New York ComicCon

NYCC - Del Rey

The Del Rey panel was run by editor-in-chief Betsy Mitchell and director of sales and marketing Dallas Middaugh. Through the rest of 2006, the titles Del Rey will be releasing include: School Rumble, Koge Tora (described as Ranma ½ meets Negima), Air Gear (which Betsy and Dallas both stated would be Del Rey's "big book for this year"), Basilisk (Del Rey's first mature-rated title), Eternal Sabbath, Pichi Pichi Pitch, Q-ko-chan, and Gundam Seed: Destiny. Despite the M rating, Air Gear, by the author/artist of Tenjho Tenge, will not be edited or altered in any way. Del Rey is also "very close to announcing several novel titles", and, separately, is very much interested in the source novels that Basilisk is based on.

While the close relationship between Random House and Kodansha means that so far, Del Rey has only released Kodansha titles, there is nothing that specifically requires it to only publish Kodansha manga. While no changes are expected through the rest of 2006, starting next year, Del Rey will begin releasing manga published by other houses as well.