Hero:
I'm late in getting my hands on a copy. But if anyone has picked it up, please give me your feedback lol. For those of you unaware of the project, here's the scoop
(from publishersweekly.com)
"Yoshitaka Amano may be one of the most versatile artists in the commercial art world. He's worked with Neil Gaiman on his Sandman graphic novel series. He is one of the original conceptual artists behind the Final Fantasy video game. He's crossed over into the Tokyo-New York-Paris gallery art scene and has had coffee-table art books made from his work. Now Amano is back with Hero, his own original graphic novel, coming in April from Canadian publisher Speakeasy Comics.
Although Speakeasy has been changing its publishing model of late, creative director Chris Stone tells PW Comics Week that Hero's publishing schedule would be unaffected by the changes. The book is coming out much later than expected because of delays in finishing the artwork, he says.
Originally a series of prints that Amano created for exhibition in New York, Hero developed into a graphic narrative. "I was always interested in myths and mythic figures, and wanted to create something in that line, but those of existing myths, be it Greek, Japanese or whatever, have been made into books or pictures so many times already," explains Amano. "So I wanted something fresh, with issues relevant to my own interest. When I had the image of the world I want to create, the characters naturally fell into place."
In Hero, the title character travels the world in search of his true love. The most recent volume of Hero is set in the catacombs of Paris.
"It's an ongoing stimulation," Amano says of cities like Paris and New York where he has set up studios. "The initial reason to have a studio in New York City and Paris is to experience first hand what I only knew through information and what was a big influence on me when I was younger. The atmosphere, the pace, the people. I wasn't disappointed."
As graphic novels and Japanese manga become more prevalent and more popular in American culture, Amano believes the medium will only become a bigger vehicle for serious cultural expression.
"The creators in popular literature, comics and animation absorbed themes explored only in high literature and high art in the past," says Amano. "They embraced political, economical, ethical, scientific and aesthetic up-to-date issues into their works and appealed to a wider audience, particularly, the younger generation. I think it only natural for other countries to follow. The growing popularity of Japanese manga is only a part of the flow."
Tale of the Genji:
(from Darkhorse.com)
"Yoshitaka Amano has been praised around the world for his lush watercolors and evocative work dealing with myth and legend. In The Tale of Genji Mr. Amano brings his considerable talent to retelling one of the most famous of Japanese myths: written by Murasaki Shikibu shortly after 1000 AD and considered by most scholars to be the first novel ever written, The Tale of Genji is the story of the romantic adventures of Genji, the amazingly handsome prince and his many romantic conquests. Told through stunning paintings, Mr. Amano brings this classic story to life for a new generation.
• As one of the most respected stories of all time, The Tale of Genji holds a worldwide place of honor among lovers of myth and legend.
• Will appeal to the legions of Vampire Hunter D fans worldwide, as well as fans of his work on Sandman (written by New York Times-bestselling author Neil Gaiman) and Wolverine (with award-winning author Greg Rucka). "