Retailing | Borders Group began liquidation sales over the weekend at 200 stores, discounting items 20 percent to 40 percent. As Publishers Weekly and Blogcritics chart the 40-year rise and fall of the retailer, PW's Jim Milliot looks at the effects the bookseller's bankruptcy will have on the publishing industry: "The trickle-down impact will affect everyone from manufacturers to agents. Borders accounted for about 8% of overall industry sales, a higher percentage in some categories. A downsized Borders means publishers are likely to receive smaller orders and in turn place smaller first printings, resulting in less business for printers. The likelihood of lower print sales, one publisher said, means that books acquired one or two years ago when Borders was much bigger will have a more difficult time earning the advance back and that less shelf space could mean lower advances." [Publishers Weekly]

Retailing | Tracey Taylor has details of retailer Jack Rems' plans to resurrect Berkeley, Calif., institution Comic Relief as a new store called The Escapist -- a nod to the Michael Chabon character -- possibly at the same location. [Berkeleyside]

Retailing | Capitol Comics in Raleigh, North Carolina, is closing its Hillsborough Street location after 24 years. [WRAL, via Bleeding Cool]



Retailing | Tom Spurgeon offers some thoughts about ComicsPRO's annual meeting, and runs the text of the keynote speech delivered by IDW Publishing CEO Ted Adams. [The Comics Reporter]

Retailing | Gareth Gaudin, co-owner of Legends Comics and Books in Victoria, British Columbia, is selling his entire collection of Spider-Man comics, valued at $250,000. [CTV News]

Broadway | Contrary to an earlier report, producers of the troubled musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark insist they aren't bringing in a co-director to relieve Julie Taymor. [The Hollywood Reporter]

Conventions | The Times of India and the Hindustan Times report on the first Indian Comic Con, held over the weekend in New Delhi. [Indian Comic Con]

Creators | Gerry Smith profiles Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Dick Locher, who's retiring from the Dick Tracy comic strip after 32 years. [Chicago Tribune]

Creators | The Wall Street Journal's Michelle Kung chats briefly with brothers Gabriel Bá and and Fábio Moon about Daytripper. [Speakeasy]

Fandom | Pravin Palande spotlights 22-year-old Mumbai resident Aalok Joshi, who owns nearly 8,000 comics and graphic novels. [Forbes India]