Los Angeles, CA (April 15, 2005) - TOKYOPOP, the #1 publisher of manga in the U.S., is proud to announce the release of the first volume in the new series MBQ by Rising Stars of Manga(tm) alumnus creator Felipe Smith. An expansion of his winning entry in TOKYOPOP's third Rising Stars competition, MBQ presents a comedic yet dramatic portrait of a young manga artist trying to find his place in Los Angeles. Set in and around the fictitious burger joint MBQ, the story follows Omario as he struggles to earn recognition, pay the bills and most important, get a chance to make a living through his artistic passion - making manga.
When asked about this exciting new project, TOKYOPOP Editor Luis Reyes responds: "Felipe Smith's work keeps a quick and fluid pace. His narratives, though humorous and self-mocking, resonate deeply with all of us trying to be true to ourselves in a world that doesn't want to let us. This book is about the very personal struggle of an artist trying to live his life on his own terms."
LA-based manga creator Felipe Smith was born in Akron, OH in 1978 and holds a BFA from the Art Institute of Chicago. His ongoing efforts to achieve fame and fortune have included: bussing tables in a country club in Indiana; waiting tables at a Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles; packing boxes, bubble wrapping monitors, and making keys at a postal center; serving soju shots to raucous customers at a Japanese karaoke box; and placing first and second in international and national manga contests. Felipe's work has been published in the U.S., Canada, Argentina, U.K., and Holland.
The first volume of MBQ will be available in bookstores everywhere beginning July 2005.
About TOKYOPOP®
As the largest English-language publisher of manga in the world, TOKYOPOP is hailed as a leading youth-oriented entertainment brand. TOKYOPOP's innovative product extensions include its pioneering Cine-Manga® book format, which features colorful flavors of pop culture's hottest films, television shows and music videos. The company has expanded its property reach beyond publishing-TOKYOPOP's television series have been broadcast in the United States on Cartoon Network, Showtime and G4Media, and are released on DVD, with consumer products available at all major retail outlets. The company's global reach has recently expanded to Europe, with new offices in the UK and Germany, in addition to its Los Angeles and Tokyo operations. With nearly 28 million books in print, TOKYOPOP's award-winning catalogue of licensed and original properties features more than 200,000 pages of manga compiled over nearly 1,000 manga volumes. Visit www.TOKYOPOP.com for additional information.
