RSoM 8 :: According to Venus and Marx

[minakichan]

(This isn't a webcomic though... maybe this doesn't go in this category? Sorry if it's wrong....)

My entry to Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga competition got into the finals~ (In case you aren't aware, US manga publisher Tokyopop does an annual competition for manga short stories; a handful will eventually be picked to be published in an anthology.) Right now, the online People's Choice competition has just begun, although I believe that the voting mechanism hasn't been put in yet. You can see my entry According to Venus and Marx, and check out the other entries under "Portfolio." My story is a romantic comedy... with a bit of a COMMUNISTTTTTTT twist; I entered it in the Romance category.

RSOM VIEW/VOTE LIST HEEEERE.

Hehe, it'd be NICE if y'all vote for me, but it's totally cool with me if you don't want to ^_^ [SIZE="1"]as long as you vote for my friends' entries[/SIZE].

[Maledicte]

Haha, that was an awesome comic! Very fun!

I'd only question the use of "fap" as a sound effect. but other than that, great drawing style and I love the story!

[minakichan]

Yes, I uh... grew up pretty sheltered so I didn't find out that that's supposed to mean until recently. *EPICFAILURE* Thanks BTW.

[ChristianKitsune]

O_O WOW! CONGRATS ON GETTING IN! ^o^ GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!!

It's a fun story 83 I lreally liked it, I'll totally vote for it when they open the voting! 83

I have a personal qualm against Tokyopop.. >_> so i feel you are very brave to submit your work to them...

[uc pseudonym]

Ah, I was wondering when they'd be getting the finalists up. Thanks for the notification. Meanwhile, I'll take special notice of your entry once I get around to reading them.

[minakichan]

(BTW, voting system is up now XD) </shameless plug>

XD Thanks ChristianKitsune! And I totally know how you feel about Tokyopop. It's like, "...Am I selling my soul?!" Well, submitting to RSoM isn't that big of a deal I guess, not like signing a book deal >_>;

Yeah, this was all supposed to go down on MONDAY. They delayed it today, but didn't get it done until like 8PM EST. >_>;

[uc pseudonym]

Of course they get a reasonable browsing system up after I've read all the entries...

I actually gave you one of my votes. "Actually" because I thought there wasn't the slightest chance I'd vote for a romantic comedy. Once again, the average person's inability to string together a decent story amazes me. But if Tokyopop has to publish this genre (which they will, given the audience) I'd much rather it be your work.

[minakichan]

Heh, thanks? I figured you're not a romantic comedy type XD; I wish I was intelligent enough to write a cool seinen drama. I think that if Tokyopop MUST publish the sellout-to-be-popular entry, it's going to be Moonless. I was shocked, but people are realllllly eating it up.

[Maledicte]

Moonless was cute, but the fact that Zeus barely looked any older than his daughter (who looked about eight years old) made me twitch.

[minakichan]

Well, Zeus was a stud and gods probably don't age, so the age difference itself didn't concern me THAT much ^^. What DID bother me was the Zeus reminded me of Tamaki from Ouran, and that Artemis WAS eight years old. Aren't there myths about mortal men peeping on her or falling in love with her? THE IMPLICATIONSSSS. oAo;;;

[uc pseudonym]

Heh, thanks?

Yeah, that was a fairly underhanded compliment, sorry. Your entry really was one of the handful I thought were worthwhile.

I think that if Tokyopop MUST publish the sellout-to-be-popular entry, it's going to be Moonless. I was shocked, but people are realllllly eating it up.

I know what you mean, though at least that one had some decent elements. Greek mythology > bands.

[minakichan]

Nono, it's cool; if I was in this for random compliments (that is, other than from my parents; it'd be nice if they were happy and not annoyed at me making it >_>) I probably wouldn't have gotten this far/ would have written a completely different animal =D

[Maledicte]

It seems that if one wants to be seen as "fresh" or "original," just take characters from classic mythology/literature and turn them into bishonen/jo. That's why I like yours better. ^^

[minakichan]

(alsdifjih made itttt. >u<)

(was... quite surprised at some of the results as well.)

[uc pseudonym]

Congratulations. Do you plan to pitch them an idea? If so I wish you the best of luck.

Hm, the results seem about what I expected for many of the categories. With some of the better entries thrown awkwardly into ones that don't fit. They should probably reconsider the "Mystery" genre altogether.

[minakichan]

Yeah, Moonless is so not a mystery... >_>; I never ever agree with TP's decisions, and some of my friends got screwed over by the genres when they really deserved it (like Perfect Punishment getting screwed over by me, and I'll admit readily that it is the superior Comedy entry).

TP doesn't take pitches from college students, but I'm not sure I'd want to work with them anyway (and ChristianKitsune would probably never forgive me XD). To quote one of my friends, "I love how you won despite being a TP "hater" XD...." Maybe a webcomic or something... But thanks~

[Maledicte]

I'm surprised the Nightingale story didn't get the mystery category.

[EricTheFred]

I'm envious. I put a script in my niece's hands almost a year ago, hoping we could get into this round, but she's been too busy with school and work to finish it.

Your artwork is great. I felt the story got a little rushed at the end, but it was a clever and original premise and some great character designs.

[minakichan]

I was really disappointed Nightingale didn't make it because I WANT SOME ANCIENT CHINA in my hands please.

Wow, adults who actually encourage the younger generation to do Comicky Things XDDD. You, good sir, are lovely.
Haha, it should be blatantly obvious to the casual observer that I could not find a satisfying ending to this story. The ending I went with is thus supposed to be very anarchic and almost nihilist-- I wanted to portray "romantic love" as a force unbounded by reason or rational thought, a property that defines its weakness rather than its strength, as advocates might like to suggest (I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL just not with my brain).

[ChristianKitsune]

WWOOOOOW Minakichaaan!! I was just thinking about you today!!!

CONGRATS!! ^_^ I'm really happy for you.

Naaah I wouldn't be mad at you... I just know that once you pitch a story to tokyopop...it's like...signing your characters away. ._. They basically OWN you...and you can't even do webcomics... Which I guess isn't HORRIBLe..

but I would think you would want some freedoms.

I must admit. I've thought many many times about pitching a story to them....but I'm just kinda scared...I don't want to lose myself you know?

But yeah, Awesome! ^_^ I'm really proud of you!

[whisperingloon]

I enjoyed this little story. I love the twist on the title -- "women are from Venus, men are from Marx"

Very cute.

~ Ben

[uc pseudonym]

(like Perfect Punishment getting screwed over by me, and I'll admit readily that it is the superior Comedy entry)

Not necessarily. I found yours the funnier of the two, at least, so presumably some of the Tokyopop editors are like me in this. That doesn't mean I generally agree with them, though...

TP doesn't take pitches from college students

They don't? I was under the impression there were only restrictions on high schoolers, but then again I've been out of this loop for a long time.

Haha, it should be blatantly obvious to the casual observer that I could not find a satisfying ending to this story. The ending I went with is thus supposed to be very anarchic and almost nihilist-- I wanted to portray "romantic love" as a force unbounded by reason or rational thought, a property that defines its weakness rather than its strength, as advocates might like to suggest (I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL just not with my brain).

...that's interesting. It wasn't obvious to me at all - in fact from about the halfway point I was expecting the ending you used. Instead of your anarchic interpretation, I thought you were intending to undermine the stereotype of love against the odds.

Naaah I wouldn't be mad at you... I just know that once you pitch a story to tokyopop...it's like...signing your characters away. ._. They basically OWN you...and you can't even do webcomics... Which I guess isn't HORRIBLe..

but I would think you would want some freedoms.

Yeah, their legal agreement isn't the greatest. I can't imagine you'd want to pitch anything to them unless you created it specifically for Tokyopop. Then again, I have too many ideas, so I might be alone in that.

[minakichan]

Thanks ChristianKitsune~ ^^ Yeah, Tokyopop's a crying shame. Depressing... Thankfully there are more OEL publishers popping up now, but I don't really know their policies (and some are less than reputable... at any case, I'd rather publish in Asia). I kind of think I wouldn't go with them even if they changed their policies and if I was good enough because I really disapprove of TP as a company. But I guess it's not even an issue for me ATM.

Perfect Punishment was definitely the fave to win Comedy among random voters, and I'm a big fan of Zhe Chen (his webcomic is lovely~)... and I guess I laughed more reading his entry than reading my own >_>; I don't know anymore aaargh.

I heard about the college-student thing from a girl who tones for TP; apparently there was one college student who was writing a book for them, but she was always late on deadlines and such and it was just a strained working relationship, so TP is trying to avoid that again... or something.

As for intentions writing the story >u< I have... a very pessimistic view on romance, I guess, but I didn't want to make it too blatant because it could be quite unconventional and even offensive. The story is meant to be read at three levels (haha, now I get to explain my mindset because I apparently couldn't actually convey it in the actual story >u<): at face value as a comedy of errors and idiots; at a middle level in which an unidealized and undecorated form of love held by practical characters triumphs over rose-colored romance, and the ordinary characters conquer their masters who are blinded by their own ideals; and at that anarchic level in which none of the characters are admirable at all, with enough uncertainty and lack of closure to make it feel awkward, I hope-- while the deluded duo are at a quagmire in their relationship that might never be resolved, the "practical characters" are running away from duty just to be together, abandoning the people that they spent their whole lives with and still owe very much to, possibly allowing the entire kingdom to rot with this unresolvable conflict as they leave it all behind in a very selfish act of escapism. In the end, I guess it's more romantic comedy than social commentary, but I hoped more people would see it with that second (not necessarily the third) interpretation. I don't know anymore aaaargh. I've also had some people tell me it was very predictable, and others say that it was very lolwut out of nowhere, so again, I don't know anymore aaargh.

[Maledicte]

It was the "lolwhut out of nowhere" for me, but I enjoyed it for that.

[uc pseudonym]

As for intentions writing the story >u< I have... a very pessimistic view on romance, I guess, but I didn't want to make it too blatant because it could be quite unconventional and even offensive.

That was probably a wise decision. People like to keep their idealism sheltered. In any case, I certainly hope the majority of your readers will catch the first two levels - if people don't it's not your fault.

I've also had some people tell me it was very predictable, and others say that it was very lolwut out of nowhere, so again, I don't know anymore aaargh.

This tends to happen. For whatever it is worth, I think it was fine. My thought while reading was something like, "If she doesn't put them together she should have." While I'm supremely cynical about love, I'll always support representations of non-stupid varieties, which are rather rare in today's popular culture.

[minakichan]

HAY GUYZ!

Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga 8 hits the streets July 15th! Here's a pic of the cover:


My character is on the bottom left-- Kami the Communist.

I actually have a bunch of copies already because I get the volumes a couple weeks before streetdate ^^. It feels SO WEIRD to see it in print.

Feel free to edit this out if you wish, mods, but for those interested, I am selling Rising Stars 8 volumes for $8-10 a pop~ (your choice! Weird, I know) with $2 for shipping; the cover price is $9.99. I will sign the volume and include in a freebie of your choice-- a bookmark or pin of any art on my deviantART account (http://minakichan.deviantart.com). I take Paypal, check, and concealed cash ^^ The reason I'm advertising this myself is that this is the way I make money off the work; if you buy it elsewhere, I don't get any of the profit.

Yaaaaaaay I'm so excited!

LOL I GOT A PIC OF THE COVER AND SALESPIMPY POST AT THE BOTTOM, MATES.

[ChristianKitsune]

OOOOh *D*

CONGRATS ^_^ It looks awesome!! <3 I might take you up on this offer, as my bookstore RARELY gets RSOM...

Is it legal to do that though? ._.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Excellent work Jennifer. Very proud of you mate. I love the intelligence of it all too. The ending is a bit rushed and incomplete but it's still a great work. Romantic comedy done well, who would have thought?

[minakichan]

XD Thanks!

I guess I was aiming more for "comedy" than "romantic" (since I'm... not a big believer in romance), but that helped me out in the end ^_^

[Fish and Chips]

Read Venus and Marx yesterday. I enjoyed it, good writing and effective pacing. I tend to dislike metaphor, doubly in its overuse, so if you can convince me otherwise ("Her hair, like yellow peasant's wheat") you have something special.

Ending was predictable, but a good vein of predictable. You knew it, but you also wanted it. Don't let anyone take that away from you.