Dramacon, Volume 3

March 15, 2008
This drama- and comedy-filled original English-language manga, nominated for Eisner and Harvey awards, is the story of a romance between two people who meet only once a year. At her first anime convention, Yattacon, aspiring comics writer Christie fell for the mysterious Matt, who defended her when her boyfriend, Derek, drunkenly attempted to force himself on her. But Christie and Matt live on opposite coasts, and their relationship falters at long distance. In this final volume of the series, Christie (who's now experiencing some success with her online comic) and Matt go back to Yattacon once again, trying to revive the feeling they once shared. Matt, who lost an eye in a childhood accident, has a standoffish and sarcastic manner that pushes Christie's buttons oftenbut it does seem to be true love. Meanwhile, Christie's artist collaborator, Bethany, whose work is so good that she's being courted by a comics publisher, tries to stand up to her domineering mother's disapproval of her artistic ambitions. Chmakova's artwork is attractive and shows a firm grasp of Japanese manga storytelling techniques. Accurately rated ages 13+, this series is recommended for all collections.S.R.

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