For four days, the Los Angeles Convention Center was the epicenter of book publishing buzz as the annual Book Expo America came to town. Publishers, authors, booksellers and librarians came out to show and see what's new and what's coming soon in your local bookshops. While graphic novels and manga weren't the primary focus of this industry trade show, there were several events and new book debuts that caught my eye this weekend.

First off, the new manga-related book releases for Summer / Fall 2008 worth checking out:

• Bat Manga! The Secret History of Batman in Japan, by Chip Kidd and Saul Ferris (Pantheon Books, October 28, 2008)
  Bat Manga! showcases for the first time the long-lost Batman comics published in Shonen King magazine in Japan in the mid-Sixties. Beautifully photographed and presented in full color, Bat Manga! is a coffee-table worthy book that is sure to be a hot Holiday gift pick for fans of classic manga and comics. See an online sneak peek of pages from Bat Manga!
• Krazy! The Delirious World of Anime + Comics + Video Games + Art, edited by Bruce Grenville (University of California Press, August 2008)
  Did you know there's this eye-popping exhibit of original artwork by top manga, comics, video game and fine artists currently on display at the Vancouver Art Gallery? Neither did I -- but flipping though this astoundingly beautiful book, I'm tempted to book a trip up north just to check this eclectic show before it closes on September 7, 2008. Even if you can't make it to Vancouver, this book is well worth a look for its insightful commentary and gorgeous illustrations.
• Naruto Chapter Books, Volumes 1 & 2 based on original stories by Masashi Kishimoto, adapted by Tracey West (VIZ Kids / VIZ Media, October 2008
  Answering the call of librarians, parents and booksellers everywhere for manga suitable for younger readers, VIZ Media is debuting a new line of prose "chapter books" based on Naruto, the boy ninja. These slim but accessible volumes are kind of like light novels for the elementary school set, with larger text and select illustrations taken from the Naruto manga. West is also the author of the Pokemon chapter books as well as 150 books for young readers. Look for Volumes 3 and 4 to follow in November and Volume 5 in January.
• Black Jack by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical, September 2008)
  One of Tezuka's most beloved series, Black Jack is coming back and this time, Vertical is promising to print every volume of this series about a rogue doctor who performs miracles at a steep price. Vertical was also handing out a very slick preview comic featuring a classic Black Jack story: a young girl gets a cornea transplant to regain her sight, but in the bargain, she has visions of a mysterious handsome man that only she can see.
  
• Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide, by Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt, illustrated by Tatsuya Morino (Kodansha International, October 2008)
  Japanese monsters and supernatural beings like kappa, kitsune and oni making recurring appearances in manga, it's about time that someone actually created a field guide to these creepy creatures of myth and fable. Yokai Attack! features detailed descriptions of yokai (Japanese monsters) with witty, full color illustrations.
• The Akiba: A Manga Guide to Akihabara, by JPT Staff, illustrations by Makoto Nakajima (Kodansha International, November 2008)
  Get a guided tour of otaku heaven, manga-style! This fully-illustrated guide shows off the culture, the must-see's, must-buys, must-trys and how-to's to get the most out of your visit to Tokyo's Akihabara district, a.k.a. "Akiba."
• Masque of the Red Death Volume 1 by Wendy Pini (Go Comi, October 2008)
  Creator Wendy Pini was on hand at the Go! Comi booth to show off spanking new full-color pages of the first print volume of Masque of the Red Death, which is due out on October. If you've been reading the weekly episodes of the online version, you know that things have gotten pretty steamy lately and the preview pages of the last chapters before the end of Volume 1 turn up the heat even more.
• Manga School With Selena Lin by Selena Lin (TokyoPop, June 2008)
  A helpful how-to guide to drawing manga-style comics by Selena Lin, the author of White Night Melody from TokyoPop. This slim, but fully illustrated guide presents the basics of manga-style illustration and storytelling in comic book format.
• The Art of Full Moon, by Arina Tanemura (Shojo Beat / VIZ Media, October 2008)
  In addition to the previously announced Art of Bleach and two art of Vagabond books Sumi and Water, VIZ is offering a full-color collection of 214 of Arina Tanemura's magical (and extremely sparkly) illustrations from Full Moon o Sagashite. This volume also includes commentary by Tanimura-sensei and a two-sided poster.

Next up, a few tidbits from some of the manga and graphic novel panels held on Saturday, a.k.a. "Graphic Novels Day."