A different take, but no less important, can be found in A Story of Seven Lives by Shirakawa Gin. “Nanao used to be a house cat, but after tragedy struck, he was abandoned on the rough streets of Tokyo. Now, alongside his best friend and fellow stray Machi, Nanao has to fight every day just to get by. Aside from foraging for food and finding somewhere to sleep, Nanao and Machi must remain vigilant about all sorts of dangers, including humans who want stray cats gone. When a woman named Yoshino starts feeding the neighborhood cats, Nanao reluctantly bonds with her. But the woman has emotional scars and a past entwined with Nanao’s. Can Nanao help her heal, and perhaps heal himself in the process? The entire three-volume series will be released in English in one oversized omnibus edition.” Which is available now from Seven Seas.
Black & White
You’ve Got A Friend
A deceptively simple concept lies behind this new black & white illustrated book. “Always there to comfort and listen, stuffed animals provide a reassuring presence in many a childhood. With Toys Talking, acclaimed illustrator and author Leanne Shapton explores their inner lives, to reveal that their thoughts and feelings are just as complicated as our own. The concerns of these bunnies, bears, and ducks range from the mundane to the existential, and with each new pairing of character and text, we see a deeper portrait of their pensive, quiet world. Shapton holds a mirror to our own lives, to our insecurities and concerns, by revealing that the objects who comfort us have worries of their own.” See what we mean over at Drawn & Quarterly. Then go digging in your attic.
The Syndi-Cat
Here’s a rather unique manga we came across. You can tell just by the title: Ex-Yakuza and Stray Kitten, written and illustrated by Riddle Kamimura. “After being abandoned in the cold rain, tiny kitten Sabu should have been grateful to find a new home. But when he’s rescued by Jin, whose every atom screams ‘yakuza’, Sabu suspects he’s out of the frying pan and into the fire! Yet Jin’s scarred hands and face hide a sweet man beneath… a man who pampers kitties with baths and bottle-feedings!” Several volumes are available from Seven Seas.
Mucho Muco
Lovely Muco! is a black & white manga that’s written and illustrated by Takayuki Mizushina. It’s also popular enough to have been adapted into an anime series already. “In the beautiful mountains of Akita stands Glass Studio Amato, run by Mr. Komatsu and the shiny-nosed dog who loves him — Muco!! Muco dreams of the day when Mr. Komatsu will become a dog, too, but in the meantime she spends her days chewing up towels, jumping in the pond, and inventing new games…all called ‘Komatsu’! Based on a real person, a real dog, and a real glass studio, there’s something here for everyone—even cat lovers!” And the manga’s still available from Penguin Random House.
Dig It All Over Again
The celebrated and multi-award-winning creator Ursula Vernon first came to most people’s attention through her black & white web comic called Digger. Now, a decade later, Grim Oak Press gives us Digger Unearthed: The Complete Tenth Anniversary Collection. “Digger Unearthed is the story of a shrewd, sensible wombat engineer named Digger-of-unnecessarily-convoluted-tunnels, who finds herself stranded in a fantasy world that is far from logical. Thrust into the middle of a puzzling and often perilous situation involving gods, demons, destiny, and redemption, she finds her way based on a pragmatic honesty and the sincere belief in doing the right thing… To celebrate its tenth anniversary, Digger Unearthed offers the complete web comic collection in a single volume that can be fully enjoyed by young adult readers, yet also contains layers of sophistication that become deeper and more meaningful with age and experience.” Which we have. It’s available now in both paperback and hardcover.
A Girl and Her Dog
(Forgive us, Harlan!) The official description of Doomsday With My Dog pretty much says it all: “A single teenage girl journeys through the crumbling ruins of civilization — the last human on Earth, exploring the concrete jungle that has outlived mankind. Keeping her company is woman’s best friend — the ever-adorable and quick-witted Shiba Inu Haru, who is ready to stick with her through thick and thin! With such a pleasant conversation partner to keep the post-apocalyptic doldrums at bay, the end of the world might not be so bad after all!” Created by Yu Isihara, this black & white manga is out now from Yen Press.
This Would Be… Bad…?
And now for something altogether different… Night of the Living Cat, a new black & white manga created by Hawkman and Mecha-Roots. “A virus spreads across the world, transforming all humankind into wild, slavering, furry beasts: Cats, to be precise. Those few survivors who remain human take refuge in the dark corners of the earth as they fight back against the feline horde. Kunagi, a man with no memory of his past yet a deep knowledge of cats, struggles to hold on with only his wits and a will to survive. Yet the virus transmits merely through cuddles, and Kunagi finds kitties so hard to resist! Is his willpower strong enough to withstand this hair-raising cat-tastrophe?” Find out from Seven Seas.
Bok to the Future
Sometimes manga can go in marvelously strange directions. Like things go in Rooster Fighter by Shu Sakuratami. “The neighborhood cock of the walk is more than just an ordinary rooster — he’s humanity’s greatest defender! His opponents may be ten stories tall, but nothing is bigger than his stout heart and his fearsome battle cry — cock-a-doodle-doo!” You don’t say? Well that’s what Viz Media tell us anyhow! Several black & white issues are out now.
Don’t Wisk the Wath of a Wizard!
Well thank you, Amazon! They pointed us at The Wize Wize Beasts of the Wizarding Wizdoms, a black & white yaoi manga that’s written and illustrated by Nagabe. “Hidden away deep within the woods, far from the prying eyes of the world, lies the Wizdom’s School of Wizarding. There beasts of all kinds gather to live, to learn, and to love. From everyday animals to fantastical creatures, these BL stories are told with a realistic and light-hearted touch.” Somehow we missed this on its initial release, but it’s available now from Seven Seas.