The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal: Omnibus


E.K. Weaver - 2015
    Weaver's critically-acclaimed road trip romance comic is collected here in this award-winning, commercially-successful omnibus edition. Less Than Epic tells the story of Amal (just out of the closet and freshly disowned by his parents) and TJ (a mysterious and eccentric vagrant) and their journey across the continental United States.

Strange Tale of Panorama Island


Suehiro Maruo - 2008
    Learning of the rich man's sudden passing, Hitomi fakes his own death, digs up & hides the other man's body & then washes himself up on a beach near the home of the dead man's family.

こいものがたり 1 [Koimonogatari 1]


Tohru Tagura - 2013
    Eventually, he realises Yamato’s gaze is directed towards an unattainable love. From a study group together Yuiji finds out that Yamato is a “pretty nice guy,” and despite his awkwardness, starts wishing for his happiness.

Usagi Yojimbo, Vol. 1: The Ronin


Stan Sakai - 1987
    He's a rabbit bodyguard, a samurai who wanders the mountains, plains, and villages of a 17th-century Japan populated almost exclusively by anthropomorphic animals. Cats, snakes, rhinos, and ninja moles plot and fight their way across a land ravaged by civil war. The 10 stories in this first collection introduce Usagi, the evil Lord Hikiji, and a host of other characters. The stories themselves can stand alone, but taken together they begin to form an ongoing saga of treachery and revenge. Sometimes violent, sometimes funny, Usagi's adventures are filled with fascinating historical detail. The costumes, landscapes, and buildings are beautifully drawn, creating such a sense of realism it's easy to forget the hero is a rabbit. If you buy the first book in this series, you'll want the rest.

Buddha, Vol. 1: Kapilavastu


Osamu Tezuka - 1972
    Tezuka evidences his profound grasp of the subject by contextualizing the Buddha’s ideas; the emphasis is on movement, action, emotion, and conflict as the prince Siddhartha runs away from home, travels across India, and questions Hindu practices such as ascetic self-mutilation and caste oppression. Rather than recommend resignation and impassivity, Tezuka’s Buddha predicates enlightenment upon recognizing the interconnectedness of life, having compassion for the suffering, and ordering one’s life sensibly. Philosophical segments are threaded into interpersonal situations with ground-breaking visual dynamism by an artist who makes sure never to lose his readers’ attention.Tezuka himself was a humanist rather than a Buddhist, and his magnum opus is not an attempt at propaganda. Hermann Hesse’s novel or Bertolucci’s film is comparable in this regard; in fact, Tezuka’s approach is slightly irreverent in that it incorporates something that Western commentators often eschew, namely, humor.

The Auction


Hotcha - 2014
    Just the comic.Drake returns for a brand new, fully coloured sex romp in The Auction!In a sharp change of events from Power Play, the tall demon stud Drake finds himself trapped in the magical bonds of an evil auctioneer. Put on stage dressed in nothing but a skimpy jockstrap, Drake must defend himself against a sea of hungry demon bidders eager to get there hands all over his beefy muscled bod.Jumping right into sweaty muscle on muscle action, The Auction features a new cast of hung demons who just wanna grope, suck, and fuck the bound muscle stud any which way they can. Included among them is an ancient, hulking Elderdemon who would like nothing more than to bend Drake over for himself and bury his mammoth cock deep into Drake's ass.Can Drake break free from their greedy clutches, or will he be doomed to a life of of sexual bondage in the sordid demon underworld?

NonNonBa


水木しげる - 1977
    Mizuki's childhood experiences with yokai influenced the course of his life and oeuvre; he is now known as the forefather of yokai manga. His spring 2011 book, Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, was featured on PRI's The World, where Marco Werman scored a coveted interview with one of the most famous visual artists working in Japan today.Within the pages of NonNonBa, Mizuki explores the legacy left him by his childhood explorations of the spirit world, explorations encouraged by his grandmother, a grumpy old woman named NonNonBa. NonNonBa is a touching work about childhood and growing up, as well as a fascinating portrayal of Japan in a moment of transition. NonNonBa was the first manga to win the Angoulême Prize for Best Album. Much like its namesake, NonNonBa is at once funny and nostalgic, firmly grounded in a sociohistorical context and floating in the world of the supernatural.

Classmates


Asumiko Nakamura - 2008
    Due to some extenuating circumstances, he is now being tutored by one of the many school idiots, Hikaru “Beyan” Kusakabe. For two students who had never before had a real conversation, what does the future hold now that they are constantly together? Follow these boys as they experience excitement, betrayal, depression, and love; that unyielding, crazy, poignant, and fantastical kind of love.

Little Fluffy Gigolo Pelu Vol. 1


Junko Mizuno - 2003
    Our hero's search takes him from the surface of his fantastic alien planet to an off-kilter modern Japan where Pelu meets aspiring singers, sassy girls, paint-sniffing bad boys, and the body-switching students of a mysterious high school. Artist Junko Mizuno unleashes her unique graphic storytelling sensibilities on a tale that's frequently adorable, sometimes grotesque, and surprisingly moving.

Paradise Kiss, Vol. 1


Ai Yazawa - 2000
    One afternoon, however, she is kidnapped by a group of self-proclaimed fashion mavens calling themselves "Paradise Kiss." Yukari suddenly finds herself in the roller coaster life of the fashion world, guided by George, art-snob extraordinaire. In a glamorous makeover of body, mind and soul, she is turned from a hapless bookworm into her friends' own exclusive clothing model.

Girl Friends: The Complete Collection 1


Milk Morinaga - 2012
    Socially, however, she is shy and lonely, typically eating lunch by herself. Enter the charismatic and beautiful Ohashi Akko, whose goal is to befriend Mariko and burst her out of her introverted shell.In the process of transforming "Plain Jane" Mariko into one of the cutest, most popular girls in school, deep feelings begin to emerge that suggest something deeper than friendship. Will these feelings destroy the budding relationship between Mariko and Akko, or will it turn into something else?

Lone Wolf and Cub, Vol. 1: The Assassin's Road


Kazuo Koike - 2000
    Creating unforgettable imagery of stark beauty, kinetic fury, and visceral thematic power, the epic samurai adventure has influenced a generation of visual storytellers both in Japan and in the West.

Jayadratha


Anant Pai - 2011
    In the Mahabharata battle, Jayadratha had shamelessly hidden himself away, for Arjuna had taken a terrible vow to put an end to his own life if he failed to kill the villain before sunset that day. With the wise Krishna by his side, would the mighty Arjuna fail to find his mark?

What Is Obscenity?: The Story of a Good for Nothing Artist and Her Pussy


Rokudenashiko - 2016
    In a society where one can be censored, pixelated, and punished, Rokudenashiko asks what makes pussy so problematic?Rokudenashiko (“good-for-nothing girl”) is a Japanese artist. She is known for her series of decorated vulva moulds, or "Decoman," a portmanteau of decorated and manko, slang for vagina. Distributing a 3D scan of her genitalia to crowdfunding supporters led to her arrest for alleged violation of Japanese obscenity laws.

Sword and Mist, Vol. 1


Hayate Kuku - 2012
    Thinking she may be useful, he uses her to get closer to his quarry only to find out that “she” is actually a “he”—another Wolf assassin named Wu. What will happen to the two rivals now that they’ve flirted and even kissed?! It’s assassin on assassin as the Wolves grapple with their destiny and each other.