Comics | Vincent Zurzolo of Metropolis Collectibles explains why he and his partner Stephen Fishler were willing to pay a record $3.2 million last month for a pristine copy of Action Comics #1: "We feel very confidently this was a good price and that we will be able to sell this for a profit. We really believe in the strength of the comic book market and that it has a long way to go." Zurzolo also talks about how he built up his business, starting out selling comics at conventions at the age of 15. [The Hollywood Reporter]
Legal | More trouble for Square Enix over the gamer manga Hi Score Girl: Publication was suspended last month following allegations the series, which runs in the Japanese magazine Monthly Big Gangan, had used characters owned by the game company SNK Playmore without permission. Now it turns out Square Enix asked permission from Sega to use characters from its Virtua Fighter game, but then went ahead and published the story before permission was granted. Sega executives "strongly objected" but took no further action and did grant the permission, reasoning it would be good publicity for the game. [Anime News Network]
Publishing | The Japanese edition One Piece, Vol. 75, will have a 4 million-copy first printing — the 12th volume of the series to have that large of a print run. [Crunchyroll]
Publishing | I profiled the digital-first publisher Lion Forge, which launched with a mix of original titles and licensed comics based on 1980s TV series (including Miami Vice and Saved by the Bell) and is now releasing some print editions through IDW Publishing. [Publishers Weekly]
Publishing | SCAD graduate and former Marvel intern Enrica Jang talks about her work as the editor-in-chief of Red Stylo Media, a small indie publisher that has released three anthologies, based on the works of Edgar Allen Poe, William Shakespeare and Freddie Mercury. [Columbus Dispatch]
Retailing | Nicholas Yanes pens a lengthy obituary for the Naples, Florida, comic shop BigKatt's, not just telling the history of the store but also discussing its importance to the comics community. [SciFi Pulse]
Creators | Editorial cartoonist Pat Oliphant looks back on 50 years of chronicling American politics. [The Atlantic]
Creators | Nate Beeler gives the backstory for his editorial cartoon about the overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act, which just won the John Fischetti Award. [Comic Riffs]
Covers | Here's an insider-ish story from a plastics industry publication about DC Comics' lenticular covers and how this year's differ from last year's. [Plastics News]
Comics culture | What do you do with all those swag bags you pick up at conventions? You could make a dress! [io9]