You guys have to keep in mind that 'sudden sickness' can also mean 'was sick for a while'. They have to consider stock. For example, if you've drawn 4 weeks in advance, and then suddenly get sick. The editors might decide to run the manga anyway for two weeks, in hope that you get better and get back to drawing. Though if they're down to one or two chapters of stock, and you're still not any better then they may decide to pull the manga for an issue or more to allow the author time to get the stock to a point that isn't perilously close to having none. I wouldn't be suprised if HXH doesn't start running until Togashi has a resonable amount of stock built up, and that Shuesha may already have chapter 341 sitting and waiting for at least 9 more of it's kind to come in. This is also how manga to anime works; it's the way the anime company decides whether they'll do filler or end something.
IMHO its not. The story is good it just needs to speed up a little.
It depends on the taste. I see it as a series full of cliches, but then again I dropped it at around chapter 4 so I wouldn't know how it is turning out. The reason I dropped it is because I find it a bore and a chore to continue.
Probably a mix of the mangaka with suggestions of the editor, since it's wise to have a distinctive design.
WSJ without Bleach. :P It's sad to see him absent there too.
Doesn't stop it from being unreadable to me without marking it. How dare I name an improvement suggestion and even ask if he hasn't the same problem/theme.