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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From now until December 14th (Monday), EverythingYaoi.com is having their holiday Mega Sale:
“Everything Yaoi is having a mega sale for a very short time. Please help Yaoi Press make up a budget shortfall by taking advantage of sale prices on every single item! We could call this a 25% off sale, but it’s 25% off what our discounted price was to begin with! That means 801 Media books are only $9.74! Yaoi Press books are only $5.63! And you won’t believe the deals in the Clearance Section!
You will still get our friendly service and free gifts. Right now every order gets a Yaoi Christmas Ribbon, and orders with 12 points or more get an Uke Butt button!
If you’ve shopped with us before you know we usually only have one copy of each book in stock. There’s just too much yaoi to fit everything in Maria’s house! This means the best stuff will go out of stock fast.”
EverythingYaoi.com ships internationally and offers the payment choices of their secure online payment system, Google Checkout or PayPal.
Some great prices there to take advantage of for gift shopping, be it a treat for yourself or to find something to slip under the tree for your yaoi-loving friends. Short window of time though so give it a look-see while you can!
Some boys’ love news snippets today with submission closures, convention schedules and an undead publisher still looking to make a return:
Yaoi Press has recently updated their info page to inform propestive creators that their submissions are currently closed. This is a uncommon state for Yaoi Press which has spent the majority of its time open to new stories by writers and artists. The page does however offer up an honest and open look at why their submissions are currently closed and assurance that they still have previously submitted works on file.
Word has been circulating for a while about Digital Manga’s big yaoi title announcement, promising many happy fans, and that they’ll be making said-announcement at the upcoming Yaoi Con. Today Digital Manga has posted their Yaoi Con schedule including their industry panel and signing times for special guest, Makoto Tateno (see art above).
Digital Manga has also sent out a press release about signed and framed Makoto Tateno artwork which will be available for sale both at Yaoi Con and on their online shop, Akadot.
And lastly, in an odder turn of events, DramaQueen has updated its online shop to showcase what they’re calling a “Rebirth Sale”, offering up several of their back issue books for cheaper prices along with a message that suggests they’re still working on the comeback that they’ve promised for so long. Hmm… sounds sort of familiar.
I won’t beat the proverbial horse on this one but suffice to say DramaQueen hasn’t done anything to win readers’ sympathy or support in the past two years but I suppose it’ll still be interesting to see if they ever do release another book. Still, as much as I’m all for supporting the industry, it’s my honest opinion that shoppers should stay away from ordering through DramaQueen’s online website. The risk is simply too high that prospective buyers will only join the line of people still waiting for DQ to pay their dues.
Gardena, CA (September 28, 2009) – Digital Manga Inc., one of the industry’s most innovative and unique companies, is excited to announce eManga’s latest online rental titles from Yaoi Press, as they bring their favorite yaoi titles to eManga! Yaoi Press publishes global yaoi in a host of different languages, with over 45 publications to date. They have brought great yaoi creators from around the world, including Studio Kosen of Spain and M.A. Sambre of France to the US, and have helped develop yaoi within the Western market outside of creators in Japan. With their continued commitment to yaoi publishing and dedication to readers, Digital Manga Publishing is excited that Yaoi Press will be coming on board to share their amazing titles with yaoi fans everywhere! The first titles from Yaoi Press are Yaoi Hentai Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, now available at www.emanga.com!
Read more…
Digital Manga has been busy since their eManga website had it’s fairly-recent revamp, adding numerous titles from DMP’s large library of titles. Lately however they’ve begun branching out, adding several titles from creators around the world.
Most recently they’ve added the first volume of Games With Me, a historical boys’ love story written by Tina Anderson and drawn by Linsley Brito. I’ve had the opportunity to read Games With Me and really enjoyed it. The characters are interesting, not falling into your stereotypical character molds, and the art is beautiful and really polished. I definitely recommend taking the time to read it and am thrilled that Digital Manga is working with the creators to offer it to English-readers for the first time (the story has yet to be published in English).
“Ex-Civil War surgeon George Callahan is a man haunted by his past. Unwilling to deal with the demons of his childhood, he turns to opium and finds back-alley employment with the heartless brothel keepers of San Francisco’s Chinatown. In Volume 1 of this gorgeously illustrated gay historical drama, Dr. George Callahan searches for a Chinese woman from his past, and soon finds himself unwittingly drawn to dim-witted male prostitute Jun, whose own life is complicated by the unwanted attentions of an aggressive bouncer named Roan Baxter.”
You can check out the complete press release sent out by Digital Manga for more information about the release and the creators.
Digital Manga has also added two Yaoi Press titles to their online manga rental website: Yaoi Press’s Yaoi Hentai, volume one and volume two. If you’re a yaoi fan and love a good comedy, there’s plenty for you in these books. They’re collections of short stories that range from funny to flashy and never without a heaping dose of 18+ material to earn the books their name.
And when you’re through there, of course don’t forget to check out the other eManga titles up for reading as well, including several books that haven’t been released yet (and most of which you can read a sample of for free!). Guaranteed to win you over to some fun purchases and leave you curious to see what titles will appear in their selection next.
Anime Expo 2009 rounds up today down in Los Angeles which means it’s time for a quick news round-up. Industry presence seems considerably less this year, an observation that I make as someone who wasn’t able to attend mind you, and the announcement list is considerably smaller than the whopping 61 manga licenses that Anime Expo 2008 had for us. Goes to show how the industry’s changed over the past year I suppose, right? Anime Expo did continue its reputation as the largest anime convention in North America however with an attendence of over 44,000.
For the manga news, check out my round-up under the cut.
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Yaoi Press has posted the results of its previously announced Caption Contest. You can currently head on over to their contest page to see the winner, along with the runners-up and honorable mentions. Congrats to the winners! For the shiny posters, I would’ve loved to enter but conflicting interest or something like that no doubt.
Speaking of which, the panels used in the contest are from Yaoi Press’s newest anthology, Happy Yaoi Yum Yum which just had a release of volume one. I was allowed the opportunity to letter a couple of the stories (which was fantastically fun, let me tell you) so the book already has a special place awaiting it on my bookshelf along with being a collection of work from some talented creators. If you like your yaoi porny and your story’s funny, I recommend checking it out.
From now until the deadline of June 22nd, Yaoi Press is holding a Captain Contest in connection with their weekly gag panels, Yaoi Not Actually. Entrants of the contest must take the images provided for the contest and give them some amusing dialouge that will likely be entertaingly out of context.
The prize for the funniest phrases? A copy of Yaoi Press’s upcoming first volume of Happy Yaoi Yum Yum and sixteen gorgeous 11×17 posters of various Yaoi Press artists’ work. You can check out the contest page for all the details. And don’t forget, if you win the contest and are wondering what to do with all those pretty posters, remember who told you about the contest, alright? ;)
Prior to their appearance at the recently held, Animeland Vegas, Yaoi Press was struck with some bad luck when a flood at a storage facility made a mess of a portion of their books waiting to be sold. Over one hundred Yaoi Press books were left unsellable.
To make up some of the loss, Yaoi Press is now offering several complete decks of their KOSEN card sets up for auction on eBay. While you can currently obtain these cards as multiple-piece bonuses through their online store, EverythingYaoi.com, these auctions allow you ownership of the entire deck all in one go, plus the money goes to a good cause.
Gorgeous Yaoi Card Deck @eBay.com
Though it’s already been covered at a variety of sites already, never hurts to spread the word, right? Aurora Publishing has sent out e-mails outlining some financial difficulties that have them cutting prices on their books to sell off some old stock. By contacting them directly at e-tung@aurora-publishing.com, you can purchase any of their titles prior to January 2009 for $4/US a book and anything more recent than that for $8/US a book. Snow has some recommendations as well as shipping cost information (for American customers at least), and Kris shares her thoughts on the tone of the e-mail itself.
Also on the note of good bargains, the online store BookCloseOuts is currently selling all their Tokyopop backstock for a mere .99 cents a piece. A great way to cheaply grab some of their older series and even a few of their newer releases (such as Tactics volumes 1-5).
Yaoi Press is excited to announce that one of their artists, Rhea Silvan will be attending as a guest at 2009′s Anime Central convention. They’re also now offering their KOSEN’s Yaoi playing cards as rewards for purchasing through their all-yaoi online store, EverythingYaoi, which has lots of boys’ love stuff currently on sale. They’ve also begun posting amusing weekly strips that parody scenes from their books, a feature they’re calling Yaoi Not Actually.
Like what you see? I know I do! Over on Yaoi Press’s blog, you can see some more images of the card deck illustrated by artist team, Saihoshi. Through Yaoi Press the duo has had published several stories, including Stallion and Saihoshi. Characters from both those original series are featured on the cards.
The cards themselves may not be available for long however due to expensive production prices. Currently there’s a deck up for bids on eBay to guage interest so take a bid and keep these beauties coming :) I know I will be as soon as I return home from the con this weekend.
Author: Yamila Abraham
Artist: Rhea Silvan
Publisher: Yaoi Press
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: November 2008
Synopsis: “Fuyu seeks Takuma to treat Hakuin’s badly infected wounds. The Spring Demon Ryuuto is still wooing Takuma when Fuyu arrives. Fuyu and Hakuin find themselves in the position of matchmakers as Hakuin’s injuries heal. Just when things seem to be going well, there’s a misunderstanding. Now Ryuuto has angered them all. Hakuin decides their old friend Figaru is just the one to teach this evil demon a lesson.”
Different past elements are drawn together in this fourth and final volume of Winter Demon. Fuyu takes Hakuin to a nearby healer when old wounds torment his weakened body. There the two meet the young doctor whose heart is at odds over his feelings for a demon named Ryuuto who has the power to heal but a dangerous sexual appetite. While Hakuin heals, he and Fuyu come to full terms with their current relationship while hoping to mend that of the doctor and Ryuuto with some ‘help’ from their acquaintance, the incubus Figaru.
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Author: Yamila Abraham
Artist: M.A. Sambre
Publisher: Yaoi Press
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: September 2008
Synopsis:
“Prince Davon yearns for a pure love with the peasant Aeon, but the dark forces that taint Davon’s life will interfere. Both Davon and Aeon become unsure of where they stand. Will they be lovers, or adversaries? The macabre story of twisted love, demons, and torture comes to a heart-wrenching conclusion.”
Volume three of Dark Prince marks the end of this boys’ love story of demons, gods and princes. Prince Davon is still struggling under the control of the abusive and selfish God, Pharah. Aeon, the young boy believed to be a reincarnation of a man named Rickus, stays at Davon’s side but Pharah wants the boy for himself. But when Davon is unable to convince Aeon of his God’s non-existent good side, Pharah orders Davon to kill him.
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Author: Calissa Leigh
Artist: Yishan Li
Publisher: Yaoi Press
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: March 2006
Synopsis: “Gin is falsely accused of murder and sacrificed to a demon. However, when the demon realizes his innocence, he takes pity and flies Gin to Aluria, a land of mystical creatures. But Gin is betrayed by a vampire named Kakale. And if things weren’t bad enough, Kakale casts a spell so that Gin looks like Kakale and Kakale looks like Gin. This is very bad for Gin considering Kakale is a wanted criminal…”
The Aluria Chronicles begins with the introduction of Gin, a pretty young slave boy who accidentally plays a key part in a man’s murder when trying to defend himself. Accused of the crime, he’s sacrificed to a demon as part of a larger scheme. But the demon takes pity on Gin, sensing his innocence, and instead whisks the sacrifice away to a land of mythical creatures.
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