I Reads You Review: SHIKI TSUKAI, VOL. 3

Creator: To-ru Zekuu (story) and Yuna Takanagi (art); Mayumi Kobayashi (translation and adaptation)

Publishing Information: Del Rey Manga, paperback, 200 pages, $10.95 (US), $12.50 CAN

Ordering Numbers: ISBN: 978-0-345-50415-9 (ISBN-13)

Rating: “T” for Ages “13+”

Shiki Tsukai is a shonen manga (comics for teen boys) from writer To-ru Zekuu and artist Yuna Takanagi. The Shiki Tsukai are supernaturally powerful people who control the seasons through the use of magical objects called “shikifu.” Shikifu are magic cards from which the Shiki Tsukai derive their powers.

Teenage Akira Kizuki discovers that he is a Shiki Tsukai. In fact, Akira may be the great “Shinra,’ the warrior with power over all seasons. Because he may be the Shinra, the Shiki Tsukai of Summer want his powers in their war to destroy humanity, which they see as the cause of Earth’s environmental degradation. Koyomi Sakuragi, a Shiki Tsukai of March who can transform herself into a sword, fights by Akira’s side.

In Shiki Tsukai, Vol. 3, the Shiki Tsukai of Summer and their allies, Fall, increase their aggression. They launch an attack on the headquarters of Sakuragi Corporation, a business owned by Koyomi’s father, Kenshin, a co-leader of the Shiki Tsukai of Winter and Spring. Then, Rinsho Matsukaze, a radical Shiki Tsukai of Summer, kidnaps Satsuki Inanae, Akira’s childhood friend. Satsuki’s father, Kengo, races to her rescue, but he may need Akira’s help. Is Akira ready to be the hero the world needs?

I don’t think that Kodansha would send assassins after me for saying that Shiki Tsukai reads like it should be in Shonen Jump. It really seems like one of those quasi-superhero shonen manga about a boy who discovers that he has magical/super powers and is destined to be the one (or least a pivotal player) in a great conflict. That is basically Naruto, Bleach, and D.Gray-man. Now, the art in Shiki Tsukai is nowhere near as good as it is in the aforementioned three manga – not in terms of composition, draftsmanship, or storytelling, but it has a quirkiness to it that serves this concept well. The art looks like the work of an inexperienced, raw talent, but the overall graphic package that is Shiki Tsukai is still very entertaining.

Shiki Tsukai is wild and, at times, quite energetic, so fans of shonen superhero will enjoy it. I know I want more.

B+

Michael Golden, Joe Madureira Among Headliners at Wizard World Austin

Press release:

Mike Grell, Joe Madureira, Bill Sienkiewicz, Matthew Sturges, Michael Golden Among Top Writers And Artists To Attend Wizard World Austin Comic Con, November 12-13-14, 2010 At Austin Convention Center

Alé Garza, Greg Horn, Arthur Suydam, Billy Tucci, Renee Witterstaetter And More Than 150 Creators On Hand To Meet Fans, Sign Autographs, Sketch

NEW YORK and AUSTIN, TEXAS, November 3, 2010 – Many of the world's most talented artists and writers, including superstars Michael Golden, Mike Grell, Joe Madureira, Bill Sienkiewicz and Matthew Sturges, are among the more than 150 artist and writer guests scheduled to attend Wizard World Austin Comic Con, Friday through Sunday, November 12-14, at the Austin Convention Center.

In addition to Golden (“Wolverine: First Class,” “New Exiles”), Grell (“Green Lantern,” “Green Arrow”), Madureira (“Uncany X-Men”), Sienkiewicz ("Elektra: Assassin, "Moon Knight") and Sturges ("Jack of Fables," "JSA All-Stars") fans can meet such notable special guests as Gary Friedrich ("Ghost Rider," "Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos"), Alé Garza (“Fathom,” “Cable,” “Batgirl”), Tom Hodges (“Clone Wars”), Greg Horn (“Blackest Night,” “Elektra,” “Ms. Marvel”), Mike McKone ("Teen Titans," "Fantastic Four"), James O'Barr ("The Crow"), Emmy Award winner Phil Ortiz (“The Simpsons”), Arthur Suydam (“Marvel Zombies,” “Batman”), Billy Tucci (“Sgt. Rock”), Renee Witterstaetter (Editor - “She Hulk,” Colorist - “Avengers”), and many other national and local creators.

Numerous Greater Austin and Texas-based artists will be on hand as well.

Austin Comic Con will bring together thousands of fans of all ages and plenty of celebrities and industry professionals to celebrate the best in pop culture, movies, comics, toys, video gaming, television, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more.

Among the celebrities scheduled to attend are Adam West and Burt Ward, who played Batman and Robin in the original “Batman” television series, Emmy Award nominee Billy Dee Williams (STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK; BATMAN, BRIAN'S SONG), Lee Majors (“The Six Million Dollar Man,” “The Fall Guy”) and Lindsay Wagner (“The Bionic Woman”).

The Austin Convention Center is located at 500 East Cesar Chavez Street. Austin Comic Con is the seventh stop on Wizard’s eight-city 2010 North American tour. Hours are Friday, Nov. 12, noon - 8 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 14, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. (all times Central). Tickets are available in advance or by calling 1-866-882-5860 and online at www.wizardworld.com/austin.html at up to a 15% savings over tickets purchased at the door. Advance adult single-day tickets are $25; three-day weekend tickets are $45, and tickets are free for children age 10 and under when accompanied by a paid adult (limit two children per adult). VIP packages with special entry and exclusive items are also available.


About Wizard Entertainment:
Gareb Shamus founded Wizard Entertainment in 1991. Today, Shamus publishes consumer magazines Wizard, ToyFare, FunFare and numerous books about pop-culture’s top talent, comic books and toys. Shamus also produces a North American Comic Con tour. Wizard World Comic Con – The Pop-Culture Capital of the World!

For the most recent event information please visit www.wizardworld.com and become an Austin Comic Con Fan on Facebook.

***** SAVE THE 2010 DATES *****
November 12-14 – Austin Comic Con
December 4-5 – Atlanta Comic Con

Radical Publishing Announces New Facebook Launch

Press release:

BRING THE ALL-NEW RADICAL FACEBOOK PAGE INTO YOUR SOCIAL NETWORK

Are you ready to bring Radical into your social network? Radical Publishing is proud to announce the launch of a redesigned Facebook page featuring dynamic new ways to experience fan-favorite titles from the Radical Library. Redesigned from the ground up, the new Radical Facebook hub encompasses all the books in Radical’s ever-expanding library, giving fans the opportunity to delve deeper into the worlds of the critically acclaimed Radical books like Shrapnel, Hotwire, Abattoir, Time Bomb and Ryder on the Storm – and now for the first time, fans can get into the stories of the Radical Universe like never before!

Radical’s new Facebook page gets fans to the heart of what drives the story: the characters. From the main page, fans can access all-new Facebook character profiles to actually interact with the leading men and ladies of the Radical Universe. Learn about their past. See what makes them tick. They may even be a little like you! Users can friend Shrapnel’s futuristic military leader Sam Vijaya; dig deep into the half-demon brain of Ryder on the Storm’s Richard Ryder; post a snarky comment on Alice Hotwire’s wall and get live feed updates from many other iconic faces in Radical’s critically acclaimed library.

“We give fans as much content as possible with every book we release, and Radical is proud to extend that philosophy to our new Facebook page,” said Radical President and Publisher Barry Levine. “Over 10,000 fans have shown their support by liking us on Facebook and this is our opportunity to give something back to them. Not only does the new page feature a current catalog of our most popular titles with breaking news, fans now have the ability to both friend and interact with the all-stars of the Radical Universe. Whether it’s posting on the wall of your favorite character or getting some insight into the world of your favorite Radical book, it’s a great time to be a Radical fan.”

In addition to the new features, the Radical Facebook page will continue to post the latest and up-to-date news on all Radical titles including articles, interviews and special contests for all followers. Currently, fans can explore the worlds and friend the characters of Shrapnel, Hotwire, Abattoir, Time Bomb and Ryder on the Storm with many more to come. For the latest updates, check out Radical’s new Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/RadicalPublishing and come get lost in the Radical Universe.


About Radical Publishing
In a world of publishing where the market is always hungry for the next fresh property, one new publisher is looking to shake things up and is delivering exciting creative products with a bold new business approach. Aptly named, Radical Publishing is leveraging on its experienced leadership, dynamic crew and unique business infrastructure to create that vital connection throughout the media space.

Founded by Barry Levine and Jesse Berger, Radical Publishing is a manufacturer of the next generation of premium comic book products, with a focus on high-concept stories and artwork by marquee and newly discovered talent. In addition, the quality of the work ensures a longer shelf life for each property as a collective library of high concepts. For more information, visit www.radicalpublishing.com, www.facebook.com/radicalpublishing, www.twitter.com/radicalcomics,  www.myspace.com/radicalpublishing.

Wizard World Dines on New Orleans Dish

Press release:

Wizard World Acquires NOLA Comic-Con

NEW YORK, November 3, 2010 – Gareb Shamus, CEO of Wizard Entertainment, today announced the acquisition of NOLA Comic-Con, which had been held the past two years in suburban New Orleans. The event will now become part of the Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con scheduled for January 29-30, 2011, at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

“NOLA Comic-Con has been a well-respected event that has really helped bring out the comics fans in Louisiana,” said Shamus. “We are pleased to be working with Ronnie Prudhomme to help build New Orleans Comic Con in our first year.”

“This can only help increase the interest in the comics industry in New Orleans,” said Prudhomme, NOLA Comic-Con owner and promoter. “The whole reason I started NOLA Comic-Con was to get people excited about comics here, and Wizard World's involvement will take that interest even further.”

New Orleans Comic Con, part of the world's largest pop culture convention series, will be the first on the 2011 Wizard World Comic Con schedule, and the first Wizard World convention in “The Big Easy.

The freshly renovated New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is an essential component of what makes the city's major business events so successful. With 1.1 million square feet of contiguous exhibit space, the Convention Center is the sixth largest convention facility in the nation, and it consistently ranks in the country's top ten of facilities that hold the most conventions and tradeshows annually.


About Wizard Entertainment:
Gareb Shamus founded Wizard Entertainment in 1991. Today, Shamus publishes consumer magazines Wizard, ToyFare, FunFare and numerous books about pop-culture’s top talent, comic books and toys. Shamus also produces the largest North American Comic Con tour. Wizard World Comic Con – The Pop-Culture Capital of the World!

For the most recent event information please visit http://www.wizardworld.com/ and become a Wizard World Comic Con Fan on Facebook.

Bluewater Productions to Turn John Saul Novels into Comic Books

BLUEWATER PRODUCTIONS TEAMS UP WITH TOP HORROR NOVELIST JOHN SAUL

 

Horror writer John Saul has written more than 36 novels since penning Suffer the Children in 1977. Most of these have been fixtures on the New York Times Best Seller List. Some have been turned into films and games.

But none of Saul's horror tales have yet been transformed into comic books. This will change, though, as Saul and Bluewater Productions team up to bring two of his horror tales to the world of sequential storytelling.

Bluewater and Saul recently signed a deal to turn both The God Project and The Blackstone Chronicles into comics. Bluewater, of course, has already made a name for itself in the horror genre. The publisher is home to the critically praised Vincent Price Presents horror anthology.

Saul said that he is looking forward to experiencing yet another first in his career.

“I've often thought many of my novels would translate well into graphic storytelling,” Saul said. “I also have original projects that have been conceived specifically as graphic serial novels. I am thrilled to be exploring all of these ventures with Bluewater.”

Both The Blackstone Chronicles and The God Project are favorites among Saul's fans. The God Project focuses on a curse in the town of Eastbury, Mass. Something is taking the town's youngest children, one by one. The Blackstone Chronicles focuses on a curse of a different sort: A vacant insane asylum is scheduled to be torn down and replaced with an upscale shopping mall. But the asylum won't fall so easily.

Darren Davis, president and founder of Bluewater Productions, said that he is excited to work with a writer of Saul's skills. Davis, too, is a fan of Saul's work, and has given himself more than a few sleepless nights after reading the writer's prose.

“Working with John Saul, one of my favorite writers, is a dream come true,” Davis said. “My hope is that we can introduce John's work to a whole new crop of readers. I'd like to make others sleep with the lights on!”

The God Project will be written by David McIntee - who has written authorized franchise novels for “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, “Dr Who” & “Space 1999”. The The Blackstone Chronicles will be handled by Tara Ooten & Nathan Ooten.


Bluewater Productions publishes a wide variety of comic books and graphic novels. There 1st venture with a famed novelist S.E. Hinton will be out in 3 weeks. The company has received much press attention for its series of biography comics, which have told the stories behind such luminaries and celebrities as Sarah Palin, Michelle Obama, Colin Powell, Lady Gaga and Rush Limbaugh. The company, though, also publishes superhero, young-adult, horror and science-fiction comics.

For more information on Bluewater, visit the company's Web site at http://www.bluewaterprod.com/.


About Bluewater Productions
Bluewater Productions Inc. is one of the top independent production studios of comic books, young adult books and graphic novels. Its extensive catalog of titles includes the bestsellers “10th Muse” and “The Legend of Isis” ”Bluewater publishes comic books in partnership with entertainment icon William Shatner (“TekWar Chronicles”), legendary filmmaker Ray Harryhausen (“Wrath of the Titans,” “Sinbad: Rogue of Mars,” “Jason and the Argonauts,” et al) and celebrated actor Vincent Price (“Vincent Price Presents”), Additionally, Bluewater publishes a highly successful line of biographical comics under the titles “Female Force” and “Political Power.”

Bluewater aims to unite cutting-edge art and engaging stories produced by its stable of the publishing industry's top artists and writers.

VIZ Media Begins Publication of "Genkaku Picasso"

A TEENAGER’S ARTISTIC TALENT SAVES HIS LIFE IN NEW MANGA SERIES GENKAKU PICASSO FROM VIZ MEDIA

 

Shonen Jump Series Puts A New Spin On Art Therapy With A Unique Story

 

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, brings the artistic styling of creator Usamaru Furuya’s manga (graphic novel) series, GENKAKU PICASSO, available to domestic readers now. The new property will be published in North America under the Shonen Jump imprint, is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

Hikaru “Picasso” Hamura, a grouchy teenager with a talent for drawing, dies in a freak accident. The gods decide to revive him, but only on the condition that he use his artistic gift for the good of humanity. Picasso discovers that sketching a person’s aura yields a surreal portrait of their psyche. Stranger still, Picasso can dive into these dreamscapes and help people by exploring their deepest emotions, memories and perceptions.

“GENKAKU PICASSO blends mind-bending artwork with the teenage drama of a talented adolescent who gets a second chance at life,” says Daniel Gillespie, Editor, Shonen Jump. “Using his artistic skill, Picasso is able to draw a picture symbolizing a person's subconscious, and then enter that portrait and manipulate the symbols in order to help them recover from past traumas. The series’ unique plot and multi-faceted characters are sure to engage readers on many levels. We recommend GENKAKU PICASSO to any fan of M.C Escher!”

Creator Usamaru Furuya made a splash with his 1994 manga debut in the legendary “underground” manga magazine Garo with his innovative four-panel series Palepoli. He also created a gag series called Short Cuts for Young Sunday magazine, which was later serialized in the English-language manga magazine Pulp and published as a graphic novel by VIZ Media (rated ‘M’ for Mature). His other works include Jisatsu Circle, a manga adaptation of the film, Suicide Club, The Chronicles of the Clueless Age, a collaboration with the writer Otsuichi, and Happiness, a series of shorts that ran in IKKI magazine. GENKAKU PICASSO is Furuya’s first series for Jump SQ.

For more information on this title, and other Shonen Jump titles, please visit http://www.shonenjump.com/.

I Reads You Review: PRINCESS PRINCESS 5

Creator: Mikiyo Tsuda (cartoonist); Earl Gertwagen (translation)
Publishing Information: DMP/Juné Manga; B&W paperback, 200pp, $12.95 U.S.
Ordering Numbers: ISBN 10: 1-56970-850-9; ISBN 13: 978-1-56970-850-7

Rated “YA” for “Young Adults 16+”

Princess Princess is a manga series from Mikiyo Tsuda that was collected in five volumes by Digital Manga Publishing’s imprint, Juné Manga. Princess Princess has characteristics of both shojo manga and the boys’ love subset, shounen-ai manga.

Princess Princess has shojo manga elements like teen romance and high school politics. There are some romantic moments between the male characters, but that is more shounen-ai than it is the explicit boys’ love subset, yaoi. The male cast can be described as being bishounen or “beautiful boys,” a term used to describe male characters that are androgynous or clearly feminized.

Princess Princess is set at Fujimori Academy. Every year, a few boys become “princesses.” These male students dress as girls for special events and cheer on athletic squads, warm hearts, keep up school spirit, etc. Basically, by appearing in drag, these already androgynous boys have “princess power.” This is ability to smile, look pretty, and speak in a magical falsetto voice, and it all makes everyone in the school feel happier. This year the princesses are Mikoto Yutaka and the nearly-inseparable pair, Tohru Kouno and Yuujirou Shihoudani.

In Princess Princess 5, it is election season at Fujimori, and the race for student council president has torn the princesses and the school apart. Tohru Kouno and Yuujirou Shihoudani are doing everything they can to help and support Akira Sakamoto, whose older brother is the great “Sakamoto-Sama,” a former student council president.

Meanwhile, Mikoto has sided with Toui C. Mitaka, an aloof and haughty transfer student. Tall with long blond-hair, Mitaka is ambitious and sees everyone and every position as a mere stepping stone on his way to future success as a businessman. Tohru and Yuujirou despise Mitaka, and the school is in turmoil, with everyone taking sides. The soft-hearted Akira, however, is determined to play peacemaker even if it costs him the election.

Digital Manga Publishing (DMP) eventually created an imprint for titles like Princess Princess, named “DokiDoki.” This new imprint was a place for titles for female readers that were somewhere between younger teen-oriented shojo manga and shounen-ai. In fact, DMP published the Princess Princess sequel, Princess Princess Plus, under DokiDoki.

Princess Princess 5 isn’t exactly boys’ love, although there is some romance between male students, both obvious and sublimated. What does that make Princess Princess? It’s like a comedy set at an all-girls school, except the girls are actually boys – some girlish, some effeminate, and some typically teen male.

I have to admit that I enjoy this kind of shojo/shounen-ai hybrid. There is something interesting about these boys getting along and working out their problems, even after all the fussing and fighting. This is simply an idealized and fantasy version of male-bonding that both women and men like (although the men might not admit it). In this volume, there is storyline that has Tohru accompanying Yuujirou home and helping Yuujirou work through some family issues. It exemplifies this series vibe of seeing male friendship through rose-tinted glasses.

Princess Princess 5 is good character drama and good boys’ something, and readers who like this sort of thing will certainly enjoy this.

B+

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