Here are some of my favorite sensory memories of reading manga in the early aughts: The sound of smooth jazz over the Borders intercom. The taste of Jelly Belly jellybeans. The numbing stiffness after using a step stool as a chair for three hours. That bold text at the end of a volume screaming at…
Tag: manga
The SpiderHouses 2020 Review in Books
And what comes next in 2021.
The 2020 “No Commitment Necessary” Manga Gift Guide
Short manga series that aren’t Junji Ito.
The Art of Spooky Graphic Novel Covers
Despite the popular expression, I do buy books based on their covers. There are other factors I take into account when deciding which titles to buy and which to keep an eye out for in my library system. But I still can’t help but coo over aesthetically pleasing book design, and sometimes that tips the…
Stories in How-To Comics: Do They Matter?
Now I really want to check out Ayami Kazama’s I Don’t Know How to Give Birth! even though I have no plans of ever having children of my own.
A Josei’s Work: Balancing Work and Romance in My Androgynous Boyfriend
“The talent doesn’t need a girlfriend. If they find out their idol has a girlfriend, it’s all over! The day they learn their money pays for your dates with her, their rage will be hell. They’ll destroy everything in their path, and before you know it, your social media will be a wasteland.”
A Quick Covid Update
I’ve been thinking about where I’m going with this blog. When I first started in March, I was very excited to post about two things I love but don’t get to talk about much: used bookstores and comics collections in libraries. But visiting bookstores and libraries right now is difficult, and it’s not likely to…
4 Out-of-Print Manga from the 2000s that I Desperately Want Revived Before I Turn 40
The Saiyuki hardcovers give me hope.
Notes on (Translation) Notes: 4-Koma, Pop Team Epic, and the Death of Context
I still don’t know who John Frieda is.
Notes on (Translation) Notes: Comedy, Josei Manga, and Genre
While it is possible to rewrite punny punchlines into something vaguely comical to English-language readers, I’m a sucker for linguistic context.
SpiderHouses 