Books & Writing – Page 33

Plunge into the Fatal Last Case of Legendary Crime Detective in New Novel “Death Note: L, change the WorLd”

L Has Twenty-Three Days to Live, and Twenty-Two Days to Save the World

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, expands the thrilling psychological suspense of Death Note with the release of Death Note: L, change the WorLd, a new novel featuring the master detective from the hit animated and manga series. Death Note: L, change the WorLd is available now from SHONEN JUMP Fiction and carries an MSRP of $17.99 U.S. / $24.00 CAN.

In an alternative continuity in the Death Note setting, ace detective L’s name has been placed in a Death Note. He has twenty-three days to bring a terrorist group to justice, or they will use a deadly new virus to change the world… by killing off most of humanity.

“Death Note: L, change the WorLd offers a fitting finale to the Death Note saga and contains many events that did not take place in the film,” says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President, Sales & marketing, VIZ Media. “The author, who adopts the nom de plume ‘M’ in tribute to the eccentric detective, creates an intriguing alternate continuity that will intrigue fans of the anime and manga series as well as new readers. Any thoughts of a quiet hospice vanish as L sacrifices his life to save humanity. Edge of your seat suspense awaits readers in this gripping new novel!”

Death Note: L, change the WorLd features the same format as the original Japanese printing with a hardcover and clear acetate jacket with metallic ink. The cover art is by Takeshi Obata, the artist for the Death Note manga series. Death Note is one of VIZ Media’s top 5 bestselling properties, with over 1 million copies of the manga sold in the U.S. The character of L is extremely popular with fans and has inspired various products such as apparel and stationery as well as spinoff novels and three live action Death Note films (available from VIZ Pictures).

For more information on Death Note, please visit Deathnote.viz.com.

New Story from TOR! The Strange Case of Mr Salad Monday by G.D. Falksen

from Tor.com:

Tor.com is thrilled to present The Strange Case of Mr Salad Monday, by G.D. Falksen. Inspector Wilde is no stranger to the potential for bloodletting inherent in anonymous conversation; he is, after all, a top police officer, experienced in the vagaries of tit-tat and the allure of of a freshly-printed broadsheet. A bit confused? Don’t worry, so is Wilde’s boss. IHN — that’s “in Heaven’s name” for you non-tatters — do not fail to read this story!

G.D. Falksen’s adventure serial The Mask of Tezcatlipoca is currently appearing in Steampunk Tales, and his writing has appeared in Steampunk Magazine, The Willows Magazine, The Chap, and Egophobia. In addition to writing, G.D. Falksen is a student of history. He is a noted figure in the steampunk subculture, and, may we say, a snappy dresser.

Illustrator David Malki is the man behind the Harvey-, Ignatz- and Eisner-nominated comic strip Wondermark, a unique gag strip crafted entirely from 19th-century woodcuts. His fourth Wondermark collection, Dapper Caps & Pedal-Copters, will be released by Dark Horse Books in April 2010. David is also the Supreme Commander of Promotions and Publicity for TopatoCo, the world’s largest webcomics merchandise company.

If you want to keep up with our Steampunk Month offerings, you can visit the Steampunk Month index page; Tor.com being a well-oiled machine, we’ll naturally update it as each post goes up.

The Final Battle Begins in “The Wheel of Time Book 12: The Gathering Storm”

Tarmon Gai’don, the Last Battle, looms. And mankind is not ready.

When Robert Jordan passed away in 2007, the final book of his Wheel of Time series remained unfinished. As one of the most cherished fantasy epics ever written, spanning nearly 20 years and 11 volumes, his wife Harriet McDougal (who was also his editor) called upon author Brandon Sanderson to help complete her husband’s work and bring a conclusion to the Wheel of Time saga. His unfinished work, A Memory of Light, was so extensive in scope of story that it will be released in three parts, the first of which, The Gathering Storm, will be released by Tor/Macmillan in just 5 days on October 27th. You can find it in your local bookstores on Tuesday or you can pre-order it now on Amazon.com.

In this epic novel, Robert Jordan’s international bestselling series begins its dramatic conclusion. Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, struggles to unite a fractured network of kingdoms and alliances in preparation for the Last Battle. As he attempts to halt the Seanchan encroachment northward — wishing he could form at least a temporary truce with the invaders — his allies watch in terror the shadow that seems to be growing within the heart of the Dragon Reborn himself.

Egwene al’Vere, the Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai, is a captive of the White Tower and subject to the whims of their tyrannical leader. As days tick toward the Seanchan attack she knows is imminent, Egwene works to hold together the disparate factions of Aes Sedai while providing leadership in the face of increasing uncertainty and despair. Her fight will prove the mettle of the Aes Sedai, and her conflict will decide the future of the White Tower — and possibly the world itself.

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

Be sure to check out The Gathering Storm and, if you haven’t already, read the series. It’s never too late to start! While you are waiting, check out Team Jordan, as they have come to be called, as they talk briefly about the task of gathering and putting together Jordan’s notes to complete the Wheel of Time series.

VIZ Signature Presents Inio Asano’s “What A Wonderful World!”

"What a Wonderful World!" vol 1 by Inio Asano

Truth: life as a young adult is hard. Straight out of high school, your dreams and hopes are still fresh. You constantly feel like you’re on the verge of something big. Dreams seem attainable. Time passes and nothing happens. You compare yourself to friends and fellow graduates, and wonder: what went wrong? How did I get here? How do I change it now? Can I go back? What a Wonderful World! doesn’t answer these questions; it illustrates the paths chosen by a cast of interconnected characters and how they find hope in the face of reality.

The two-volume series by Inio Asano (Solanin, Nijigihara Holograph) contains nine short “tracks” about modern life. Each track begins with a character’s internal monologue about how utterly dismal everything is. Life happens (encounters with friends, family, even enemies and strangers), and by the end of each track, the lesson is learned: this is reality; accept it, find joy in the little things, and be happy. The story is then handed off to the next character, usually a friend or relative of the previous story’s main character. This suggests that everyone feels lost at some point — it’s just part of life.

Sound depressing? A little. But I believe it’s a gem of a book. I grew up reading shoujo manga, so I was a little hesitant after reading the blurb on the back cover: “What do you mean it’s about real life? Rated for ‘older teens’? Where’s my bishounen and love story?!” But the yellow and brown colour scheme for the cover was eye-catching, and the design was rather unique as it didn’t resemble those of traditional Japanese manga (of course, you should never judge a book by its cover). The drawing style was believable, in between cartoon and real life (no oddly proportioned people here!). Character design was accurate in portraying average, twenty-something people in an average town, living average lives.

I ended up loving it. Sombre, but with just the right amount of humour. In fact, I laughed out loud in the middle of a semi-quiet cafe during the last short story, titled “Syrup.” The story focuses on Syrup’s friend Tamotsu, who almost gives up his dream of becoming a photographer because of an argument with a mutual friend. Syrup, nicknamed thus because of his addiction to cough syrup, saves Tamotsu’s faith in photography during a tussin-induced high. In doing so, Syrup almost kills himself in a hilarious manner. The story doesn’t end there, but I’m not going to spoil it. The ending was bittersweet and brought a smile to my face.

Other stories include a girl who talks to and outwits a shinigami (Japanese death god) in the form of a crow; a kidnapper/thief who ends up befriending and giving stolen money to the girl he takes as a hostage; a girl who rediscovers love for her long-term boyfriend; and, a jaded bully who restores his belief in life again after being forced to talk to his victim, and that’s just to name a few. The quotes out of this book are enlightening. A few of my favourites include:

“Living sucks. And yet, I still want to live.”

“Don’t stress. We all live in our own ways. And we all have doubts about whether it’s right or wrong. But there isn’t a right or wrong way to live.”

“…You’ve probably realized that happiness never lasts. That fleetingness is why we have to cherish each and every day…”

They’re really common quotes, but they’re things people need to remember in order to be happy wherever they are in life.

What a Wonderful World! is written and drawn by Inio Asano, and is published by VIZ Signature. This two-volume manga is available for purchase at your favorite stores and online retailers today and can be purchased directly through the publisher here:

What a Wonderful World! Volume 1
What a Wonderful World! Volume 2

Wendy Pini “Masque of the Red Death” on Facebook

from ElfQuest:

Hello all,

This is just a bit off-topic (if the topic is purely Elfquest), but we’re excited about it so you’re getting the news.

You may already know that Wendy, in addition to working on continuing Elfquest tales, veered into dark delicious storytelling territory with her adaptation of Poe’s Masque of the Red Death. Where the original was an eight-page tone poem, this new vision is futuristic, erotic, and quite unexpected. The web comic has been running for a while now at Go! Comi and there’s a forum topic as well at Wendy Pini & Masque. (And be on the lookout for Masque‘s move to a new web site in the next couple of months.)

But that’s not this email’s big news! We’ve just brought Masque to Facebook as a page that you can become a fan of, and get news and other tidbits as often as Madame Masque herself (aka Wendy) posts.

If you’re on Facebook already, log in and take a look; Mme. Masque would love to “be-fan” you. If you’re not yet on Facebook, consider joining — there’ll be content available there that can be seen nowhere else.

As the crimson lady herself might say: “See you there, darlings!”

Shade and sweet ruby-red celebration,
Richard Pini

VIZ Media Publishes “RIN-NE” the Newest Manga Series from Celebrated Manga Creator Rumiko Takahashi

RIN-NE

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, will launch RIN-NE, the brand new manga (graphic novel) series from famed creator Rumiko Takahashi with the publication of the debut volume under VIZ Media’s Shonen Sunday imprint on October 20th. RIN-NE is rated “T+” for older teens and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

RIN-NE is the first manga series that will be available in stores at the same time as the Japanese release of the same volume. Through an unprecedented collaboration, RIN-NE is also the first manga series to appear simultaneously in Shogakukan’s popular Weekly Shonen Sunday manga magazine in Japan and online on TheRumicWorld.com for North American fans. A new chapter is released each week for domestic fans to enjoy at the same time as their Japanese peers.

As a child Sakura Mamiya mysteriously disappeared in the woods behind her grandma’s home. She returned whole and healthy, but since then she has had the power to see ghosts. Now a teenager, she just wishes the ghosts would leave her alone! At school, the desk next to Sakura’s has been empty since the start of the school year. One day her always-absent classmate shows up, and he’s far more than what he seems!

RIN-NE is the first new manga from Takahashi since her epic Inuyasha (published domestically by VIZ Media) ended in 2008 in Japan. Shogakukan’s popular Weekly Shonen Sunday manga magazine has featured Takahashi’s work since the early 1980’s. With over 170 million copies sold in Japan alone, Takahashi’s substantial catalog of work continues to be loved by legions of devoted readers.

The spotlight on Rumiko Takahashi’s career began in 1978 when she won an honorable mention in Shogakukan’s annual New Comic Artist Contest for Those Selfish Aliens. Later that same year, her boy-meets-alien comedy series, Urusei Yatsura, was serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday. This phenomenally successful manga series was adapted into anime format and spawned a TV series and half a dozen theatrical-release movies, all incredibly popular in their own right. Takahashi followed up the success of her debut series with one blockbuster hit after another — Maison Ikkoku ran from 1980 to 1987, Ranma 1/2 from 1987 to 1996, and Inuyasha from 1996 to 2008. Other notable works include Mermaid Saga, Rumic Theater, and One-Pound Gospel. Takahashi won the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award twice in her career, once for Urusei Yatsura in 1981 and the second time for Inuyasha in 2002. A majority of the Takahashi canon has been adapted into other media such as anime, live-action TV series, and film. Takahashi’s manga, as well as the other formats her work has been adapted into, have continued to delight generations of fans around the world. Distinguished by her wonderfully endearing characters, Takahashi’s work adeptly incorporates a wide variety of elements such as comedy, romance, fantasy, and martial arts. While her series are difficult to pin down into one simple genre, the signature style she has created has come to be known as the “Rumic World.” Rumiko Takahashi is an artist who truly represents the very best from the world of manga.

“Rumiko Takahashi is one of the most successful and celebrated manga creators of all time having produced multiple series that are massively popular and widely considered to be classics,” says Elizabeth Kawasaki, Sr. Editorial Director for VIZ Media. “RIN-NE again shows Takahashi’s talent for blending endearing characters with an imaginative plot that can be equally funny, dramatic and exciting. Takahashi’s skill as both an artist and storyteller has won over millions of fans around the world. With the promise of new plot twists and characters still yet to emerge, we look forward to RIN-NE becoming a new fan favorite.”

RIN-NE is also featured online on TheRumicWorld.com, the official North American web site for all Rumiko Takahashi-related news and information. Through an unprecedented collaboration with Shogakukan’s popular Weekly Shonen Sunday manga magazine, which publishes RIN-NE in Japan, a new chapter is released each week for domestic fans to enjoy at the same time as their Japanese peers.

For more information on RIN-NE and other titles by Rumiko Takahashi please visit TheRumicWorld.com.

Book: Guild Leadership

from The Guild:

You may have noticed that in Season 3, episode 5 — Application’d, Codex reads a book in her webcam called Guild Leadership: Lessons from the Virtual World. We wanted to let you know that this is not a prop, it’s an actual book by Jeon Rezvani that can help us all improve our game. This book is chock full of great insights into how online leadership translates into real world applications and vice versa and proves that MMORPGs are not a waste of time. Finally, a book that respects gamers!

So check out this book and know that all proceeds from its sale go to Oprah’s Angel Network. Jeon chose this organization because Oprah matches all administrative costs so none of your money goes to overhead. The Network also fosters leadership in young people, builds and reforms schools, helps orphans and other unfortunate people. So get this book, and feel good about being a gamer and helping the world!

Charles Vess Brings You the Moon

Drawing Down the Moon: The Art of Charles Vess

from Dark Horse Comics:

Charles Vess is one of the most revered artists in the field of fantasy and comic art. The three-time Eisner Award winner has worked on some of the most recognizable comic properties of all time, including Jeff Smith’s Rose and Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, a retelling of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, for which he and Gaiman shared the prestigious World Fantasy Award.

For over thirty years Vess has positioned himself, through his art, as the best fantasy illustrator in recent history.

Drawing Down the Moon: The Art of Charles Vess collects decades of the artist’s unparalleled work and is scheduled to be released by Dark Horse on December 23, 2009. The hardcover, full-color, 200-page book costs $39.99.

But as a special treat, Dark Horse is happy to announce that the entire book is now available on darkhorse.com for collectors, art connoisseurs, and newly introduced fans to browse for free.

“This book has taken a bit over two years from the completion of my initial layouts to actually seeing print,” said Vess. “So, in an effort to make certain that you know that the book will indeed be available this December, we are giving you a sneak peak of the entire 200 pages.”

“Above all,” Vess continued, “there’s the unique opportunity to view all the projects that you’d never have a chance to see except in a book like this: a 16’ bronze sculpture, event posters for local organizations, private commissions and previously unpublished paintings done just for the pure pleasure of doing them.”

Vess’s art immerses readers into a place of such fantasy and grandeur, one hopes to stay forever lost in the beauty. His masterful use of paint and brush stand out in an age of digital design, harking back to the golden age of illustration.

Dark Horse invites you to step into a realm of imagination and wonder. Anyone interested is welcome to join the magical journey.

To enter the world of Charles Vess, direct your browser to: www.darkhorse.com/features/ecomics and click on the Drawing Down the Moon icon.

We’ll be waiting.

VIZ Media to Publish the Poignant New Manga Series “What a Wonderful World!”

What a Wonderful World!

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, expands its notable VIZ Signature manga imprint with the publication of Inio Asano’s What a Wonderful World! on October 20th. The 2-volume series (each sold separately but launch simultaneously) is rated “T+” for Older Teens and will carry an MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN.

A poignant collection of intersecting vignettes depicting twenty-something angst, What a Wonderful World! explores the various ways that modern life can be at once ridiculous and sublime, terrible and precious, wasted and celebrated. In Volume 1, what begins with a college dropout bored of her mediocre routine soon becomes a fantastic series of stories about the unexpected ways that different lives intersect. Filled with magical realism in the face of the cold reality of daily modern life, at their core these stories are about young people discovering something precious amidst the chaos of existence. Volume 2 explores similar themes including the cruelty of childhood, the delusion of adulthood, the permanence of death, and how people find a way to remain resolute and laugh in the face of reality.

“Inio Asano masterfully captures the essence of youth, and What a Wonderful World! depicts both the exhilaration and frustration felt by a diverse group of twenty-somethings trying to find their place amidst the impersonal urban sprawl of Tokyo,” says Candice Uyloan, Director, Brand Management for VIZ Media. “Fans of everything from Catcher in the Rye to Reality Bites will find this series an impressive and heartfelt read. Asano’s realistic story is ultimately a commentary on how modern life and the choices one makes impact the struggle to grow up and fit in and we look forward to readers discovering this thought-provoking new title.”

Creator Inio Asano drew initial attention for his short story Hello from Outer Space, which won the 1st Sunday GX rookie prize in 2001. What a Wonderful World! also appeared in the pages of Sunday GX. Asano’s other works include City of Light, Oyasumi Pun Pun and the acclaimed Solanin (which is published in North America by VIZ Media and was nominated for a Will Eisner Comic Industry Award).

For more information on these titles, and others from VIZ Media, please visit viz.com.

Steampunk Month at TOR

from Tor.com:

It’s goggle-wearing, lace-gloved, dirigible-driving, sepia-toned, steam-powered, retro-futuristic party time.

In other words, October is Steampunk Month on Tor.com! All month, we’ll be hosting special content, including giveaways, wallpapers, reviews, and posts by guest bloggers from the steampunk community.

Check out the Steampunk Month index page to see what’s going on; Tor.com being a well-oiled machine, we’ll naturally update it as each post goes up.

To start you off, we have an interview with Diana Vick, vice-chair of the upcoming Steamcon, on what steampunk means to her and the dubious joys of running a con. You can also check out this review of George Mann’s The Affinity Bridge — a cracking good yarn, and just the thing to get you in the mood.

The Sushi Catalogue App Now Available on App Store

from Shogakukan:

Shogakukan, Inc., one of the largest publishing houses in Japan, today announced The Sushi Catalogue App is now available on the App Store. The Sushi Catalogue App is a unique culinary companion for the Japanese cuisine and sushi lover, which depicts 80 different kinds of traditional Japanese sushi that are fully explained, cross-referenced and illustrated.

Whether going on an overseas trip to Japan or just down the street to the local sushi bar, The Sushi Catalogue is a useful companion for iPhone and iPod touch users,” says Mr. Yamamoto, Producer of The Sushi Catalogue, Shogakukan. “The Sushi Catalogue has it all and presents information in an easy-to-reference way giving people informative and fun ways to understand and interact with these unique traditions.”

The fun app makes it easy for iPhone and iPod touch users to access a variety of sushi dishes and sub-categories like different types of toppings and seasonal availabilities, as well as variations on traditional preparation and presentations. Viewing a particular sushi dish in landscape mode enlarges the image; sliding the screen to the left or right switches the view to other entries.

For two weeks only, beginning today through October 15th, Shogakukan will give iPhone and iPod touch users a special 50% discount for this fun sushi guide application. The Sushi Catalogue complements other handy Shogakukan apps for the iPhone and iPod touch, including the Daijisen Japanese-Japanese Dictionary, which contains 230,000 entries, derived terms, phrases and The Pocket Progressive English-Japanese Japanese-English Dictionary. The Daijisen Dictionary App is a useful tool for studying the Japanese language and makes it possible to search for many terms, including the latest buzzwords and recently added vernacular, quickly and effortlessly. The app also has an entertaining 8×8 crossword puzzle game with hints given in Japanese.

The Sushi Catalogue App is available for $4.99 from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at itunes.com/appstore/.

VIZ Media Becomes Master Licensor for Gothic Animated Series “Vampire Knight”

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced that it has acquired the domestic TV, Home Entertainment, Streaming, DTO, and Merchandising rights to the hit Vampire Knight animated series.

With this license VIZ Media will hold the rights to Vampire Knight for TV (including IPTV and VOD) and Home Video (all platforms including Blu-ray), Streaming, DTO and Merchandising (including digital Merchandise and mobile).

Vampire Knight is based on the best-selling gothic-romance manga series created by Matsuri Hino. Cross Academy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy’s dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!

Matsuri Hino burst onto the manga scene with her title Kono Yume ga Sametara (When This Dream Is Over), which was published in LaLa DX magazine. Hino was a manga artist a mere nine months after she decided to become one. With the success of her popular series Captive Hearts and Meru Puri, Hino has established herself as a major player in the world of shojo manga. Vampire Knight is currently serialized in LaLa magazine in Japan and was also serialized in Shojo Beat magazine in North America. The Vampire Knight manga series is currently published in the US by VIZ Media and continues to keep its place in the Top Ten on The New York Times Best Selling Manga List.

For more information on Vampire Knight please visit shojobeat.com/manga/vk.