I was invited to MangaNEXT last weekend, which took place in Secaucus New Jersey. I knew it would be a small con, but I was quite interested to see what it would be like. After all, it claimed to be the first con dedicated to manga – which sounded good to my ears.

The first thing that I noticed about the con when I arrived was that the dealer room was fairly small and the Artists’ Alley was actually quite large with a lively gaming area in the back. I thought this was great because I always enjoy Artists’ Alleys and seeing what the fans are up to. I liked the way this convention focused on the fans and I’d love to see more anime cons in the future give more space to the artists and less to the dealers.

I, myself, had a table in Artists’ Alley where I showed off preview copies of Mangaka America. I was a little apprehensive about what the reaction would be to the book, since many hardcore manga and anime fans are purists and I feared I would receive a bit of backlash for that. But to my delight, everyone who stopped by the table seemed interested and intrigued by the book which was a good sign. And since I’m on the topic, I’ll plug the book again real quick as its release is only weeks away.

Mangaka America a 148 page full color art and tutorial book featuring work from 11 of North America’s most talented, emerging manga artists. Published by Collins Design, this book includes art by Svetlana Chmakova, Felipe Smith, Corey Lewis, Christy Lijewski, and more, with tutorials on everything from digital toning and inking to character and mech design. You can currently pre-order it online through sellers such as Amazon.com and it will be available in bookstores everywhere November 1st. (It’s also available through Diamond so your local comic store can order it as well.)

Okay, back to MangaNEXT. As I mentioned, I liked Artists’ Alley and it was great to see that it seemed quite full of people on Saturday. (Sunday was considerably more quiet). Cosplay was in full force at this convention – and I noticed that the average age of the attendees seemed to be younger than many other cons I have attended.

Their program book listed tons of panels – many of which sounded really interesting. Unfortunately, I think there may have been too many offerings as the panels I went to were poorly attended. I poked a bit of fun at this in my webcomic (www.mypoorlydrawnlife.com), but there really were no hard feelings.

I think a solution would have been to combine some panels with similar topics of interest. For instance, there was a Manga 4 Kids panel and a Manga for Parents panel. According to the description, the Manga for Parents seemed geared more towards explaining to parents what kids like about manga, (as opposed to talking about titles they might like), but what better way to do this than to have kids in the room who can explain it themselves?

But I have to admit that small panels can have their own appeal. I attended the Manga 4 Kids panel with Brigid Alverson (of mangablog.net) and her sound assistant Jack, and we ended up pulling some chairs in a circle so we could have a talk with 2 young girls about their favorite titles. It was less like a panel and more like an intimate conversation, but I enjoyed it!

Speaking of combining panels, I think it would have also been cool to have an overall guest panel with all of the guests at one table discussing various topics rather than give each guest their own, separate panel. I was unable to meet some of the guests who attended MangaNEXT and a panel like this would have been a good chance to not only meet them, but take part in a lively discussion with them. I think this may have drawn more fans as well.

There are no guarantees that MangaNEXT will continue, but despite its setbacks, I hope it does. The first con is always the hardest because it’s trying to figure out its place and its audience. But I feel a manga-oriented con such as this one could be a big success in the future once it finds the right balance. There are already so many anime cons out there, that a manga con is a welcome change and I sincerely hope they stick with it and continue to hold MangaNEXT every year, especially if more and more fans get into making Western doujinshi and other self-published works. I really look forward to what the future brings in that department.

Most of all, I hope it continues because small cons like this are always a unique experience. Seeing all the young cosplayers hanging out in the hallways with their friends and having such a great time is always an inspiring sight for me. Even if it’s starting to make me feel old…

I walked into my local Borders the other day and realized something. The manga section is big. Really big. And every few weeks, it seems that they have to add another shelf to accommodate the influx of new titles. Because it’s not just the fact that there are hundreds of individual titles, but almost every one of them has multiple volumes. It’s like cells splitting constantly; Manga is multiplying at an alarming rate!

Of course, this is a sort of dream come true for me. I remember I used to look at photos of Japanese bookstores which were bursting at the seams with rows and rows of manga and I would feel bitterly jealous that there wasn’t something like that over here. Of course, we’re not quite at that point yet, but we’re getting there. The manga section may only take up a small percentage of the average book store, but it is growing and becoming more of a force to be reckoned with.

Although, once my glee died down at the prospect of marvelous multiplying manga, I was forced to realize the downside of it. My bank account.

Back when shoujo was first being released here in the form of titles like Peach Girl, Magic Knight Rayearth, and Mars, I eagerly snapped up every title I could, eager to support comics for girls. I was thirsty after a long drought in male-oriented superhero land, and I even wasted my money on several sup-par titles just because they were shoujo and I wanted shoujo to succeed, dammit! Of course, I had no idea that shoujo would succeed so well or that it would become one of the biggest sellers overall.

It was a surreal moment when I finally realized there was no way I could possibly support every shoujo title that was released. It was impossible. And, over the last couple years, I’ve found myself cutting back on even the series I had started to buy, or dropping some altogether. Because of the sheer volume of titles, I have been forced to become a selective consumer.

I still have my titles which I’ll buy, no matter what, such as Tramps Like Us, Death Note, and new OELs. And there are other titles that I’ll buy additional volumes of if the mood hits me and if I have extra money. But I’ve gotten to the point where I’m very reluctant to start a new series. There are plenty of titles that interest me, but I’ll only buy volume 1 of the titles that really grab me. I wish I could try more new titles, but each series is likely a hundred-dollar investment (or more) by the time it’s done and I’m just not willing to shell out that much for multiple titles.

Which makes me envy another aspect of the Japanese manga market. Their gigantic phonebook anthologies. I really love Shojo Beat and Shonen Jump, the manga compilation magazines which are currently being released by Viz. For a low subscription fee, each month I can read another chapter or two of multiple titles. Nana is one of my favorite series right now, and I’m content to read it in monthly installments. One day I’m sure I’ll go back and buy the individual volumes, but I like not being forced to.

Rather than wait multiple months for the next volume of my favorite series (where I usually forget what happened in the story by the time the next volume does finally come out), with Shonen Jump and Shojo Beat I get small doses of story each month that I look forward to seeing in my mailbox. It keeps my interest fresh and I like the variety. And I find myself really enjoying titles like Crimson Hero, Baby & Me, and Shaman King which, quite honestly, I would never buy in book form otherwise.

But I want more manga anthologies like this! I want to be able to read more titles each month for less money. Of course I realize that it could never be as cheap to produce those phonebook style magazines here in the States as it is in Japan. For one, there are the costs of translating and preparing the material for an English-speaking audience. Printing costs are also higher in general. And most Americans are spoiled by glossy, superior paper stock and may not appreciate newsprint so cheap that the ink comes off on your fingers.

TOKYOPOP has just received some backlash for putting several of their titles on their website as exclusives. While I can understand the frustration of readers and retailers (I certainly wouldn’t be happy if one of my favorite titles was turned into an “exclusive”) I can understand TOKYOPOP’s desire to try this out, especially given how many titles they do have. But I wonder if it might be better to do something like a monthly manga anthology akin to Shonen Jump that features some of these lesser known, or less appreciated titles and eliminate the book format for these titles altogether. That would leave some space on the over-crowded bookshelves yet still allow fans easy access to their favorite titles, along with a few others.

I may be looking at it too simplistically, but I feel that anthologies might be a happy medium for certain titles. I can only speak personally when I say I’d rather buy 5 anthologies with up to 25 stories total for $6 each a month than 3 single manga volumes. And I prefer the idea of subscribing to an “exclusive” magazine with stories unavailable anywhere else over ordering and paying shipping for individual “exclusive” titles off the internet.

I also feel that anthologies would be a great way to promote Global manga. I was happy to hear about Drama Queen’s plans to release a yaoi anthology called Rush on a bi-monthly schedule. But what intrigues me even more is that the stories are not originally Japanese, but contributed by artists around the globe. What a great idea!

Since the creators of OELs typically don’t have their own team of assistants, each volume of their work can take up to a year to see print. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been eagerly awaiting the next volume of Dramacon. If more global manga was made into a monthly or bi-monthly anthology, these artists’ work would see the light of day faster and develop a fan base more quickly. And readers wouldn’t have to wait as long between volumes to read their favorite stories, and they would also be exposed to other OEL titles that they might otherwise have ignored.

Of course, I’m only speaking as a fan. I’m no expert on the particulars of printing or compiling an anthology each month, so I’m sure there are crucial details that I’m overlooking. But I hope some of the bigger manga companies will experiment some more in the future with affordable manga anthologies. In the meantime I’ll just have to ignore some of those colorful new titles that keep catching my eye as I stay loyal to some old friends.

I think I was just as surprised as most people when I went to TOKYOPOP.com a couple weeks ago and saw that it sported an entirely new look – one that resembled a cross between MySpace and Deviant Art.

My first reaction was confusion. I had heard that they were redesigning their site, but this was like sensory overload! I just wanted to see when the next volume of Tramps Like Us was coming out and found myself lost in the new layout. Clicking on “Manga” didn’t bring me to, well, TOKYOPOP’s manga, but to an entirely different section filled with fan comics. Okay, so I think it’s super cool that kids can put their own comics into a manga player and share their work… but I just wanted some basic information about my favorite series!

I know a lot of people have been quick to criticize the new website and I could certainly understand their disdain. But I didn’t want to judge the site until I had a chance to really get a feel for it. So I’ve spent the last couple weeks poking around and forming an opinion.

And to be honest? I don’t think it’s terrible. It seems like a lot of kids are really getting into it and making the most of all the different arenas – art, photos, blogs… (although, lets not get into the fact that about 70% of the blogs are filled with people saying “ummm… I don’t know what to say, lol!”).

You know, if I were still 13, I would totally be loving the site and showing off my work and making digital friends. I think the sense of community TOKYOPOP is trying to achieve is a good one and it will become even stronger down the road. But I’m also starting to feel old at 26. Like, as if the new website is only truly navigable by those who grew up with the internet and who are fluent in leet speak.

I’m also leery of the amount of art-stealing that is going on and it makes me bristle to see someone literally taking art from someone else on Deviant Art, reposting it as their own creation with their own title and everything. I know TOKYOPOP has a detailed set of rules and regulations, but I think the rules could be made even more obvious. For instance, before a user actually submits a piece of art, a warning should pop up reminding them of the terms and that art-stealing is a definite no-no.

Policing all the material that is submitted must be quite a task given how many fans are posting work, but I also feel it’s important and I, for one, won’t be submitting any of my own work on the site until I feel secure in doing so. I guess the site also weirds me out a bit for the same reason MySpace does. Kids posting photos of themselves online always makes me fear for them slightly. I can’t help but feel anxious about those unsavory characters who might be prowling the web, particularly unsavory characters who also happen to like anime and fan service. But then again, that could just be me being an old worrywart.

That said, I think there are a lot of good things about the new site as well. One being the abundance of new columns and articles which keep things fresh and interesting each time I visit the site. And, as I mentioned, I also enjoy the reader-submitted manga section quite a bit and I look forward to seeing if any of the artists put new comics up consistently.

I guess I just wish that the whole fan element was kept slightly separate from the corporate side of the website. I’d like to go to the TOKYOPOP website for clear information about upcoming releases, press releases, appearances, etc. and then visit a separate area for all the fan art, blogs and message boards.

But there is no denying that TOKYOPOP is being quite bold in taking the site in this direction and that they aren’t interested in remaining in the mold of what a publisher’s site “should” be. By putting their fans first, they are going to create a lasting relationship that will surely benefit the company in the end. In my last column, I wrote about how Western mangaka are much move open and interactive than their Japanese counterparts. It appears that this is extending to Western manga publishers as well.

I wonder if any of the other big publishers will follow suit and invite fans to interact more within their sites, or if fans will even be willing to create multiple profiles on different sites or stay loyal to just one.

Well, in any case, I think I’ll sit back and let the kids have their fun while I stick to looking for the release dates of my favorite titles. Like Tramps Like Us. Which, incidentally, doesn’t come out till October, *sniffle*.

First off, for those of you who regularly read this column, let me apologize for the fact that this month’s column is late. As it turns out, I just got married last week and I have to admit that more than one of my professional obligations was somewhat neglected in the wedding whirlwind.

Now that that’s out of the way, I’m looking forward to San Diego Comic Con, which is coming up real soon. I’ve never been before. I’ll be going purely as a fan—no being chained to a table for me! I want to see lots of things, meet lots of people, and hopefully do it without spending too much money.

I’ll also be curious to see how the manga/anime scene will be at the con. I know TOKYOPOP and Viz will probably have a strong presence as always, but I’m also curious about the smaller companies—and about any individual aspiring manga artists that may be in Artists’ Alley.

I always enjoy meeting creators of American manga. Not only did I get to work with ten of them while putting together Mangaka America (coming out this November!), but I have befriended a number of young Western manga artists thought the Internet as well.

In fact, this has made me think about some of the cultural differences that exist between Japan and the West. In Japan, manga artists are celebrities, maybe even superstars. They are respected and, in some cases, revered. Japanese mangaka also have a reputation for being rather secretive and elusive. It seems that many of them are reluctant to do interviews or even show their faces at all. This surely adds to their mysterious charm and I’m sure some of it has to do with Japanese reluctance to place the individual beneath a spotlight. But I have to admit that I am often frustrated by Japanese creators and their secretive, coy ways.

Every time I read an interview with a Japanese mangaka I feel like they are holding back—giving polite answers and speaking only from the surface. I crave to know more about them: What makes them tick? How did they develop their style? Where do their ideas really come from? What are their lives like? But it is rare that I read an interview that gives me a glimpse into the things I really want to know.

Sometimes I wonder if it’s just a translation thing. Perhaps the English language has butchered and concealed all the intricate nuances and secret thoughts of the interviewee. Maybe only a Japanese person can read an interview and really understand what it is that is being said below the surface!

But then again, maybe it’s not like that at all and Japanese mangaka are just plain secretive—or actually are boring individuals with not a lot to say. Who knows? All I can say that in America, it’s different. Here, our young manga artists are certainly basking within the glow of their respective fan bases, and seem more than happy to connect with their readers. And while they have a ways to go before they reach superstar status, I have no doubt that, down the line, they will become as well known and admired as many Japanese mangaka.

In fact, I think it may happen sooner than it would in Japan simply because Western creators are so willing to share themselves with their fans. Very few American manga artists are secretive and elusive. Most of them seem perfectly happy and willing to blog frequently, giving fans an intimate glimpse into their personal lives and thoughts. They attend conventions and events regularly; they volunteer to teach classes at libraries. They form actual friendships with their fans; they debate with them. They share their work, their thought processes, and accept criticism (some better than others).

The point is, my belief is that this openness will propel these artists’ careers and help them reach new heights. Of course, it could also be argued that some secrecy is also a good thing. Not only for the artists who may regret what they blog in front of hundreds of fans, but for the fans as well. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has idolized someone only to be disappointed upon finally meeting them. After all, we’re only human, and realizing that someone that you have looked up to is just an average person with faults can be somewhat disenchanting.

Despite that, I think I’d still prefer to know an artist as a person, faults and all. I also wonder if part of Western mangaka’s openness is due to their age. Many of the emerging American mangaka are under thirty years old and, therefore, are about as old as their fans. So it would seem natural that friendships would form more easily between the creators and their readers—no doubt they have a lot in common. Conventions aren’t just a place to line up and meet young creators, but to hang out with them too. In return, the creators are active on various Web sites and message boards providing advice, critiques, and support to aspiring artists. I think this kind of rapport is wonderful and I hope it continues even as the creators become more and more famous.

A notable downside to this back-and-forth conversation is that the Internet is a breeding ground for misinterpretation. Tempers often flare and feelings can be easily hurt when someone says exactly what they think of someone’s art. I realized, when I first started a blog and became more vocal on the Web, that not all the people I communicated with would be nice. And I have, indeed, been on the end of spiteful criticism or strange requests from various people I will probably never meet. But even though it may be tempting at times to retreat into obscurity, where I’m protected from harsh opinions, I won’t. Because I really believe that to create loyal fans, you have to treat them with the same respect they treat you. It works both ways. And, hey, I’ve made some good friends along the way as well.

I like big monster battles as much as the next person, but, gosh darn it, the softy in me loves it when they give each other big monster hugs instead! Such is the case with TOKYOPOP and HarperCollins Publishers recently announcing their copublishing deal. This is big news. When one of the leading book publishers collaborates with one of the leading manga publishers you’ve got one big book smorgasbord!

Now I’m probably a little biased. (Okay, a lot.) This news makes me happy. One, because I really like TOKYOPOP (they gave me my start in this business, after all), but I also really like HarperCollins. In fact, my fiancé is a design manager who designs book covers at Harper. (He also brings me home lots of free Harper books.)

But perhaps the reason I’m most biased is because my fiancé and I are currently editing and producing a book called Mangaka America which will be published through HarperCollins’ Collins Design imprint. But I’ll get to that in a minute.

Now, where were we? Ah yes, HarperPOP. (I figured we should come up with a snazzy contraction, don’t you agree? I thought of some other variations, but CollinsPOP sounds too much like a medical mishap.)

All joking aside, I am looking forward to seeing what this collaboration yields. I truly feel that if it goes well, manga will reach a new audience of adults who may not have touched a comic book since they were kids.

Of course, the first products of this partnership will likely be young adult and children’s books being given the manga makeover. There’s already been talk of Meg Cabot’s successful novels being turned into manga. I wouldn’t be surprised if A Series of Unfortunate Events didn’t receive the same treatment. In fact, Harper’s children’s division has a ton of great books that would make for entertaining manga. Not only does Harper own the publishing rights to The Chronicles of Narnia, but they also have a lot of newer properties such as the successful Warriors series about clans of kitty cats that fight each other. Yeah, it’s kind of hilarious. But imagine it making the transformation into a Pom-Poko-esque manga. Sweet!

So there’s plenty of good stuff for the pickin’. (But let us not think of a manga based on The O’Reilly Factor for Kids.)

My hope is that the children’s book manga adaptations are successful because that could pave the way for adult literature making the manga transition as well, which would lead to an even broader readership of manga. I have to admit that I don’t usually like adaptations of, say, a movie into a comic. Or a movie into a novel. But, if done well, adult manga based off popular adult novels could be pretty cool.

Some titles would seem to lend themselves to the format more than others, such as the novels by Neil Gaiman or Michael Chabon—both comic book writers and fans themselves. Also, people have already been expressing interest in seeing Terry Pratchett’s books in a comic format. Or what about books Michael Crichton, Ursula K. LeGuin, or Ray Bradbury?

But if it should come to adapting adult books, I hope that they won’t just stick to the obvious titles. It would be neat to see more obscure books given a chance in the manga format. How about The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho or One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez? What if short stories and poetry were made into manga? Can you imagine a manga version of “Howl” by Allen Ginsberg? (Well, that may be a little too extreme!)

Anyway, I could speculate and daydream forever about what might be possible. The bottom line is that I hope both companies take full advantage of this collaboration and reach as many new readers as they can. Not only in what titles they choose to adapt, but in the quality of these works. If there is a dark side to this deal it’s the fear that the manga titles won’t live up to the material from which they’re based. Given that TOKYOPOP consistently puts out quality manga, I’m not too worried. But as I said before, adaptations of any kind usually make me a little nervous. The reason I usually dislike comics based on hit movies is because they often seem rushed and are rarely as enjoyable as watching the movie itself. Sometimes the same is true for the reverse. I appreciate a good novel and I hate seeing one get butchered into a lame TV series or film. Of course, if the adaptation is treated lovingly and stays true to the material, then I’m happy to have another way to enjoy a story I like, à la The Lord of the Rings.

So, with manga adaptations, there’s always a chance that it will offend the people who bought and loved the originals—either because they simply don’t like manga or, worse, the adaptation doesn’t stay true to the spirit of the book. (Speaking of which, did anyone read those manga adaptations of the Harlequin romances? Ugh. Of course, it’s not like the original material had much to offer.)

I won’t comment on the distribution agreement between TOKYOPOP and HarperCollins, since I’m not so knowledgeable about that sort of thing, but I can only hope it will bring manga out of the obscure sci-fi corner in the back of the store and into the front, with more visibility.

Maybe one day we’ll see business men and women, housewives and house-husbands reading manga based on their favorite novels while their kids do the same. If that happens, a big comic book barrier will have been smashed down by two publishing giants.

Now, I already mentioned Mangaka America, the book I’m publishing through HarperCollins. This full-color book will feature the art and tutorials of quite a few talented TOKYOPOP artists, such as Felipe Smith, Svetlana Chmakova, Rivkah, Christy Lijewsky, and more.

Despite what it may seem, Mangaka America actually has nothing to do with this recent TOKYOPOP/HarperCollins agreement—it’s purely serendipity. (But I can’t help but wonder if that impending deal is why TOKYOPOP was so nice about letting us use their artists’ images in our book.) Regardless, I would be foolish not to take advantage of this situation to promote Mangaka America a bit!

So here, for the first time ever, are a couple sneak-peeks at spreads of the book. Not only do we have never-before-seen art from talented folks such as Corey “Rey” Lewis of Sharknife fame, but the book will also feature some great tutorials on toning (by Lindsay Cibos and Jared Hodges), coloring (by Amy Kim Ganter), and many other topics, such as character design, robot-drawing, and using Corel Painter to create beautiful manga-style art.

These images, from Mangaka America, to be published by Collins Design in November 2006, are shown here with the permission of HarperCollinsPublishers. (Click for full-size image)

Furthermore, the book will feature an introduction from American manga pioneer Adam Warren! We’re hoping to have samples of the book on view at the upcoming San Diego ComiCon, but the actual release date is in November. Mark your Fruits Basket calendars!

It’s been a while since I’ve been to a big comic convention. The last one I went to was Wizard World Philly and, before that, Wizard World Chicago on a regular basis. I realize these are probably considered “small” cons compared to the majestic wonder that is Comic-Con International: San Diego, but as I have never set foot in SDCC’s gilded halls, I can not speak from experience.

I was excited about the New York Comic-Con — first of all because it was right in my own back yard and, secondly, as I mentioned, it’s been a while since I’ve been to a big con. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I knew that I wanted to write my next column about the anime and manga scene there. But I was worried… would there actually be an anime or manga scene to cover? Alright, stop laughing. I now realize how silly I was.

But given my past experiences, how was I to expect anything else? The highlight of my con experience used to be when I discovered the manga booth. Yes, the manga booth. I would wend my way through the dark crowded aisles of superheroes and spandex, wondering if I would actually manage to find something I liked.

And then… through the haze of sweat and the clutter of comic boxes on wheels I would see it: the lone manga booth with 50% off all manga titles! Score! Add points if it also sold cute plushies or chibi figurines.

I would spend most of my money at this booth and return to it often. It was my deserted island in a sea of superhero fandom. But I wasn’t always this lucky. I remember being very disappointed at the last Wizard World Philly I went to two years ago. There was hardly any manga/anime presence at all!

So I guess that’s why I didn’t have high expectations for the NY Comic-Con. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that the opposite was true. In fact, I would hazard a guess and say that anime and manga-related booths and panels took up nearly 50% of the convention! In the very spot where CrossGen would have had their monster setup years ago, TOKYOPOP now sat with its own monster setup. VIZ also had a large space that was constantly swarming with fans. And these were just the big guns. I saw a healthy number of smaller booths all hawking a variety of manga and anime. I saw yaoi! As a matter of fact, yaoi artist Youka Nitta was even listed as a guest!

I saw gorgeous displays of Japanese created figurines and glossy art books for sale. There was even a whole section devoted to trendy underground toys from Asia.

UDON Entertainment was quite busy each time I passed by. Even newcomer Lime Studios from New Jersey, who were selling doujinshi, seemed to be receiving a lot of attention, and people seemed very interested in E-Frontier’s booth as they were selling Manga Studio, a program to create professional-looking manga on your computer.

I was overwhelmed and impressed by the amount of manga and anime that was to be found at the con… almost so much that I began to pity the superhero fans who probably felt as though their interests were being taken over. But I think due to the strong manga and anime presence, there was also a much more diverse crowd than I’m used to seeing at a regular con. I saw far more women and kids than I have ever seen at any of the Wizard Worlds that I have attended. I saw teenage girls and cosplayers — and they all fit right in with the crowd.

The programming at the con was just as rich as the exhibitors’ floor. I was stunned that a panel existed called “A Nosebleed Means WHAT?: Sexuality in Japanese Manga”, and even more impressed that it was hosted by the Library Journal. There was also a panel called “Brokeback Manga” about yaoi. These are a couple things that I would never have expected to see at a regular comic convention a couple years ago.

But maybe the idea of what a “regular” comic convention is changing and I just haven’t noticed until now? Comics are becoming less of a niche market for fanboys and more expansive as they appeal to more demographics. Finally comics are being appreciated and embraced by the general public — just look at how many people showed up at the con, forcing officials to turn guests away. The atmosphere at the con was a good one — not as uncomfortable or awkward as a fanboy extraordinaire, but not as touchy-feely as an anime con. It was a good mix of both worlds and I realized that the two can, indeed, coexist and, in some cases, cross over. I’d like to think that some of the anime fans who came for their own interests may have discovered an American comic or two that they would never have noticed before. And maybe some of the hardcore superhero fans picked up some of the manga freebies that they were handing out at the TOKYOPOP and VIZ booths and found something they liked as well.

Despite some of the organizational errors that made the con suffer, I think it was an overall success. I hope that future NY Comic-Cons will continue to address and welcome both the superhero fan and the anime fan and that it will lead to an even more diverse and lively crowd in years to come. (Okay… so we may become friendlier to one another, but I still don’t like being pressed up against a sweaty Superman. So you con organizers better rent a bigger space next year! Hear that?!)

Extra: MangaCast has podcasts of the manga panels I mentioned, and then some.

The very first time I saw a young girl sitting in the manga aisle, flipping through Inu Yasha, I was amazed. I couldn’t believe it. A girl! Reading comics! And a “boys” comic, no less!

I stared at her from a distance as though she were a rare creature – a unicorn stepping into the orchard to take a bite of the magic fruit. I approached slowly, cautiously averting my stare as I scanned the manga shelves. The girl flicked her eyes toward me shyly. She seemed embarrassed by my presence and quickly set down the book. The unicorn fled off into the jungle of bookshelves. I wished that I had left her alone. What were the chances of seeing a girl reading manga in a public bookstore again?

Nowadays I curse and grumble as I have to step over a flock of 5 or 6 girls as they sprawl out on the floor, blocking the shelves. They seem unconcerned with the fact that I am a paying customer, trying to browse. The most popular manga are dog-eared, and the titles are strewn out of order.

Okay, so it isn’t as mystical and strange as I used to think it was, but I am happy to see girls drawn to the manga section, reading comics with their friends. I’m sure if manga was this popular when I was a girl, I would be doing the same.

But I can’t help but notice how many of these girls are poring over shounen titles such as Fullmetal Alchemist, Naruto, and Sakura Taisen. And while I can definitely understand the appeal of these titles, and enjoy them myself, I do find it interesting that I don’t see as many girls browsing shoujo titles; at least not in public.

It makes me think about what girls in our society enjoy in terms of story and character, and I wonder if our own culture plays a part in this. I wonder if the messages in shoujo aren’t as strong to Western girls as they are to Japanese girls.

In Japan, the gender roles are far more defined than they are in the West. A Japanese woman, even if she works for a number of years, is generally expected to eventually leave her job to be a mother and wife. It’s true that times are changing for women in Japan, and more and more women are pursuing careers, but there is still a stigma attached to that lifestyle.

Take the josei (older girls’) manga Tramps Like Us by Yayoi Ogawa, originally published as Kimi wa Petto. The whole story revolves around Sumire, a strong, independent woman who wants to pursue her career and is definitely not ready for marriage. As a result, men are reluctant to date her, her bosses are patronizing, and she is lonely – that is, until she adopts the young man, Momo. Sumire’s story shows how a Japanese woman’s choice to be a career woman is a difficult one. While I won’t go so far as to suggest that this manga is representative of an entire cultural view, I think it does reflect some elements of Japanese society.

To a girl reading Tramps Like Us here in the West, Sumire’s choices may not seem that amazing. After all, many girls expect that one day they will be involved in a career, even if they do decide to get married and have children. Many women I know here in the States are a lot like Sumire – proud, outspoken, and intelligent. They balance jobs and families. In some ways, Sumire is a lot like every woman.

But to read Sumire’s story in the context of its country of origin, Sumire is also a hero – a strong woman with ambitions who, despite being ostracized because of them, continues on the path that she chooses for herself. Even when she finds a caring man who does not seem to mind her ambition, she is still reluctant to marry him, as though she is worried she will be trapped – that a piece of her will be lost forever.

The only man she can be herself around is Momo and, even then, she does not look at him as a man, but as a pet. While this scenario is amusing, I think it also hints at Sumire’s fear of trusting men in general. It’s as though she is afraid that if she begins to look at Momo as a man, and not as a dog, he will suddenly have power over her.

I asked my Japanese pen pal if she likes to read manga. She is 25 years old, working as a nurse in Sapporo Hokkaido. She admitted that she doesn’t read much manga now that she is older, but she still has a fondness for Hana Yori Dango, published in the West as “Boys Over Flowers”. She said she likes the fact that the heroine, Tsukushi, is so outspoken and bold, that she doesn’t let anyone bully her around. I began reading it on her recommendation and I could see that Tsukushi was, indeed, unlike most shoujo heroines. She is no wilted flower. Rather, she proudly proclaims herself to be a weed – hard to defeat!

But do themes like this, and the ones found in Tramps Like Us, have as much impact on a female reader in the West? Do Western girls take their positions for granted? I know I have from time to time.

Shoujo has sometimes been criticized for the way that the main characters are fixated on finding boyfriends and true love. Critics claim that shoujo teaches girls that they should only worry about how to get the man of their dreams, and that nothing else is of importance.

But, again, you have to look at it in the context of its country of origin. A female character finding love on her own is a liberating theme. Even today, many marriages in Japan are still arranged. And if the bride-to-be does have more of a say in whom she ends up with, chances are her parents are still very much involved in the process of selecting a husband. In shoujo, the girls always discover love on their own. To a Western reader, a shoujo character’s actions may come off as pining and starry-eyed, but they are truly acting independently – learning love and heartbreak on their own. It’s also curious to note that parents are rarely involved in a shoujo story, unless it is to prevent the girl from seeing the boy she loves. In Peach Girl, which spanned 18 volumes, you rarely saw the main character’s mother and father. Many times, parents are depicted as almost faceless, or at best, very generic. This puts the focus on the living, breathing heroine, full of emotion and hopes and dreams, as well as on the choices she makes.

Girls in the West may have it good, but perhaps our inability to appreciate what we have makes it harder for us to be fully affected by the themes in shoujo?

Or, as I watch girls flip through the pages of One Piece, maybe they just like a good pirate story?