Review: Croquis Pop Volume #1

(An abbreviated, original review can be found at www.comicsvillage.com)

Croquis Pop, Volume 1
Written by KwangHyun Seo and Illustrated by JinHo Ko
Rated T for Teen (13+), USA $10.99, CAN $11.99
208 pgs.

Croquis Pop is at its very core, a story about change. No sooner than the main character Da-Il gets a new job with a famous manhwa-ga (comic writer), he’s helping his boss move into a new studio in the countryside. Once at their new home (or should I call it a hovel?), Da-Il begins to learn how to draw comics, under the tutelage of two aspiring comic artists who also work with Da-Il. At night, as he sketches on the floor, Da-Il accidentally learns that he is a Croquer, an artist who has the ability to give form to ghosts and grudges through his artwork. Thankfully, he’s not alone when he summons all these bad spirits and feelings. He’s also somehow drawn a ghost-killing sidekick, a a ghost that Da-Il draws as a mysterious muscleman. Named Mu-Huk, he’s a ghost that does a lot more butt-kicking than question answering. It’s up to Da-Il to find out what a Croquer’s job is, and why he’s the one who’s to do it.

The first volume chronicles Da-Il’s journey as he learns to be a manhwa-ga’s assistant as well as a Croquer. The volume is split into three arcs, each in which Da-Il learns something about the art of manhwa and the art of being a good Croquer. The art isn’t amazing, but it’s consistent, and Yen Press has delievered a book that is well put together. There are even color page inserts in the middle of the book, which is a welcome addition. There are no issues with guttering, and overall the book read very well.

One of my main problems with this first volume as an introduction to the rest of the series, is that it asks a lot of questions, and doesn’t even attempt to help the reader answer them. This cat and mouse game of chase the answer and catch it only works when you have a mouse and cat, not a cat and a cheese grater. It would have been beneficial for the writer of Croquis Pop to slow down a bit and work through the story. Rushing isn’t a huge deal, but it leaves the reader slightly confused.

Overall, Croquis Pop is a fairly average shonen manhwa, and it’s an interesting enough read if you’re looking for something besides Naruto or Bleach to get your hands on. The main characters are interesting, and it’s got enough action and an interesting premise to keep the pages turning. Getting into the series is an entire matter independently, though. More volumes will show if it’s going to be worth collecting.

The 2009 Wishlist

While the retrospectives are running rampant, I think it’s probably time to look forward to next year, and make a few resolutions, as well as some wishes for the manga industry.

I wish for…

1. The continued success of Yen Press, and the continued publication of Yen Plus. This manga publishing newcomer is doing a lot of things right, and I hope that they continue to do well in this depressed market. I also hope that Yen Plus eventually becomes more profitable.

2. Manwha to gain more acceptance in the manga community. There are many great books out there just waiting to be published. Yen Press is starting to push some pretty good manwha into the manga market through Yen Plus, and hopefully titles like Black God will convince manga readers that manwha is just as readible as manga.

3. Better, more cautious, and hopefully more successful management of TokyoPop and its manga titles. The giant fell this year, and while once it was the only true competitor to the manga powerhouse that is Viz Media,  it’s now shrunk in size and is slowing down production. It is my hope that the company works out of this slump, and continues to invest in good manga, albeit with a bit more caution, and a better eye for potential moneymakers.

4. News from ADV. We’ve been kept in the dark for long enough. ADV’s lack of candor about its financial status has been the highlight of this year’s manga woes. We know that ADV is continuing to print manga from their back catalog, but we still haven’t heard anything about any of their ongoing series. It’s my wish that ADV becomes a bit more transparent and gets back on its feet.

5. A stabilized manga market. Things are in flux right now, and for good reason. Hopefully, the economy can settle itself, and we will hopefully be able to see a stable and growing manga publication market.

And, it wouldn’t be the New Year’s season without a few resolutions.

I resolve to…

1. Read some shojo, and see what the fuss is about: I’ve had a few run-ins with the genre, most notably Song of the Hanging Sky and a 2 volume stint with Sensual Phrase, which turned out alright. Yen Plus has helped me get used to the conventions of the style, so I think I might be ready to try out Fruits Basket or Kitchen Princess.

2. READ MORE MANGA! There are so many amazing series I haven’t had a chance to read or finish, some terrific, older series. Ai Yori Aoshi, Shaman King, Fullmetal Alchemist, Monster, and many more are just waiting for me to read them, and I haven’t. This year, that is all going to change.

3. Catch up on my reviews. This is more of a blogging thing, but I’ve read so much manga these past 6 months, and I haven’t had nearly enough time to catalog all of my impressions and thoughts. I’m going to work harder as a blogger and as a manga fan to produce better, more consistent reviews.

4. Try and get to a convention. I’ve never been to an anime or manga convention, and I’d love to try one out. I’m sort of afraid of the consequences of showing up to a convention hall where people can dress up like characters of Fullmetal Alchemist and be perfectly acceptable, but I’m willing to take the chance.

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I’m sure I’ll be adding to my list as we move through the new year; what are your resolutions and wishes for 2009?

Merry Christmas

The title says it all. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas, and I hope that Santa brings you some of your favorite manga. Or, if you aren’t the Christmas type, have a wonderful holiday season; it’s the time of year to celebrate family and friends and the wonderful things that have happened to you in the past year (unless you celebrate Festivus, then you might be airing your grievances right now).I’m going to spend the remainder of the day snuggled up on the couch with a few good reads (Negima vol. 20, here I come!).

Happy holidays, one and all!

Review: Stray Little Devil, Volume #1

(The original, abbreviated version of this review can be found on www.comicsvillage.com)

Stray Little Devil, Volume #1
Written and Illustrated by Kotaro Mori
DrMaster Publications
Rated T for Teen (13+), USA $9.95
208 pgs.

In Stray Little Devil, Pam is an ordinary junior high student, but when she tries to summon a “kind devil” her grandmother once fell in love with, she ends up being transported to a world where devils and angels coexist, and humans are a fairy-tale. Transformed into a devil, she is told by a mysterioius Remy that if she can become a full-fledged devil, he can send her home. Starting out isn’t easy. Pam must acquire a familiar, and test her mettle (as well as learn to read!!) against competing devils at Pandemonium, the devil’s HQ. A mix of action, comedy, and a few yuri leanings combine as Pam acquires a familiar and learns to accept her new home in the devil world.

Stray Little Devil has an interesting cast; devils and angels have split their world down the middle, and aren’t allowed to help each-other. Other spirits are mixed into this supernatural cast, and it gives the manga its own distinct flavor. Despite not being allowed to help angels, Pam meets an angel Linfa who looks exactly like a friend from junior high, and ends up saving her, causing no end of torment and bad luck on Pam’s part because of the law of “conservation of luck,” a sort of spirtual universal law similar to gravity or the conservation of energy. It’s clear that as the series continues, these two girls will learn to be friends, and the first volume hints that there may be more than friendship in store for the two.

The writing for this manga is mediocre, unfortunately. There’s nothing truly original about the character interactions, as these kinds of plot lines have been done by better mangaka, but fortunately for Stray Little Devil, it’s artwork and backdrop to the main story really helps it put its best foot forward.The real strength of Stray Little Devil is in the art. Characters are expressive, showing sadness, happiness, fury, loathing, and fear in ways that never seem forced. The art is detailed and powerful with good use of effects, and the action scenes are well conveyed.

Stray Little Devil does, however, have its Achilles Heel. Production values of this manga are quite low, causing it to look much cheaper than its $10 price tag. DrMaster included a full color page which was wasted on a title screen and a table of contents. The paper is low quality, and very yellow, and sometimes washes out the art. I find this really distracting, because in a few of the darker scenes where action is intense, it is at times quite hard to see and understand what is going on. The biggest thing to note is that the book is almost a whole 1/2 an inch shorter than a regular manga. Thankfully, the production values get better with the next book in the series (although the book never gets any bigger). If DrMaster continues to make these types of mistakes, I doubt I will be buying much more of their manga, regardless of the quality of the series. I’m buying a book, not a newspaper.
Overall, this manga has what it takes to be successful, but DrMaster needs to put a little more work into its releases, or many of the people who would normally enjoy this book will purchase other manga instead.

A Manga Christmas To All

For all of you doing some last-minute shopping for your otaku at home (or perhaps yourself!), I’ve compiled a list. A manga/anime/culture list, if you will, of good otaku gifts. Hopefully these can spark your gift-buying imagination. I’ve linked all the images back to Amazon, so if you’re looking to do some internet shopping, happy buying.

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THE SHONEN JUNKIE

1. Dragon Ball, Volume #1 (VIZ Big Version)
Let’s take things back to where they started; Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z are probably the beginning of the mainstream popularity growth of manga and anime, and there’s a reason. Dragon Ball is a great shonen manga and Akira Toriyama’s style is legendary. Besides having a great story, it has its own anime, which I vividly remember watching on Toonami back when the programming series wasn’t pushing up daisys. For all the Naruto and Bleach fans who haven’t experienced this classic manga, the VIZ Big version is a great way to start.

2. Naruto Box Set (Vol 1-27, VIZ)

Let’s jump to the present. Naruto is one of the top internet searches, and this ninja’s story is a real page turner. The first storyline arc ends at book # 27, with the newest arc being published hyper-drive style by VIZ. Amazon’s got this for almost 1/3 of the list price, saving you almost $100 dollars (if you were to buy each manga individually). It’s a steal, and it’s an amazing series every shonen fan should have.

3. Death Note: Another Note (VIZ Shonen Jump Advanced)

Death Note is another amazing shonen series about a student who finds a note book that allows him to kill any person he writes in it. Death Note: Another Note is a prequel to the events that take place in the original Death Note series. In this novel, L, the famed detective must take down a serial murderer in Los Angeles who is clearly challenging his prowess as a detective. It’s a nice hardcover, and is sure to add even more enjoyable fiction to the Death Note mythos. Owning all the books, I can attest to how wonderful a series this is, and what an amazing mind-bender it turns out to be. This is the perfect gift for a Death Note fan.

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THE ALL PURPOSE OTAKU

4. Yen Plus Subscription (Yen Press)

Yen Plus is the new manga anthology produced by Yen Press, and it’s double sized, and normally double priced. Buy your manga-otaku a subscription and have the manga shipped right to your door. With popular titles like Maxiumum Ride, Nightschool, and the upcoming Hero Tales, Yen Plus is only getting better with time, and there’s plenty of variety. (This Link will take you to the subscription site., or you can call their subscription hotline at 1-800-876-7598)

5. FAUST, Volume 1 (Del Rey)

A mix of manga and light fiction, FAUST is a great collection for fans of manga looking to try something new. A series of short prose works based in popular comic settings (like a xxxHolic excerpt called “Outerholic”). Contains manga excerpts, as well as light novel short stories. A lot of reading for not that much cash, FAUST is a mix that has something for everyone.

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THE SHOJO QUEEN

6. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time Limited Edition DVD (Bandai)

A beautiful movie based off of the manga A Girl Who Runs Through Time( now being published by CMX), this film is a mind-provoking, wonderfully animated adventure any shojo fan is sure to enjoy. What would you do if you could change the world by reliving all the same small moments in the day? Would you save lives, or ace that test you screwed up? Whatever you would do, follow along with this wonderful DVD and see the adventures of a girl who travels back in time.

7. Wish (volumes 1-4, TokyoPop)

An amazing short manga series from the amazing ladies of CLAMP about the power of love in a world of opposing forces. When an angel and a human form a friendship and as both come to admire each other, will they be able to live together in harmony, or will divine intervention keep them from true love? Wish will always have a spot in my heart as the first shojo manga I read that I truly enjoyed. This is also a great series for CLAMP fans, or any person who’s never tried a shojo manga before. There’s not too much action, but definitely some food for thought, and a great story. Go buy it!

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RANDOM FUN

8. The Manga Cookbook ( Japanime Co. Ltd.)

For anyone looking to learn how to cook from a comic book, The Manga Cookbook (much like the new Manga Guide to Statistics) teaches you how to cook with manga. It’s a fun premise, and everyone loves to eat!

Trimming Fat With a Bonesaw

Recently, Marco Pavia confirmed that TokyoPop has laid off 8 more people, including Hyun Joo Kim, who was instrumental in the World of Warcraft manga and hiring Korean talent to do world manga for T-Pop, as well as Bryce Coleman, the man in charge of color graphic novels.

Pavia claims that “It’s one of the worst selling periods in history,” and goes on to suggest that “[TokyoPop is] trying to be responsive to the new realities, and unfortunately some very talented people have been cut.” Downsizing is a popular business strategy when times get tough, but there’s a line you can’t cross as a business before you completely disable yourself. Trimming the fat is one thing, but it seems like TokyoPop is doing its trimming with a bonesaw. While other companies like Viz, DelRey, and Yen Press are staying active with releases, TokyoPop falls further and further behind.

I’m not sure I agree with T-Pop’s statement, although, for the record, I am not a manga publisher, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I can’t really see the disposable income of single boys and men who are into manga disappearing because of a bad economy. Other manga publishers are being cautious, that’s true, but reports seem fairly optimistic about the fate of comics and graphic novels in 2009. But let me assure you, I can definitely see that demographic giving up on a series if they’re put through excessive wait times. How many people would keep up with the Naruto manga if it released twice a year (and let’s pretend it’s not being published in an anthology, because T-Pop doesn’t have one.) I couldn’t.

A thought in this slow down direction: perhaps TokyoPop’s manga printing slow down is causing this terrible selling period for them? I know slowing down your publishing rates seems like a good idea, but it’s possible that T-Pop is suffering from the backlash of angry fans; fans who believe their beloved series are dwindling into nothing. Fans who are afraid that they’re not going to get everything they want out of a series (most importantly is, of course, an ending.) Why should I pick up a new series from TokyoPop at this time? Their current business practices can’t confirm or promise an ending. For what it’s worth, T-Pop, here’s my advice; stick it out, but make yourself a gameplan and hold fast to it. Lower some salaries, stop these social networking shinanegans you’re trying, and publish some books. That’s what you do, right? Do it.

Review: Kieli, Volume 1

(Original, abbreviated review posted at www.comicsvillage.com)

Kieli, Volume #1
Written by Yukako Kabei and Illustrated by Shiori Teshirogi
Yen Press
Rated OT for Older Teen (16+), USA $10.99, CAN $11.99
192 pgs

Kieli is a girl with the supernatural ability to see the ghosts of the departed. Her spirit sense has made her different from the other students at her boarding school. To accentuate that fact, her best friend is a ghost that haunts her old dorm room. When she meets a man named Harvey, an ageless undead soldier  who can also see the dead, she’s naturally interested in him because he too is “different”. When he saves her life, she feels compelled to follow him as he transports a restless soul back to its final resting place.

One of the things I enjoyed about this manga were  its artwork and character development. The writer and illustrator both do a good job at creating believable characters, and the violence and effects are well vizualized.  The backgrounds are detailed enough and supporting cast is interesting enough to give each violent, twisted chapter it’s own feel. Unfortunately, it’s the very art of violence and the story that bring this manga to its knees.

This manga is a bit of a mixed bag, because it definitely has shonen elements, but it also attempts to make a bridge between shonen violence and a sort of shojo-feel good element. Despite its attempts to be cute and delicate, it uses imagery similar to that in Sixth Sense (you know what I’m talking about; the ghosts aren’t just ghosts, you see how they died too). Seeing dead people with their faces half-torn off or clowns that have reattached their severed heads is not exactly the best way to tell a story that’s mostly about kindness and understanding. Kieli tries hard to show that its protagonists are linked in spirit, and Kieli’s attempts to allow ghosts to depart are sweet, but a bit over the top. These cute and touching moments are quickly banished by the rough talk of Harvey and his ghost friend The Corporal along with the violence of a shonen manga. The brisk storyline doesn’t help either. As soon as you achieve a sense of connection between Kieli and the ghosts she sees and interacts with, or even with Harvey, the story is abruptly finished, and nothing seems resolved.

On the publishing side of things, the book is well put together, and  comes along with a author’s note. The print quality is on the same lines that I’d normally expect from Yen Press.  The translation seems well done, and the editing is once again consistent. Unfortunately, although Yen Press did a good job with the translation and the book is well put together, Kieli just doesn’t do what it sets out to do.

Here’s the short version:  If you want to take a bunch of dead people and knit them into a heartwarming story, there are better ways to do it than with this odd shonen-crossbreed.

My apologies

Sorry for not posting much of import last week: Upcoming this week is a fleshed-out review of Kieli, Volume 1, some last-minute Christmas shopping ideas, and maybe a bit about Jumpland.

It’s getting to be that time of year, so Happy Holidays!

An Odd Yen or Two

Looking over the manga blogsphere the past few days, one of the most interesting things I’ve found was about the Yen Plus anthology. Lori Henderson recently spoke out about Yen Press’ lack of a back issue ordering system, and I’m slightly puzzled as to why Yen Press would decide not to sell back issues.

See, if a reader buys a newer issue, let’s say number five for the sake of argument, and decides to order a subscription because she likes Pig Bride and Night School, that person is basically screwed. She can’t order volumes 1-4 (even though that would be profit on the part of Yen Press, and a happy customer reading their manga).  I too am in this predicament. I bought volume 1 at bookstands, but because of university, I had no way of acquiring the volumes between #1 and #5 (which is when my subscription kicked in) without driving at least  a half hour to the nearest bookstore.

This feels like bad business to me. Not only is Yen Press not selling back issues, they’re also not being forthright about it. As a loyal customer and as a subscriber, I’m irritated that I can’t purchase these books. It irks me because not only am I missing a large part of the story of each one of the manga in the anthology (how did Ji-Hae Namgung turn into a man in Sarasah, and when did Mu-Yeon move in to Si-Joon’s house in  Pig Bride?), but I’m missing the editions in general.

Yen Press should think twice about its ploy to get more tankobon sales. If the book is good, people will buy it, regardless. It’s only the loyal customer you hurt when you refuse to sell your back issues.

Review: RalΩGrad, Volume 1

(Original, abbreviated version posted at www.comicsvillage.com. )

RalΩGrad, Volume #1
Written by Tsuneo Takano and Illustrated by Takeshi Obata
Viz Media’s Shonen Jump Advanced
Rated OT for Older Teen (16+), USA $7.99
216 pgs.

RalΩGrad is an interesting manga set in the Blue Dragon universe, where humankind has been under seige by the Shadow World for 15 years. Humans can have their shadows possessed by inhabitants of this world, called Shadows, which can then take shape in the human world. Ral, the main character of the story, is one of those people. When he was an infant, his shadow was possessed by the powerful dragon Shadow Grad. This manga details his adventures as he challenges the Shadow Queen Opsquria and her minions to restore the balance between the Shadow World and his own.

RalΩGrad is a mix between ecchi comedy and action, and both are on full tilt as this novel progresses. Ral’s misunderstandings and fondness for bossoms give this manga quite a few funny moments, but perhaps for some readers, this content is more offensive than humorous. When Ral isn’t trying to fondle someone’s breasts, he’s fighting Shadows working for the Shadow Queen, and Obata imagines these fights in great detail. The art is breath-taking.

Viz is one of those companies that kind of irks me when it comes to book quality; I’m fairly certain that some of these pages were meant to be full color, and the paper quality is something a little better than pretty bad. The price is set to please, but I don’t know that the books will last for as long as other publisher offerings might.

The story progresses fairly linearly, as Ral and his friends Ms. Mio and Aia move closer to the stronghold of the Shadow Queen. There’s never a true lull in the action, and Ms. Mio, who acts as a teacher to Ral, helps to explain some of the more complex details of the Shadow World in the form of lessons to Ral. This style of writing is good for both Blue Dragon fans and for readers new to the setting. As a reader who had never heard of Blue Dragon, the manga was informative but it didn’t bog me down, which was appreciated.

It’s interesting, but after a few bum reviews of the first volume, this series got put on the back burner. Only after people started clamoring for the book later on in the year did they make plans to publish the next few volumes. At one time, I had even heard that the series was cancelled. It really shows you what a difference a year makes. I’m glad Viz decided to give this manga a second chance, because it’s worth the time to read it.

If, however, you aren’t a fan of ecchi comedy, I suggest staying away from this one. It’s about as crude as it gets. At one point, Ral even titles himself, “Ral, Squeezer of Tits.” It’s not for the sensitive eyes, and it’s not young at heart. But the raw humor is enough to make me laugh, and I enjoyed the jokes.

RalΩGrad may not be for everyone, but it is a startlingly good read, with just enough fantasy battle sequences to lure you in, and a plot line that will keep you reading. However, if you’re not a fan of ecchi humor, leave this one on the shelf.