Piracy | Comic-book torrent tracker Z-Cult FM has announced it's shutting down, less than two years after it complied with demands from DC Comics and Marvel to remove links to pirated copies of copyrighted work.

"After Marvel and DC tried to sue us, we decided to remove those [links to] comics," administrator Serj says, "then every other publisher started sending us e-mails so we removed those too. In end we were left with a tracker but not many torrents on it." [TorrentFreak]

Publishing |  Tom Spurgeon has word that art director Arlene So has been let go from Wizard. Just last week it was reported that Darren Sanchez, vice president of production and circulation, had been fired, while photographer Dylan Brucie had quit. [The Comics Reporter]

Publishing | Tokyopop's John Parker briefly discusses the publisher's plans and performance, and the state of the manga market. [ICv2.com]

Conventions | There's a lot of coverage from this weekend's MoCCA Festival in New York City, including recaps from Sandy Billus, Sean Collins, Geekanerd (with a photo gallery), Brian Heater and Heidi MacDonald. Much, much more undoubtedly will follow. [MoCCA]



Conventions | Don MacPherson wonders whether profiteers contributed to the early sellout of Comic-Con International. David Glanzer, the convention's director of marketing, tells Heidi MacDonald that while people purchasing batches of badges hasn't been an issue this year, "We may have to limit how many badges a person can purchase in the future." [Comic-Con International]

Comic strips | Erika Niedowski provides an overview of the Anti-Defamation League's complaint against cartoonist Garry Trudeau regarding a recent installment of Doonesbury. You can see the strip in question here. [The National]



Retailing | Retailer Mike Sterling discusses sales of Batman and Robin #1, and expectations for Batman #687, with a new creative team, and Red Robin #1: "... In both cases, curiosity is likely to drive the early sales on these titles. ... But the question is how long the curiosity in this event will continue, and when will the sales begin to drop if and when the novelty wears thin. For some reason I can picture this event going on about two months longer than anyone reading it would really want it to." [Progressive Ruin]

Creators | Tom Spurgeon talks with cartoonist Seth about George Sprott, 1894-1975. [The Comics Reporter]

Creators | Michael Cavna interviews Mallard Fillmore creator Bruce Tinsley. [The Washington Post]



Creators | The Oxford University student newspaper profiles Phonogram writer Kieron Gillen. [Cherwell]

Creators | Unknown Soldier writer Joshua Dysart has joined fellow Vertigo creators like Jason Aaron, Brian Azzarello, Jock, G. Willow Wilson and Brian Wood at the Standard Attrition blog and forums. [Standard Attrition]

Comics | I have to hand it to Marvel's P.R. people: They sure know how to place a story in the mainstream press. As evidence, here's "Pet Reporter" Julia Szabo interviewing writer Chris Eliopoulos about Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers. [New York Post]

Webcomics | At MoCCA, Becky Cloonan and Hwan Cho announced the September launch of their online collaboration K.G.B. [Estrigious]

Manga | Noah Berlatsky explains why Naruto is more accessible to new readers than Spider-Man: "Naruto has one single, simple, clear point of entry. Spider-Man has fifteen gazillion points of entry, none of which are actually a beginning." [The Hooded Utilitarian]

Comics | Graeme McMillan wonders what triggered the recent spate of Wonder Woman hate. [io9.com]