It’s that time again, when I skim through the latest Previews for the manga titles debuting in April. Settle in, because it’s a long one.
ADV:
Full Metal Panic! Overload, by Tomohiro Nagai, $9.99
Antarctic Press:
Color Manga 7-Pack, by Various, $34.95
This is an interesting approach, giving a roughly 50% discount on volumes of four different titles (Legacy by Fred Perry, Junction 17 by David Hutchison, Neotopia by Rod Espinosa, and Warrior Nun Areala by Ben Dunn).
Bandai:
Eureka Seven, by Jinsei Kataoka, $9.99
Samurai Champloo Film Manga, $9.99
Blu:
Menkui!, by Suzuki Tanaka, $9.99
CMX:
Vs. (Versus), by Keiko Yamada, $9.99
Del Rey:
Pichi Pichi Pitch, by Pink Anamori and Michiko Yokote, $10.95
Digital Manga Publishing:
The Art of Loving, by Yukine Honami and Serubo Suzuki, $12.95
Il Gatto sul G, by Tooko Miyagi, $12.95
Almost Crying, by Mako Takahashi, $12.95
Dr. Master Publications, Inc.:
Real Fake Princess, by I-Huan, $9.95
Fanfare/Ponent Mon:
A Patch of Dreams, by Hideji Oda, $22.99
A little pricey for 200 black and white pages, but who am I kidding? F/PM hasn’t failed me yet.
Go! Comi:
Her Majesty’s Dog, by Tick Takeuchi, $10.99
This is the one that was initially released exclusively through Borders and Waldenbooks, right? So this is its Direct Market debut?
Graphix:
Baby-Sitters Club, by Raina Telgemeier, $16.99
I’ve been dying to see Telgemeier on a full-length graphic novel ever since gobbling up her mini-comics at SPX. I was more of a Sweet Valley High fan, because they were so lurid and horrible, but Telgemeier seems like the perfect choice for this property, so I’m there. (Update: Greg McElhatton ramps up my eager anticipation with his preview review at iComics.)
Ice Kunion:
Freak – The Legeld of the Nonblonds, by Lee DongEun and Chung Yu, $10.95
Infinity Studios:
Sweety, by Ju-Ri Kim and Jae-Sung Park, $9.95
Netcomics:
0/6, by Youjung Lee, $9.99
Boy Princess, by Seyoung Kim, $9.99
Can’t Lose You, by Wann, $9.99
Dokebi Bride, by Marley, $9.99
The Great Catsby, by Doha Kang, $17.99
The Land of Silver Rain, by Mira Lee, $9.99
Let Dai, by Sooyeon Won, $9.99
Madtown Hospital, by JTK, $9.99
Not So Bad, by E. Hae, $9.99
Pine Kiss, by Eunhye Lee, $9.99
Now, I’m not a retailer, but if I were, nothing would make me more excited than to have ten titles debut from a new publisher in a single month. I hope Netcomics does well, but this seems a little unwise.
Tokyopop:
Anima, by Natsumi Mukai, $9.99
Boys of Summer, by Chuck Austen and Hiroki Otsuka, $9.99
Confidential Confessions – Deai, by Reiko Momochi, $9.99
Death Jam, by D.J. Logic, $9.99
Made in Heaven: Juri, by Ami Sakurai and Yukari Yashiki, $9.99
Kat & Mouse, by Alex de Campi and Frederica Manfredi, $9.99
Rozen Maiden, by Peach-Pit, $9.99
Stone of the Morning Mist, Hiroki Ukawa, $9.99
Let me just say right now that the words “Art Not Final” have never been more welcome than they are on the image from Boys of Summer. Since my Chuck Austen Snark Generator is in the shop for routine maintenance, I’ll just quote part of the solicitation:
“But like all best ‘laid’ plans, nothing goes as Bud expects. His roommate turns out to be a closeted homosexual, and all the good-looking girls in the dorm are interested in somebody else.”
Life is so unfair!
Viz:
D Gray Man, by Hoshino Katsura, $7.99
Yaoi Press:
Aluria, Calissa Leigh and Yishan Li, $12.95
Pinned, by Studio Kosaru and Yamila Abraham, $12.95
The yaoi that had to happen: professional wrestlers in lust.