Authors: Susan Kim, Laurence Klavan
Artist: Faith Erin Hicks
Publisher: First Second Books
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: August 2010

Synopsis: “Neither artistic, dreamy Jenna nor surly, delinquent Lucas expected to find themselves at an invitation-only summer camp that turns problem children into prodigies. And yet, here they both are at Camp Fielding, settling in with all the other losers and misfits who’ve been shipped off by their parents in a last-ditch effort to produce a child worth bragging about. But strange disappearances, spooky lights in the woods, and a chilling alteration that turns the dimmest, rowdiest campers into docile zombie Einsteins have Jenna and Lucas feeling more than a little suspicious… and a lot afraid.”

(Editor’s note: Sharing something a little different today, a review of Brain Camp to commemorate it’s release this week. Sure manga’s the proverbial bees-knees for most of us, but let us never forget how much other fun, quality stuff is on shelves to check out also. Now and again I’ll be having these special reviews to show some other titles that I think readers here would be interested in as well. Enjoy!)

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Didn’t I promise a little more Avatar the Last Airbender content on here? I think I did. While an unfortunate computer-frying has slowed down the posting of my review to the recent graphic novel release of Zuko’s Story, I’m happy to post about this exciting news in the meantime.

After months of job postings, speculation and title dropping, Nickelodeon today sent out an official press release about their new Avatar animated series. Titled Avatar: The Legend of Korra, this sequel series will take place seventy years in the future and follows the title character, Korra, the next Avatar. Born to the water tribes, Korra leaves her home to seek mastery of the four elements and finds herself combatting crime in a steam-powered city of warring classes and those protesting the use of bending. In her travels she’ll also meet the son of Aang, the original series’ main character, whose name is Tenzin.

Created by the same dream team responsible for Avatar: The Last Airbender, there’s tons to be excited about for this series. No word yet how much, if at all, past characters will make appearances (being in their 80s after all) but there still sounds like more than enough reason to tune in. Set for release in 2011, let the countdown begin!

On July 6 2007 I posted my first review here on Kuriousity. Suffice to say I had absolutely no idea what I was doing when I started using Kuriousity as a blog (and not simply a server for uploading stuff) – there were inline frames involved – but thanks to lots of helpful hints, inspiring experiences and lots of trial and error, here I am able to post that Kuriousity can celebrate (?) its third birthday!

Obligatory but completely deserved thanks go to Marsha, Shevaun, Shannon, Andre and Jaime who’ve joined me here on Kuriousity to add lots of variety to the titles reviewed, publishers doing a great job releasing all the material we enjoy, manga artists for making all the material we love and readers for reading the books and sharing our affection for them! Of course a thanks to fellow bloggers who always have something to get me thinking and Kuriousity readers who never cease to inspire us to share and inform, not to mention those who have suggested so many series to read in comments that I’ve discovered tons of great books thanks to you all as well!

Three years and nearly 700 reviews later, I like to think Kuriousity is still going strong. I know I keep having fun with it so I suppose that’s what matters. Happy three-years Kuriousity! And hopefully many more :)

A little change of pace today with a post about something near and dear to my fan-girl heart – fun, colourful comics and Avatar: The Last Airbender! And with so many great Avatar goodies out both recently and on the horizon, expect more ATLA here on Kuriousity coming up!

But today it’s about the comics – or lack there of.

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So doom may be a little grim a word but it’s a rampant sort of tone recently with all that’s going on in the English manga-industry. I popped in on this week’s ANNCast to share some of my thoughts on recent events, in particular DC’s announcement regarding CMX and the disappearance of Go!Comi.

I’m starting to feel like all my efforts to promote CMX are being intentionally smited somehow though – first CMX’s shutdown is announced mere days after we here at Kuriousity make the decision to push out a bunch of CMX reviews (since the site’s been sadly lacking them!) and then here in the ANNCast I tell everyone to go check out CMX’s site and look through the books they have – only to have DC Comics, for some inexplicable reason, strip down CMX’s website today. Yikes. And triple-boo on you, DC Comics. What the heck is going through your corporate mind over there?

Also on the ANNCast this week is a guest sharing her thoughts on the difference between Canadian and American anime conventions. Interesting ideas there. As someone who’s been staff helping run a convention and holding panels more than an attendee of any, I don’t have all that much to go on pertaining to the concept. Comparatively I’ve been to San Diego Comic Con and Fan Expo, which are ‘very’ similar in their target-audience but different in obvious ways because, well, SDCC is in California and Fan Expo is not. I am heading to Anime North next week and New York Anime Fest in October however, so for pondering’s sake, I’ll keep the concept of difference in mind. The discussion about the semi-thankless nature of running an anime convention is interesting too. Super-duper hard work but worth it for all the thank yous and happy fans? Yup!

So check out the podcast if you so feel inclined – it always makes for interesting listening! And beware my voice, which you may be doomed to hear in your mind each time you read one of my reviews from now on ;)

Viz Media’s recent press release about the manga series Bakuman got me thinking – there are a bunch of manga series out there about making manga. What a fun concept! I know I always love it, it’s such a neat experience – both the slight irony of it and the educational factor too.

I’ve learned a lot about making comics in general from manga – neat little so-thats-how-they-do-its – and while ideas and inspiration are always a given when reading something, having someone else’s trials, experiences and knowledge laid out for you in the very format they’re in relation to is just a good combination.

So I got to thinking about the different series that are about making manga – so I compiled a list. Have another licensed title to add? By all means let me know in the comments so I can check it out!

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Manga-ka: MTCopyright
Publisher: Radially Spoof
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: April 2010

Synopsis: “Always up to her nose in manga and eager to share her opinion, it was no surprise to her friends when Kuri decided to tackle the word of reviewing. But with too many books and not enough hours in the day, she soon realized she’d need some major help to tackle them all. It doesn’t take long for her to gather together an amazing assortment of individuals and each with their own unique charms- but now Kuri’s suddenly got more than books on her desk! Anime conventions, forum trolls, scanlation scourges and more – but with deadlines looming, book stacks towering and a million distractions out to thwart them, can the manga crew keep up with their workload or will they need more than luck to help them fulfil their kuriousity?”

A book about manga reviewing, convention planning, manga fans just hanging out and talking about what they love… what madness is this? Brilliant madness – or at least a highly entertaining kind.

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Webcomic of interest alert – Christy Lijweski, creator of the recently concluded RePlay (published by Tokyopop) has put up the first few pages of her new webcomic, Samurai Host Club.

“Assassins, Mafia wars, gunfights, massive bleeding, hookers and hosts. Maybe a samurai or two thrown in for good measure. Mature content for violence, language, sex and other hot sh–.”

Not much there so far in its infancy but still well worth a look-see for those who enjoyed her gritty characters, sharp art style and well dressed guys with guns in past works. While I don’t personally read many web comics, I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on this one. You can also see more of Lijewski’s artwork on her DeviantArt page, including promotional images for Samurai Host Club.

Since the earthquake that struck Haiti quickly nabbed media attention around the world, support has been flooding in from every corner of the globe. The internet is certainly no exception and many artists have opened commissions and auctions to sell their services and work for charitable donations in support of Haiti.

Two well known manga-style artists have also done just that. Christy Lijewski (artist of RePlay!, published by Tokyopop) and KOSEN (artist of Saihoshi, published by Yaoi Press) have each put up a piece of their original artwork on eBay with all proceeds going to a Haiti support charity. Great art for a great cause!

Christy Lijewski is selling the original copic-coloured artwork commissioned by Tokyopop for the cover of the third and final volume of RePlay. The auction ends January 23, 2010.

KOSEN is selling an original copic-coloured drawing of the character Yinn from their boys’ love fantasy series, Saihoshi. The auction ends January 19, 2010.

This past holiday season I sent out holiday cards to a number of publishers – my little way of showing my appreciation to those companies who helped make 2009 a real treat for both me and my readers here on Kuriousity.

I created custom Christmas cards for Yen Press, Vertical, Viz Media, Digital Manga and Yaoi Press, and since then a couple have asked me to share the artwork. I put it off a couple weeks to ensure everyone had time to receive their cards and maintain some charm to the surprise ;)

The curious can now check out my five manga-holiday images under the cut. All pre-existing characters belong to their respective copyright holders/companies/people-of-greatness.

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Nearly a year ago today, I posted about an online CLAMP fan-community’s project in celebration of CLAMP’s 20th year anniversary. The project was titled the CLAMP Appreciation Fanbook and over the past twelves months fans from around the world offered their art, stories, time and donations to create the 348 page hardcover-bound book.

Yesterday, the clamp_now community shared a response from CLAMP that one of the team’s four members, Tsubaki Nekoi, posted on the manga-team’s community boards over at their website, CLAMP-Net:

Best of all is the large number of countries that participated! We really are happy to hear that our works are read, and furthermore liked, in so many different places.

I don’t know whether words of thanks will reach you, everyone, but thank you very much indeed. I think new works will be born after this as well. We’ll do our best so that you read them too!

You can read CLAMP’s full translated response on the clamp_now posting. As for the book itself, print-on-demand copies can now be purchased from Blurb.com. A short preview of the book can be seen there as well and images of the completed product have also been posted on the clamp_now community.

A congratulations to everyone involved in this project. The final product looks gorgeous! It’s great to know that CLAMP now holds the product of your hard work in their hands and it’s a wonderful gift.

Has another year gone by already? Wow… When I think about all that’s happened, it feels believable that it’s been a year. But, when I look back at Kuriousity’s archives to a hundred instances of ‘that was how long ago?!’, suddenly the year feels so much shorter.

Did you know Kuriousity had exactly 200 reviews in 2009? Neither did I but I’m amused by it! It was a great year for good books – I’m not a big list maker but I hope all our reviews have done our favourites justice. I love that I’ve had several new faces joining me here on Kuriousity – 2009 saw the addition of Shannon Fay and Andre to our ranks, and just this week we welcome our light novel reviewer, Jaime Samms to the fold as well. Expect lots from all of us in 2010!

Along with reviews there was plenty of big news this year, including lots of fantastic new licensing announcements too long to list. A few of the top entries posted here on Kuriousity in 2009 include Farewell to Viz’s Shojo Beat, Tokyopop Webinar: Part One, YaoiCon 2009 – Digital Manga, There Are Some of My Favourite Things… And Yours? and Omnibus: The New Manga Frontier.

Other notables for me in the past year include lots of Twitter with many other fantastic bloggers who’ve added a whole new level of amazing interaction to my web-surfing days. I’ve also had the opportunity to have a go at one of my dream-jobs when I lettered a few short stories for Yaoi Press’s Happy Yaoi Yum Yum, plus the web comic I flat colour and letter for, Whore of Turfan, reached it’s one year anniversary! I also launched Boys-Luv.com which I hope to expand even more in the coming year.

And what does 2010 hold? A whole lot that’s for sure! You can check out our release schedule for books coming out over the next 12 months with so many amazing new and continuing titles that it will undoubtedly boggle your mind and your wallet (but worth it!). Expect lots more news and reviews here on Kuriousity as we continue to help you fulfill it in this wonderful world of manga :)

In distinctly-not-short, Happy New Year everyone! May it begin fantastically so as to give the rest of the year a solid step in the right direction – see you in 2010!

Image above from Kiyohiko Azuma’s Yotsuba&! (c) Yen Press

Found via Manga Xanadu, information about Tokyopop’s next webinar has been posted to their website. Scheduled to happen on Monday, November 30, the webinar will be directed live from Japan and will have Tokyopop editor Lillian Diaz-Przybyl interviewing the company’s CEO, Stu Levy, “in a discussion about the past, present and future of TOKYOPOP from a CEO perspective.”

Sounds like this has high potential to be an interesting and informative one, and though the exact time of the webinar has not yet been posted, I’ve got my fingers crossed it’ll prove convenient for a good number of us curious. Get your questions ready!

Today MangaViews.com is officially launched! Tagnongat and I have been working on this project for the past few weeks (I did the design while Anna is the genuis mastermind behind everything else) and we hope manga fans take the time to look around and let us know what they think.

MangaViews.com is a hub for manga reviews and reviewers from around the world. Bringing together writers, their thoughts and a love for manga, Manga Views’ intent is to foster discussion, promotion and connection among readers.

The website has an automatically updated list of new manga blog posts on the front page, forums for some fun discussion and a new but growing review database where we encourage bloggers to submit their reviews as well as series they’d like to see reviewed on the review list.

Because the site is still new, we’re constantly tweaking, shifting things and adding new content. If you come across any issues or dilemmas while using MangaViews, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Digitalmanga.com | DMPbooks.com | Junemanga.com | 801media.com | Dokidokibooks.com

Digital Manga’s multiple imprint web pages were hit or miss in the past but since their recent upgrades and redesigns, they’ve risen to the cream of the crop status for manga publishers on the web. Their new websites are visually attractive and full of colour, and the usability of the sites has seen a huge improvement. Overlapping databases between the different websites ensure all information is the same and is updated simultaneously. All sites also share one blog with imprint-specific posts appearing on their individual front pages.

All book information, release dates and blog posts are compounded on their company’s index site, DigitalManga.com which also includes job postings, surveys and corporate information. This hub site also includes links to all the imprint pages as well as other Digital Manga properties such as Pop Travel Japan and Akadot Retail.

*Note: At the time of this writing, 801Media.com had not yet received it’s intended overhaul. It’s design and function will not be included in this review.

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