Another great publication from Drawn and Quarterly. This is a collection of beautifully drawn gekiga (like manga but a bit more sophisticated; like graphic novels in relation to comics) set in the pre-modern Japanese countryside. The stories mix universal themes such as love, lust and madness with mythical elements such as tree spirits and water sprites.

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Check out the work of illustrator/artist Sueshiro Maruo, who upped the gore and violence ante in manga in the ’80s.

As a kid, anime, manga, and Japanese toy design captivated me much more than anything available in America. Takayoshi Mizuki was one of the artists responsible for creating amazing paintings of Ultra Monsters between 1965 and 1972. Pink Tentacle just posted a nice selection of his best work.

Face Your Manga allows you to create a cool looking, free Avatar for yourself or your friends. You can use it with the most common Instant Messaging programmes, such as LiveMessenger, Skype, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, ICQ, MySpaceIM, and many more. Sweet.

Sassy waifs are the hallmark of Martin Abel’s work. Graphite collides with vector style to create edgy damsels with only a dash of decorum between them. This is some sexy work, regardless of your persuasion. Complimented with a classic comic flair, Abel’s other contributions include work for the official X-box magazine. Keep an eye on this rising star ladies and gentlemen.

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Run Wrake is an illustrator and animator based in London whose recent short animation Rabbit has turned him into an underground hero. It was shown at the International Animation Festival in Hiroshima, and also won the Special International Jury Prize. He uses a 1950s-style illustration with quirky type and manga-esque storyboards to create the humorous story of some children exploring nature. Though, don’t be fooled by the benign story plot. This is is far from an innocent and sweet story.

Artist Yumiko Kayukawa states: ‘I’d rather my paintings hang next to rock star pin-ups than on museum walls. Ultimately, I want to connect with people all over the world on that level’. It seems whatever she’s doing is working because, to date, each one of the 100 pieces she’s created has sold. Apparently there’s even a waiting list to snap up one of the manga-pop art inspired pieces. All that hype is genuinely justified. Want to be part of the in crowd? [see also the work of Japanese artist Fuco Ueda]

I’ve had bloodsuckers on the mind lately, which is better than having them on the neck. But that’s a different story altogether, and not one I want to contemplate on this windswept Brooklyn evening with the moon hanging low and the faintest quiver of mid-Fall chill sending all little creatures scrurrying for the shelter of their urban brick palaces. Why should I be thinking of such lecherous beings? Maybe it was watching The Lost Boys the other night. Or perhaps it’s just that time of month again (no, no, not that time). Whatever. I’m just going to ignore the thoughts, close my eyes and mentally project myself into lazy reruns of I Dream of Jeanie.