I Reads You Review: FRUITS BASKET: BANQUET

Creators: Natsuki Takaya with Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane (adaptation) and Alethea and Athena Nibley (translation)
Publishing Information: TOKYOPOP, B&W with some color, paperback, 224 pages, $14.99 U.S., $18.99
Ordering Numbers: ISBN: 978-1-4278-1798-3 (ISBN-13)

The recently published Fruits Basket -Banquet- is a coda to the popular manga series. Fruits Basket is a shojo manga (comics for teen girls) created by Natsuki Takaya. It was serialized in the Japanese magazine, Hana to Yume, from 1999 to 2006, and was eventually collected in 23 volumes (or tankōbon). It was published in North America by TOKYOPOP, both in paperback and also in hardcover “Ultimate Editions.” TOKYOPOP billed Fruits Basket as the “#1 selling shojo manga in America.”

Fruits Basket follows high school student Tohru Honda and her life with the Sohma Family. After Tohru’s mother died in a car accident, she lived in a tent and supported herself. She is eventually taken in by her friend, Yuki Sohma, and lives in a home with him and his cousins, Shigure and Kyo. Some of the Sohmas are cursed. Thirteen members of the family are possessed by spirits of the Chinese zodiac, and they turn into their respective zodiac animals when hugged by someone of the opposite sex. Although she keeps the curse a secret, Tohru makes it her goal to break the Sohma curse.

Banquet is 200-plus page of odds and ends. It opens with a 16-page color section of illustrations, with some of them being double spreads. There is some fan art and also a creator interview that is packed with pencil art. There are also several contest sections with a few pages devoted to most of the characters or chapters that received a lot of votes. Readers will delight in a new eight-page manga related to the “Couples & Combination” contest. In the end, Fruits Basket -Banquet- is for the hardcore Fruits Basket fan.

----------------------------

Image Firsts: Wave Two Titles

ALL THAT FOR A DOLLAR

Image Comics reprints the first issues of classic series in October's continuation of IMAGE FIRSTS: WAVE TWO

This Fall, Image Comics is re-presenting 10 first issues as an introduction to some of its most acclaimed titles. Each debut acts as a perfect primer to its corresponding ongoing series and collected editions. Starting in September and continuing through October, each reprinted first issue will be available for only $1.

IMAGE FIRSTS: WAVE 2 shipping this October include:

IMAGE FIRSTS: ELEPHANTMEN #1
story RICHARD STARKINGS
art MORITAT
cover LADRÖNN
OCTOBER 6

IMAGE FIRSTS: MADMAN #1
story MIKE ALLRED
art & cover MIKE ALLRED
OCTOBER 13

IMAGE FIRSTS: GODLAND #1
story JOE CASEY
art TOM SCIOLI
OCTOBER 20

IMAGE FIRSTS: HACK/SLASH #1
story TIM SEELEY
art & cover TIM SEELEY
OCTOBER 27

IMAGE FIRSTS: DEAD @ 17 #1
story JOSH HOWARD
art & cover JOSH HOWARD
OCTOBER 27

Discover some of Image Comics' best series in October with the continuation of IMAGE FIRSTS: WAVE TWO, re-releasing the first issue ELEPHANTMEN, MADMAN, RISING STARS, HACK/SLASH and DEAD@17 for only $1.


Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

Reborn Ten Years Later

I read Reborn!, Vol. 16

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has an iPhone app).

I Reads You Review: FRUITS BASKET ULTIMATE EDITION, VOL. 4

Creators: Natsuki Takaya with Alethea and Athena Nibley and Alexis Kirsch (translation)
Publishing Information: TOKYOPOP, B&W, hardcover, 410 pages, $14.99 U.S., $18.99
Ordering Numbers: ISBN: 978-1-4278-0731-1 (ISBN-13)

I imagine that on different occasions during the last few weeks, manga creator Natsuki Takaya found herself suffering from what seemed like cramps. They were actually the labor pains she felt as she brought another Fruits Basket fan into the world – me.

Fruits Basket was serialized in the Japanese magazine, Hana to Yume, from 1999 to 2006, and was eventually collected in 23 volumes (or tankōbon). Fruits Basket is the story of high school student Tohru Honda. After her mother dies in a car accident, Tohru begins living in a tent and supporting herself. She eventually finds a home with Yuki Sohma and his cousins Shigure and Kyo.

The Sohmas are not normal because they live with a curse. Thirteen members of the family are possessed by spirits of the Chinese zodiac, and they turn into their respective zodiac animals when hugged by someone of the opposite gender. Tohru promises to keep this fact a secret, but her goal is to break the Sohma curse. Meanwhile, Tohru and the Sohmas have various adventures.

TOKYOPOP, the North American publisher of the series, has been republishing Fruits Basket in “Ultimate Editions,” which reprints two volumes of the series. Fruits Basket Ultimate Edition Volume 4 collects Fruits Basket, Vol. 7 (which contains Chapters 37-42 of the story) and Vol. 8 (Chapters 43-48).

There are several storylines that occur in these 12 chapters. Tohru’s friendship with the shy Kisa Sohma causes her friction with another Sohma, the smart-alek Hiro, who begins to harass and steal from Tohru. In a long flashback, Tohru’s friend Arisa Uotani tells how meeting Tohru and her late mother, Kyoko, changed her life. Also, Tohru meets the troubled Ritsu Sohma, and the arrival of parent-teacher conferences brings up the touchy subject of the Sohmas’ parents.

TOKYOPOP bills Fruits Basket as the “#1 selling shojo manga in America,” and I have seen it on a few manga bestseller lists that I found. I don’t follow message boards and fan groups, so I don’t know why so many other readers like it. I like it because, at least in these stories, Fruits Basket is about friends having a good time, and when they have a bad time, they work through it together as friends. The characters are engaging; they’re the kind you just want to follow around from page to page. Creator Natsuki Takaya makes her characters so playful and so exuberant that even their squabbling has a sparkling, fun quality about it.

Another great thing about Fruits Basket is Takaya’s gorgeous art. It’s a relatively simple style, but there is a sexy and vivacious air about ever line and every brush stroke, which results in pretty figure drawing. As a bit character says about the cast “But such beautiful children. Are they models?” They’re certainly models for good shojo manga.

A-

-----------------------------

"Fractured Fables" Signings at Comic-Con International

TELLING TALES AT COMIC-CON

FRACTURED FABLES All-Stars Line up for Exclusive Signings at Comic-Con International 2010

FRACTURED FABLES, a star-studded all-ages anthology from Shadowline and Image Comics, will have its coming out party at Comic-Con, and creators are lining up for exclusive signings at the Image Comics booth to celebrate!

You'll find the following FRACTURED FABLES creators at Image Comics booth #2729 during Comic-Con International 2010:

Thursday, July 22
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Camilla D’Errico, Phil Hester, Derek McCulloch, Bill Morrison, Ted McKeever, Anthony Peruzzo, Ben Templesmith, Doug TenNapel

Saturday, July 24
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Brian Haberlin, Royden Lepp, Larry Marder, Whilce Portacio, Nick Spencer, Shannon Wheeler, Jill Thompson, Josh Williamson

Some of the comic book industry's best and brightest use their talents to produce the kid-friendly anthology FRACTURED FABLES. Featuring a cover by MIKE and LAURA ALLRED and humorous takes on familiar fairy tales, creators include JILL THOMPSON, BRYAN TALBOT, PETER DAVID, BEN TEMPLESMITH, TERRY MOORE, SCOTT MORSE, DOUG TENNAPEL, TED McKEEVER, BILL MORRISON, LARRY MARDER, JIM VALENTINO, PHIL HESTER, SHANNON WHEELER and many more!

FRACTURED FABLES, a 160-page full color hardcover anthology featuring an all-star cast of creators, will be available for $29.99 and in stores July 14, 2010. FRACTURED FABLES creators will join Image Comics at booth #2729 during Comic-Con International 2010 for a pair of exclusive signings.


Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

The Hood in Little Red Riding Hood

I read Legends: The Enchanted

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin.

Jane Wiedlin and Bill Morrison's Lady Robotika Approaches

JANE WIEDLIN AND BILL MORRISON'S LADY ROBOTIKA COMIC BOOK NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER

New Sneak Peek Revealed of Jane's Ultra-Galactic, Sexy Cyborg Revolutionist Alter-Ego

With two weeks to go until the street date of Lady Robotika: Slaveship to the Stars, issue #1 in the debut of the comic book series created by Bill Morrison and Jane Wiedlin, the creators today release a sneak preview of some of the key concept art from the book, and announce the pre-sale of the debut issues. Published by Shadowline and Image Comics, Lady Robotika touches down on July 14 at comic stores nationwide. To find a comic shop near you, please visit www.comicshoplocator.com.

Today's announcement includes the introduction of some of the characters keeping Lady Robotika company, including E'Death: Herron IV's sadistic prison warden, the Iron Maidens: E'death's lethal squad of guards, and Emperor Yecchh: the Supreme Ruler of planet Herron IV. The exclusive concept art gallery can be viewed here: http://www.ladyrobotika.com/blog/the-gallery/concept-art/.

Lady Robotika is a full-color 32-page comic, the brainchild of legendary Go-Go's guitarist Jane Wiedlin ("Our Lips Are Sealed"), and Bill Morrison, Eisner Award-winning creative behind The Simpsons Comics, Futurama Comics, Roswell, Little Green Man and Heroes Anonymous, with an art assist from Tone Rodriquez and Jeffrey Moy. Earthly rock star Jane Wiedlin is abducted by a rock 'n roll-loving evil alien emperor, and implanted with nanobots meant to enslave her. His plans backfire as our guitar-slinging heroine learns to control the nanites and transforms into the super-powered cyborg galactic liberator Lady Robotika! With sexy sci-fi rock and roll space adventures to ensue...