Passings | Manga creator Cocoa Fujiwara died March 31 at age 31. Fujiwara's Inu x Boku SS, a story about humans with yokai blood who live together in a special apartment building, with some serving as bodyguards for others, is being published by Yen Press and has been made into an anime. Her first manga, a short story titled "Calling," was published when she was just 15, and she chose not to go to high school in order to pursue a career as an artist. Her current series, Katsute Mahō Shōjo to Aku wa Tekitai Shiteita, runs in Square Enix's Gangan Joker magazine, as did Inu x Boku SS. [Anime News Network]
Publishing | Jennifer de Guzman, director of trade book sales at Image Comics, announced she's left the publisher. The former editor-in-chief of SLG Publishing, she was hired in January 2012 by Image as public relations and marketing coordinator before being placed in charge of book trade sales in last year. [Facebook]
Publishing | Manga market veteran Dallas Middaugh has been named head of brand and community for digital anime and manga platform Crunchyroll. The former associate publisher of Del Rey Manga, he was most recently senior director of Penguin Random House Publisher Services. [press release]
Creators | Lucy Knisley reminisces about her favorite places in Chicago and talks about her graphic novels, including the upcoming Something New, a memoir of her wedding. [Chicago Tribune]
Comics | Should old comics be recolored when they're reprinted — as Marvel is doing with Star Wars? Writer John Gholson posted some side-by-side comparisons on Twitter to show how much of a difference coloring makes, and James Whitbrook gathered them up with some additional commentary to make a very interesting article. [io9]
Comics | Have the Humans Grow More Arms is the title of a comics anthology produced by Dr. Charlotte P. Lee's class in the Human Centered Design and Engineering department of the University of Washington to explain their work. Lee also holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of rubber ducks. [Daily UW]
Conventions | Unlike a lot of shows, Tri-State Comic Con in Huntington, West Virginia, is keeping it simple: It's a one-day show with a strong emphasis on comics creators; this year's guests include Ben Templesmith, Cory Smith and Paul Allor. Said co-founder James Maddox, "We love indie comic creators because that's where we got our start. While fans show up for the world of large publishing, the small press provides surprises and advances in new ideas that keep readers happy." [The Herald-Dispatch]
Exhibits | An exhibit in Muncie, Indiana, highlights the work of local cartoonist, politician, and grocer Robert Cunningham. [The Star Press]