Weekly Manga Reading List – November 7, 2010

Author: PENTABU
Artist: Rize Shinba
Japanese Title: Fujyoshi Kanojo
Publisher: Yen Press
Compare prices for My Girlfriend's a Geek Vol. 2

Now that Taiga's been going out with super-fujoshi (fangirl) Yuiko for a while, he finds that there's almost no limit to her single-minded obsession with yaoi / boys love manga, games and fan-fiction.

Given how self-centered and ridiculous Yuiko can be, and given all the humilation Taiga endures, it's beyond me why this relationship lasted past a few dates. I know it's all done in the spirit of fujoshi fun, but what guy would ever tell his girl that he wants to be a "moe seme" anyway? This kind of hardcore geek humor is hilarious for somebody, but not me, unfortunately.

Author / Artist: Seimu Yoshizaki
Japanese Title: Kingyoya Koshoten
Publisher: VIZ Signature / VIZ Media
Compare prices for Kingyo Used Books Vol. 2

When is manga more than just pictures on paper? When it's featured in Kingyo Used Books. Through the various manga featured, each person learns a special lesson that resonates with whatever crisis of faith they're going through. In this volume, Adolf by Osamu Tezuka teaches a high school student to rise up against a bully and a macho guy finds the courage to admit that he loves a shojo manga series.

Kingyo Used Books is a love letter to manga that's fun to read, but a little hard to fully appreciate since many of the books featured will never be available in English.

Author / Artist: Aya Kanno
Japanese Title: Otomen
Publisher: Shojo Beat / VIZ Media
Compare prices for Otomen Vol. 8

Asuka has won over Ryo's super-macho dad with his cooking and sewing skills, but can he stop Ryo from moving to another town by getting her ultra-manly grandfather to see things his way? Asuka has found numerous allies who accept his not-so-macho hobbies, but perhaps the hardest person to win over will be his mom, the one person who has feared and stifled his otomen tendencies the most.

Now on its eighth volume, Otomen has gotten a bit formulaic, but it amazes me how Kanno always finds new ways to push her quirky plot premise forward. A goofy gender-bending comedy that has a few miles left in it yet.

Author / Artist: Yuki Midorikawa
Japanese Title: Natsume Yuujinchou
Publisher: Shojo Beat / VIZ Media
Compare prices for Natsume's Book of Friends Vol. 4

Natsume has always been able to see yokai, the sometimes mischievous, sometimes malevolent spirits who mostly exist unseen by humans. This time, he helps two spirits from statues, encounters an evil spirit haunting a hot springs inn, and finds a painting that is tormented by a missed chance at love.

The fourth volume of Natsume's Book of Friends continues the series' theme of wistful, episodic ghost stories that are more sweet than spooky. It's not full of epic drama or romance, but instead, think of it as a kinder, gentler and less metaphysical version of  Mushishi.

Author / Artist: JiJun Park
Korean Title: Raiders
Publisher: Yen Press
Compare prices for Raiders Vol. 4

Relic hunter Irel and undead predator Lamia are on the run, seeking the crism bottles that contain the blood of Christ. But after showing a rare moment of vulnerability to Irel, Lamia decides it's time to part ways. A few grisly flashbacks remind us how long Lamia has "lived" and suffered, and more is revealed about a secret society who intend to cheat death.

In the fourth volume of his DaVinci Code meets Walking Dead tale, Park ramped up the action, intrigue, and the gross-out factor. Too bad much of the story is diminished by how poorly Park's thin linework is reproduced and how stiff his figure-drawing is. 

Author / Artist: Raina Telgemeier
Publisher: Scholastic
Compare prices for Smile

After losing her two front teeth as a tween, Raina Telgemeier had to endure several years of painful dental surgery and orthodontics to get the smile she has today. Now a successful cartoonist with several Babysitters' Club graphic novels (and co-writing credit on X-Men: Misfits) to her name, Telgemeier shares a true-to-life story that any teen, braces or not, can relate to.

With her orthodontics agony as a backdrop, Telgemeier captures a lot of the angst teens feel as they navigate the years between thinking of themselves as children and accepting their roles as almost-adults. An insightful and inspiring memoir told with humor and heart.

Author / Artist: Dustin Harbin
Publisher: Koyama Press
Order and buy online: Diary Comics No. 1

Prodded on by a fellow cartoonist, Dustin Harbin started creating hourly comics about some of the quirky moments and observations from his daily life. Six months of these experiences are caught in all of its silly, mundane, and hilarious glory.

Things start off on a slap-dash note in January as Harbin tries to figure out what this exercise is supposed to accomplish, but by March, he seems to hit his stride, both in terms of his artwork style and his comic timing. There are some cringe-worthy moments when he overshares a bit, but overall Diary Comics is a fun peek into the life of a comics creator.

Author / Artist: Jen Wang
Publisher: First Second
Compare prices for Koko Be Good

Jon Wilgur is on the brink of a life-changing decision: he's quitting his job to join his girlfriend to do humanitarian work in Peru. Then he meets Koko, a drifter/hustler who's impulsive, selfish and tactless. Jon's altruism inspires Koko to make changes in her life — from now on, she's going to be "good," whatever that means.

Set in San Francisco, Koko Be Good is a coming-of-age story for 20-somethings that goes in different directions than you might expect. Wang's elastic, expressive characters are a joy to behold, and her graphic storytelling style  is energetic and engaging as she tells a tale about choices, mistakes, and possibilities.