This news is provided to Brodart by its graphic novels industry partner, ICv2. The company provides news and information from "inside the world of pop culture products," with the only daily trade news, in-depth analysis, and product and sales information available anywhere. There's a tremendous amount of activity as the category grows, and a corresponding need for information about it. Milton Griepp   IVC2 News   Graphic Novel News Interesting tidbits from the fast-moving world of graphic novels. Hellboy DVD on the streets in July 3-Disk 'Director's Cut' Set for the Holidays Columbia TriStar has announced the July 27 release of a 2-disc Hellboy: Special Edition DVD. With a suggested retail price of $28.95, the discs include a wide screen anamorphic transfer with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. The panoply of extras includes deleted scenes; two audio commentaries (with director Guillermo del Toro and various cast members); a special "DVD Comics" feature with eight comics by Mike Mignola; plus a documentary, Hellboy: The Seeds of Creation, demonstrating how Hellboy was transferred from the page to the screen; and a picture-in picture feature that allows viewers to see the storyboards for the entire film in the context of the actual movie. In spite of the banquet of extras featured on the two-disc Hellboy: Special Edition, retailers should be aware that, according to del Toro, a 3-disc Director's Cut of the film (with even more extras) should be out in time for the holidays. As with the use of "variant covers" to entice the hardcore fan base into purchasing several versions, so the timed release of ever more elaborate versions of cult films on DVD runs the risk of alienating and confusing consumers and retailers. At least in this case del Toro has warned Hellboy fans that they may want to delay their gratification until near the end of the year, when the ultimate Hellboy DVD will appear. Over 1,000 Manga Volumes in 2004 900+ From Top Three Publishers ICv2 has learned that American manga publishers are planning to issue over 1,000 English language manga volumes in 2004. The pace of manga publishing has picked up as we enter the spring and summer season and should reach a crescendo by the fall. Tokyopop VP Sales Steve Kleckner confirmed that the company plans on releasing around 450 volumes in 2004, leaving no doubt that it will remain the American publisher releasing the greatest number of manga titles this year, though Viz appears to be closing the gap -- Viz VP-Marketing Liza Coppola told ICv2 that Viz will release around 350 manga volumes this year. Add in ADV's projected total of 115 for this year and we are within striking distance of 1,000. Although the other major American manga publishers including Dark Horse, Digital Manga, Central Park Media, Broccoli Books, Del Rey, Cocoro, Ironcat and ibooks typically concentrate their efforts on fewer titles, their collective output should be more than enough to put the total number of releases for 2004 well past the 1,000 mark. With DC Comics and perhaps Marvel poised to enter the manga fray, the situation could really heat up over the next year. Japanese Lawmakers Chastised for Reading Manga by Prime Minister Koizumi Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi chastised junior members of the Japanese parliament Thursday for reading manga during legislative sessions. The Asahi newspaper reported that the dressing-down took place during a luncheon. According to the article, Koizumi told the lawmakers, "Don't send e-mail on your cell phones or read comic books in Parliament while in session"