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Ponent Mon: Sell or Scare Me

Boilet is a skilled cartoonist, but I've never been blown away by his stuff. His style of storytelling is facinating, but his story is Japan and Yukiko's Spinach struck me as pretty average slice-of-life tales, and its annoying that he can't seem to write about anything other than his fetish for Japanese women (not to mention Ponent Mon's synopsis is pretensious beyond belief). His collaboration with Takahama was quite interesting (buy this one to see if you like his style as it benifits from Kan's help), and your not going to be wasting your money on either books, but in my opinion there are better things to buy and his story in Japan is pretty similar to what your getting here. I guess give Mariko a shot.
On the other hand, The Building Opposite is incredible. Best slice-of-life comic I've read in a while, and I really can't see anyone not falling under this one's charm. The art is a bit rough and is not going to be to some people's liking (while it isn't nearly as refined it bears some similarities to other nouvelle manga authors), but Vanyda manages to achieve that perfect balance between drama (not melodrama), subtility, humor and warmth that makes these kind of stories so readable. Definitally pick it up.

Kagemusha wrote:

Boilet is a skilled cartoonist, but I've never been blown away by his stuff. His style of storytelling is facinating, but his story is Japan and Yukiko's Spinach struck me as pretty average slice-of-life tales, and its annoying that he can't seem to write about anything other than his fetish for Japanese women (not to mention Ponent Mon's synopsis is pretensious beyond belief). His collaboration with Takahama was quite interesting (buy this one to see if you like his style as it benifits from Kan's help), and your not going to be wasting your money on either books, but in my opinion there are better things to buy and his story in Japan is pretty similar to what your getting here. I guess give Mariko a shot. On the other hand, The Building Opposite is incredible. Best slice-of-life comic I've read in a while, and I really can't see anyone not falling under this one's charm. The art is a bit rough and is not going to be to some people's liking (while it isn't nearly as refined it bears some similarities to other nouvelle manga authors), but Vanyda manages to achieve that perfect balance between drama (not melodrama), subtility, humor and warmth that makes these kind of stories so readable. Definitally pick it up.

I searched for it on Amazon, The Building Opposite, but I could only find a paperback release scheduled for release in May. Is this what you're talking about, or is there a different edition available?

... and its annoying that he can't seem to write about anything other than his fetish for Japanese women (not to mention Ponent Mon's synopsis is pretensious beyond belief).

His collaboration with Takahama was quite interesting (buy this one to see if you like his style as it benifits from Kan's help), and your not going to be wasting your money on either books, but in my opinion there are better things to buy and his story in Japan is pretty similar to what your getting here. I guess give Mariko a shot.

On the other hand, The Building Opposite is incredible. Best slice-of-life comic I've read in a while, and I really can't see anyone not falling under this one's charm. The art is a bit rough and is not going to be to some people's liking (while it isn't nearly as refined it bears some similarities to other nouvelle manga authors), but Vanyda manages to achieve that perfect balance between drama (not melodrama), subtility, humor and warmth that makes these kind of stories so readable. Definitally pick it up.

smoochy wrote:

I searched for it on Amazon, The Building Opposite, but I could only find a paperback release scheduled for release in May. Is this what you're talking about, or is there a different edition available?

They're so screwed up when it comes to distribution that I don't know what to tell you. It was at the comicbook store I go to a few weeks ago, but I've read reports around the net that no one can find it (after Publisher's Weekly featured the title in their controversal Best of 06 list interest grew). I thought that they wouldn't have this problem now that they have a major bookstore distributor, but I guess not. I suppose they're going to do a wide release sometime later this year (which makes it nearly two years since it was supposed to come out), but if your near a comicbook store they should be able to order it.