Comics I've been reading (Patreon)
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Hi everyone! It's Ananth. I thought it might be fun to talk about what I've been reading lately. My relationship with comics is sort of complicated in that I always love making them, but sometimes my interest dips in reading them. I'm definitely in a dip! Which is going to make this list look insane, because I guess it's not really short:
Kowloon Generic Romance by Jun Mayuzuki - Love this series, the first volume is especially strong. Hard to describe-- it's the tale of an everyday romance unfolding in Kowloon Walled City with a sci-fi bent. I just read V4 and was wondering if it was spinning its wheels too much, but we got a bit of intrigue and I got sucked back in.
Yakuza Fiance by Asuka Konishi - The daughter of a mob boss from the country becomes politically engaged to the son of a mob boss in Tokyo. The son is a bit of a psycho, but it turns out the daughter is a bit of a psycho herself. I said this elsewhere, but this is probably what someone would call 'problematic' in 2015 terms, so fair warning.
Delicious in Dungeon by Ryoko Kui - Probably doesn't need any introduction. I love all the twists and turns the characters take.
Outlanders by Johji Manabe - I was gifted the first ten issues by a friend and finally got around to reading them. Aliens invade earth! If you're ok with that like... kind of wholesome 90s ecchi vibe, then I'd say these were pretty fun. I was telling Yuko they feel like a cross between Slayers and Rumiko Takahashi. Unfortunately these seem difficult to find-- they were released by Dark Horse years ago, and gorgeously translated by Studio Proteus, which means the pages all got flipped and all the SFX got beautifully re-rendered. I'm on the lookout for more Johji Manabe comics from that era, now. I was unfamiliar with his work.
Mermaid Saga by Rumiko Takahashi - Takahashi is one of my all-time favorite authors, so I do the thing where I don't read her entire catalog at once-- I try to leave myself to enjoy every couple of years. So anyway, I read it and it was really good! I loved it. I had no idea she had so much range. Mermaid Saga's about a guy who eats mermaid flesh and becomes immortal, so now he's looking for a mermaid to release him from eternal life. The stories jump around in time in a super satisfying way. It's ends kind of open-ended (was it cancelled?), which feels appropriate.
PEOW #2 by Jane Mai - This is a collection of Jane Mai's convention and travel stories. She has a sharp tongue and she's so funny, and she also gets a little real. It was really good-- the first book that made me laugh out loud in years. Full disclosure: Yuko and I make an appearance, and Jane recorded it very true to life.
My Dress-Up Darling by Shinichi Fukuda - I got turned onto this by the anime first. It's such a sweet series!
I'd love to hear about what you're reading right now, comics or otherwise! Feel free to comment.