News, reviews and features with a focus on manga, self-published works and a Canadian perspective. Enjoy fulfilling your Kuriousity!
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Whoever is causing time to move this quickly had best cut it out for a while – I’ve barely had time to finish reading my books from last week! That certainly doesn’t mean I won’t be indulging in some more this week though. Black Butler, Durarara!!, X, Gantz… need I say more?
You can see the full list of manga titles shipping this week over at my On The Shelf article at Otaku USA.
VIZ MEDIA PROMOTES ALVIN LU TO
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLISHING
San Francisco, CA, April 16, 2012 – VIZ Media, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga, graphic novels and anime in North America, has promoted Alvin Lu to Executive Vice President of Publishing.
“Compelling content has been driving our business for 25 years,” said Ken Sasaki, President and CEO of VIZ Media. “Alvin always made sure VIZ Media had the best manga titles direct from Japan, and his creative instincts are unparalleled in the industry.”
Alvin Lu, who among other accomplishments has overseen the remarkable growth of VIZ Media’s graphic novel publishing line over the years, will head the publishing team. In his new role, he will focus on maintaining VIZ Media’s position as the leading trade graphic novel publisher in North America and taking the program in bold new directions. Lu began his career at VIZ Media in 2000 as the Editor-in-Chief of the critically renowned PULP magazine and has since worked to serve as one of the main bridges between the North American and Japanese publishing industries during the years of manga’s phenomenal growth. More recently he has led VIZ Media’s charge into original graphic novel content and digital delivery.
“Manga is more than a term that translates as ‘comics from Japan’,” said Lu. “It’s a unique art form with its own grammar, history, and pedigree. Increasingly, it’s become a visual language that can be read by young people around the world and a form for young artists to aspire to. I see VIZ Media as being at the heart of the global migration of the language of manga.”
Kickstarters have really taken off in recent months with creators and organizations using the crowd-sourcing service to collect the funds they need to get projects off the ground that wouldn’t otherwise be funded. I still hold my reservations towards companies using the service but I’m glad it’s worked out so well for creators getting their original works out to a wanting audience.
Just such a project has been started for Roulette, an original boys’ love style story written by Tina Anderson (Loud Snow) and drawn by Laura Carboni (Love Circles). Laura is looking to raised enough money to fund the completion and print of the book, which will be 255 pages long. Via Kickstarter’s often-used reward system, you can also get a number of extra goodies depending on how much you pledge.
“Mafia accountant Riley Leary finds himself blackmailed by an unseen party when he’s caught stealing from his boss. To make matters worse, he garnishes the interest of the dangerous hit man, Anton Colletti. Will Riley manage to get things right, or will Anton make things go from bad to worse?” (Read a preview chapter)
For those who aren’t familiar with Roulette, it was originally published in Rush, an anthology of boys’ love stories by creators around the world and published in print by Dramaqueen. When the company ceased production, so too did Rush come to an end after only a couple issues. There had been problems with DQ and it’s handling of the project practically since the get-go with subscribers and creators alike left wondering where their dues were. As someone who subscribed to the anthology, I was among those both disappointed and rather miffed when the plug was suddenly pulled. It’s unfortunate when projects like this don’t work out.
If curious about the other creators who contributed to Rush, you can see what they’re up to today via the links below (or under the cut if you’re on the main page!):
Magic knights, vampires and supped up samurai – it’s another batch of new manga releases! You can read the list of shipping titles over at Otaku USA’s On The Shelf article for the week.
I purchased quite a stack from the books out this week with a number of series I’m collecting having with new volumes – 20th Century Boys, Cross Game, Replica and a few more must-haves. I’ll be giving my short thoughts on my recent purchases in the soon-to-return Swag Bag column. I hope readers will take the time to let me know what you bought also!
This past weekend kicked off the Spring/Summer convention season with both Sakura Con and Anime Boston taking place. Several manga publishers were in attendance at them (generally one or the other) and they came bearing news of manga licenses! You can read more about each individual title, and see some corresponding images, by clicking on the provided AnimeNewsNetwork links.
Dark Horse (at Sakura-Con via ANN)
Blood-C – Ranmaru Kotone
Emerald and Other Stories – Hiroaki Samura
Evangelion: Comic Tribute – Multiple Artists (Anthology)
Ore no Imōto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai (Oreimo) – Sakura Ikeda & Tsukasa Fushimi
Of Dark Horse’s licenses, I’m looking forward to Hiroaki Samura’s Emerald and Other Stories. I really like his Blade of the Immortal series and his one-shot released by Dark Horse comics, Ohikkoshi, was also a great read. Emerald and Other Stories looks especially interesting with the old West designs of the image ANN is using to promote it.
Vertical Inc. (at Anime Boston via ANN)
Paradise Kiss – Ai Yazawa
Paradise Kiss was previously released by Tokyopop many a manga-reader year ago and the books have long since been out of print. Vertical Inc’s manga ‘rescue’ of the title will be released as a multi-volume omnibus set that include a new translation and colour pages. I’m not a fan of the series myself because of a hair-pulling worthy ending (not my idea of a romantic end!) but the character drama and fashion aspects of the story still made it a good read. The first Paradise Kiss book will be out this fall.
Yen Press (at Sakura Con via ANN)
Alice in the Country of Hearts: My Fanatic Rabbit – QuinRose & Delico Psyche
Anything and Something – Kaoru Mori
Blood Lad – Yūki Kodama
The Misfortune of Kyon & Koizumi – Multiple Artists (Anthology)
Thermae Romae – Mari Yamazaki
Triage X – Shoji Sato
Umineko When They Cry – Ryukishi07 & Kei Natsumi
Edit: You can read synopsises for all of Yen Press’s new title announcements via their website. They also announce via that post they’ll be releasing the last three volumes of their manhwa series, Chocolat, as a single omnibus book late this year.
Yen Press has a great assortment of different titles in this list, something for just about any of their readers based on their existing library. Of the batch the most interesting to me looks like Kaoru Mori’s Anything and Something because of how in love I am with A Bride’s Story (which Yen Press is currently releasing). It’s going to be a collection of stories released in a large trim, hardcover edition similar to how they’re already doing A Bride’s Story. It’ll also include some full colour illustrations.
It’s interesting seeing another Alice in the Country of Hearts license. The series gained popularity when Tokyopop began releasing it and has since been picked up in various of its incarnation by both Seven Seas and Yen Press. With what looks like a lot of scrambling to grab a hold of whatever parts of this franchise is available, I hope it works out as a strong seller!
Not a bad year for manga licenses so far and it’s only April. Good signs, right?
Author/Artist: Morag Lewis
Publisher: Sweatdrop Studios
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: October 2011
Synopsis: “Justice can be costly… The Royal Family have been murdered and the main suspect is the Court Mage Anciarin, who fled the scene in suspicious circumstances. However, not everyone is convinced of Anciarin’s guilt. Iashar, assigned to the pursuit of the fugitive, becomes increasingly sure that there is more to the murder than he first thought. His search for the truth leads him to a forgotten history – and powerful enemies. What price will Anciarin pay to fulfil the promise made to a dying prince?”
Reading a one-shot is such a satisfying experience. It’s not an easy thing to put together either – going past the realm of a short story with the planning (and self-control!) to keep it from going on and on. Sun Fish Moon Fish pulls together a pretty solid beginning, middle and end, clocking in at shy of 300 pages. Published in the UK through an independent group of comic creators called Sweatdrop Studios, Morag Lewis’s political fantasy is a learner’s work – the unrefined artwork puts some dampen on the experience but, while delivering a story with a pair of likeable characters, shows a lot promise despite a lack of polish. Note: This review contains some spoilers.
VIZ MEDIA RECEIVES MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2012 EISNER AWARDS
NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS and
SATURN APARTMENTS Are Nominated For Annual Comics Industry Publishing Award
San Francisco, CA, April 4, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has announced that two of its critically acclaimed manga (graphic novel) series have been nominated for the 2012 Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards, as announced by Comic-Con International on April 4, 2012.
The nominations include NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS, by Naoki Urasawa, for Best Continuing Series, and SATURN APARTMENTS, Vols. 3-4, by Hisae Iwaoka, for Best U.S. Edition of International Material. Both titles are published by VIZ Media’s VIZ Signature imprint.
Named for pioneering writer and comic artist Will Eisner, the awards recognize exemplary comics, graphic novels and other pop writings, and are given each year as part of the annual Comic-Con International convention, at which VIZ Media will be a major exhibitor and participant in the programs offered. Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 13th during Comic-Con. In 2011, NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS won an Eisner Award in the category of Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia.
Reminiscent of how odd it was seeing Tokyopop titles on release lists months after their shutdown, so to will manga readers get that with two Bandai Entertainment volumes on this week’s shipping manifests. The last of their new books are trickling out, today seeing the last books of their two Code Geass fan-service series.
You can see the full list of this week’s shipping books at Otaku USA’s On The Shelf article which also includes Viz Media‘s big monthly blast of shonen and shoujo (so many does-wants!), and GEN Manga‘s collected edition of VS Aliens.
It’s new manga license time-! Again! Digital Manga sent out an e-mail about two new manga licenses, continuing their recent trend of revealing new licenses in pairs or trios of hentai and boys’ love. This week’s new licenses are:
See Me After Class (Vol.01) – Munyu (Project-H)
President Momoi Kun – Higashi Nishida (June)
Both books are scheduled for a print release in Spring 2013. See Me After Class will be $17.95/US, while President Momoi Kun is being listed at $12.95/US. You can see a few preview pages for President Momoi Kun over at its Amazon.jp page.
Digital Manga also recently sent out press releases announcing two new partnerships to release more manga digitally – Papyless (publisher of young woman’s comics) and Leed Publishing (hentai titles). I’m still not very keen on reading manga digitally but some of those Papyless titles are certainly tempting me to make some exceptions. We shall see!
Shannon Fay and I have had a few more manga reviews published in our local free newspaper, The Coast over the past couple of months. The majority have been to their website so for a couple thumbs-up titles we shared with our local readers, you can check out the links below:
| Shannon: | Lissa: |
The tricky part is always deciding what to review next. It’s interesting writing reviews that are not only considerably shorter than we’re used to for Kuriousity, but also in a way that bears in mind that the majority of The Coasts’ readers likely don’t read manga – or perhaps even comics – on a regular basis, if at all.
Check out ournewest review!
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