Links: FCBD 2011, VIZ Media brings manga to the iPhone

Who doesn’t like a free comic book? That’s the thinking behind Free Comic Book Day, an annual event in which retailers around the country provide customers free comics from publishers big and small. This year’s FCBD will be held on Saturday, May 7th at thousands of stores around the US and Canada. (Click here to find a participating store in your area.) Though previous years have canted toward adult fare, this year’s line-up include a robust selection of kid-friendly titles, among them Avatar: The Last Airbender (Dark Horse), Darkwing Duck & Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers (BOOM! Studios), Deadliest Sharks and Prehistoric Predators (Zenescope), Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Comics), Super Dinosaur (Image), and Young Justice/Batman: The Brave & The Bold (DC Comics). Parents can view the complete list of titles here.

Over at Newsarama, Zack Smith chats with Mo Willems and Jon J. Muth about their experience as comic creators. Click here for part one of the interview; click here for part two.

Are you planning to attend Book Expo America later this month? Then you won’t want to miss the panel on Hot Fall Graphic Novels for Libraries, which will be held on May 25th at 11:00 AM. Details here.

Veteran teacher Leigh Brodsky discusses the intelligent use of graphic novels in the high school classroom.

Our own Brigid Alverson interviews Alvin Lu, Vice President of VIZ Media, about the company’s newly launched iPhone/iTouch app, as well as the company’s long-term plans for digital manga.

Reviews

Patti Martinson on Betty & Veronica Friends Double Digest #221 (Sequential Tart)
Greg McElhatton on vols. 1-2 of Brody’s Ghost (Read About Comics)
Karen Maeda on vol. 4 of Dengeki Daisy (Sequential Tart)
Jonathan Liu on Incredible Change-Bots 2: The Vengeful Return of the Broken! (Wired)
Michael Hicks on Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Casey Brienza on vol. 1 of Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Danica Davidson on vols. 4-6 of Rasetsu (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Wolfen Moondaughter on Sonic the Hedgehog #221 (Sequential Tart)
Wolfen Moondaughter on Sonic Universe #24 (Sequential Tart)
Sheena McNeil on vol. 5 of Toriko (Sequential Tart)

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