Rising Stars of Manga
Encyclopedia
Rising Stars of Manga was an English-language comic anthology published by TOKYOPOP
from 2002 to 2008, and a contest held by the same company. It was originally semi-annual, but switched to annual beginning with the 6th volume.
Each volume represented the results of a contest, in which aspiring comic book artists from all over the U.S. each submit a 15-20 page one-shot comic. Tokyopop staff select the best entry in each genre category (Comedy, Action, Mystery, Romance, Drama, Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror) to publish in the anthology. Each winner received a $1000 prize. In addition, a People's Choice winner was decided from around 20 entries by votes from online viewers or users of the Toykopop website. The People's Choice winner was awarded $500 and published in the anthology as well (although a genre winner could also be selected as a People's Choice winner). Before the seventh RSoM competition (in 2007), the staff of TOKYOPOP picked one grand-prize winner, a Second and a Third prize winner, and eight runners-up with no distinctions in genre.
The youngest entrant to become a finalist was 15 and the youngest to be published in the anthology was also 15, and the oldest had been 39. Finalists were offered a chance to submit a proposal to create a series of books, usually lasting three volumes. Other finalists have parlayed the exposure provided by the contest into manga/comics jobs at other companies.
A few of the winners had the beginning chapters of their comics serialized by syndication in the Sunday comics of various American newspapers (Peach Fuzz, Van Von Hunter and Mail Order Ninja), through the Universal Press Syndicate
.
launched its first Rising Stars of Manga contest on August 15, 2002 and ended it on December 16, 2002, with more than five hundred American artists submitting their 15–25 page, English-language stories. Priscilla Hamby and Clint Bickham's "Devil Candy" won the grand prize while "Van Von Hunter: Circlet of Necromancy" by Michael Schwark and Ron R. Kaulfersch took first place. The second ran from June 1, to September 1, 2003; editors selected Lindsay Cibos's "Peach Fuzz"—later adapted into a three-volume manga of the same name
—as the grand-prize winner and Nicholas Liaw's "Unmasked" as the first-place winner. The third ran from January 1, to March 15, 2004. "Atomic King Daidogan" by Nathan Maurer was chosen as the grand-prize winner and later expanded into a series. The fourth started on June 1, 2004, and concluded on August 16, 2004.
Tokyopop also created a Rising Stars of Manga contest for the United Kingdom; the first began on May 1, 2005.
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
from 2002 to 2008, and a contest held by the same company. It was originally semi-annual, but switched to annual beginning with the 6th volume.
Each volume represented the results of a contest, in which aspiring comic book artists from all over the U.S. each submit a 15-20 page one-shot comic. Tokyopop staff select the best entry in each genre category (Comedy, Action, Mystery, Romance, Drama, Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror) to publish in the anthology. Each winner received a $1000 prize. In addition, a People's Choice winner was decided from around 20 entries by votes from online viewers or users of the Toykopop website. The People's Choice winner was awarded $500 and published in the anthology as well (although a genre winner could also be selected as a People's Choice winner). Before the seventh RSoM competition (in 2007), the staff of TOKYOPOP picked one grand-prize winner, a Second and a Third prize winner, and eight runners-up with no distinctions in genre.
The youngest entrant to become a finalist was 15 and the youngest to be published in the anthology was also 15, and the oldest had been 39. Finalists were offered a chance to submit a proposal to create a series of books, usually lasting three volumes. Other finalists have parlayed the exposure provided by the contest into manga/comics jobs at other companies.
A few of the winners had the beginning chapters of their comics serialized by syndication in the Sunday comics of various American newspapers (Peach Fuzz, Van Von Hunter and Mail Order Ninja), through the Universal Press Syndicate
Universal Press Syndicate
Universal Press Syndicate, a subsidiary of Andrews McMeel Universal, is the world's largest independent press syndicate. It distributes lifestyle and opinion columns, comic strips and other content. Popular columns include Dear Abby, Ann Coulter, Roger Ebert and News of the Weird...
.
History
TokyopopTokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
launched its first Rising Stars of Manga contest on August 15, 2002 and ended it on December 16, 2002, with more than five hundred American artists submitting their 15–25 page, English-language stories. Priscilla Hamby and Clint Bickham's "Devil Candy" won the grand prize while "Van Von Hunter: Circlet of Necromancy" by Michael Schwark and Ron R. Kaulfersch took first place. The second ran from June 1, to September 1, 2003; editors selected Lindsay Cibos's "Peach Fuzz"—later adapted into a three-volume manga of the same name
Peach Fuzz
Peach Fuzz, is an original English-language manga written and illustrated by Lindsay Cibos and Jared Hodges. It was published in North America and the United Kingdom by Tokyopop in three volumes from January 11, 2005 to December 11, 2007. Peach Fuzz originally started as a short 17-page story in...
—as the grand-prize winner and Nicholas Liaw's "Unmasked" as the first-place winner. The third ran from January 1, to March 15, 2004. "Atomic King Daidogan" by Nathan Maurer was chosen as the grand-prize winner and later expanded into a series. The fourth started on June 1, 2004, and concluded on August 16, 2004.
Tokyopop also created a Rising Stars of Manga contest for the United Kingdom; the first began on May 1, 2005.
Volume list
Comics that started out in Rising Stars of Manga
- Atomic King Daidogan
- Bombos versus Everything
- Dogby Walks AloneDogby Walks AloneDogby Walks Alone is the name of an OEL manga by Wes Abbott, and the name of Abbott's winning entry in the second Rising Stars of Manga. The Rising Stars of Manga entry was a 15-page prequel to the manga...
- Mail Order NinjaMail Order NinjaMail Order Ninja is an original English-language manga written by Joshua Elder and illustrated by Erich Owen. It was the winner of Tokyopop's fifth Rising Stars of Manga competition...
- Next ExitNext ExitNext Exit is an American manga-influenced comic series created by the comic artist Christy Lijewski. It is her first running series starring the two characters Millicent Retrab and Markesh in their quest to try to escape from the world of Akaline, a plane inhabited by people, figments, shadows,...
(appeared in RSoM as "Doors") - Peach FuzzPeach FuzzPeach Fuzz, is an original English-language manga written and illustrated by Lindsay Cibos and Jared Hodges. It was published in North America and the United Kingdom by Tokyopop in three volumes from January 11, 2005 to December 11, 2007. Peach Fuzz originally started as a short 17-page story in...
- Work BitesWork BitesWork Bites is an Original English Language manga created by Jess Stoncius from TOKYOPOP.Work Bites is on indefinite hiatus and currently there are no plans for it to be published by TOKYOPOP. The author is hesitant to go forward with the story due to coincidental similarities between the plot...
- Van Von HunterVan Von HunterVan Von Hunter is a weekly, hand drawn parody-manga begun in 2002 by Cleveland, Ohio-based artists Mike Schwark and Ron Kaulfersch of Pseudomé Studio. It has since been published in newspapers, books, and as a webcomic...
- Divalicious! (appeared in RSOM as "Pop Star")
Comics by authors who started out in Rising Stars of Manga
- BizenghastBizenghastBizenghast is an ongoing original English-language manga series written and illustrated by M. Alice LeGrow. It is currently being published in North America by Tokyopop, which has released seven volumes as of July 2010, and is expected to conclude with the eighth book...
(from the RSoM entry "Nikolai") - Mark of the SuccubusMark of the SuccubusMark of the Succubus is an original English-language manga created by Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga 3 runner-up winners, Irene Flores and Ashly Raiti...
(from the RSoM runner-up "Life Remains") - MBQMBQMBQ is an original English-language manga created by Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga second place winner Felipe Smith.MBQ is an expansion of his second-place winning entry in the third Rising Stars competition...
(from the RSoM entry "Manga") - Sorcerers & SecretariesSorcerers & SecretariesSorcerers & Secretaries is a manga-influenced comic created by Amy Kim Ganter and was published by Tokyopop.-Further reading: -External links:*...
(from the RSoM entry "The Hopeless Romantic and the Hapless Girl") - RE:PlayRE:PlayRE:Play is an original English-language manga created by Christy Lijewski. The first volume of RE:Play was released August 8, 2006. The second volume was released March 11, 2008. There are three volumes planned.-Faust:...
(from the RSoM entry "Doors") - Bombos versus Everything (from the RSoM entry "Hellbender")
- King of RPGsKing of RPGsKing of RPGs is an American graphic novel about roleplaying written by Jason Thompson and drawn by Victor Hao.-Development:Thompson first submitted the idea to Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga contest in 2004, and was inspired by Hikaru no Go and Knights of the Dinner Table.Hao's artistic...
External links
- TOKYOPOP Corporate page for "Rising Stars of Manga"
- TOKYOPOP's "Rising Stars of Manga Competition 8" Homepage
- RSoM Winners Homepage Links to individual websites for winners.
- TOKYOPOP's "Rising Stars of Manga" Manga books A few winning RSoM7 entries viewable online.