February 2009 Previews Adult

The following is a list of adult manga and manga-oriented titles, extracted from the text version of the upcoming Previews Adult catalog (you may download the full file here).

Books are generally released two months after the Previews issue in which they are solicited.  Artist homepages are painfully searched for and linked (why don’t all manga publishers link to artist sites?  They’re much better at selling me on a book than another boring PR.)

The reason I cover not only our own books, but those from other adult manga publishers as well, is because adult manga generally have a harder time finding their way into retail, and the wide variety of adult manga may lead some comic shops to overlook items they actually might be able to sell.  One of the best ways to support adult manga of all kinds is to pre-order these books, and show there is a demand for them.

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ERO

ICARUS PUBLISHING

• THE GIRL WITH A THOUSAND CURSES GN, Togashi, 176pgs, $19.95, FEB09 4308
• COMIC AG issues 105, anthology, 80pgs, $4.99, FEB09 4309
• COMIC AG issues 106, anthology, 80pgs, $4.99, FEB09 4310 
• COMIC AG MEGA BUNDLE 14, anthology, 400pgs, $18.00, FEB09 4311
• AQUA BLESS, Yamatogawa, 208pgs, $19.95, FEB09 4312 (SS)
• HEAT – Ring of Destiny, Makoto Fujisaki, 208pgs, $19.95, FEB09 4313 (SS)
• HONEYBEE WHISPERS, Umashika, 208pgs, $19.95, FEB09 4314 (SS)

The Girl With A Thousand Curses… fantasy-styled characters (think Record of Lodoss War), lots of girl-on-girl, ambiguous sexuality.   Not a whole lot story-wise until the later half of the book.  Uncluttered sex scenes with elegant artwork and minimal “porn speak,” if you know what I mean.  As an editor and a reader, I like that.

Watch those second solicitations.  Might be the last time you see them…

RADIO COMIX

• GENUS 91, anthology, 32pgs, $4.99, FEB09 4431
• GENUS PRESENTS: BUN BUNS #1, anthology, 32pgs, $4.99, FEB09 4432

Furry comics with regular involvement from Japanese artists.  Again, like Genus 90, this is resolicited with the new price (I guess that means previous orders were cancelled).  From the description, Bun Buns seems to have a little bit of everything, orientation-wise.

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YAOI

801 MEDIA (Digital Manga Publishing)

• ZE VOLUME 2 GN, Yuki Shimizu, 200pgs, $15.95, FEB09 4268

801 has been on a 1 book per month schedule for a while now.

HOT CIDER PRESS

• COCKTAILS: WINTER SPECIAL 2008 SC, anthology, 72pgs, $13.95, FEB09 4306

Furry comics.  This was not listed in the yaoi section, but the solicitation describes the book as for yaoi readers, so who am I to argue?  Hot Cider is also soliciting the second volume of Miles DF’s Love Can Be Different, which I know has some notoriety in furry circles, so keep an eye out for that too if you’re so inclined.

Hmm… Once upon a time I would have complained about the 13.95 price point for a 72-page, B/W book.  But the state of the market and Diamond’s new minimum requirements have dampened my objections somewhat. 

YAOI GENERATION

• BREATH VOLUME 1 GN, Chifumi Ochi, 186pgs, $12.99, FEB09 4521

Man, I feel bad for YG.  Their first appearance in Previews Adult may also be their last, at least as far as the print version is concerned.

This book is already available directly from Yaoi Generation’s webstore.  But at this point it might be best if you order the book through a comic or book store anyway, as that may help establish the new publisher with retailers. 

YAOI PRESS

• DARK PRINCE TRILOGY SET, Yamila Abraham & M.A. Sambre, $26.99, FEB09 4522

This item was *not* listed in Previews Adult text, but it is on the order form (I would have missed it had Yaoi Press not been directly under Yaoi Generation on the order form).  I am assuming that this is a 3-book bundle… all volumes of Dark Prince were 152 pages and $12.95 each, so you’re saving over 30% with this set.

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As one of the last, if not the last Previews Adult to see print, Diamond’s 18+ catalog goes with a whimper.  Shucks.  Not good at eulogies… but it was a good run.  And all you porn hounds need to thank Mr. Bud Plant for making sure Diamond kept the adult category alive.

Hmm… wonder what the next Previews Adult is going to look like.  Heck, I might not even have early access to it…