, Dark Pants, and OKCryptid, artistic communities and crossover activities, and the process of building up characters.

• Closing out the week with recordings from last month’s ComicsPRO industry conference, as Publisher’s Weekly’s More to Come’s Heidi MacDonald and Kate Fitzsimons discussed the opening of doors to the great and the good of the comics press at the show, and MacDonald also appeared on a live podcast record for David Harper’s Off Panel with Lunar Distribution’s Christina Merkler.