Posted by Guest Author on Feb 29, 2008 in Comic Books
Most people know about anime and manga, but a new wave of Japanese popular culture is just starting to hit the United States: the light novel. The light novel (literally “raito noberu” or “ranobe” for short) is similar to a young adult novel in the United States, but it also has a little twist: manga-style illustrations are littered throughout the books. So now that you know what light novels are, here’s one of our Ten Light Novels That You Need To Know:
I mentioned in the introduction that Haruhi has blitzed the entire world with her antics. Written by Nagaru Tanigawa and illustrated by Noizi Ito, the series currently spans ten volumes, nearly all of which are told in an achronological fashion. (This resulted in the anime airing its episodes out of order as well.)
Posted by Guest Author on Feb 28, 2008 in Comic Books
Most people know about anime and manga, but a new wave of Japanese popular culture is just starting to hit the shores of the United States: the light novel. The light novel (literally “raito noberu” or “ranobe” for short) is similar to a young adult novel in the United States, but it also has a little twist: manga-style illustrations are littered throughout the books.
Light novels have been around for ages, and many prominent artists and mangaka have illustrated them. Yoshitaka Amano, best known for his character designs for the Final Fantasy series of games, illustrated the Vampire Hunter D novel in 1983. Shoujo/boys love mangaka Fumi Yoshinaga has illustrated dozens of BL novels.
Posted by Guest Author on Feb 26, 2008 in Comic Books
Our Top Indie Cartoonists to Watch For in 2008: Keeping true to our “Anti-Superheroes in Tights” mood at fanboy, we took a look back at the comic books and graphic novels that caught our eye:
When you’re a kid, you don’t have much say so over how you live your life. It’s all about the rents who call the shots, for the most part, and that’s part of the reason that outward manifestations of personality such as choice of clothing or cliques one associates with take on utmost importance. They’re early ways of asserting who we are, sometimes before we even discover who we are for ourselves. And nothing is more important in asserting who we are in youth than the music we listen to. And it’s never a simple matter of liking a catchy tune. The musical artists we prefer are alignments, social statements about who we are and what we stand for, and I’m sure everyone reading this has those bands that swept them away, whose lyrics were something we fiercely identified with, even if we hadn’t realized it until we first heard the songs. And for comic artist Mike Dawson, this musical epiphany came through Queen.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Feb 25, 2008 in Comic Books
The texture in the above detail from Hellblazer: The Fear Machine is so unusual in a sea of flat looking comic book covers. What’s also impressive in this illustration by Phil Hale is that most horror comics always go to a goth black color scheme, however Hale scores with an unexpected pale palette with the final cover falling between film noir and German expressionism.
Hellblazer: The Fear Machine will be hitting comic book stores in May and is published by DC Comics, below is the full illustration:
Posted by Michael Pinto on Feb 24, 2008 in Comic Books
When I first viewed the above detail from the cover of Power Pack: Day One #3 I was blown away by the sense of chaos in the illustration by Gurihiru Studios (who are two artists based in the city of Sapporo, Japan). This Marvel book is due to hit stores in May, below is the full cover:
Posted by Michael Pinto on Feb 23, 2008 in Comic Books
Shown above is a detail from the first cover of Sky Doll #1 the first French comic being published by Marvel in May (although it should be pointed out that both the artist and author are Italian). As much as I love manga I think it’s great to see French comics get some real distribution here in the United States. Here’s a description of the book which is illustrated by Alessandro Barbucci and writing by Barbara Canepa:
“Meet Noa, a so-called Sky Doll; a life-like female android without rights, who exists only to serve the State’s needs and desires. But when Noa meets two so-called “missionaries” who aid in her escape from her tyrannical master, all hell breaks loose for our cyborg siren as she uncovers clues that she may be much more than just a robotic toy. The first release in a new partnership between Marvel and cutting-edge French publisher Soleil!”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Feb 22, 2008 in Comic Books
How often do you see pink used on a comic book cover in a non-cute way? I just love the concert poster look of the cover of Amazing Joy Buzzards Volume 1: Here Come The Spiders illustrated by Dan Hipp due out in stores in May from Image Comics. Here’s a description of the book which features a story by Mark Andrew Smith:
“The world’s greatest rock ‘n roll adventure band makes their original graphic novel debut With girl-magnet Biff on guitar and vocals, tough guy Stevo on bass, and four-eyed genius Gabe on drums – not to mention their mythical Mexican wrestler genie, El Campeon – the Amazing Joy Buzzards hop from one fast-paced adventure to the next, living life to the fullest! As their world tour commences, their battle with the nefarious Spider Syndicate gets into full swing with the fate of the world in the balance!”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Feb 18, 2008 in Comic Books
Mixtape Volume 1: Food One published by Image Comics goes on sale this week. This is an amazing hardcover art work featuring the work of Jim Mahfood (Clerks, Grrl Scouts, Stupid Comics) and includes everything from album covers to animation pitches. Shown above (click on the image to see it at full size) on the left is the cover art by Jim Mahfood and Jose Garibaldi and the right and below interior art by Jim Mahfood.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Feb 15, 2008 in Comic Books
Eric Powell covers always feel more like a good old fashioned pulp fiction magazine rather than showing super heros covers which always feature guys running around in their underwear — shown above is a detail from the cover of The Goon #24 which will be out on May 14th at a creepy comic book shop near you.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Feb 7, 2008 in Comic Books
Today marks the start of the Chinese New Year, so we’re exploring fanboy themes relating the Year of the Rat. Shown above is the cover to the book Rat Fink: The Art of Ed “Big Daddy” Roth. The character of Rat Fink was created back in 1963 by Ed “Big Daddy” Roth (1932 – 2001). Roth popularized the genre of “Monster Hot Rod” drawings inspired from the Kustom Kulture movement in California during the 60s. The popularity of his artwork lead Revell to create a series of plastic model kits based on his work. He was also a cool guy because he would always encourage fans to get in touch with him, even going as far to make sure his phone number was publicly published — which earns him the respect of this fanboy.
Here’s a trailer for the film Tales of the Rat Finkwhich is focused on the life of Ed “Big Daddy” Roth:
Posted by Guest Author on Feb 4, 2008 in Comic Books
Our Top Indie Cartoonists to Watch For in 2008: Keeping true to our “Anti-Superheroes in Tights” mood at fanboy, we took a look back at the comic books and graphic novels that caught our eye:
Still rounding up the graphic novels that impressed me in 2007, I bring you a tale set in 2001. Suddenly one September, prolific cartoonist and Portal of Evil founder Thor finds himself getting fired from his job. And then his girlfriend dumps him over the phone. And then he gets evicted. And then his Grandmother dies. And then terrorists in planes attack the city. And this all happens in the first two pages. So by page three, where a lesser man may have crumbled, Thor resolves to buy a 60 day bus pass and see America.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 31, 2008 in Comic Books
When I first came across this I thought it was a parody, but it seems to be real! Here is the description from Alrugo Entertainment:
“Unearthed for the first time in 43 years and lovingly restored at Maxischermo Studios Milan, this rare theatrical trailer for the 1964 Italian classic ‘Italian Spiderman’ is a real treat. Featuring Franco Franchetti of ‘Mondo Sexo’ fame in his last ever role before being killed in a spear fishing accident in 1965. Director, Gianfranco Gatti, reminisces on ‘Italian Spiderman’; “I have made some mistakes in my life…bad, bad mistakes”.”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 28, 2008 in Comic Books
Above: A panel from the French comic book Sky Doll.
Over the last few months I’ve been enjoying watching the growth in popularity of manga with with the American market. However there are other places besides Japan that have a great tradition of producing amazing comic books — one of those places is France, yet very few French comics make their way over here. So I was very pleased to read that Marvel is doing a joint publishing venture with Soleil:
“Some of Soleil’s most popular releases, such as Sky Doll, Universal War One, Samurai and Le Fleau Des Dieux, make their English language debuts beginning this May. The first release will be Sky Doll #1 (of 3), a timely socio-political thriller in which a young android must decide her destiny by challenging the very government—and faith—that has controlled her life.
Soleil appeared on the comic scene in 1988 and quickly moved into publishing both classic comics by hot, young talent and series targeted towards younger audiences before buying great classics (Mandrake, Tarzan). Publishing science fiction, heroic fantasy, westerns and action comics from superstars such as Arleston, Tarquin, Mourier, Crisse, Swolfs and Ange, in addition to promising young talent, Soleil quickly established itself with a catalogue of powerful graphic novels.”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 26, 2008 in Comic Books
So I’m looking through the Marvel Comics offerings for April 2008: Dull, Dull, and oh yes Friggin’ Dull! And then out of the blue I spy the above cover by Gary Panter who did some amazing work back in the 80s for RAW Magazine, and also did a great cover for an album by Frank Zappa too. The cover art is for Omega: The Unknown #7 which stars a super hero who resorts to drawing comic books to solve his problems. Someone at Marvel has some good taste! This issue is now on my “must buy” list.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 25, 2008 in Comic Books
It’s just so easy to get cynical when it comes to artwork that features a well known super hero. I’ve seen so many comic book covers that try to pull it off, but it always looks so damn silly to see an adult jumping around in tights. It’s because of this reason that Alex Ross blows my socks off, he always manages to eliminate my suspension of disbelief with these old school cartoon characters brought to life. It’s not just the lighting and the powerful use of color, it’s the poses and facial expressions which make you feel like you’re looking at an super hero. Shown above is a sample from Comic Book Cover Portfolio No. 2: The Justice Cover Collection which will hit stores in September.
Posted by Guest Author on Jan 18, 2008 in Comic Books
With American anime sales on a downward trend, a lot of attention is being paid to its partner in crime manga, the Japanese comics that are often adapted into anime (if they’re not already adaptations themselves). In North America and Europe manga has exploded, but the sheer volume of manga published in Japan means that not every series makes it over here— and even the ones that do don’t always get the attention that they deserve! So here’s one of our Top Ten Underrated Manga that we recommend that you should get your hands on:
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
How can the manga adaptations of a light novel and anime series so immensely popular that even protesters in Gaza use her on their signs go unlicensed and unloved? Haruhi has two manga adaptations: one started in 2004 and was cancelled due to its unpopularity; fans maintain that it’s a poor adaptation. A new version started in 2005, shortly before the anime aired, and now has five volumes in Japan.
Posted by Guest Author on Jan 18, 2008 in Comic Books
Our Top Indie Cartoonists to Watch For in 2008: Keeping true to our “Anti-Superheroes in Tights” mood at fanboy, we took a look back at the comic books and graphic novels that caught our eye:
Being a gay teenager is tough. Being a punk teenager is tough. Both are marginalized by mainstream society, and put them both together and you have a minority-within-a-minority situation, because lets face it, anyone who’s spent time in Chelsea can tell you that queer culture and punk culture don’t overlap nearly as much as they should. But when they do, you usually end up with an explosion of creativity that brings us very very good things. Things like Liz Baillie’s My Brain Hurts, an outstanding mini-comic series, the first five issues of which have been collected by Microcosm Publishing why, just this last Fall!
Posted by Guest Author on Jan 17, 2008 in Comic Books
With American anime sales on a downward trend, a lot of attention is being paid to its partner in crime manga, the Japanese comics that are often adapted into anime (if they’re not already adaptations themselves). In North America and Europe manga has exploded, but the sheer volume of manga published in Japan means that not every series makes it over here— and even the ones that do don’t always get the attention that they deserve! So here’s one of our Top Ten Underrated Manga that we recommend that you should get your hands on:
Yubisaki Milk Tea
There once was a boy named Yoshinori whose face was remarkably similar to his sister’s. As a result, he once had to take her place in a modeling session, dressing in a bridal gown for a local photography shop. Ever since then he’s had a taste for both cross-dressing and photography, and Yubisaki Milk Tea follows his exploits both as male Yoshinori and female “Yuki.” Yoshinori winds up in a love triangle with his childhood friend Hidari, who doesn’t know about his cross-dressing, and a classmate named Minamo, who hates men and will only talk to Yoshinori when he’s dressed as Yuki.
Posted by Guest Author on Jan 16, 2008 in Comic Books
With American anime sales on a downward trend, a lot of attention is being paid to its partner in crime manga, the Japanese comics that are often adapted into anime (if they’re not already adaptations themselves). In North America and Europe manga has exploded, but the sheer volume of manga published in Japan means that not every series makes it over here— and even the ones that do don’t always get the attention that they deserve! So here’s one of our Top Ten Underrated Manga that we recommend that you should get your hands on:
Lunar Legend Tsukihime
A high school boy named Shiki is suffering from a life-threatening injury, and as a result he has started to see “death lines” on the people around him. He discovers that if he traces the lines with a sharp object he can kill people. He protects himself from his ability by wearing a special pair of glasses that prevent his ability to see the lines.
Posted by Guest Author on Jan 15, 2008 in Comic Books
With American anime sales on a downward trend, a lot of attention is being paid to its partner in crime manga, the Japanese comics that are often adapted into anime (if they’re not already adaptations themselves). In North America and Europe manga has exploded, but the sheer volume of manga published in Japan means that not every series makes it over here— and even the ones that do don’t always get the attention that they deserve! So here’s one of our Top Ten Underrated Manga that we recommend that you should get your hands on:
Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service
Five university students with abilities that range from channeling spirits to dowsing (finding dead bodies) to ESP form a company called the Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, an organization that communicates with the dead and transports their bodies to wherever they need to go in order to allow their spirits to move on to the next world.
Posted by Guest Author on Jan 14, 2008 in Comic Books
With American anime sales on a downward trend, a lot of attention is being paid to its partner in crime manga, the Japanese comics that are often adapted into anime (if they’re not already adaptations themselves). In North America and Europe manga has exploded, but the sheer volume of manga published in Japan means that not every series makes it over here— and even the ones that do don’t always get the attention that they deserve! So here’s one of our Top Ten Underrated Manga that we recommend that you should get your hands on:
Kodomo no Jikan (“A Child’s Time”)
This may seem like an odd choice for underrated manga, seeing as this series gained infamy throughout the English-language manga world when Seven Seas licensed it and then cancelled it because the content was too racy. Well, the problem isn’t just that the content is racy— it’s that it’s racy and it involves primary school students. It didn’t help that original creator Kaworu Watashiya wanted them to call it Nymphet.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 12, 2008 in Comic Books
Is it me or does that Iron Man head look more like a missing toy part than the scene of super hero slaughter? This cover for Mighty Avengers #7 by Frank Cho is available in your local comic book shop this week…
published by Image Comics goes on sale this week. This is an amazing hardcover art work featuring the work of 
which is focused on the life of Ed “Big Daddy” Roth:
