Retailing | Diamond Comic Distributors has announced it will close its Los Angeles distribution center in March, with the facility in Olive Branch, Mississippi, taking over its functions. Regional Manager James Nash will relocate from L.A. to Olive Branch. There's no word on how many jobs will be eliminated in the move, but ICv2 reports that "other staff has been encouraged to apply for positions in Olive Branch after their tenure in Los Angeles ends at the end of March." [ICv2.com]

Publishing | Following Tuesday's announcement that Ron Perazza has been named vice president of online for DC Entertainment comes word of two more additions to the department: DC Comics Online Editor Kwanza Johnson will be digital editor for DC Entertainment, and Technology Editor Dave McCullough will become director of online, both based in Burbank, Calif. The department will be headed by former WildStorm Vice President Hank Kanalz, who was promoted in October to senior vice president, digital. Heidi MacDonald also has a letter to freelancers from DC Vice President Terri Cunningham announcing that the Editorial Administration department will become Talent Relations & Services, which will remain in New York City. [Twitter, Twitter]



Publishing | Digital Manga Publishing CEO Hikaru Sasahara discusses the launch of Digital Manga Guild, an online initiative that will use fans as translators, editors and localizers in exchange for a share of revenues. [Publishers Weekly]

Passings | Steve Bennett pays tribute to Steve Bates, the Diamond employee and former retailer and ICv2 columnist who passed away on Friday. [ICv2.com]

Retailing | A bar owner wants to open a comic store in Yellowknife (population: 18,700), the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories. "Actually setting up the business and getting the supply in would be fairly cheap; it's just a matter of whether or not it would be feasible to actually rent out an entire store," says Dale Bardeau. "I have no idea what the market is in town." [Northern News Services]

Creators | Takehiko Inoue confirmed this week that his award-winning samurai manga Vagabond will remain on indefinite hiatus while he deals with ongoing health problems. [Anime News Network]

Creators | Nathan Wilson concludes his three-part conversation with Paul Levitz. [TCJ.com]



Creators | Garry Trudeau is profiled ahead of a Toronto book-signing for 40: A Doonesbury Retrospective: "If this prolonged downturn is reminding us of anything, it’s that work gives meaning to life. I’m grateful there’s still a demand for what I do. Mine is a very difficult industry to enter, but an established syndicated comic strip is the closest thing to tenure that pop culture offers. Or at least it was. Our fate is now intertwined with that of newspapers generally. But the work suits me. I’m a curious person, a professional generalist, so how fortunate am I that I still have an opportunity to entertain people and occasionally move them to thought and judgment? It’s a great gig." [National Post]

Creators | Evan Dorkin is interviewed by a Greek website. [Comicdom, via Journalista]

Creators | Jeff Lemire talks about Sweet Tooth and Superboy. [io9.com]

Comics | Twenty-five comics canceled too soon, including Captain Britain and MI:13, Chase and Thriller. [UGO.com]