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Posts Tagged Magazine

December 2013 Issue of Yen Plus to Be the Magazine’s Last

December 2013 Issue of Yen Plus to Be the Magazine's Last

November’s issue of Yen PlusYen Press‘ monthly digital magazine – came with a special message from its editor, letting readers know that the December 2013 issue would be the magazine’s last:

“… times are changing, and just as we once had to make a tough decision to switch Yen Plus from a print to an online-only magazine to keep up with evolving market, we now stand at the threshold of another big change. And with that, dear readers, I have to announce that next month – December 2013 – will mark the final issue of Yen Plus in its current format.”

This news doesn’t come as too much of a surprise, as the roles of digital content are increasingly dedicated to delivering same-day material, and of course the ever present chant of ‘more for less’. Yen Plus originally began as a print magazine back in 2008, before switching to digital-only in 2010. However it never seemed to fully live up to reader expectations as a simultaneous chapter provider of its on-going manga, something that Viz Media’s newly relaunched Shonen Jump has finally been able to bring to English audiences only over the past year.

Yen Plus was still a fun little magazine though. I was subscribed to it originally for new chapters of Yotsuba&!. It’s top titles since have been the company’s manga-style adaptations of novels, such as Maximum Ride, Soulless and The Infernal Devices. Since these comics were created for the company and not pre-existing, this allowed subscribers to read chapters well before the collected editions were published. Different manga and manhwa series were published in it chapter by chapter as well, including currently Jack Frost and Soul Eater NOT!, the latter being one of their series published with very little wait-times from the Japanese versions.

The November issue still included their call for manga-style artists, suggesting that while the magazine is stopping, they still have plans to continue releasing their novel adaptations.

The end of the editorial letter does also note:

“…this change will open the door to all sorts of new opportunities for us!”

Any theories what this could mean and what new endeavours we may see from Yen Press in the new year? A new method of simultaneous releases? A change in their current digital edition services? Could we see something closer to Shonen Jump’s day-and-date offerings, or the file type variety of eManga for collected editions? Who knows! Personally as long as the printed books keep coming, I’m a happy reader but that doesn’t mean I’m not now much more open to digital possibilities.


Viz Media Revisits Culinary Battle with License of Food Wars Manga

Viz Media Revisits Culinary Battle with License of Food Wars Manga

It’s been a while since Amazon has revealed an early Viz Media license. Publishers have really been closing the gap between the timing of their announcements and when the new titles appears on retail sites, which is great for those who us want to order sooner than later. It does always leave little room for error though.

Viz Media missed this one by just a few days as eagle-eyed Amazon spelunkers found this listing (CAN/US) before it was confirmed by Shonen Jump’s podcast crew shortly after:

Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma – Yuto Tsukudo & Shun Saeki

We’ve been told Food Wars is “too racy” to place into the Shonen Jump magazine, so while it will be released under that title banner, it won’t be released simultaneously. Some ‘foodgasms’ gone too far perhaps? The series is about a young man named Sōma who is raised by his chef father and regularly engages with him in cooking battles. When Sōma is enrolled in a renowned culinary institute, he must put his skills up against a school of students where the graduation rate is next to nil.

I haven’t heard of this series before, but I really like the look of the art style. One of my current favourite series is also Toriko, so maybe that’s a good sign! In either case, the first print volume of Food Wars is scheduled for August 2014 with a digital edition intended for release a few months prior.


Review: Weekly Shonen Jump – July 29th, 2013

Shonen Jump - July 29th, 2013

Back when Viz Media launched their digital edition of Shonen Jump, I was quick to subscribe. I did this in spite of being cranky over the loss of the print edition and honestly didn’t intend to even read the new digital version. Still, I did want to support such a bold move in the industry that was edging towards simultaneous releases. That was 2011.

Shonen Jump on iPadThis is August 2013. I’ve since become an enthusiastic reader of the weekly digital magazine which comes out Monday mornings in North America. This was helped in part by now owning an iPad for reading it on. For me, comics and PC browsers do not mix. The app process is so simple too – just open the app and hit download. Within a few seconds you have over 200 pages of high quality, brand new chapters of manga to read. No internet past the original download required.

And the price? I honestly don’t know how they can do it at this price right out of the gate – $24.99/US for a full years’ worth. For that many pages of manga every week. Manga which directly supports the creators and publishers. Win. Win. Win. This cheap serialization, with print editions coming later for collecting, is exactly the kind of digital and print combo I’ve always hoped would come of the hefty shift in the publishing world.

I’m going to start writing a bit about random issues of Shonen Jump beginning with today’s post. I don’t plan for this to be every week occurrence, nor do I read every manga running (everything but One Piece and Naruto). Editions like this week’s prove the perfect opportunity to start as they feature not only new chapters of the regular series, but a special one shot by one of their creators as well. Let’s get reading!

Read more…


Sparkler Monthly Launches With New Chapters of Off*Beat, and Multiple Series’ Debuts

Sparkler Monthly Launches With New Chapters of Off*Beat, and Multiple Series' Debuts

Back in February I posted an interview with comic creator, Jen Lee Quick – best known for her series, Off*Beat – as part of the launch of Chromatic Press. Yesterday the new publisher launched issue number one of their digital multimedia magazine, Sparkler Monthly.

Issue #001
Issue #000 (Preview)

This first issue – which is free for everyone to read – includes the long-awaited new chapter of Off*Beat (yay!), and the first chapter of Christy Lijewski’s new comic series, Dire Hearts. It also has the newest chapter of their prose story, Tokyo Demons, (which I’ve written about previously) and premieres another prose story, Gauntlet, and a new audio drama, Awake.

As a disclaimer, I am currently working with Chromatic Press and got to help do some work on their Sparkler series. I was completely smitten with the goal of the publisher, and the staff and creators who made it up, so I was quick to offer what help I could at the beginning. I’m thrilled to be a part of it. I hope readers and listeners enjoy all the content already available and stick around as a subscriber for all the continuing goodies.

Information about submitting work for consideration to the magazine can be read on their website, along with subscription information.


Viz Media Adds New Akira Toriyama Series to Weekly Shonen Jump

Jaco the Galactic Patrolman

The future is now! In this week’s issue of Shonen Jump, Viz Media revealed that they’ve licensed Akira Toriyama’s brand new on-going series, Jaco the Galactic Patrolman.

Viz describes Jaco as “the story of a powerful alien policeman stranded on Earth.” While that may not be much to go on, the mere fact it’s by Akira Toriyama – creator of Dragonball and Dr. Slump – is reason enough to look forward to it. It looks to be a return to his comedic roots, though I do hope it still takes itself a little seriously sometimes as I love the balance between those two moods that Toriyama can achieve. The promo picture already makes me eager to read it. His art always strikes that pleasant chord of being both fun and nostalgic.

Jaco is scheduled to start in the July 15th edition of the digital magazine. As the series itself was only revealed late last week, it was exciting to read about it’s English inclusion only days after.

Shonen Jump is also offering a discount on its already really cheap – seriously, how do they do that? – yearly subscriptions for Shonen Jump. During this weekend of Anime Expo, a year’s worth of weekly content will be available for only $19.99/US.


Dishing the Digital: Shonen Jump Staff Launch Weekly Podcast

Dishing the Digital: Shonen Jump Staff Launch Weekly Podcast

New podcast alert! The podcast world is sadly sparse when it comes to manga-centric content, but the staff of Shonen Jump have taken it upon themselves to fill that void with their new Shonen Jump podcast! And it’s pretty fun you guys.

So far there are three podcasts with plans to keep it a weekly occurrence. On the podcast, a collection of the magazine’s editors get together and talk about what happened in the newest issue and a few other tidbits related to the content and its production. While there is the occasional industry talk (which I love!), ultimately this is a group of individuals who love Shonen Jump talking about Shonen Jump, as fans to the fans. It’s a podcast I never realized how much I wanted until I got to listen to it.

The group have great chemistry and are a lot of fun to listen to. They’re naturals, and I hope they continue having the time to keep this podcast going while also pumping out 150+ pages of Shonen Jump manga every week.

You can listen to the podcast via their website, and subscribe on Apple devices through iTunes. Make sure you give it a listen, subscribe, leave a nice review and, should you have them, submit a question or two via their Twitter account and website for potential answering on the show.


PR: GEN Manga Announces the launch of new Korean Comics Magazine, GEN Manhwa!


GEN Manga Announces the launch of new Korean Comics Magazine, GEN Manhwa!

GEN Manhwa, featuring Stone Collector, is available nationwide Feb. 2013!

NEW YORK, NY – GEN Manga Entertainment, Inc. announces the release of GEN Manhwa (GEN Manhwa, featuring Stone Collector, 54 pages, black and white) will be available Feb. 2013.

GEN Manga welcomes 2013 with exciting new publishing plans! GEN Manga will release monthly indie Korean GEN Mahnwa!

“It’s a non-stop full of action title full of monsters and zombies! Very high grade stuff!”

Stone Collector: Pieces of curse fall from the sky as if to mock the cruelty and evil of humanity. These stones create wretched beasts and the blood of these beasts turn human flesh into the undead. There is only one thing that can destroy these hellish fiends—Jade Stone. This is the story of a Stone Collector. One who wields Jade forged blades. A man whose family was murdered by these evil abominations and he has now vowed to rid the world of the foul presence. —Author: Kevin Han —Artist: Zom-J

This year GEN will also release a complete list of graphic novels. All new graphic novels with all new content along with the return of old stories with new artwork and new chapters! GEN Manga will release new content every month, this time, in the form of one-shot graphic novels, otherwise known in Japan as tankobon!

The second release 2013 in GEN Manga’s publishing schedule is the indie fan favorite Sorako!

The art of Sorako is fluid, quick, imprecise. Lines aren’t perfectly straight nor details entirely accurate, but the rough drafting style gives the frames energy and character, enhancing the impression that the artist’s goal is to tell Sorako’s story, blemishes and all. —AnimeNation

Sorako lives an ordinary life. And this is an ordinary story. She has friends and family, loves her dog, thinks about life, and occasionally looks for work (kinda). These are the adventures into a typical girl’s life.

—Author & Artist: Takayuki Fujimura

GEN Manga will also release its first Kickstarter to help promote print here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1450575711/sorako-a-manga-about-nothing?ref=live

GEN stories are published nowhere else in the world. These stories are created by the elusive doujin creators in Tokyo’s secret underground circles, otherwise known in the west as independent creators and hard core fans.

Presenting new indie manga circles from Japan, GEN, a monthly publication, will be released in the US and Japan simultaneously. Digital format and print editions for GEN are available now. Based in New York, GEN Manga Entertainment (www.genmanga.com) endeavors to publish new and unseen graphic work from Japan, being in the unique position to bring readers work first, more original and untamed manga will be sure to come!

For more information, please contact: Robert McGuire– (646) 535-0090, editor@genmanga.com


PR: VIZ Media Presents SHONEN JUMP Magazine’s 100th Issue!

VIZ MEDIA’S CELEBRATES THE 100th ISSUE OF SHONEN JUMP MAGAZINE WITH SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE

North America’s Most Popular Manga Monthly Delivers Heroes Of Manga Retrospective, DRAGON BALL X ONE PIECE Crossover
Story And A Free YU-GI-OH! Trading Card

San Francisco, CA, March 1, 2011 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, celebrates the 100th issue of SHONEN JUMP magazine, which hits newsstands nationwide today. Cover price will be $4.99.

The commemorative April 2011 issue features special content including a pictorial retrospective of all the manga heroes that have graced the magazine’s pages since the very first issue. This includes original SHONEN JUMP heroes such as Goku from DRAGON BALL, Yugi from YU-GI-OH! and popular mainstays like Naruto, Ichigo from BLEACH, as well as more recent additions to the SHONEN JUMP Super Team including Ageha from the new manga series PSYREN, and Yusei from YU-GI-OH! 5D. The issue also contains the DRAGON BALL X ONE PIECE CROSS EPOCH, a one-shot manga where characters from both popular series meet, and includes a free YU-GI-OH! trading card, Dark Magician.

SHONEN JUMP’s redesign for 2011, which launched in January, welcomed the new decade with a fresh, contemporary look and expanded print and web content. SHONEN JUMP continues to be the best-selling manga anthology in North America and now features 2 brand new series – the science fiction thriller PSYREN, and fan favorite YU-GI-OH! 5D’S – that join other current monthly favorites such as BLEACH, NARUTO and ONE PIECE.

The magazines team has also taken an aggressive approach to integrating the SHONEN JUMP web site (www.ShonenJump.com) with the print magazine with subscriber-only content available exclusively online, including the brand new manga series, NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN (rated ‘T’ for Teens) and new exclusive feature and news items every month.

“The celebration of SHONEN JUMP in the U.S. that we started in January with the magazine’s redesign and revamped web site continues with our 100th issue spectacular,” says SHONEN JUMP Senior Editor Joel Enos. “We’re committed to giving fans what they’ve asked for and we will continue to do so with even more direct communication with our readers! This issue’s Heroes of Manga gives fans a fun trip down memory lane and also lets them meet some new heroes for the first time. Plus, we are showcasing the DRAGON BALL X ONE PIECE CROSS EPOCH, a unique manga mash-up never before seen in the U.S. that features Goku and Luffy, as well as many of their supporting cast, together for the first time in a story written and drawn by both creators Akira Toriyama and Eiichiro Oda. This is definitely an issue not to be missed!”

Read more…


PR: ULTIMO! Featured in July Issue of Shonen Jump Magazine

VIZ MEDIA’S SHONEN JUMP MAGAZINE
JULY ISSUE NOW AVAILABLE
FEATURING STAN LEE AND SHAMAN KING MANGA CREATOR HIROYUKI TAKEI’S
GROUNDBREAKING COLLABORATIVE PROJECT – ULTIMO

Running Action-Packed New Series Created By Two Legends Of Comics And Manga Begins With July Issue Of Monthly Manga Anthology

 San Francisco, CA, JUNE 17, 2009 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the debut of the serialization of the ULTIMO series (KARAKURIDÔJI ULTIMO) in SHONEN JUMP magazine. Originally announced to a packed house at a Press Conference at New York Comic Con in 2008, the serialization begins in the July issue of SHONEN JUMP magazine, which is on sale now at retailers and newsstands nationwide.

Read more…


IKKI Magazine Goes Live, Children of the Sea First Installment

Viz Signature's IKKI - Children of the Sea

Slow on the posting of this piece of news I am. Darn life getting in the way sometimes, but as I’m now the proud owner of a 9-5pm job again, this should hopefully mean more consistant time for my loyal Kuriousity readers!

After news of Shojo Beat’s end saddened manga readers around the web, Viz Media was quick to announce the BETA version of their new online manga magazine, IKKI. Since the folks over at the Viz Blog worded it so nicely, I’ll let them do the honours here as well:

“IKKI is a monthly magazine published in Japan that has established itself as the home of some of the most innovative, bold, and compelling series in the world of contemporary manga. Since its launch in 2003 IKKI has built a catalog of titles notable for its diversity. From action to comedy to drama, from slice-of-life stories to surrealist fantasies, the one common thing these works share is an uncommon emphasis on creative quality and on pushing the boundaries of the norm.

In partnership with our imprint “VIZ Signature” line of graphic novels, IKKI is bringing the works of some of its top creators to the English-language audience via a groundbreaking online monthly manga magazine.”

The first, and thus far only, free chapter up for viewing is an endearing story called Children of the Sea by Daisuke Igarashi. The first volume of Children of the Sea in graphic novel form is due out in July of this year. I highly recommend checking out the first chapter which has successfully left me looking forward to the collected version later this summer.

Future series that will be serialized (for free!) on Viz’s IKKI website include Bokurano: Ours by Mohiro Kitoh,  House of Five Leaves by Natsume Ono, Dorohedoro by Q Hayashida and I’ll Give It My All…Tomorrow by Shunju Aono.

Hard to argue with free manga isn’t it? And by that I mean the legal kind, people.


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