First of all, thank you all for your kind wishes on my blogiversary post! I think the best part of manga blogging has been being a part of this great community of readers and writers.
Secondly, sorry to be lame on the first day of my fourth year, but I was wrapping up some freelance articles this morning, and Paying Work Comes First. I’ll be back later with the day’s news, but in the meantime, here’s a press release from Tokyopop that bears a second look because they are signing directly with a creator, rather than licensing titles from a publisher. Feel free to post opinions and speculation in the comments section.
TOKYOPOP Signs Korea’s Top Female Manga Creator,
Hee Jung Park, to Multi-Book Publishing Deal
Company Set to Release Four Titles in 2008:
Fever, Hotel Africa, Martin and John, and Too Long
Los Angeles, CA (March 5, 2008)―TOKYOPOP, the leader of the global manga revolution, is thrilled to announce a multi-book publishing deal with Korea’s hottest female manga creator, Hee Jung Park. In 2008, TOKYOPOP will release Fever (March), Hotel Africa (April), Martin and John (July) and Too Long (August). The company will premiere each of these stunning new series on its web site (www.TOKYOPOP.com) as well as on its MySpace profile (www.Myspace.com/TOKYOPOP). The free previews are part of a year-long effort—which will also include contests and giveaways, convention promotions, and online features—to promote the luscious artwork and sophisticated storytelling of this innovative global manga creator.
According to TOKYOPOP Editor-in-Chief Rob Tokar, “Hee Jung Park is a phenomenal talent as well as a manga superstar. Along with her bestselling sequential art, her work has been collected in art books and gallery shows around the world. “Inventive”, “unusual” and “sophisticated” are words that often arise in discussions about Ms. Park’s manga classics and we are both excited and proud to publish them.”
About the Books:
Fever: (March)
High school student Hyung-in has never been the same since her friend committed suicide. Fed up with her prestigious school and the expectations of her family, she just wants out. And, when she meets an orphan and a strange country-boy on the bus, she begins an unexpected journey into the unknown, at a mysterious place called “Fever.”
Hotel Africa: (April)
Alone, in the middle of the Utah desert, lies the Hotel Africa, where anything is possible. A world of joy, heartache, and friendship has traveled through its doors. Follow along with Elvis, our narrator, as he brings the history of this desolate hotel to life, weaving tales of his widowed mother, an unlikely pair of vagabonds, and a strange hotel guest…
Martin and John: (July)
Three different stories about three different men named Martin and three different men named John…Confused? So are they…about love, relationships and especially their feelings. This collection of stories take place in different places, in different times—all about a man named Martin and a man named John, and the struggle for love between them.
Too Long: (August)
A girl who seems to attract suicide victims, a shy record store customer in love with a female employee, the star of a band who’s in love with an average girl—these are just a few of the characters encountered in this collection of poignant short stories!
So these are going to be online releases? I only know of this creator because one of her collections was scanslated.
Sometimes, short comic stories are sold to pubs that ask for language-rights terms only. She’s likely the only one who can make a deal for ‘English language’ rights on behalf of her work—her publishers likely have only the ‘Korean language’ rights. ^_^
Nope, these are legitimate print releases. In fact, FEVER was released today in North America, and it’s quite pretty. HOTEL AFRICA should be out later this month.
– Christopher
Nope, these are legitimate print releases.
Oh cool, thanks!
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