I missed this when I looked at PWCW but thank heaven Journalista picked it up: Kai-Ming Cha interviews Tina Anderson about Boys Love manga—why she likes it and why she writes it.
At Precocious Curmudgeon, David Welsh imagines the effect of newly available American comics on Japanese kids:
Now I’m picturing Japanese children cluttering the floors of the local equivalent of Barnes & Noble, reading Identity Crisis, and putting it back on the shelf.
Elsewhere, David devotes this week’s Flipped to two manwha titles, DVD and Banya the Explosive Delivery Man.
Alert Tokyopop blogger Andre notices that Diamond is picking up the Tokyopop “exclusives” as Diamond exclusives, which means that they will be available in comics stores.
At Anime on DVD, Jarred Pine reviews the first volume of a new series from Tokyopop, Kamiyadori.
American comics are very hard to get into. The current trend is bringing back “C” level characters from the 1970s and re-inventing them. Only super nerds and internetz crazies keep up with this stuff.
I essentially buy one American comic these days (Astonishing X-men) and I had to call my friend after the cliff hanger in the last issue to comprehend what happened. (Also worth mentioning it takes 3 months or so between issues)
Jack, I’d recommend reading non-superhero american comics if you want something more coherent. While they can be fun [I’m a long time reader], they’re not for everyone. Stuff I’ve enjoyed include-
Fables- the story of a group of exiled fairy tale characters living in New York, centuries after being driven out of their homelands by the mysterious Adversary. Part romance, murder mystery, fantasy, action and more, it’s a wonderful series that just keeps you reading. It mostly centers on Snow White, thogh Willingham works his way around the block. One of my favorite characters is Frau Totenkinder, the witch from Hansel and Gretel, who is far more then she appears. Published by purveyor of goods, Vertigo [a division of DC for non-superhero, mature books, many creator owned like Fables]
http://www.lightspeedpress.com/ I also can’t recommend Finder enough, Carla Speed MacNeil’s anthropological science fiction series. It’s hard to describe… so just read the previews on her website! Gorgeous art, trippy scifi, endearing characters.
http://www.onipress.com Check out PDF previews of Blue Monday, Courtney Crumnin…. heck, wade through most of Oni’s [JetCat Clubhouse and Allison Dare], teens [Scott Pilgrim] to serious dramas aimed at older readers [Queen and Country], even seinen romances with Love as a Foriegn Language.
Also, haven’t read much of it outside of short stories [though I really enjoyed them!], Hellboy is probably the US comic with the largest cult following in Japan…… Kaiyido released a vinyl statue there about 4 or 5 years before the movie ever hit, just for the japanese market. I would recommend more, but I must go! Looks outside the DC/Marvel box! Look outside!
I’ definitely second Andre’s recomendations, especially “Fables” and Oni Press’s great selection of titles. I’d also add Archaia Studios to the list of good indie presses; the much-admired “Mouse Guard” is a treat, as is “Robotika.” And if you’re a student of Soviet history and culture, “The Red Star” might be of interest. The artwork is superb, and it’s got some of the most plausibly tough, appealing female characters in comics right now.