MangaBlog

PW Comics Week looks at Yaoi Press, which is producing OEL yaoi manga right here in the USA—in Vegas, in fact.

“I have a passion for this genre and I saw that there was currently no large publisher of original English-language yaoi,” says Yaoi founder and managing editor Yamila Abraham. “I saw very talented people producing manga outside of Japan and Korea with no venue for their work.”

Interestingly, their most popular title is Saihoshi the Guardian, which comes from a Spanish studio called Kosen. Coming this summer: Stallion, a yaoi twist on the cowboys-and-Indians motif. But it’s not at all like Brokeback Mountain:

The crux of Brokeback Mountain was the characters’ acceptance of their sexuality. But the stories in yaoi generally focus on the romantic relationship between the central characters to the exclusion of any societal issues or cultural stigmas that could also be pertinent to their relationship.

Well, it is escapist reading.

Back when I was a kid, Archie would go all educational every once in a while with a story that was full of facts; I remember one in particular about sugar that must have been paid for by the Sugar Association or some such group. The facts in these stories were generic (“Many foods contain sugar!”) but generally accurate.

If the Manga Association paid for this month’s Archie, they should be asking for their money back. Johanna reads it so we don’t have to. The first question that jumped to my mind appeared almost immediately in the comments: Why didn’t they pick up the phone and talk to Sabrina artist Tania del Rio? She’s an articulate and knowledgeable manga artist that works for the same company, but I guess that was too obvious for them. Sigh.

Seven Seas has posted an interview with Bill Straus, the writer of the upcoming manga Freerunners. It’s basically a PR piece but that doesn’t mean it can’t be interesting. Freerunning, we are told, “focuses more on artistic movement rather than just moving from one place to another in the most efficient manner.” Strauss didn’t come to this as a freerunner himself:

I actually learned about it through my literary manager. I was inspired initially because it was a J-O-B, truth be told. But then when I looked at what it was and where it was coming from psychologically and culturally, it really felt like a fun world to be exploring. I think the artistry of it and the philosophy behind it is what makes it so much more than X Games type stuff. And I was intrigued at the challenge of turning these crazy Frenchmen into New Yorkers.

Strauss talks a bit about his collaboration with artist Jennyson Rosero, the technical challenges of writing a manga in which people are in motion all the time, and why Freerunners is more than a sports manga:

I don’t think it’s really a sports manga. Because we stretch some supernatural type elements, I think it deviates. It’s also much more about relationships and the philosophical principles inherent in Free Running.

The French manga Pink Diary has come up in the comments and it sounds kind of interesting, so I’m linking to this review (in French) so you can see the cover and sample page. The manga/not-manga debate is raging over there as well; I’ll translate (roughly) the relevant graf:

Even before its appearance, this series had stimulated a debate on the name “manga” for non-Japanese comics that use the conventions and formats of the genre. Remember that this work is not the first French “manga” and that “L’Autoroute du soleil,” for example, has had some success.

I don’t think anyone would mistake this for Japanese manga; the landscape shot in the sample page is unmistakeably French, and the cover reminds me of the Babysitters Club more than anything else. But if global manga is going to grow as a medium, that’s what it’s all about—everyone bringing something new to the party. Pink Diary sounds like doesn’t stray too far off the manga reservation—it begins with a girl waking up in bed with a guy she detests, who soon learns that her secret crush is going to the same school as her. There’s the difficult twin brother and the shrinking-violet friend. So we’re definitely in the shoujo genre. I wonder if Tokyopop will license it?

Fun fact: The review notes that Jenny worked on storyboards for Totally Spies.

UPDATE: I just found this interview with Jenny, which includes another page of her art and some interesting comments on manga and comics. I’ll translate it if people are interested.

Lone Wolf and Cub creator Kazuo Koike will be appearing at San Diego Comic Con.

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin profiles Tomoko Taniguchi, the manga-ka who mixes sweet romance and heavy metal manga like “Aquarium” and “Together Forever.”

Telophase wants to do some manga/manwha comparisons and is looking for examples.

ICv2 brings us up to date on plans for anime and manga movies. The one I’m looking forward to is Pet Shop of Horrors, which reminded me of Twilight Zone (the original TV show) when I read it. Most people are probably more interested in the Neon Genesis Evangelion movie, which is still in the financing stages. And the Priest movie, which is set to start shooting in October.

Just in time for New Comics Day, MangaCast reviews vol. 4 of Del Rey’s Gacha Gacha (not to be confused with Tokyopop’s Gatcha Gacha o_O).

At it can’t all be about manga… Cathy notices that manga seem to be printed all the way into the gutter lately, forcing her to crack the spine to read all the text.

From ComicList, here’s what mangaphiles can expect to find in comics stores this week.

ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS
Sabrina Vol 2 #76, $2.25

DARK HORSE COMICS
Cannon God Exaxxion Stage 5 Vol 5, $15.95
Oh My Goddess Vol 23, $10.95

DC/CMX
Pieces Of A Spiral Vol 4, $9.99

DEL REY
Gacha Gacha Vol 4, $10.95
School Rumble Vol 2, $10.95

GO! COMI
Cantarella Vol 3, $10.99
Crossroad Vol 3, $10.99
Tenshi Ja Nai (Im No Angel) Vol 3, $10.99

ICE KUNION
Hissing Vol 1, $10.95

VIZ MEDIA LLC
Aishiteruze Baby Vol 2, $8.99
Bleach Vol 13, $7.95
Claymore Vol 2, $7.99
Dragonball Z Vol 26, $7.95
Eyeshield 21 Vol 8, $7.99
Jojos Bizarre Adventure Vol 4, $7.99
Kaze Hikaru Vol 2, $8.99
Nana Vol 3, $8.99
Naruto Vol 10, $7.95
Rurouni Kenshin Vol 27, $7.95
Yu GI Oh Duelist Vol 15, $7.95

It’s kind of a lean week, but all the better to savor the latest volumes from Go!Comi and Del Rey.

In terms of bookstores vs. comics stores, it’s worth noting that three of the Viz releases, Naruto, Rurouni Kenshin, and Bleach, are already on the Bookscan top ten for last week.

Also, I’m including Sabrina this week. It’s a little jarring to see “Archie comics” on this list, but Sabrina is drawn in manga style by Tania del Rio, one of our community’s most articulate members. Thoughts, anyone?