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This star means that the title or site is recommended especially for younger teens
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The first thing most people think of when they think of comics are superheroes -- superhuman strength, flying, miraculous rescues and supervillains. Comics, as you discover as you wander through this site, can and do do a lot more than that, and some of the best of the format are those that have no superpowers or magic in them at all. The everyday stories, the events that happen to you and me every day. Enjoy.
Jump to a title:
Age of Reptiles
Azumanga Daioh
Blue Monday
Boys Over Flowers
Cheeky Angel
Clan Apis
Confidential Confessions
Crossroad
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Dropsie Avenue
Escapo
Ghost World
Here is Greenwood
Hopeless Savages
Kill Me, Kiss Me
Long Hot Summer
Love as a Foreign Language
Mother, Come Home
9-11: Stories to Remember
Nodame Contabile
Noodle Fighter Miki
Offbeat
Only the Ring Finger Knows
Othello
Paradise Kiss
Steady Beat
Strangers in Paradise: High School
Subway Series
Tale of One Bad Rat
WJHC
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No talking T-Rexes here, thankfully -- Ricardo Delgato, with a keen eye and detailed research has created a wordless and beautiful book all about the lives of the dinosaurs. Impressive for it's sense of space and time, this series manages to give we mammals a sense of that alien world so long lost, vibrant, dangerous, and closer to home than we might want to believe. review by robin |
Azumanga Diaoh
Volume 1 Azumanga Daioh: The Manga came first. Then there was Azumanga Daioh: The Animation. Please note the helpful explanatory titles.This is not your typical manga and the anime is not your typical animation. Azumanga Daioh was published in short bursts. Think of it as a comic strip and the manga is the compilation of these strips. The manga is the story (or many many many stories) of six high school students and two of their teachers. Because they're so short, there's no particular depth to the series and no overall story arc, just quick, light snapshots of the characters and moments in their daily lives. Some are funny, some are cute, and some make no sense at all-- I assume some of this is a translation issue. I have mixed feelings about the series. I genuinely like and enjoy these characters and there are moments of real humor. Azumanga Daioh is refreshing, light, and different from anything else out there. It's also incredibly popular among anime and manga fans. But ultimately it all moves so quickly and the lack of an overall story arc kind of bothers me. Personally, I'm not sure this is a fair criticism, because it was never meant to have an overall structure, it's a comic strip, but having said that, the manga just doesn't quite hold my attention. I'm just not sure how much of my time I'm willing to give it. Then again, it's sweet, it's fun, and the girls are really lovable. I say give it a quick look to decide for yourself. review by katie |
The aptly named, cobalt maned Bleu has the kind of problems every girl can relate to -- while her girl friends are undeniably loyal and fabulous, her guy friends are crude, hormone-driven lechs who are tempting her to give up on the whole gender once and for all. If only she could get tickets to that concert by her idol, the beautiful rock highwayman Adam Ant, she knows she could die happy. That is, until a dreamboat new substitute arrives and arrives throws a wrench in all of Bleu's well laid plans. Chynna Clugston-Majors, drawing art inspiration from manga, has created a heartfelt and raucously funny teen comedy -- and keep an eye out for the soundtrack noted in every scene!
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Tsukushi is the name for a Japanese weed, and like a weed, Tsukushi Makino is a survivor. While this damsel in distress does get rescued once or twice by the enigmatic Rui (he's a member of the F4, but is he like the others?), it's not like she was waiting around. Unlike many shoujo heroines, Tsukushi's not afraid to challenge the boys physically. Stunned by her resistance, Tsukushi's classmates start to wake up and defy the F4's rules. In a plot reminiscent of the Ç80's classic Pretty in Pink, Domyoji (the ringleader of the F4) is intrigued and tries to buy Tsukushi's compliance. Domyoji starts to seem genuinely smitten; could the boy who hired students to rape Tsukushi (they failed) possibly reform? At the same time, Tsukushi is developing a crush on Rui. What's behind his careless facade? Could he ever have feelings for her? Just like in Pretty in Pink, our heroine has to choose whether to stay in her own social world or enter an unfamiliar realm of wealth and status-seeking. Readers will cheer as Tsukushi uses her strength and her wits to stay ahead of her enemies. I highly recommend Boys Over Flowers for any teen library collection. Three volumes have been released to date, with a fourth coming soon. review by jen |
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In elementary school Megumi Amatsuka was a young hoodlum whose only ambition was to become "the manliest man on earth." When he ran afoul of a sorcerer and relied on his martial arts skills to get him out of a sticky situation, Megumi's future was changed forever and he was transformed into Megumi Amatsuka, a "woman among women." Six years later, Megumi's the hottest girl in her new high school but still can't resign herself to her new gender, preferring to solve problems with her fists rather than admit she's going to be a girl forever. Enter Genzo Soga, a teenage gangster who rules the school with an iron fist, doling out beatings to the boys and broken hearts to the girls in equal measure. Soga sees Megumi as just another pretty face until she decks him with a punch. Under the sardonic eye of her best friend Miki, Megumi tries to fend off Genzo's advances while constantly chafing at the restrictions and complexities of social life from a woman's point of view. From behind a black eye Soga starts to rethink his bad boy image as well, wondering what lengths a guy has to go to to win the heart if this feisty "angel." Silly title aside, Cheeky Angel is a good read for its snappy dialogue, its enchanting fight scenes, and most of all for Nishimori's astute take on high school gender relations. How does a boy communicate? With kicks and punches. How does a girl get her point across? Always with words. Of course it's never that simple. As Megumi discovers, trying to learn girliness like a second language will leave you with more questions than answers about girls and about boys. reviews by alison |
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Many of us have a very distinct image of evolution, born of science classes and popular myth. We can almost see that brave creature, a cross between a fish and a frog, taking it's first tentative steps onto land, forging ahead into the barren wilderness that would someday produce humanity. How egotistical we all are. As Jay Hosler very rightly points out, the world was already teeming with life: insect life. Clan Apis is a funny, tender, and (gasp) educational journey through the life of one smart-mouthed honeybee, Nyuki. She makes her way from a tremulous larva to a full-fledged pollen gatherer with the help of her tireless sister Dvorah, her garrulous but dim brother Zambur, and the magnificent Queen of her hive. Also not to be missed are her friends outside the hive, from paranoid flower Bloomington to practical dung-beetle Sisyphus. Another title that provokes giggling at inappropriate times, Clan Apis also features an excellent behind the scenes look at the author's inspiration and work with bees. review by robin |
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Confidential Confessions is a departure from your average shoujo manga; there's no comedy of errors, no magic, and harsh realities intrude on romance. Following in the tradition of teen "problem" novels about drugs, sexual assault, and suicide, this series tackles tough issues that teens face. While there are subtle differences between Japanese and American teens' problems, Confidential Confessions will no doubt resonate with American readers. Volume 1 contains two stories: "The Door" deals with the allure of suicide, "Mistakes" with prostitution. While the second tale (about a teen prostitute and the free-spirited street performer who renews her faith in love) is a bit clichéd, the first is excellent. Manatsu's father abandoned her and her mother years ago, but her mother still hangs his shirts out their window to dry in a futile attempt to keep up appearances. Unable to live up to her mother's expectations, Manatsu flirts with the idea of suicide. Then she meets Asparagus, so-nicknamed because of her skinny arms. Asparagus does more than flirt with suicide; she introduces Manatsu to cutting as a way to escape her pain. The two girls make a pact to die together, but as Manatsu approaches the edge she discovers that she wants to live. "The Door" is a compelling, believable story that manages to end hopefully without any pat resolutions. Confidential Confessions deals with some raw subject matter, but it's no more explicit than most teen "problem" novels. Readers who seek out such books will take this series to heart. It's an important addition to the variety of graphic novels for teens. The series will be six volumes in all. review by jen |
Crossroad In a world of step-families, honorary siblings and friends who become family, the definition of the requisite components for a family unit is breaking down. With more and more families straining, shattering and then recombining, the children of these rotating unions undoubtedly have the worst time. Just when you think life has settled down, someone leaves, someone new arrives, and no one feels like home. In family life love, loyalty, affection, charity, and support all mix together with obligation, guilt, loneliness, and rivalry. It can be difficult to remember why everyone stays in the same boat until an act of solidarity reminds everyone it's better than being in the ocean, treading water alone. Crossroad is all about family. When a last guardian grandmother dies, three once-siblings (none blood related and now almost strangers) discover the only way they can escape more foster care is to live together. Their flighty "mother" Rumiko, who is also related to none of them by blood, takes off for Venezuala after the funeral and leaves behind yet another daughter of unknown origin, six year old Satsuki. Loner Kajitsu convinces her estranged "brothers" Natsu and Taro to try to stick together, insisting they need to create their own family to make up for their various parents' sins. None of the three are accustomed to "normal" family life and have grown thick-skinned after years of disappointment, slights, and betrayal. Kajitsu, Taro, and Natsu muddle through as idealized memories of their past together collide with their grown-up reality filled with awkward hormones, rent to pay, and the burden of taking care of their young charge. Taro is the eldest, but when he slaps Kajitsu in a moment of anger, it's clear that he won't be the one to hold everyone together. Kajitsu, stubborn and prone to angry outbursts, struggles to keep the family functioning. Natsu, academically brilliant and emotionally withdrawn, maintains a calculated distance far from his childhood optimism. Crossroad, in style and willingness to address teens' harsher personality traits, is the closest manga I've seen to what's known as "issue" novels in teen fiction. Gone are the iconic bishonen and perky schoolgirls of so many high school melodramas. While Natsu is dishy enough, Kajitsu is a refreshingly prickly heroine with little glamor but the best of intentions. The art is less glossy, making everything feel accessible while focusing attention on the characters' plight rather than their outfits. All the honesty in this flawed family portrait makes you wince but also care so that by the time Natsu finally cracks a genuine smile, you want to hug him along with Kajitsu. The minefield of teen hormones (remember, none of them are actually related and haven't seen each other in seven years) coming into play is a bit surprising. Trying to be a family and romancing housemates at the same time would certainly confuse matters -- but the subject is handled with humor and a light touch that makes it less creepy and more simply realistic. Crossroad is full of questions and a search for identity, just like most fifteen year olds. The continuing volumes promise more sharp observations, giggles, and emotional misunderstandings -- the heart of every family. review by robin |
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Minnie Goetze is fifteen years old when she writes the first page of her diary, the sequel to Gloeckner's A Child's Life. As the months go by, Minnie's initial revelation that she is sleeping with her mother's 35-year-old boyfriend becomes commonplace as her entries describe about two years worth of experiences that seem calculated to horrify grown-up readers. In many ways, what Diary does best is to show how a young teenager can adjust to a life of exploitative sexual encounters, drugs, academic failure, and nonexistent parental supervision until these incidents seem normal and no longer shocking. Minnie eventually finds some stability and continuity on her own, but it is a painful journey for the reader to watch her blunder from one disaster to another ² the story indicts almost every adult (and many of the peers) Minnie encounters with the self-serving abuse of everyone around them. Minnie's final self-realization at the end of the novel is satisfying, but Gloeckner never lets her story rest for long in a moment when everything seems like it will turn out well. Readers are left with a keen sense of Minnie's worry and hopelessness, but also without a sense that Minnie will ever be emotionally mature enough to help herself, or to find anyone she can trust. One of Minnie's few unqualified pleasures is comics. San Francisco in the mid-70's was home to one of the largest enclaves of "alternative" comic artists in the country, and the cameo appearances of R. Crumb, Aline Kominsky, and others throughout the story provide a lot of fun for both Minnie and any graphic-novel aficionados in her audience. Watching Minnie's artwork evolve as she chronicles her life in alternating typewriten text, traditional cartoon frames, singles images, and full-page comics can be more satisfying then her frustrating emotional journey. I don't think it would be a long shot to suggest that "comics save the day" in this story. In Minnie's experience, harmful and exploitative influences surround teens as they begin to explore the world on their own, but graphic novels and cartoon art provide a haven of safe and creative self-expression. review by Alison |
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There's a general perception, somehow, that small town life holds the key to community in this country. That's where you find the tales of ancestors past, traditions passed from generation to generation, and intimate knowledge of everyone and everything worth knowing. Will Eisner, known as one of the greats of comic art, is also a confirmed city-dweller, specifically New York and all its distinctive burroughs, histories, and neighborhoods. With Dropsie Avenue, he tells us in no uncertain terms that small town America has nothing on one street in New York. All of the petty differences, new ideas, and old traditions mix on the Avenue, forcing some old timers to leave in disgust just as new residents arrive with new hope. Taking us all the way from Colonial New Amsterdam to today's suburbanite glory, this epic story elegantly proves that old adage, the more things change, the more things stay the same. review by robin |
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The circus has always held a great allure for storytellers ² who can resist the wonderful contradictions of the center ring and the freak show, the blaring showmanship and the everyday lives of the performers? In Escapo, Paul Pope draws inspiration from a very familiar circus trope: scarred but talented escape artist Escapo loves the beautiful trapeze artist, though she seems to be unmoved by his affection. Working his way through a series of terrifying escape machines, Escapo tries to figure out if he can profess his feelings or if he should simply leave well enough alone. Pope's fluid and sinuous black and white style lends the long moments of escape and contemplation energy and melancholy beauty. You'll also find that though this tale has been told many times, this time around it doesn't work quite as you'd expect, with a satisfying and affirming finish. review by robin |
| Enid faces the summer after high school with no direction, little ambition, and is armed only with the ability to snidely quote from pop culture and play practical jokes on unsuspecting acquaintances. Her partner in crime, Rebecca, despite once embracing aimlessness, is beginning to become one of "them" -- getting a job, admitting responsibility, and just generally growing up. The waiting and awkward situations that permeate this book are at times uncomfortable but the characters are so riveting simply because they are so true. This title is best for older teens, and in general may not fit within a teen collectiondue to language and some bits of content -- the intended audience is more adult, but this title certainly attracts its share of teens readers. review by robin |
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Pity the lovelorn teenager! His older brother has married the girl Kazuya Hasukawa has a crush on, dooming him to a lonely life of angst and schoolwork at prestigious Ryokuto Academy. Rather than being allowed to mope in peace over the loss of his first love, Hasukawa is catapulted into the midst of a motley collection of tricksters and ne'er-do-wells who inhabit his new dorm: Greenwood, home of the weirdoes. Like Robin Hood's merry men, Hasukawa's hall mates attempt to cheer him upü by any means necessary. And so begins another brilliant career in an all-boys school, punctuated by practical jokes, gender-bending roommate hijinks, a haunting, and plenty of homework. Nasu's sense of humor ranges from the wacky to the completely bizarre, from Valentine's Day with a bevy of middle-school groupies to a runaway rock star. Hasukawa's brooding, his roommate Shun's flighty overtures of friendship, and all the repercussions of a little too much teasing make me feel like I've traveled back in time to a high school somewhere between Hogwarts and my own. Here is Greenwood will appeal to fans of comedy and pretty-boys alike as its crew of characters blunder towards adulthood. reviews by alison |
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Dirk Hopeless and Nikki Savage were the king and queen of punk rock. They lived fast, broke all the rules, and incited youthful rebellion. Then they cleaned up, got married, and had kids. Now, the Hopeless-Savages are a loving family of five-- well, six if you count Rat Hopeless-Savage, the eldest, who rebelled in the only way he could: by changing his name and becoming a yuppie executive. His desertion still upsets teenage Skank Zero Hopeless-Savage, the baby of the family and a would-be rock star herself. Zero is our narrator in Hopeless Savages, a story of crooked record producers, skinheads, fistfights, and other facts of family life. When enemies from the past kidnap Dirk and Nikki, the remaining Hopeless-Savage family must re-unite with their older brother to save the day. Read more... The Complete Series |
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"In the history of bad ideas, I am now convinced most of them involve cross-dressing." So speaks Tae, the heroine of Kill Me, Kiss Me, an entertaining new manhwa (Korean print comic). This title plays on gender stereotypes and teenage romance, poking fun in a way that touches Shakespearean comedy rather than the more pedestrian manga gender slapstick. Tae, our heroine, thinks she's got the perfect plan: when she learns her idol, teen model and bad boy Kun, goes to her identical cousin's all boys school, she launches a plan to switch places with her cousin and thus gain the friendship of the man she's desperate to woo. Never mind her cousin, the very male Jung-Woo, will have to switch over to her all-girls school. Never mind that Jung-Woo is a bullied and isolated outsider who is quite happy to dump his less than perfect life on Tae for a land of beautiful babes. Before Tae begins to understand just what she's gotten herself into, she manages to end up both the target of gang leader Ga-Woon as well as a focus of the beautiful Kun's attention. Will she manage to land a date with her ideal boy, or will she discover that the ideal is not what she really wants? The dialogue in this volume is a delight -- humorous and full of just the right amount of comradery and hesitant confessions to make any reader laugh and wince right along with the characters. The art shows off the usual pointy chins and elfin grace of that distinguishes Korean comics and is animated enough to lend the fights energy and tender moments pathos. Most happily, the gender switching for Tae and Jung-Woo is more of a learning experience about just what it means to be the opposite sex rather than just an excuse for embarrassed tittering. Tae embraces her fighting side while Jung-Woo admits he dances better as a girl. All in all, a refreshing title full of shaded, human characters caught up in a whirlwind plot that will make you giggle, sigh, and cheer. review by robin |
Long Hot Summer Long Hot Summer is the story of Steve, sort of. Here's what I know about Steve: He's 22 and he's a mod. That's about all I can tell you. The description on the back cover tells me it's 1988, but reading the story, the setting and time could easily be today, the sixties, or the eighties. Steve could be a college student, a banker, or a fish wrangler. My personal guess is that, with all the emphasis on it being summer, and given Steve's age, that the characters are in college or just graduated. The lack of contextual details on the setting and the characters is a little disconcerting. Everything feels very flat. The art is the same: black and white, with very solid lines and outlines. It looks more like a coloring book at times, but McKelvie is clearly working a particular style, and it does have its moments. Adrian Tomine and Dan Clowes however, both mange a similar style with a bit more depth and personality to it. The story of Long Hot Summer is simple. Steve's friend Ken has met a girl. She decides that she likes Steve better, which leads to some heartbreak and some yelling. Unfortunately the story doesn't particularly do much beyond that and ultimately, while the reader's sympathies are aligned somewhat with Steve, most of the characters-- particularly Ken-- come across as fairly unlikable by the end.The moral to the story is probably that love is imperfect and that looking for it involves hits, misses, and mistakes. It's a good point, a rather universal truth, but I can't help feeling that McKelvie could have put a little more work in into delivering it. review by katie |
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Fish out of water stories always make one sympathize with the hero, recognizing how frustrating, irritating, and occasionally exhilarating the risk of living in a new place can be. In this case, our hero is Joel, a Canadian in Korea working as an English teacher. Unfortunately for Joel, after a year in Korea the irritations are far outweighing the moments of contentment. It's been months since Joel felt the thrill of finding his world exotic and interesting rather than wearisome and off-putting. He hasn't been comfortable in what feels like an age and sees no hope for any change on the horizon. Tired of feeling out of sync with his entire world, he's more and more convinced that it's time to retreat. Torres and Kim do an excellent job of showing all of the needling moments when Joel feels lost, from sitting on the train on the way to work to eating a tasty snack without having any idea what it is until too late. Many of the panels are wordless, showing how much Joel is both lonely and in self-imposed isolation in his refusal to learn Korean. After the third battle with an apparently un-killable beetle who's decided to take up residence in his rooms, Joel finally breaks. Then life throws him a twist. He meets Hana, the foxy new Korean secretary for his institution. Can love renew his desire to stay? Eric Kim's art has a manhwa flair to it that works well considering the location of the story and the expressions and pacing of his panels are priceless. J. Torres knows just how to pace the dialogue to match the many scenes of quiet and maintains a sense of humor throughout that keeps the bitterness from being too heavy. All in all, a romantically hopeful comic that suits any middle school or high school collection, especially in a world where more and more teens are yearning to travel east. review by robin |
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Mother, Come Home is one of the most disturbing and emotionally devastating graphic novels I've read in a long while. In fact, ever. This novel revolves around a father and son, the narrator Thomas, struggling to regain their footing after Thomas's mother dies. His father, lost in a fog of grief and denial, does his best to stick to routine. Unable to escape the mounting evidence that his wife will not return, however, he soon fails to keep up with daily life and his own son's existence. Thomas, determined to keep order, takes over the house, covers for his father's absences, and clings to everyday tasks, giving them the weighty significance of keeping his mother assured that their life will continue as she would have wanted. The burden on a ten year old boy taking care of his emotionally lost father is never melodramatically presented but instead presses in slowly. Thomas is slowly sapped of the feeling he is doing any good until only the routine is left. When his uncle and aunt intrude upon their bleak home, insisting Thomas's father enter an asylum and Thomas come to live with them, both father and son are broken out of habit but not of loss. This outwardly seeming saving grace instead pushes Thomas into a world too forcefully cheerful and determined to make him normal. Thomas cannot begin again until he sees his father one last time, leading to a heartbreaking but necessary conclusion that lets them finally express their grief, though the return to life will not be possible for them both. The palette of the art is muted but rich, and the style suits the melancholy air of the unfolding tension, full of details while the excellent use of panels and layout push the story forward. The sensory details of Thomas's lion mask, a treasured gift from his mother, to the feel of the corduroy of his father's jacket make the story palpable and painful. The themes, of what it means to let go, to give mercy, and to live with such decisions, are eloquently addressed in the silences, when such questions seem to matter the most. This is not for all teens, given the hopeless atmosphere, but for many the reflection of loss, guilt, and family loyalty is true and resonant. review by robin |
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In the aftermath of 9/11, many authors, columnists, reporters, and filmmakers attempted to put their feelings into their art. The comics industry was no exception. Within a month, all of the major publishers worked together to produce a series of graphic novels collecting a star list of authors' reactions and stories from that unforgettable day. The breadth of talent and experience that went into these books is astounding unto itself, and as the stories begin to process the damage and rekindle hope, so can the reader. review by robin |
Nodame Cantabile:
Volume 1 Nodame Cantabile is about music and the joy that comes when you play from your heart. Shinichi and Nodame are music students with two very different approaches to life and music, but who always seem to play their best when performing together.Shinichi wants to become a conductor, he's been training since he was a little boy. His ego, however, leads to some rather bossy behavior. Nodame is a slob, a scatterbrain, and seems more interested in food than her music, but she's an incredibly talented pianist which is something Shinichi respects. I give you three guesses where their relationship is going.Actually, since this is just the first of many volumes, I'm not quite sure where the story will go, but I think it's safe to suspect romance is on the horizon. At least, if Nodame starts bathing regularly. In any case, the characters are fun, the setting feels unique, and the artwork is wonderful. Instead of the traditional wide-eyed, long legged manga characters, these characters look like real kids. Every character looks unique and emotion shows itself clearly in their facial expressions. I'm definitely interested in seeing and reading more.In addition to this, I have to add that Del Rey is rapidly becoming my favorite manga publisher. Each volume comes with explanations about translation choice, cultural information at the beginning of the manga, and little explanations throughout. They're staying as close to the original as possible and taking the time to make sure the reader can understand and enjoy it. review by katie |
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Our heroine is Miki, a loud, incredibly strong girl who works for her mother in the family noodle shop. Unfortunately, Miki has a tendency to get massively distracted while on the job. Deliveries go undelivered and customers are bullied out of the shop or scared away by Miki's displays of temper. And believe me, she has a temper. As someone strong enough to throw grown men, Miki is a force to be reckoned with. All in all, she is not doing the best job working for her mother and getting the noodles to the customers. Overall, the idea behind Noodle Fighter Miki is incredibly fun. Miki is loud, brash, mildly crazy, and quite amusing. However, the story itself moves at a breakneck speed from scene to scene with little to no time spent on setting up a story line or even developing an individual scene. In the first manga alone there are eleven separate stories. Most mangas I've encountered have between two and four! After trying to read and understand four or five stories, I was pretty exhausted. I found the stories far too short and, as a result, very confusing. If the writer had taken more time with them, Miki could have been quite enjoyable, but the writer didn't and ultimately, one large headache later, I recommend that you pass. review by katie |
Off*beat For a lot of manga readers, the attempts at creating manga-style comics here in the U.S. have only very occasionally been successful (Chynna Clugston being one woman who’s pulled it off.) All too often, creators adopt the style without understanding it, almost as if they say to themselves, “Ok, big eyes, simplified heads, and the occasional blush, and boom! Manga.” Of course, that misses an enormous amount of what makes manga appealing and unique. So, when Tokyopop launched its new line of manga from U.S. creators, many manga readers were and are dubious. Happily, I can report that the folks they’ve got creating these titles know what they’re doing – they’re obviously fans and take their time both paying homage to the original Japanese traditions as well as really making them their own. Off*beat is a great example. While the presentation has all of the trademarks of a shojo manga with BL tendencies, it also feels very American. Most notable is the setting – the background is pure U.S. city, specifically Brooklyn, and all of the incidents of traveling really drive the point home that we’re not in Tokyo. At the same time, the story really does mirror some classic shojo set ups. Tory, a smart but relatively lonely teenager, becomes more than a little intrigued by his silent, private new neighbor Colin. In the way that curiosity can become a minor obsession, Tory notices that no one ever seems to be home next door, that Colin is frequently ill but never seems to suffer consequences for it. In place of a family he is watched by a mysterious, middle-aged guardian. Colin himself is silent to the point of being a ghost and seems very resistant to forming any friendships with anyone, let alone Tory. At first Tory’s behavior borders on stalking, but as he keeps researching he starts to realize that it’s really not all in his head. There is definitely something going on next door, and maybe he shouldn’t poke his nose in where it doesn’t belong. Then again, like any good researcher, he can’t let it go until he finds the truth. It’s unclear just what Tory feels for Colin, and in fine Japanese tradition, he doesn’t yet know how to articulate it himself nor is it likely to be resolved any time soon. That kind of tension has been fodder for many a successful shojo title, and I for one am very curious to see how the series will play out. Jen Lee Quick’s art certainly borrows from manga’s conventions but is also very much her own, and the combination works. review by robin |
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Only the Ringer Finger Knows, based on a prose novel, is one of the best titles for introducing the romantic subgenre of shonen-ai/yaoi (boy's love) in any library. The story follows Wataru Fujii, an ordinary junior struggling through high school and passing the time tracking the trend of students using rings as cues: couples wear matched rings on their left ring finger, singles wear rings on their right middle finger. Senior Yuichi Kazuki, admired throughout the school as handsome, kind and popular, is the object of every girl's affection. Every time a girl screws up the courage to ask him out, however, he politely declines. Wataru can't care less until he runs into Kazuki and the two boys discover they wear matching rings. Wataru is flabbergasted but relatively unfazed until Kazuki snipes contemptuously at him and rushes out of the room. Irritated but curious as to how someone so universally acknowledged as kind could be so rude, Wataru attempts to figure out where he took a wrong step. To complicate things, Wataru's sister appears to succumb to Kazuki's charms and sends Wataru on a romantic errand to Kazuki, starting a sequence of more confusing confrontations. In many ways this romance falls into the traditional pattern of two characters who can't do anything but provoke each other until they realize the reason they're so prickly is not repulsion, but attraction. These characters act like teenagers, full of awkwardness and confused by their own hormones, and the rocky road to love is understandable once all of the pieces fall into place and confessions are made. In terms of content, some steamy sexual tension and a few good kisses are all you get, but it's just the right amount for the story. The art here is above par and the focus on slender hands and fingers both set off the rings as key plot points and gestures, ratcheting up the tension in a single touch. You understand why Wataru shivers. review by robin |
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If you enjoyed Mars, or like the traditional girl-hero, boy in the wings, fun high school drama, go read Othello. Go go go, because this is heaps of fun! Othello (no relation to anything by Shakespeare so far) centers around Yaya, a girl with some rotten friends who's way too much of a pushover. Yaya knows it, but she's also lonely and the idea of leaving the only friends she has behind really scares her. What to do?! New Year's day of the year 2000, Yaya receives a letter from the past: specifically, a letter that the seven-year-old Yaya once wrote to herself. In the letter Yaya reminds her older self of the dreams she had and the games she played with her mother before she died. Yaya and her mother would talk about her dream of being a pop-singer and Yaya would imagine that, with the aid of a magical makeup compact, she could transform into a magical, pop-singer heroine called Nana. Years later, as Yaya reads her letter and looks at the makeup compact that came with it, she feels more than a bit lost. Yaya gave up her dreams of becoming a singer and no longer knows exactly where she's going. Soon after this, Yaya is pushed to the limit by her "friends." She forms an alternate personality and begins transforming into Nana, who is everything Yaya isn't. She's tough, she sticks up for herself, and most importantly, she enacts justice when Yaya is wronged. The only catch is that Yaya doesn't know this is happening! Othello: Volume One ends with Yaya still in the dark, but wondering a bit about these memory gaps she's been having. It also ends with a rather adorable musician/classmate showing an interest in Yaya and two very confused and dangerously annoyed "friends." I have no idea what'll happen next, but I can venture a few guesses. Either way, I'm definitely looking forward to finding Volume Two. reviews by katie |
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"Sweet exotic scents filled its every corner, as if someone was making candies in a Chinese import store. Dizzying music pulsated and bounced off the loud pink walls. There was an old bar, and a pool table, and three sewing machines. They called it their studio. It was like a secret hideout." So opens Ai Yazawa's Paradise Kiss, a stunning manga series that combines fashion and romance to tell a moving coming-of-age story. Paradise Kiss is the manga I imagine Francesca Lia Block might write; Ai Yazawa's beautiful, fairy tale visuals recall Block's dreamy prose. Yet Paradise Kiss keeps its feet firmly on the ground, following its believably flawed heroine on her journey of self-discovery. That heroine is Yukari Hayasaka, an average student struggling (apathetically) to make it through prep school and wondering who she is. Her life is suddenly thrown off its predictable course by an encounter with a group of fashion students: prickly, punk Arashi, wise (and transgendered) Isabella, doll-like Miwako, and George, the enigmatic leader of the group who call themselves Paradise Kiss. read more... The Complete Series reviews by jen |
Steady Beat It’s tough living in the shadow of a perfect older sister. As any younger sibling can tell you, it’s not so much that one is better than the other, but that an older sister or brother simply got there first. Everything you do after is in comparison, which can be both a blessing and a curse depending on which way parental approval is leaning. Leah has always suffered in comparison to her older sister Sarai. Sarai is the golden girl – pretty, athletic, independent, smart, popular, and her mother’s favorite. Leah feels like she can never catch up. Then she intercepts a love letter intended for her sister. At first this is no big shock, until she realizes that the note is from another girl. With a mother who’s a conservative Republican Senator and expectations for a perfect life mounting, it’s no surprise that Sarai’s kept this a secret. At first Leah is simply shocked, but then she wonders – what must her sister be feeling? All flustered because of this new discovery, Leah’s not ready for events to get even more complicated when a stranger threatens that they saw the letter and wants to meet her to discuss it. Fearing all kinds of problems, from unruly gossip to outright blackmail, Leah sets out to protect her sister. Along the way she will miss meeting her blackmailer, fall into the care of a handsome stranger, and wrestle with her momentary, admittedly cruel desire to expose her sister so that everyone would see she's not so perfect after all. In another new title from Tokyopop’s original manga department, the conventions of manga are well used to tell an American story. While the style keeps many of the visual conventions, the story could only happen here and the characters are definitely products of our social and political culture. review by robin |
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If you've been to high school, you know Francine Peters and Katina Choovanski. You might even have been one of them: the girl whose toga fell down during the school play or the girl who put a cherry bomb in her boyfriend's locker. Francine and Katchoo (as she's known) come from completely different places (as illustrated in High School's hilarious opening sequence), but they're not as different as they might seem. They're both looking for understanding in the often-cutthroat world of high school relationships, and they're both dealing with trouble at home--Francine's "happy" family hides tension below the surface, while Katchoo's home is an out-and-out nightmare. Just as the two girls begin to find comfort in their friendship, Katchoo runs away from the abusive stepfather who makes her life a living hell. Strangers in Paradise: High School is actually the sixth volume of Terry Moore's traumarama Strangers in Paradise, but it functions as a prequel and can (mostly) stand alone as a painfully true and funny story of living through your teens. I love Terry Moore's drawing style; his characters really live and breathe, and you can't help but love the young Francine and Katchoo. His dialogue is equally sparkling. Though the rest of Strangers in Paradise can be unbearably angst-filled (and is definitely adult), High School is a perfect mixture of humor and heartbreak. The volume also contains a hilarious bonus story, in which Francine, Katchoo, and their friend David find themselves in an episode of Xena, Warrior Princess. It's priceless. Librarians who already collect Strangers in Paradise will probably want to keep the series together in the adult section, despite the undeniable teen appeal of High School. Those who don't might consider this volume for their young adult collections. I read it before the other volumes in the series and enjoyed it on its own, but readers who don't know about the later history of Katchoo and Francine may wonder what it's all about. For those who want to read more, however, Strangers in Paradise: High School is a good introduction to the characters. review by Jen |
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Tina has a slight problem. While she enjoys fooling around with her occasional boyfriend, James, whenever he arrives home from school, she discovers she is more drawn to her guitar teacher Evan. To complicate things, Evan seems to feel the same way back, despite his own attachment to a girlfriend, conveniently (or not so) in Germany for a few weeks. Tina's friends, if you can call them that, do little to help her figure out her situation, and instead gossip behind her back about her issues and berate her for indecision. Welcome to the story of a girl, as the back of the book announces. Hailed as a teen Sex and the City, Leela Corman's odyssey is a mellow and truthful look at the awkward entanglements, confusing feelings, and sense of obligation that often make up relationships. The sex here is fairly graphic, but far from sensational, and the simple art, all sharp shadows and strong lines, creates just enough of a picture to get the scene across. The chain of events Tina journeys through is vital to getting across the pressures girls feel externally as well as put upon themselves. Silence is almost a character in the book -- we aren't privy to Tina's thoughts, and a great deal of the story follows her in contemplation through the streets and subways of New York. This is the kind of story that feels especially true -- even if you don't live in such a city, or tackle relationships the same way, you can relate to the often painful back and forth of trying to figure out your own head. review by robin |
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Taking off from the sweetness of Beatrix Potter's world, this compelling graphic novel follows Helen Potter, a homeless girl trying to find her way on the streets of London. Helen manages to find company and shelter of a kind, but her own nightmarish past keeps destroying her peace and her ability to reach out. After one frightening incident, Helen abandons the city to seek the comfort of her youth, the tales of Beatrix Potter, by finding the next best thing -- Potter's house in the English countryside. No matter how bright and green her new life is, however, Helen discovers she must confront her past before she can begin her future. review by robin |
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Jane Smith Fisher is a woman with a mission. Her object: a really good comic for all ages. I'm full of admiration for Fisher, who spent the last six years finding creative ways to put her comics in readers' hands. Now you can pick up WJHC the book, a fast-paced, snappy teen comedy with endearing characters and a clever voice. Janey Wells is a never-say-die kind of girl, and she's determined to get a student-run radio station up and running at Jackson Hill High. With some help from best friend Ciel, arch-nemesis Tara (who's got the bucks), and cool-cat DJ The Skate, Janey will stop at nothing to save her school from piped-in muzak (I love the Skate. I love that his name is the Skate. He's the bomb.). Kirsten Petersen's lively art conveys a lot of character with an economy of line, and it's a good match for Fisher's sweet and funny writing. WJHC is a worthy addition to the small but growing field of comics with tween appeal, from the classic Archie to Go Girl! and Alison Dare. review by jen |
Age
of Reptiles 
Boys Over Flowers
Tsukushi Makino
has arrived at Eitoku Academy, the prestigious hothouse where the
flowers of society (the children of the super-rich) are nurtured.
Or so her parents believe. Eitoku is more like a jungle where predators
rule. The F4, Eitoku's four most sought-after boys, dominate the
school. Any students who cross them get red tags in their lockers,
warning them that the F4 have declared war. The "flowery four" (can
you imagine a clique of American boys comparing themselves to flowers?)
drive their victims out of Eitoku with bullying and humiliation;
even the teachers are afraid to challenge the sons of Japan's billionaires.
Tsukushi is about to become the first person ever to stand up to
the F4.
Cheeky
Angel Volume 1
Clan
Apis 
Confidential
Confessions
The
Diary of a Teenage Girl 
Dropsie
Avenue: The Neighborhood
Escapo
Ghost
World
Here
is Greenwood (Volume 1)
Hopeless
Savages
Love
as a Foreign Language: Volume 1
Mother,
Come Home
9-11:
Stories to Remember
Noodle
Fighter Miki (Volume One)
Only
the Ring Finger Knows
Othello
Paradise
Kiss
Strangers
in Paradise: High School
Subway
Series
The
Tale of One Bad Rat
copyright Robin Brenner 2002-2004