However, the part I found especially strange was the suggestion that if I was willing to pay for the shipping costs and mailing supplies, they might be willing to continue sending the books. I don’t think so. For one thing, I’m willing to buy favorite titles for myself, and that list doesn’t include many of this company’s titles (although I am willing to try them when given the option in the hopes of changing my opinion).

If $3 per reviewer is going to make a difference, then this all may be a moot point, anyway, because it suggests a company in trouble. They unprofessionally cc’ed everyone on the email, so I can see exactly who was on their review list. There were 15 names, so we’re talking, what, a $50 expense per book in shipping costs? And how exactly does one set up a system to bill reviewers? Would that mean I got to order the titles I was interested in at this reduced rate, or would it be an all-or-nothing deal?

In the bigger picture, any company that wants coverage (especially if they don’t have a big anime tie-in property) needs to get their books into the hands of reviewers. There are a lot of other options out there, and without reviews, people tend to stick to a few known favorites.

Marketing is usually an expense companies choose to cut early. That’s not a very smart long-term strategy, though, because out of sight often means out of mind. Given that bookstores are feeling overwhelmed and limiting what they stock, it’s more important than ever to drive readers to seek out different titles, which can happen with good reviews. In this company’s case, I haven’t seen any of their books on shelves of stores around here, so if they don’t send them, I’m likely to forget about them. I wonder how many other people will do the same.

Last year, another company tried a cutback, only they were much more gentle about it. They sent out a notice that said that instead of sending every title every month, they’d move to a request system, so you’d only get the books you were interested in covering. That seemed fair — only they didn’t stick with it. Within a couple of months, they were back to sending everything. I wonder if the tracking and special mailing was more trouble than it was worth.

Manga Studio Debut 4.0
Buy this software

There are two choices:

Manga Studio Debut 4.0 lists for $49.99 (or upgrade from a previous version for $19.99). New features include a Beginner’s Assistant to help users get started, a color palette, and built-in word balloons.

Manga Studio EX 4.0 is $299.99 (upgrade pricing $129.99). New in this version are upgraded color features, a vector toolkit, professional filter set, and a story editor.

Manga Studio EX 4.0
Buy this software

They got a very nice quote for the press release, with a timely hook to an upcoming major movie:

“Manga Studio’s responsive drawing tools, time-saving aids, highly customizable interface, and new coloring facilities make it the best software available for creating comics digitally,” said Dave Gibbons, Watchmen illustrator. “I’m confident that many comic artists will appreciate the fact that Manga Studio allows them to focus their time on the creative process rather than worrying about the technical aspects of designing comics. Manga Studio is a joy to use.”

Find out more at the official website.

Effective April 1, 2009, WHV will be the exclusive home entertainment distributor for new and catalog DVD content based on well-known franchises such as NARUTO, BLEACH, DEATH NOTE, and INUYASHA, as well as the POKÉMON animated television series and catalog features. The first new DVD releases from VIZ Media and WHV are scheduled to be NARUTO Uncut Box Set 13, NARUTO Uncut Box Set 13 Special Edition, and HUNTER X HUNTER Box Set Volume 2 on April 7, 2009. …

With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. WHV’s film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video, and New Line Home Entertainment.

Update: This does cover all Viz Pictures titles as well.

For the first time, they’ll be publishing manga. Well, manhwa. Kim Dong Hwa’s “trilogy about a girl coming of age, set in the vibrant, beautiful landscape of pastoral Korea” starts in April with The Color of Earth. It’s about Ehwa growing up and learning to love as she helps her widowed mother run a tavern. Lovely art.

The Color of Earth
April 2009

The Color of Water
June 2009

The final book, The Color of Heaven, is due in September. All three are $16.95 for 320 black-and-white pages.

Adventures in Cartooning:
How to Turn Your Doodles Into Comics
April 2009

Coming in April is another how-to-draw book, this one out of the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont. It’s by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost. Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles Into Comics looks fun… and more importantly, achievable … for $12.95 for 112 color pages.

The Eternal Smile
May 2009

The book I’m most excited by, though is The Eternal Smile. Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese) and Derek Kirk Kim (Same Difference & Other Stories) team up with three stories, drawn by Kim in three different styles.

One of them is Duncan’s Kingdom, a two-issue Image comic from 1999 that had an interesting take on the fantasy genre. I’m very glad to see it back in print. All of the stories involve how imagination affects reality. ($16.95, 176 pages)

-Participants must be a member of TOKYOPOP.com
-Members must have the “Newsblast” box check on their profile
-Cast your vote for the nominated TOKYOPOP titles for the Nickelodeon Magazine Comic Awards.

In other words, you must

• Increase their site membership so their figures look better to advertisers.
• Allow them to send you advertisements for whatever the latest Princess Ai merchandise is.
• Raise their standings in the first-ever Nickelodeon Magazine Comic Awards.

Nothing like bribing your readers to stuff the ballot box, hmmm? I went and voted in the awards just to vote against Tokyopop.

That’s one weird awards, too. It starts off simply with Best Graphic Novel and Best Comic Book Series (Archie, Batman, Simpsons, Spider-Man, or Star Wars comics), and I guess there’s nothing wrong with the “Cutest Character” category, but the fifth category is Best Hair in Comics, for which were nominated Calvin, Kakashi Hatake from Naruto, Storm, and Veronica. Wow, diversity! Something old, something new, something icy, and something blue (blood).

There’s also “Grossest Thing in Comics”, Best Comic Strip, Best Manga, and Favorite Fantasy Graphic Novel (why call that genre out separate unless it’s to make more publishers happy?). Based on the nominations, someone really liked reading Bone. Winners are announced on March 17 on the website.

Instead of running its own stores, Tokyopop has started farming out its sales efforts — their bookstore is now just a selection of Amazon items, while their merchandise selection is a CafePress front-end. Their holiday promotion consists of a Borders discount coupon for 20% off selected manga titles, but the books at Amazon carry various discounts off of list price.

Digital Manga, on the other hand, has 10% off at Akadot Retail with coupon code HOLIDAY08. I’ve never heard of Akadot, but it seems to be owned by them.

Viz has just launched a line of t-shirts available at zazzle.com. The code ZAZZLEANIME1 will get you 10% off.

This doesn’t surprise me, to see Archie ending the manga approach. They didn’t capitalize on it sufficiently to capture a manga fan audience; they should have done more than just one slim reprint collection. They also never seemed quite comfortable with either the idea of manga or doing something so different for them.

Ultimately, though, it was likely about sales; Sabrina was one of their lower-selling titles. And that can be attributed to a mismatch between audience and sales outlets. Their big sellers are digests, and the manga-styled stories didn’t make it into those. Manga readers, meanwhile, buy online or in bookstores, and Archie doesn’t have much of a sales presence in either place, sticking with comic shops and grocery stores.

Now that the company is emphasizing nostalgia in their approach, I won’t be surprised to see a big relaunch in the new year with a more traditional look, perhaps even bring Sabrina back into interaction with Archie and the other Riverdale kids.

Issue #100 is due in comic shops on February 18. I previously interviewed writer/artist Tania del Rio about her plans.

If you’re a loyal fan of anime, manga, or comics and “appear to be between the ages of 16 and 28″, you could be on MTV. Here’s part of the press release:

Obsessed with comic books, anime, fantasy, or manga? Obsessed with cosplaying and attending anime conventions? Do your friends consider you a fanboy/fangirl? Have you ever missed work, school, or other important events to engage in role-playing or cosplay? Are you misunderstood by your family or significant other because of your loyal fandom? Anime Expo® 2009 and MTV Network’s “True Life” series wants to hear your story and is looking to cast three (3) individuals for an upcoming show.

Individuals must appear to be between the ages of 16 and 28 and must identify as a fanboy/fangirl. Interested applicants can click on the “True Life” link on the Anime Expo website to be part of this ground breaking documentary series.

True Life is a documentary series that’s been on MTV for more than 10 years. It chronicles the stories of young people in all kinds of situations, from global and political issues like war and natural disaster to issues of personal struggle like mental illness and family matters.

True Life is not a reality show. Our producers follow strict ethical guidelines and carefully avoid influencing our subjects’ stories. It is also not a news show – there is no host, reporter, or narrator. We allow our subjects to tell their own stories in their own voices.

Yet it’s ok if you lie about your age. And if it’s so much a documentary, why do they refer to it as “casting”? Eh, I’m just weirded out because it’s been running for a decade and I’ve never heard of it.

The phrasing I found odd: “before they proceed further, they want to offer fans the opportunity to share their opinions.” Is that a way to encourage only positive comments, for fear of quashing the project? Doesn’t seem to be working, if so.

As for my opinion: It all seemed a little frantic to me, and the smart-alec narrator wasn’t a plus. It takes way too long for the humans to show up, and there’s not nearly enough interaction with them. But suddenly, the red frog tough guy is my favorite!

Remember Mecha Manga Bible Heroes? It was announced in February of this year as using the excitement of robots to tell Bible stories in a manga style, and the goofiness of that combination caught people’s attention.

Now, they’re announcing their second issue, with a new artist, plus they’re launching a new series. MMBH #2 (32 color pages, $2.25) is the first in a three-issue arc called “The Rise of David”, following the Bible hero as he’s

“on the run from King Saul…. This leads to a series of thrilling near misses, exciting chase scenes, and intriguing hiding places.”

The new artist, providing a “more animated look”, is Josh Alves, who previously competed at Zuda with Araknid Kid. The cover style of MMBH #2 is clearly different, looking much more like a traditional action comic. That’s not a great idea; when the discrepancy is so great, you run the risk of disappointed readers who feel like it’s a kind of bait and switch. The artist is Jeff Slemons, who’s even more involved with a new title.

In March, the same company, JMG, is launching Beyond (32 pages, $2.99), a horror/sci-fi anthology aimed at older teens and adults, but still “faith-based”. It’s a

world where horror, science-fiction and fantasy collide to explore the fate of souls confronted by faith—those who have it, those who find it, and in some cases, those who lose or never had it.

It’s fully painted by Slemons but in black and white, which seems a waste. Interested retailers will get one free copy for every 3 they order, but only through Haven Distributors (the former Cold Cut). These comics aren’t carried through Diamond Distribution.

The last part of their announcement, I don’t know what to make of:

Additionally, for those retailers who missed MECHA MANGA BIBLE HEROES #1 on its initial release, it is receiving a more formal direct sales comic shop release in January. Haven and Enemi are taking orders for issue #1 through mid-November, offering retailers the opportunity to jump on board this exciting new series from the very first issue.

It seems to me that “more formal comic shop release” is just a fancy way to say “please give us another try”.

There is a strong inter-relationship between manga, anime and video gaming, as one genre often influences the others; millions of manga and anime fans across North America are also avid gamers.

There’s also a sweepstakes to win a Nintendo Wii game system, one winner for each title. Entries will be accepted via mail or the websites (linked above). Here’s more information on the Shonen Jump plans:

The December issue … will include a special extended “Games We Love” section that announces the magazine’s first-ever game awards for 2008. The section will also look back at some of the biggest video game news and events that shaped the year, giving an overview of the state of PC gaming, the rise of the iPhone as a new gaming platform, the popularity of downloadable games, and the competition among the newest game consoles, including the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii. The extended section will also have reviews of current video games. The issue is also filled with of the latest information on the hit SHONEN JUMP Naruto games from Namco Bandai, TOMY and Ubisoft.

Ding ding ding! I think that last sentence is significant — it’s an opportunity for cross-promotion! But while I’m not surprised to see a magazine aimed at young men covering games, I was THRILLED to see the same thing for the girls!

SHOJO BEAT will similarly cover an array of the best and most anticipated new game titles for the 2008 holiday season hand picked for girl gamers in every genre from music to action adventure and RPG’s, including Wii Music and Mirror’s Edge. SHOJO BEAT also names its “Top 7 Video Game Heroines,” recognizing the growing strength and appeal of female game characters. As a very special bonus, the issue will further highlight video games in the burgeoning vampire entertainment genre with coverage of hot new vampire-themed titles such as Castlevania from Konami and the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Sacrifice game from 505 games. Those vampire-game stories tie in with the magazine’s inclusion of the Official Guide to VAMPIRE KNIGHT, the best-selling shojo manga series, and SHOJO BEAT’s most popular serialized title. This special 11-page section will include a detailed timeline of key storylines, a two-page chart of VAMPIRE KNIGHT’S complex cast of characters, expert answers to reader questions, a look at the new VAMPIRE KNIGHT anime in Japan, and much more.

Yes! They are recognizing girl gamers! And they’re even promoting themselves for doing so:

Together SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT reach approximately 2 million readers each month and nearly all readers play/own video games. Given the fact that SHOJO BEAT readership is 96% female, this number is even more impressive as it is the only publication where one can find such a high composition of female video game players.

Good for them!

However, its odd format — not manga-sized, but half that length, for $6 a book — was, in my opinion, a major detriment to reaching any audience. It’s more expensive than a typical comic, but it doesn’t appear at first glance to be a better value to justify the price. (It’s similar to the Oni format that didn’t work for me either.)

Anyway, once I reached the end and found myself wondering what was intended to happen, I decided to ask author Alex de Campi about it, and she was kind enough to share her thoughts on the title, working with Tokyopop, and whether we’ll ever see the conclusion. Here’s a short interview with her about the book.

Q: How did Kat & Mouse come to Tokyopop? Who came up with the idea?

A: I just cold-emailed Tokyopop when I was starting out and they were beginning their OEL initiative. I’ve always loved teen/high school drama, and I wanted to write stories that had the appeal of Nancy Drew, but felt modern… and didn’t shy away from portraying just how awful kids can be to each other in 7th and 8th grade. I also wanted to write about girls, as there were so few good comic books for/about girls. I wanted to write the stories the 12-year-old me wanted to read. And I was furious about that Harvard president’s comment about how girls were genetically no good at science and math. Dude, Marie Curie is so going to come back from the dead and salt your Viagra with radium for that, you sad old git. (I am a feminist. GO TEAM X CHROMOSOME!)

So everything about Kat & Mouse was entirely my idea, except for the character designs which are obviously Federica’s. The pitch went to Mark Paniccia first, and while he was keen on it, he didn’t think it could get approved without it being more “manga”. Yeah, I know - teen school drama/romance/mystery, already a MASSIVE manga genre in Japan. Like Tokyopop had never shifted many copies of a book called Mars…. But I swear to God, they were pushing me so hard to put a talking cat or a vampire in it, as that was what “manga” meant to them. I was like, “uh, thanks, interesting idea but NO.” I stuck to my guns, found Federica as an artist, and the project was finally approved on the basis of (shock!) it being a good story.

Mark left during the process to go to Marvel. I later had interesting adventures with him choosing a desperately inappropriate artist for a mooted Marvel teen-girl series for me, which resulted in me walking off the series…. and Marvel realising that Paniccia had forgotten to get me to sign either a contract or an NDA for the series so I still owned the script. That was fun.

In any case, back at Tokyopop on Kat & Mouse, I then inherited Tim Beedle and Carol Fox as editors and I couldn’t have been happier. What a wonderful pair of people they were. Intelligent, hardworking, and not afraid of the dirty business of telling me (or Federica) “you could do better”. I think I stayed with Tokyopop so long because of Tim and Carol. I just can’t say enough good things about them as human beings and as editors.

Q: Kat & Mouse appeared in a kind of hybrid format, shorter than the manga digest Tokoypop popularized, at a $6 price point. Was that format planned from the beginning? Do you think it helped or hurt the project?

A: Oh heavens. It killed the project stone cold dead in the market. It looked too wimpy and kiddie for its audience, and if you racked it spine-out, it just vanished. Plus, the usual Tokyopop no-marketing-support-unless-it’s-Princess-Ai. And no, it wasn’t planned from the beginning. When they told me they approved the project, they then sprung the whole 90-page thing on me. Considering my plot outlines had written for 160-180 pages, I was shocked and disappointed — but I didn’t feel like there was anything I could do.

Here it is: Tokyopop always felt like it was flailing around with no sense of purpose or long-term strategy, and they would spin out these silly jelly-at-the-wall ideas on a regular basis rather than just knuckle down and focus on great stories, well-marketed. When they launched Manga Readers or whatever that little format was called, they were all “we will get this in the YA section of bookstores!” Um, did they? Did they heck. They also didn’t follow up with any marketing outside the comics world. I remember speaking to one of their marketing people and going, hey, have we tried to get this reviewed in some newspapers’ kids book sections? Can you show me what reviews you’ve managed to get for the book? And they were completely flummoxed. They ummed and ahhed and then asked me if I wanted a free pass to Bristol Comic Con in the UK as if it were a big deal. “No, we didn’t get a single mainstream review of this book but that’s OK, we’ll give you this great opportunity to go to Bristol!” Look, if you do comics in the UK, you know Mike (who runs Bristol Comic Con) on a first-name basis. You don’t need a company in Los Angeles to get you that as the sum total of its big marketing push for your book.

Directly after the rather perfunctory launch of Manga Readers, Tokyopop were off onto some other new shiny toy… and so its old toys withered on the shelves. I just so wish I’d been able to write a normal 160 to 180 page tankubon as I had intended. That probably also would have failed, but at least I would have felt better about the series being in its original, intended format. Of course, there’s always the huge heaving possibility my writing just sucks and that’s why the series didn’t sell!

Q: The setting of a private school where mysteries occur has a long history, with many varied appearances. Which are some of your favorites/influences?

A: Oh, clearly, Nancy Drew! I’m a sucker for a good mystery romp. I also grew up glued to American teen school-drama TV, like 90210 (I always thought, why does the West Coast have all the fun? East Coast schools are much more interesting…), Square Pegs, Saved by the Bell, and of course John Hughes films. Genre is genre because people love it. It doesn’t matter if the setup is old and hoary. If you write good characters with experiences and feelings that connect to readers, that readers feel are true, then it doesn’t matter that there are a lot of other school mystery stories.

Q: I loved how you featured a strong theme of class distinctions based on money. What was behind that choice?

A: I went to a private East Coast day school — much of what I wrote was based on my own experience or observations. There was a girl who was the math teacher’s daughter at my school…. she had it really tough. And I and my girlfriend Ellen totally got called “lesbi-friends” when we were in fifth grade. I had to go home and ask my mom what that meant! There was also a lot of upper-middle-class posturing going on: who got invited to cotillion, who had the hot new sweater from The Limited, who had a boat, who had a Porsche as their first car. My family was scrimping and saving to send me to that school (thank heaven I was an only child), so I sort of felt like an alien.

Although I always sort of feel like an alien. There’s part of me that’s always at a remove, just watching and recording. I desperately want to get a dictaphone so I can covertly tape sounds and strangers’ conversations I overhear in public places but my family are fairly sure that will result in my getting beat up.

Q: Given how much was left hanging at the end of book three — we don’t know who stole Chloe’s necklace or who the Artful Dodger was, and the “next time” blurb also promised revenge and a teacher’s secrets — will you reveal the answers? What was intended to happen in book four? Who was the Artful Dodger?

A: Book 4 is complete — drawn, lettered and toned. It was complete before Tokyopop “restructured”, and it is just mired somewhere in the swamp of despair that is that company. Tokyopop have not communicated with me since… hang on, Gmail search ahoy… June 16th of this year. They say they’ll release it online at some point but I have a standing $20 bet with another comics writer that Tokyopop will declare bankruptcy and/or totally shut down within the next 12 months, so I’m not holding my breath. This is NOT a company that can survive as a purely marketing entity — oh, the irony! If/when they go under, I’ll of course throw the book up online for all to read. All plot lines are resolved in Book 4; that’s all I’ll say.

Q: What was your planned conclusion to the series? How many volumes would it have run if things had gone perfectly?

A: The series really could have spun out as long as I wanted it to. I was planning mini-arcs of about 4 books each with maybe a complete stand-alone or two in between. I mean, Kat & Mouse mysteries are pretty much always stand alone but certain groups of mysteries also deal with a larger story arc, e.g. the Artful Dodger. I was going to do a stand-alone about a hidden treasure over Christmas…. then the next arc would have dealt with the arrival of the Princess (who is a bit different than everyone might imagine), and major upheavals in the social structure of Kat’s class. Then a stand-alone about summer in Maine and a “trap war” (where lobster fishermen start cutting each other’s traps over perceived territorial infringements). Although given the current economy, I might have done a story or two about kids having to leave Dover Academy due to their dads losing their investment banking jobs! The stories just run and run with Kat & Mouse…. it’s so easy to think up fun things for them.

Q: Are you working on any comics now?

A: Mm, no. Vaguely contemplating a couple things but I’ve been non-stop with the music videos of late, and I need to finish a feature screenplay I’m working on. If I do anything, I’ll find an artist who’s just willing to go ahead and do it, and we’ll keep control of the project ourselves. It will obviously thus happen VERY slowly. So I feel a little like a fraud being interviewed about comics — I don’t know if I “count” as a comics writer any more.

Q: If you could do it again, would you do anything differently?

A: I think I would have been more stroppy about the whole Manga Reader thing (and Manga Chapter, the other random spin-off format that they shoved my Agent Boo series into). I would have said no, this must be a proper tankubon, or nothing. But I don’t really regret anything. I know I’m seen as this loose cannon who speaks truth to (and about) power and is thus persona non grata at a couple publishers but I don’t care. If I cared, I’d STFU. I don’t feel for a second that I’ve missed any opportunities — and, most importantly, I’ve kept my soul and I’ve had a heckuva good time.

Del Rey Manga, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group, in collaboration with Cartoon Network Enterprises, today announced a new manga publishing partnership that will launch with original manga based on two of Cartoon Network’s most successful series: Bakugan Battle Brawlers and Ben 10 Alien Force. This announcement marks the first partnership between Cartoon Network and the Random House Publishing Group’s manga imprint.

Christina Miller, vice president, Cartoon Network Enterprises says, “Cartoon Network is the home to many of the leading brands, and manga and film-comics are natural extensions of our rich and immersive content. As one of the category’s best publishers, Del Rey Manga will bring these stories to life, starting with the incredibly successful Bakugan later this year.”

Cartoon Network is a WB company, as is DC Comics, who has their own manga line, CMX. Why isn’t CMX doing this project? Maybe they aren’t considered “one of the category’s best publishers”?

The Bakugan book is due out in December, with a second volume coming in March. It “incorporates full-color stills from the animated show in a manga-style graphic novel format.” Sounds more like Tokyopop’s Cine-Manga books than traditional drawn manga. And maybe that’s why they wanted a company that could get more attention for their books than CMX — fumetti/photo comics are a tough sell in the American market. But “real” manga is coming later next year: “Original black-and-white, manga-style graphic novels based on Bakugan and Ben 10 Alien Force will release in Summer 2009 and Fall 2009, respectively.”

Since these books are aimed at young boys, I’m not driven to check them out. I am looking forward to Del Rey’s other newly announced project, Moyasimon: Tales of Agriculture, due out about a year from now. It’s about a student at an agricultural university in Tokyo who can see and talk to cute little bacteria and microorganisms. It’s promised to combine humor, drama, fantasy, and scientific accuracy. Sounds nifty!

The launch with Hulu is the latest expansion of VIZ Media’s ongoing strategy to make available a variety of hit animated series through some of the most innovative web-based, video streaming outlets. Hulu, launched in March of this year, provides convenient 24/7 accessibility and offers users the freedom to legally share full-length episodes or clips via email or embed them on other web sites, blogs, and social networking pages.

Sounds good to me. Viewers get their choice of preferred outlets, and Viz gets their free advertising out there to sell more books and DVDs and tie-in products.

I’m unfamiliar with Joost, billed as the “world’s first broadcast-quality internet television service”. Based on the press release (excerpted below), they’re pushing social networking as a unique feature and a plus to build the audience.

Episodes will be made available for free at www.joost.com with new installments being added regularly. With Joost, NARUTO, BLEACH, and DEATH NOTE fans will be able to watch these shows in their web browser while interacting with others in the Joost community. Whether they join or form fan groups around their favorite characters, or add their own comments to their favorite shows, Joost’s unique social features help a larger audience find and discover these hit shows.

It won’t be available immediately; Joost has announced that it won’t be until next month that “all video will be viewable on Joost.com using a standard Flash player.” Until then, it requires a plugin … which only works on limited combinations of systems and browsers.

I tend to think that it’s a better idea to announce this kind of thing when interested readers can go check it out, instead of saying “it’s coming soon”. After all, you never know what snags may arise between now and then. I would have liked to have seen some of the episodes… in another month, I’m not sure I’ll remember they’re out there.

The first thing in the book is an introduction page explaining that this is not a sampler or reduced copy, that it’s “the exact same manga that you can buy at your bookstore”. They also want readers to share the files, to post them or send them to others. That’s a refreshingly open attitude. If you’re going to put something out there for free, then accept all of what that means.

Then they push the idea of collecting ebooks, “just like the songs you get from iTunes”, followed by a statement of why they’re doing this: to sell “all the other Princess Ai manga, novels, and art books”. The page ends with a request to give them feedback at their forum (there’s already one dedicated to Free Manga Download, although the only discussion is about which format, PDF or CBR, is preferable) or by email. Their big question is

If you like the eBook, do you think that you’ll still collect the printed book too?

That’s what everyone wants to know.

Next page is the credits. I owe Tokyopop a partial apology. Although they don’t identify the character’s creator, “DJ Milky”, as the head of their company in the promotional material, they do here:

They seem to have forgotten what “alphabetical order” means, though. Sometimes they’re using the first name, sometimes the second, sometimes I can’t figure out.

I wasn’t familiar with any of the included manga characters except for Tina from Divalicious. I tried reading her chapter, but I didn’t care at all about any of the Princess Ai characters or their motivations, so I gave up. Even at no money cost, my time is worth more than that. Also, on a laptop screen, the page proportions are all wrong, so I could have it big enough to read the dialogue (and not see the whole page, meaning lots of scrolling) or big enough to see the whole page at once and not be able to read it.