Vertical Inc. News

As politicos and PTAers decide the fate of Japanese comics past, present and future, Vertical—with the help of international cartooning superstar Felipe Smith—would like to remind readers that no matter what happens in Tokyo, Vertical will always have manga available for Christmas. To prove that point, this week we have an ideal comic to share with readers around the globe.

Mr. Smith’s Peepo Choo is a manic manga mix that should get a rise out of even the most cynical of Scrooges. A comic that was born because it could only have been made in Japan, now comes to its climactic conclusion, as its youthful cast prepares to return to America after witnessing the dreams and disappointments of Japan’s capital. And whether told from the perspective of a rom-com, a yakuza gang-war or even a giant monster rampage, it is evident that exemplary works of fiction can not only be presented in comic form, in this format they flourish.

By following Milton, Gill, and Jody through their final moments in Asia, readers are treated to a sensual world that can only be rendered through comic art. His visuals maybe surreal, violent or titillating often visualizing thoughts and emotions in ways words can only begin to describe. So whether visualizing a sense of hip-hop infused yakuza euphoria, or rendering the moé bliss of an otaku in nerd-heaven Akihabara, readers will get to see a side of Tokyo and manga that few Westerners will ever get to experience.