Stone Bridge Press has published the first book-length collection by one of the most respected writers on anime and manga – Fred Patten. WATCHING ANIME, READING MANGA gathers a quarter century of Patten’s writings on the business of anime, fandom, artists, Japanese society and the most influential titles. Providing the forward is Carl Macek, the producer responsible for bringing some of the most important anime titles to the U.S.

The George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF) launches EDUTOPIA, a new magazine for a new world of learning. Serving as a catalyst for change in education, the publication's editorial will showcase the best and most innovative thinking in education, profile the sharpest minds, reveal ways around roadblocks and question the status quo. EDUTOPIA is the first magazine launch for Lucas and for the foundation, which was founded in 1991 to chronicle innovative practices in education.

HarperDesign Int’l is set to release a comprehensive world history of animation titled, ANIMATION ART. The 382-page book will hit shelves on Oct. 26, 2004 and sell for $45. Originally commissioned by Flame Tree Publishing in the U.K., the book was edited by animation historian Jerry Beck, serving as the general editor with animation veteran Will Ryan serving as consulting editor.

ADV Manga has announced its Aug.24, 2004 street dates, with four new titles including 50 RULES FOR TEENAGERS, ALL PURPOSE CULTURAL CAT GIRL NUKU NUKU, NAJICA BLITZ TACTICS and QUANTUM MISTAKE. Continuing editions are being announced for DESERT CORAL, VOLUME 2 OF 3; PRÉTEAR, VOLUME 2 OF 4; STEEL ANGEL KURUMI, VOLUME 7 OF 9; THE BOSS, VOLUME 2 OF 30; and THOSE WHO HUNT ELVES, VOLUME 6 OF 21.

TOKYOPOP Inc. and Blizzard Ent. will develop a three-book manga series titled WARCRAFT: THE SUNWELL TRILOGY. The manga will be penned by NEW YORK TIMES best-selling fantasy author Richard Knaak -- who is also writing a trilogy of WARCRAFT novels -- and illustrated by Jae Hwan Kim, artist of TOKYOPOP's KING OF HELL series. WARCRAFT: THE SUNWELL TRILOGY VOLUME 1: DRAGON HUNT debuts in early spring 2005.

Chronicle Books will produce three products based on THE INCREDIBLES, which will hit theaters Nov. 5, 2004. THE ART OF THE INCREDIBLES by Mark Cotta Vaz will be a 160-page, 11x9" hardcover with an 8-page gatefold and color illustrations throughout. It will feature concept and character sketches, storyboards and lighting studies, as well as interviews with the key personnel at Pixar, including director Brad Bird and John Lasseter. It will sell for $40.

Penguin Group USA has signed a three-year deal to publish manga with Digital Manga Inc. in a deal brokered by Eloise Flood, publisher of Razorbill, the newly launched teen imprint from Penguin Young Readers Group and Hikaru Sasahara, ceo of Digital Manga Inc.

At Comic-Con, Dark Horse Comics announced that it will publish a four-issue comic book adaptation of the Pixar film THE INCREDIBLES. Dark Horse's adaptation will feature art by Ricardo Curtis, one of the storyboard artists on the film.

In addition, Dark Horse announced a new manga series, Katsuya Terada's THE MONKEY KING, a manga adaptation of the popular Chinese legend. It will feature the toughest monkey in the East, who is on a mission to retrieve the legendary scrolls of Buddha. The first volume will hit stores in March 2005.

ADV Manga has announced its July 2004 street dates. Included in the lineup are new titles: APOCALYPSE MEOW, JINKI: EXTEND, GADIROK and THE BOSS.

APOCALYPSE MEOW, VOLUME 1 OF 3 is a pseudo-historical account of the Vietnam War are rabbits, cats and other beasts representing various nationalities involved in the conflict. Written and illustrated by Motofumi Kobayashi, he was the first manga artist to draw an American comic book series-Marvel Comic's PSYCHONAUT. The 136-page, black-and-white titles will sell for $9.99.

TOKYOPOP Inc. has teamed with the multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning band Linkin Park to develop a new LINKIN PARK CINE-MANGA. A collaborative effort that joins TOKYOPOP's Cine-Manga format with Linkin Park's new anime-style music video, BREAKING THE HABIT, this 48-page comicbook incorporates full-color images taken directly from the video, freeze-framed into spreads along with manga-style images and sound effects. The release will include song lyrics, a special foreword, band notes and commentary.