Archive for May, 2009


Top 7 Things Every Young Artist or Writer Needs To Know

May 31st, 2009

The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art Festival is next weekend. I believe I have said this before, but I will keep saying it – if you go to one comic event a year, it should be this one. Comic-Con is fun, and it is interesting and cool and overwhelming, and it crosses a crazy number of media boundaries right now. But MoCCA is *AMAZING*. This is the home of independent, original, unique illustrative art in America. I get a total contact high off the sheer energy, talent and electricity of the people who gather there.

ALC Publishing will be there at the PRISM Comics booth. There’ll be fabulous, fun times there, so please drop by and meet some amazing comic artists from the only LGBTQ comics consortium that is full of awesome and win.

If you love independent comics, original ideas, meeting young artists and people who do what they want, the way they want, because they want to – the hardest row to hoe, but the most rewarding – MoCCA is the place to be. I feel more at home there than at any other event I’ve ever attended.

Because I’ll be there, yesterday on Twitter, I posted a few pieces of advice for young, upcoming artists. I get many queries, in person and by email, and I find that my answers to most of them go along the same lines. There are some rather harsh facts that most kids who want to “get into the industry” haven’t really thought through. Because professional artist and Twitter gadfly MariKurisato forced me suggested I do so, I’ve gathered these thoughts and offer these pieces of advice for you here.

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Top 7 Things Every Young Artist or Writer Needs To Know

7. No one is going to discover you if you sit home and draw/write for friends

Making your work public means you’ll risk criticism and ridicule. If you cannot deal with this, you will not make it as a professional artist or writer.

6. Putting your work on Deviantart/Your Blog is not “publishing.”

Your blog or website can definitely function as an online portfolio. But publishers do not trawl Deviantart or WordPress looking for new talent. *If* a publisher is interested in your work, they *may* take a moment to look at your website. Don’t be fooled into thinking that posting a webcomic irregularly means that you’ve published.

5. More than anything else, Publishers need you to meet a deadline without excuses.

No matter how much time you *think* you have, Life will invariably take most of it away. Your publisher does not care that your scanner broke, your dog was sick, work is making you do overtime. Deadlines are deadlines and must be met.

4. You are not as good an artist/writer as you (and your friends) think you are.

An editor or artistic director knows what makes a story or piece of art better. Listen to them, because you can gain valuable critical feedback from them. Don’t just roll your eyes and claim that it’s your “style.”

3. You may be an *amazing* artist/writer, but that won’t get you a job. Professionalism and flexibility will.

An editor may need you to draw in a slightly different way, or in a completely different style. It’s true that you want to develop your own work, but many artists start by doing assistant work for other artists. Being the go-to person is a good way to build up a great work reputation and experience. How you handle a request for this sort of thing will be a major factor in whether an editor or director turns to you later. Now is not the time to be a Diva.

2. What you do is not as important as who you know. Spend equal time on your networking as you do on your art.

Attend as many book or comic events as you can, get on Twitter and follow agents and editors. Meet and befriend agents, publishers, managers, art directors. Talk to people, listen to people and make an effort to be as visible as possible. Make a LinkedIn profile, join organizations, go to open networking events. You have no idea when your big break may happen, but if you’re at the right place at the right time with the right people, it’ll happen.

1. And lastly, no matter how stupid s/he is, your editor or publisher is always right.

Nobody likes criticism. The bottom line is – this is a job and you are a professional. Changes will be made and you will have to make them. Don’t explain why you did it that way, don’t whine. Listen to the people who are responsible for the publication and do what they need you to do the way they need you to do it. When you’re the editor or publisher, you can call the shots.

Extra Tip #1: Everyone is busy. None one has time for you. Before you email a publication, read the Submission Guidelines and **actually follow them.** Don’t email artwork if it says to not email artwork. Don’t focus on your experience writing historical drama, when the publisher is looking for superhero work. Start your email off with:

Dear Sir or Madam –

My name is /yourname/. I am writing to you to /why you are writing/.

Write a short, polite, coherent introduction, followed by a discussion of whatever it is you are writing about.

Do NOT write a long, rambling introduction of you, your story, your lifework.

You have 3 lines to impress the person on the other end that you are professional, coherent, sane and have some reasonable talent. 3 lines. That’s it. This is your chance to market your work – so, use those three lines wisely.

I hope that this gives you a clearer idea of what is important in “the industry.” Of course, I wish you all the very best of luck as well!





Yuri News This Week – May 30, 2009

May 30th, 2009

Once again, we are off in a blaze of Yuri!

Yuri Manga

From a conversation on the #lililicious channel on IRC, Erin S is pleased to report two new Yamaji Ebine books, Aoaza Shimi and Ai no Jikan. Be warned however that the second is not Yuri in any way – it’s about a possibly gay girl who falls in love with a definitely gay man after he saves her from being stabbed by a rapist. (It was a really depressing story, I read it for many chapters in Feel Comic.) The first title looks more promising.

Anonymous says that Gunsmith Cats Burst Volume 4 in English is tentatively due out in Autumn 2009 , while Volume 5 is planned for Spring 2010. (Yay!!!!!)

Coming next month from Ichijinsha is Butterfly 69, the collection from Natsuneko. Woot.

And double woot for Hayate x Blade 10 also hitting the shelves next month. The current arc is amazing, btw. :-D

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Yuri Anime

Sean reports back from the Funimation panel at Anime North, where he dutifully asked them about things that I care about. Sadly, they have said that sales for Lyrical Nanoha and Nanoha As have not been very good and so at this time there is no plan for a release of StrikerS. Which makes me wonder, yet again, why the lolicon of Japan are so willing to shell out money and the lolicon of the west so very not. I am not the only person in the industry who is of the opinion that most of the people who screamed bloody murder at the pulling of the Kodomo no Jikan license had no intention of ever buying it. I was discussing why this is with another industry professional at lunch yesterday. I joked that the lolicon here are too busy with their hands down their pants, they didn’t have time to put them in their pockets, but that was only to watch him snort milk. The truth is more complex. The audience in Japan for lolicon is older than it is here, it is less entitled, having not grown up with free downloadable illegal media, but that still isn’t the crux of the issue. In Japan, fans buy to show their love and support for a series and to gain status. They buy official goods and media to be part of the “real fan” club – to show that they are part of the team. In America, fans are mostly just consumers and don’t have any connection with showing loyalty by buying. A hand-made artist’s alley item that clearly is violating IP is *better* than the official item, because it leaves them with more money to buy more and it “supports” fan work – which to western fans is more crucial than supporting companies that make the original.

I can’t answer this, but I wonder if fans here would feel differently if the work was native. If they knew the artists who did the animation, the voices, the production and it was a western company that *made* the work, would they feel more likely to buy official, more expensive goods to support the company? I don’t know. I do know that lolicon here are exactly the demographic least likely to buy anything, media, goods, games, etc – college-ages males.

On to other marginally disappointing news, Funi also says that their agreement with Toei only covers online distribution, so there are no plans for a DVD release of Air Master. However, they said that if online views were really good, it might be considered. So, watch Air Master online. There’s, that’s easy.

Right Stuf announces a Gakuen Alice website launch.

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Yuri Drama CDs

sarcastic weasel wants you to know that the next Maria-sama ga Miteru Drama CD is slated to come out this July. Tears of the Rosary/ Yellow Rose Storm Warning has been added to the Yuricon Shop Drama CD Page along with all the Special CDs and many other great Yuri-themed DCDs.

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Snatches of Yuri

Dan wants to report a blink ‘I think that was Yuri’ moment in Zero no Tsukaima. He says: ‘Main character is Louise, a teenage student witch. A minor character is Agnes who is the captain of the all female guard for the princess. Well, the two are following a possible spy for another country when the spy hears a noise and back tracks. With no where to run, Agnes pulls Louise into a lip to lip kiss. The spy sees them and grins but leaves. Agnes remains all business tracking the spy but Louise blushes. Later, another character mentions that Agnes is scary and likes girls. Louise blushes more. That’s it. Nothing more. During the entire season, Louise is clearly in love with the other main character, Saito. If it had only been the kiss without the later comment, I would not have mentioned it. However, the random, not needed for the plot and not expanded comment about Agnes sounds to me (a huge Fanboy) like an attempt to keep GL fans interested. There is a third season but I would be surprised if the Agnes likes girls idea is explored. The plot would be greatly improved if the Agnes line was explored.”

Back closer to my world, Kanojo ha Megane-HOLIC brings together an agent, a high school, two girls and eyeglasses. It’s Light Novel that I’m tempted to read, just because it sounds absolutely idiotic. lol

Ame no Tou is a classic girl’s shousetsu about four girls and the love, hate and jealousy between them.

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Other Yuri News

In other Yuri News, there still no second season of Strawberry Panic planned and the live-action movie you thought you heard about is still actually Yoshida Akimi’s The Cherry Orchard.

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Which brings me to the end of another Yuri News Report.

I want to thank George for his lovely comment yesterday, about this being a real life version of Manako’s “Yuri Network.” That was quite touching. In reality, you wonderful people are the network – I’m just reporting the pieces. So, please write in with any tidbits of Yuri you would like people to know! It’s my pleasure to tell the world.

Have a great week next week – and here’s to even more fabulous Yuri news!

 





Yuri Drama CD: Ame-iro Kouchakan Kandan ~ Pink Princess

May 29th, 2009

Ame-iro Kouchakan Kandan Drama CD: Pink Princess is the Drama CD that came with the most recent volume of Comic Yuri Hime as a bonus. It’s meant to be a little taste of things to come for the ladies of the Ame-iro Kouchakan and, as a result, I had very reasonable expectations for plot, characters, running time, etc. The CD blew me away on everything but plot. It wasn’t that the plot was bad – it was that there is, in fact, very little plot possible when the entire story is a bunch of people talking about tea. :-)

The Ameiro Kouchakan has been developing a reputation, it seems, and two new customers have wandered in because of mysterious rumors about the place. It turns out that the newcomers are Saotome Manaka-sensei, the author of the St. Lotecia books (first introduced in “Otome-iro Stay Tuned” from Yuri Hime S) and her number one superfan and new editor, Shiko. Mana-chan-sensei wants something to bring excitement and happiness to a girl’s heart, so Sarasa creates a disgusting delicious Strawberry Creme tea that is *exactly* what the author was looking for!

We spend a little time listening to Mana-chan-sensei and Editor Shiko-chan, and it’s not hard to see that Shiko is quite besotted with the youthful author who, in turn, has pegged Sarasa and Seriho as a couple…as soon as they get around to it.

Sarasa asks where Mana-chan-sensei learned of the tea shop and is told in no uncertain terms that Manako’s “Yuri Network” told her it had a great atmosphere. :-)

Everyone parts happily, and the main cast wonders what will happen with Mana and Shiko, which, we are assured will be covered in the full Drama CD that comes with the deluxe version of the first volume of Ame-iro Kouchakan Kandan, “White Engage.”

Oh, hey, did I mention that Mana-chan-sensei is voiced by Tamura Yukari? Oh, yes, she is. Mizuki Nana is Sarasa. Playing 6 degrees of Yuri is always fun with them, because it’s like, 1/10th of a degree. :-) Shiko is voiced by Horie Yui, who voiced Yasuna in Kashimashi ~ Girl Meets Girl.

The nicest thing about this DCD? For a insert in the magazine it had a more than 30 minute run-time. Extra super nice, in my book. … Even if strawberry cream tea sound utterly gagariffic to me. ^_^

Ratings:

Characters – 8
Story – 7
Yuri – 5
Service – 1

Overall – 8

The CD is decorated to look like a lace doily. Too cute. ^_^





Yuri Manga: Yuri Hime Wildrose, Volume 3 (百合姫 Wildrose)

May 28th, 2009

Let’s get the most damning thing about Yuri Hime Wildrose, Volume 3 (百合姫Wildrose) out of the way right up front. When I picked it up today to review it, I couldn’t remember a single story in it, although I had only re(!)read it a week ago. After I picked it up and flipped through the volume I remembered a few of the stories, but having set it down again more than ten minutes ago, they are already slipping from my mind. This is not a good thing. But that aside, it’s a fine addition the the Wildrose series.

Mistukuni Hachime, of Gokujou Drops fame, brings it on with “Netemo Sametemo,” which seems just about the most straight-on schoolgirl item in the book.

“Closet Daisakusen’ started off with action and I thought, “woo-hoo, we’re gonna get us some girls with guns,” but no, it was a peeping tom/sex in the closet story.

Nanzaki Iku, aka Doropanda Tours, brings in entirely new, yet completely identical ShizNat stand-ins for more semi-public sex and a mild plot complication.

Amano Shuninta’s “Sweet Exercise” was quite…sweet. A curvaceous woman, Umi, worries that she’s too heavy and tries to diet herself thin only to learn that her curves are what her girlfriend Morii likes.

There were a number of other stories, of course, but none that really stepped up to be more than the sum of its parts.

The impression left behind by the overall volume is one of what the Japanese and many western fans refer to as “ecchi”-ness. It’s titillation of the “sorority sisters’ lingerie party” sort. There’s peeping and cosplay and teasing and bonbons and teacher/student and a bunch of other sorts of tee-hee kind of stuff. Much like Volume 1 and Volume 2. This is what Yuri Hime Wildrose is. It’s a collection of twitter, twitter “ecchi” stories. As Monty Python so brilliantly put it, “wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more.”

Ratings:

Art – Variable, as good as 8 at times. Which times are entirely up to personal taste. ^_^
Stories – 6-7
Characters – 6-7
Yuri – 9
Service – 10

Overall – 7 for me, probably 8 or 9 for others.

Before you ask – the reason it gets a 9 for Yuri and not a 10 is because the sex seems more for intended for the reader than for the characters. The cover art says it all – they are looking at us, not each other. And that, in a nutshell, is why I like but do not love the Wildrose anthologies.





Ray the Animation (Polish)

May 27th, 2009

My brain is doing its weekly explosion and so it is with relief pleasure that I turn to our Guest correspondent, Winterbraid, for another fun-filled review of a Polish anime release. Once again, everyone please welcome Winterbraid!

The company which released Haibane Renmei also did Ray the Animation recently. I picked it up on impulse as a gift for a Black Jack fan – at that time I didn’t even know that the manga had been previously reviewed on Okazu, but also rated 5 in Yuri! Well, I can’t speak of the manga, but… Although the anime Ray now officially uses the full name and image of Black Jack, everyone`s favourite rogue surgeon gets a cameo only in the beginning and towards the end of the series; Akaribon totally fails as a Pinoko substitute; plus, once again we are reminded of the ancient truth that sekuhara=love.

The plot is in fact a lot of massively overused cliches blended together into an only occasionally edible meal. The bad guy is the spitting image of Ano Hito from Excel Saga (no, seriously), and the (loser) boy gets the girl in the end – which we all knew was going to happen anyway…; I only hoped he’d make an heroic sacrifice, and in fact he was close to that at one point; his survival was probably the second “Graaah!” moment in my history of anime watching. (The first was when Kazumi decided to go after Jun in ep. 22 of Devilman Lady.)
^-^;

Ratings:

I give the Story a rating of 4 points; +2 for the action, +2 for Ray`s cases (which were only good because they were made similar to Black Jack`s cases), +1 for the fact that it has an ending and -1 because the ending sucks.

Director Sawa gets 2 points for Characters.

Art gets a 7 because characters look their age, could be more if it wasn`t for the abuse of nurse fetish, dramatic stills and other visual cliches.

Music: doesn’t ring a bell.

Service: 8 points (+5 for the romance, +5 for nurses, -2 for the art).

As far as Yuri is concerned, I’d issue a generous rating of 0 points (+1 if you count economical bedsharing as Yuri, +1 if you think that Ray is a badass dyke; I think she’s just a spoiled tsundere brat).

Localization: OK, I guess.

I’m too lazy to calculate the overall score, but I guess it’s around 3. So the overall rating is: better grab some Black Jack books, then some action anime with actual Yuri in it, and then any tsundere romance if you`re into that. ^-^

(What is economical bedsharing? It’s “there is only one bed and we`re both girls anyway so it’s all right” bedsharing.)

Erica here: LOL! I haven’t seen the anime, although I’ve read all the manga and all I can say is – that seems pretty spot on to me. Winterbraid, you made me snort with laughter twice. Write more reviews.