Publishing | Viz Media's Kevin Hamric discusses how the availability of streaming anime has been boosting sales of the related manga. Series that have gotten a boost lately include Blue Exorcist and Kamisama Kiss: "Overall streaming has had a positive effect on our book sales. In recent years, Blue Exorcist is probably the biggest example I can give -- one of newest hits under our Shonen Jump Advanced imprint. We launched our series [in 2010] and had very good sales (they matched our expectations), but once the anime was available through streaming, sales jumped through the roof, and that was in 2011. So streaming was fairly young at that time. Once the anime was streaming, sales of the manga were way above expectations." [ICv2]

Retailing | Matthew Price has a quick roundup of news from the annual meeting of ComicsPRO, the direct-market trade organization, held over the weekend in Atlanta -- including a list of properties that are likely to be drawing attention in the coming months. [The Oklahoman]

Retailing | We see a lot of newspaper stories about stores opening and expanding, but not so many about this topic: When the Decatur, Illinois, comic shop Capital Comics and Games closed late last year, it left comics readers with no nearby source for print comics. Despite the fact that Capital's former customers are driving to other towns to do their shopping, local merchants who do carry comics are reluctant to increase their stock. [Herald-Review]

Creators | Writer Kyle Higgins talks about his new Image Comics series C.O.W.L. [13th Dimension]

Creators | Michael Cavna chats briefly with the four nominees for this year's Reuben Awards. [Comic Riffs]

Digital comics | Justin Stroman kicks the tires on the digital manga service MangaBox, and he likes it pretty well. One odd twist, though: A translator tells him she has had to modify content by request of the Android Market, which apparently has a low tolerance for "raunchy jokes." [Manga Bookshelf]

Academia | Scott McCloud, author of Understanding Comics, is spending part of this spring on campus at the Austin Peay State University in Clarkesville, Tennessee, as the recipient of the 2014 Acuff Chair of Excellence (which was endowed by country music singer Roy Acuff). [Business & Heritage Clarkesville]