So let's get this started...

Zinegirl wrote:

I discovered ElfQuest in the local library and was immediatly drawn by the beautiful style of Wendy Pini, although I couldn't understand most of the story because I was around 8 years old and they didn't have all the issues in order.

Awesome! Do you remember what issues of ElfQuest you initially saw that captured your attention?

I was a big fan of the Sandman comics (Neil Gaiman). I do love graphic novels in general, not really steady comics. My favorites are the entire Sandman series (including the separate ones like Dream Hunters), Craig Thompson's Habibi (absolutely gorgeous and heart wrenching), The Pride of Baghdad (ditto) ...otherwise, nothing which is released regularly....

I learned about EQ from an ex. We used to live together and I was working on my first book back in '99 and I wanted to read something which took me out of my head since I was in an intensive UCLA writing program. He had the original EQ and late one night I was going through his bookshelf and grabbed the the original and just fell in love with it. I read all of them. I think I was more into it than he was. Incidentally, he was also the one who got me into the Sandman comics and a couple of other graphic novels. He was a big fan of Strangers In Paradise, which I also devoured but ended up hating.
The discovery of EQ was the most redeeming part of that relationship

On my own, I was just reading things like Calvin and Hobbes before learning about EQ and Sandman. But I do still adore Bill Watterson, I think he's a genius. The other comics I kind of found out about on my own.

I guess I forgot a few if we count manga. Though I know there's a difference, I dont really differentiate between manga and anime. It all seems overpriced most of the time, so I get what parts of the story as I can, and I seem to be rather picky: late 90s styles seem to be the main draw for me, such as Ranma 1/2, Gundam Wing and such... Ive since found I like pretty much anything by Rumiko Takahashi (though Rin-Ne (sp?) Seemed too much like a repeat of Ranma to get absorbed in).

Since I posted last, I discovered Megatokyo and devoured it. Im biding my time, hoping the author's life gets better, both because it's not a fun time they are going through and because I want to get more of the story.

There's a few others (ok, a lot of others according to my wife and the shelves) but those were the main ones.

I used to have a number of Gold Key comics of various kindswhen I was a kid. Sad Sack, Casper the Ghost, Richie Rich, Hot Stuff... the last year I've been trying to find them again. Looking through the comic shop these days I dont even want to take my son! There's not a single comic in print in my area that Id feel comfortable letting a young kid browse much less read. There's just no more kids comics aside from reprints of Archie comics, and those are downright boring for a 6yo.

Manga is the comics. Anime (which comes from animation) refers to the TV shows. There is lot of overlap as a popular manga will almost always have an animated version done - and sometimes multiple different one, as with all the Tenchi Muyo or Oh My Goddess OAV/OVAs.

Yeah, I knew that, I meant: I know that some storytelling in the Manga is different from the Anime: sometimes the manga explores characters more, and usually there's more action in anime for the same story (this is very apparent in Ranma). There was someone I was talking to at one point that gave me a similar lecture to the usual "the movie isnt as good as the book" line with manga/anime, so I've been a little jumpy talking about it ever since. I just like them both, usually, and at times when I cant get the full story in one form or the other, Ill patch it together with a mix of both as I can.

Oh, that reminds me: Samuri 7 was pretty good.

Is anyone else a fan of manga or anime? I like Rumiko Takahashi in particular.

I might be...

Rumiko Takahashi can do some really good stuff but I find her storied tend to bog down. Like "Ranma 1/2" had some very good character development in the first book or two but quickly became "insane martial art style of the month," not to mention all the crazy would-be fiancees.

Big fan of Studio Ghibli/Isao Takahata! Mononoke Hime, Spirited Away, Hotaru no Haka - though I can't watch the last one too often... my hair stands on end even thinking about it.

It actually started with my mom having fun watching "Heidi, Girl of the Alps" - hearing her laughing in the living room I started watching too and noticed it was a Japanese animation series which made it really interesting for me (having been a Japanophile from my early teens).

So I kept my eyes peeled for anime ever since...

I. Will. Never. Watch. "Grave of the Fireflies." EVER.

I don't say that out of anger. It's just that the story would sap my will to live for several days! You know how Leetah said that motherhood was at the very core of Rainsong's being? Me too. The story of those children haunts me enough from synopses... I couldn't take the full thing.


On a cheerier note, I've been enjoying "Library Wars" and "The Ancient Magus's Bride." "AMB" especially has beautiful, detailed art and shows a surprising grasp of English history and mythology. "Library Wars" may be a little clichéd but I like that the main character is a) not a high-schooler and b) grows, changes and even builds on her strengths.

I started watching anime back in April, though I did start a series before that and read its manga, but since April I infested myself into watching more.

I am also watching the ancient magus bride, though I've only watched the first episode so far and the ovas. I'm following seven other of this season's anime. Sorta, school gets in the way of keeping up.