I should probably be heading to the New York Anime Festival, but what can I tell you. I find the District of Columbia a lot easier to navigate than Manhattan, and I really enjoyed the Small Press Expo the last time I went, so that’s my choice of weekend destination. If you see me shambling around and looking baffled and skittish, feel free to say hi.
Portents
July 27, 2009 by
Comic-Con International 2009 is over, and many people have provided engaging coverage of the event’s panels, products, and people. To find the best round-up of manga-related links, you need only visit Brigid Alverson’s MangaBlog (as always). You might want to start here and here. The number of license announcements seems lean to me, but there are some eye-catchers.
Of greatest interest to me is Usumaru Furuya’s 51 Ways to Save Her, which was snatched up by CMX. Furuya’s Palepoli strips from Viz’s out-of-print Secret Comics Japan still amaze me, so I’m thrilled to see more of his work headed for English release. 51 Ways was originally published by Shinchosa. It’s a disaster drama, but I suspect that anything by Furuya will defy simple categorization.
The other highlight from CMX’s roll-out is Sato Fujisawa’s Nyankoi!, a Flex Comix property. I know next to nothing about it except for the fact that it’s got an awesome premise for a cat-lover: a guy who’s allergic to felines falls in love with a girl who dotes on them and must do 100 good deeds for cats or face the wrath of the local cat-god.
On the Viz front, there are two new Shonen Jump titles, one by the creative team behind Death Note. Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata reunited for Bakuman, about two students who dream of becoming successful manga-ka. Here’s the Wikipedia entry, and here’s Shueisha’s entry for the book.
Providing nightmares for vegans and animal rights activists is one possible side effect of Toriko by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro, about a guy who hunts down rare beasts for finicky chefs. Okay, so I won’t be finding any useful recipes from this one, but cooking manga is cooking manga. Here’s the Wikipedia entry, and here’s Shueisha’s page.
I’m not sure if this was announced first at the convention or if I just missed it when mentioned elsewhere, but I’m also looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of Helen McCarthy’s The Art of Osamu Tezuka from Abrams ComicArts. By the way, I take total credit for Tezuka’s Eisner win, as I spent weeks passive-aggressively suggesting people vote for Tezuka’s Dororo.
Con Jobs II: This time, it's personal
February 2, 2009 by
If you only do one thing at NYCC this year, buy a copy of My Mommy is in America and She Met Buffalo Bill at the Fanfare/Ponent Mon booth. If you only do two things at NYCC this year, attend “News Flash: Teen Girls Read Comics” on Friday morning, then score a copy of Buffalo Bill. Here’s the official description from the NYCC program:
The wider media still seems to be amazed that female readers are a huge part of the boom in the manga market, but while the stereotypical manga and anime fan has long been the male otaku, we know that women are making massive contributions to fandom, the industry, and beyond. This panel will discuss the state of women in the manga industry, female fans within the manga community, and just where we might go from here in supporting and advocating for the media we—both women and men—love.
I realize that this is old news for most manga fans, given the robust sales of Fruits Basket, Kitchen Princess, and Vampire Knight. But I still encourage you to attend, as I think the panel will be fun and thought-provoking, and will feature three of the smartest manga lovers I know: Brigid Alverson, Robin Brenner, and Tricia Narwani. The details:
Newsflash: Teen Girls Read Comics!
Friday, February 6th
10:15 – 11:15 AM
Room 1A24, Jacob Javits Center
Hosted by Brigid Alverson, Robin Brenner, Katherine Dacey, and Tricia Narwani
For a complete list of panels, screenings, and events at NYCC 2009, click here. Special thanks to Robin Brenner for organizing the panel and inviting me to participate—this is a genuine honor!
Con jobs: Fanfare/Ponent Mon
January 30, 2009 by
In my ongoing effort to shamelessly favor nouvelle manga specialist Fanfare/Ponent Mon, I will share with you the publisher’s press release on its plans for the upcoming New York Comic-Con. If you attend the con, do yourself a favor and stop by Booth 2347 to browse and buy some really beautiful, unusual graphic novels. Or, y’know, don’t, and live forever with the nagging uncertainty of what might have been.
The release is after the cut.
FANFARE / PONENT MON PREVIEWS NEW RELEASES FOR 2009 AT NY COMIC-CON
BOOTH 2347 AT New York Comic-Con, Jacob K. Javits Center
FEBRUARY 6 – 8 2009
www.nycomiccon.com
www.ponentmon.com
Fanfare / Ponent Mon debuts their latest release for 2009 at New York Comic-Con! “My Mommy is in America and She Met Buffalo Bill” by Jean Regnaud and Émile Bravo will be available for sale at Fanfare / Ponent Mon (Booth 2347), as well as previews of the rest of the exciting new titles that are on the schedule for 2009.
Fanfare’s edition of “My Mommy is in America and She Met Buffalo Bill” is the first English edition of this award-winning French graphic novel. Printed in glorious full-color in a hardcover edition, this story is a touching remembrance of a 5-year old growing up in rural France in the 1970’s. Jean lives with his father, his younger brother and his nanny. As he starts school, he’s troubled by a mystery: Where is his mommy?
As the adults around him avoid his questions, his neighbor shares a secret. She gives him postcards written to him from his mother, all sent from exotic and far-flung destinations.
Get a taste of this touching and memorable book here: http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/13882.html. This book is suitable for readers age 10 and up, as well as grown-up readers who will be charmed by its slice-of-life storytelling and distinctive artwork.
“My Mommy is in America and She Met Buffalo Bill” has already earned these prestigious awards:
– Essentials Award winner, 35th Angoulême International Comics Festival, 2008
– Tam Tam Award 2008, Salon du Livres et de la Presse Jeunesse
– Émile Bravo was also a 2008 Eisner Award Nominee for his short story, “Young Americans” in Mome 8 from Fantagraphics
ISBN 978-84-96427-85-3
Hardcover, 120 full color pages
retail: $25.00
On sale in April 2009, and available for order now:
Diamond Comics Distributors, Previews code JAN094222 (service@diamondcomics.com / 800-45-COMICS)
NEW! Midpoint Trade Books (james@midpointtrade.com / 212-727-0190)
Drop by the Fanfare / Ponent Mon booth at New York Comic-Con and pick up copies of some of our recent award-winning and critically acclaimed releases, including
– Disappearance Diary by Hideo Azuma
– Quest for the Missing Girl by Jiro Taniguchi
– Japan as Viewed by 17 Creators
– The Walking Man by Jiro Taniguchi
You’ll also be able to preview some of the 2009 releases that are in the works, including:
– A Distant Neighborhood by Jiro Taniguchi
– Summit of the Gods by Jiro Taniguchi
– Korea as Seen by 12 Creators
– Years of the Elephant by Willy Linthout
– Spanish language editions
Panel by panel
January 9, 2009 by
The New York Comic-Con has announced its preliminary schedule of panels. I won’t be able to make it this year, but if I did, these are the chats I wouldn’t want to miss.
10:15 a.m.: Newsflash: Teen Girls Read Manga! The wider media still seems to be amazed that female readers are a huge part of the boom in the manga market, but while the stereotypical manga and anime fan has long been the male otaku, we know that women are making massive contributions to fandom, the industry, and beyond. This panel will discuss the state of women in the manga industry, female fans within the manga community, and just where we might go from here in supporting and advocating for the media we — both women and men — love. Presented by Robin Brenner, Brigid Alverson, and Katherine Dacey. 1A24.
(It’s possible that I might actually skip the ones after this so I could take the panel out for an early lunch, because seriously… Best. Panel. Ever.)
11:30 a.m.: Otaku Collection Development. Manga continues to play a dominant role in the library world. Now that you have become familiar with series such as Bleach, Fruits Basket, Naruto, and Death Note, it’s time to take manga collection development to the next level. Two veteran public librarians will speak about how to grow your collection beyond the current popular series, delving into forgotten, underground, and alternative books that you’re probably missing. This discussion will cover not only the newest manga titles in the USA but go over many manga classics that every library should have. Presented by Dave Inabitt and Christian Zabriskie. 1A24.
12:45 p.m.: Manga as an Extension of Young Adult Literature: Are You There God? It’s Me, Manga. While it is now standard practice for libraries to have manga collections, manga is not often seen as much more than an alternate format to conventional prose narratives. However, manga’s unconventional depictions of gender offer female teens valuable opportunities to contemplate, and thus experiment with, a wider range of sexual identities than usually afforded by young adult fiction. Manga has found a place in young adult collections because of its popularity with teens. However,it also performs the same role as young adult literature: to help teens find their identity. Presented by Lisa Goldstein and Molly Phelan. 1A24.
2:00 p.m.: Dark Horse. Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson behind the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals, Dark Horse Comics has grown to become the third-largest comic publisher in the United States and is acclaimed internationally for the quality and diversity of its line, a line that begins with Hellboy, Buffy, and Umbrella Academy and has no end in sight! Get the latest from Dark Horse right here! 1A21.
6:00 p.m.: Vertical Publishing. Vertical publishes some of the most important manga in America, including the fundamental Osamu Tezuka works Buddha, Dororo, and Black Jack. Spend an hour with the publisher as Vertical speaks about its philosophy, titles, and upcoming plans. 1A22.
11:15 a.m. Del Rey Manga. The Del Rey Manga Happy Fun Time Hullaballoo! The gang from Del Rey Manga not only publish your favorite series, but are also perhaps the best-dressed team in all manga publishing. Join Dallas Middaugh (Associate Publisher), Tricia Narwani (Editor), Mutsumi Miyazaki (Licensing and Acquisitions Director), April Flores (Associate Publicist), and Ali T. Kokmen (Marketing Manager) for the latest news and announcements — including new sneak peeks at X-Men: Misfits and Wolverine: Prodigal Son — a lively Q&A session, and maybe even a few fashion tips regarding hats, ties, and other accessories. 1A06.
1:45 p.m. Yen Press. Catch up on the latest news and announcements from Yen Press! Their editorial staff will be on hand to answer questions (and maybe give out some swag). With titles including Haruhi and Soul Eater and their innovative Yen Plus, Yen Press is a publisher to keep a close eye on in ’09! 1A22.
6:45 p.m. CMX: Manga Mania. Get the latest word on all things manga at DC’s CMX panel! Discover what’s coming in 2009 like Genghis Khan, Broken Blade, Name of The Flower, Fire Investigator Nanase, Jihai, Venus Capriccio, and others. Hosted by Manga Editor Jim Chadwick. 1A06.
11 a.m. Viz Media. The VIZ Media team gives you the latest scoop on everything from acquisitions to key marketing campaigns for both manga and anime. 1A23.
1:30 p.m. Scott Pilgrim vs. The Panel! Harvey, Doug Wright, Joe Shuster Award-winning, and Eisner-nominated creator Bryan Lee O’Malley sits down with NYCC to discuss his ground-breaking, slice-of-life series Scott Pilgrim. From its genesis to the NYCC release of volume five, O’Malley talks frankly about where Scott Pilgrim came from and where the series is going from here. With moderation by Douglas Wolk and a fan Q&A to close the discussion, this is a must see event at NYCC 2009! 1A14.
Friday poll 10/24/2008
October 24, 2008 by
Looking at the official selections recently announced by Angoulême, which book would you most like to see made available in English?
Expectations
October 10, 2008 by
After some predictable, anonymous sniping, the discussion that follows Isaac Hale’s post on Yaoi Con turns interesting, with contributions from the likes of Jason Thompson, Tina Anderson and Erica Friedman. The whole question of “lifestyle convention” versus “product category convention” seems like a particularly messy one in this case.
Recon recon
October 8, 2008 by
Since I’m too lazy to develop interesting content of my own, I’ll point you towards two really solid pieces over at the recently renovated Manga Recon:
First up is a round-table on MR contributors’ favorite CMX titles. (Note to self: try once again to convince people that Monster Collection: The Girl Who Can Deal With Magical Monsters is, in spite of its dubious provenance and cumbersome title, surprisingly awesome. Also: poach idea for future blog post or column.)
Second is a report on Yaoi-Con 2008 from Isaac Hale, “a real living and breathing gay male.” It’s well worth reading:
“There were definitely some nice aspects of the Con: I wasn’t assumed to be heterosexual (as I am everywhere else) and I was definitely welcomed by all the panelists and industry staff with great warmth. Furthermore, it was just relaxing to be in a place where male x male romance was desirable as opposed to being stigmatized. Generally though, that’s where my warm fuzzies ended.”
I’m sure he’ll get crap for it from people who think Yaoi Con is just fine the way it is, “Bishonen Spanking Inferno” and all, but I’m grateful for his frankness and perspective.
Expository
October 3, 2008 by
I had hoped to make it back to SPX this year. I had a great time the year I went, and it’s in one of my favorite metropolitan areas. But other recent travel demands have left me wanting to stay at home when possible.
That said, I have to post Fanfare – Ponent Mon’s press release about its presence at SPX. First of all, I love the publisher and think Stephen Robson does amazing work publishing beautiful books. Second, I think SPX is a terrific venue for Fanfare’s titles. Really, if you’re in Bethesda this weekend, please stop by Fanfare’s table (W33) and pick up a book or two or three or eight. You really won’t regret it.
The full press release follows the jump.
Fanfare – Ponent Mon at Small Press Expo (SPX) 2008 This Weekend!
Bethesda, MD: UK / Spain publisher Fanfare – Ponent Mon is bringing their line of award-winning graphic novels, manga and nouvelle manga from Japan and France to the 13th annual Small Press Expo this Saturday and Sunday, October 4 and 5, 2008 at Booth W33.
Visitors to Fanfare – Ponent Mon’s table W33 at SPX will also have the chance to enter to win a prize pack of Fanfare – Ponent Mon graphic novels. No purchase necessary, and winners need not be present to win.
SPX is one of America’s premier shows for small and independent press comics and graphic novels, featuring over 450 exhibitors at the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel and Conference Center at 5701 Marinelli Road in North Bethesda, Maryland. The show hours are from 11 am – 7 pm on Saturday, and noon to 6 pm on Sunday. Admission is $8 for one day memberships and $15 for weekend memberships.
Fanfare – Ponent Mon’s sophisticated mix of Japanese manga, nouvelle manga and European graphic novels for grown-ups feature innovative, distinctive artwork and personal storytelling that are far from the usual ninjas, schoolgirls and giant robots that most mainstream readers might expect from manga. Some of the titles that will be spotlighted at SPX this weekend include:
The Quest for the Missing Girl by Jiro Taniguchi
As featured in this month’s 2008 issue of Previews magazine, Fanfare – Ponent Mon’s latest release from manga master Jiro Taniguchi is a seinen manga (men’s comic) one-shot about a climber is called from his peaceful mountain home to the streets of Tokyo to find his best friend’s missing daughter. What he encounters is a city where danger lies wait in every alley, school girls sell themselves for money and the truth can be a rare commodity in a city of gleaming skyscrapers and gritty side streets.
First previewed at San Diego Comic-Con, The Quest for the Missing Girl will be available in limited quantities at SPX.
Disappearance Diary by Hideo Azuma
“This manga has a positive outlook on life, and so it has been made with as much realism removed as possible.”
What would you do if your editors were giving you hell, your deadlines were impossible to meet and you’re just a few drinks away from killing yourself? If you’re manga artist Hideo Azuma, you run away from it all and become a homeless person. Disappearance Diary is the mostly-true, mostly-humorous story about Azuma’s two attempts to ‘disappear’ from his regular life, his pressure-cooker career as a manga artist, and his eventual stint in rehab when his alcoholism got out of control.
Disappearance Diary is the recipient of the Grand Prize of the 2005 Japanese Media Arts Festival
Also available at SPX will be copies of Tokyo is My Garden by Frederic Boillet, The Ice Wanderer by Jiro T Taniguchi and Kinderbook by Kan Takahama, a selection of Spanish language titles and much more.
For more information about Fanfare – Ponent Mon releases, visit http://www.ponentmon.com.
For more information about Small Press Expo, visit http://www.spxpo.com.
Bookish
July 28, 2008 by
NPR’s All Things Considered has a nice piece on librarians at Comic-Con International:
“The librarians at Comic-Con report that the manga shelves at their libraries are often nearly empty because the comics get checked out so quickly. Many manga storylines have multiple volumes, so kids come back to the library to keep up with the plot. Librarians select manga titles with staying power that they hope will attract new readers of different ages.”
It’s a nice alternative to “People wear costumes!”, “Hollywood courts nerds!” and “San Diego prefers medical conventions!”
