October 23, 2007 Bonus Blog
Excellent article in the newest issue of Wired magazine on how Manga has conquered America. Manga, of course, is Japanese comics and I knew it was big, but I had no idea. Get this: "in the last six years, Manga has gone from being about a third of the $75 million graphic-novel industry to claiming almost two-thirds of what is now a $330 million movement!"

Yes, Manga sales have tripled in the US in the past four years. And, here's the kicker, the generation that grew up on Pokemon are now voracious readers of traditional Manga—which is to read from right to left! And from the back to the front! It is a sign of hipness to be able to do this, and it's changing everything.

One of these Manga properties, Dragonball, started as a 20-page-comic in 1984 and today it is a multibillion-dollar international franchise comprising movies, games and cards. This whole phemom is being called "The Manga Industrial Complex." Just amazing.

So I am working on a graphic novel and could possibly catch part of this wave. Or, maybe not:

Manga Mania Means Nothing In Mohave County!
"BBB: So you go to Kingman for free. You are treated like a nobody in your beloved home town. Now the one Kingman fan you actually have is so pissed off because you were not at the appointed time and place that he obviously wants to shoot you--and essentially labels you a liar when you attempt to explain. You offer him a free TW despite the fact that he already told you that he is so angry he is cancelling his subscription (which will just piss him off even more). And I thought I had troubles."
—The Top Secret Writer