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HarperCollins, Tokyopop Announce Co-Publishing Deal

Tokyopop announced today a deal with News Corporation's HarperCollins Publishers to co-publish a new manga line. Tokyopop will also vest HarperCollins with sales and distribution of all Tokyopop titles beginning in mid-June.

Excerpted from the press release:

The new line of books from TOKYOPOP and HarperCollins will include manga titles based on existing HarperCollins works, as well as original manga titles conceived by HarperCollins authors. All books will be developed in manga format by the award-winning TOKYOPOP team, who will manage the creation of manga text and artwork in close consultation with the originating authors and HarperCollins editors. The first books are scheduled for publication in 2007, and HarperCollins and TOKYOPOP are anticipating growing the line to as many as 24 titles per year.

The first manga titles produced by the partnership will be based on Meg Cabot's bestselling young adult novels. TOKYOPOP writers and artists, working closely with Cabot and her HarperCollins editor, will convert her multimillion copy selling books into manga format. The Meg Cabot manga titles will be published along with other manga titles based on key middle grade and young adult franchises from the HarperCollins list.

As of mid-June, HarperCollins will begin selling and distributing all TOKYOPOP books to the North American trade book market. All back office functions including customer service, warehousing, billing and credit will be performed by HarperCollins.