All three of this month’s pick hits are from VIZ Media, with two new Marvel manga and a new title from Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of Chainsaw Man. All three are one-shots. Spidey is teen-friendly, and Wolverine is a deluxe edition of a vintage title. As for Fujimoto, his fans have shown they are willing to go beyond Chainsaw Man; he took up 11 of the slots in January’s BookScan Top 20 (see “January 2023 BookScan – Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels“)
Spider-Man: Fake Red
Publisher: VIZ Media
Release Date: June 14, 2023
Price: $14.99
Creator: Yusuke Osawa
Format: Paperback, 328 pages
ISBN: 9781974738786
Age Rating: Teen
What It’s About: A teen finds a Spider-Man suit and puts it on, and then when trouble arrives and the real Spidey isn’t around, he has to rise to the occasion.
Why It’s a Pick Hit: It’s Spider-Man, it’s manga, and it’s a teen-friendly story that’s complete in one volume. Plus, it’s out just in time for the new animated feature, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (see “Best in Shows – 2023”).
Wolverine: Snikt!
Publisher: VIZ Media
Release Date: 6/14/23
Price: $19.99
Creator: Tsutomu Nihei
Format: Paperback, 6”x 10”, 136 pages
ISBN: 9781974738533
Age Rating: Teen
What It’s About: Wolverine fights robotic organisms, as well as his own anger, in a post-apocalyptic world.
Why It’s a Pick Hit: Nihei, the creator of Blame and Knights of Sidonia, created this story as a five-issue comic for Marvel back in 2003 (see “VIZ Brings Back ‘Wolverine: Snikt!’”). This deluxe edition, with an oversize format, includes an introduction by Nick Dragotta and a gallery of behind-the-scenes art.
Goodbye, Eri
Publisher: VIZ Media
Release Date: June 28, 2023
Price: $12.99
Creators: Tatsuki Fujimoto
Format: Paperback, 208 pages
ISBN: 9781974738939
Age Rating: Teen Plus
What It’s About: A depressed filmmaker contemplates suicide finds new hope when he meets a young woman, but she has secrets of her own.
Why It’s a Pick Hit: Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man is a solid hit, and his popularity extends to his other books, which have all been best-sellers as well.
Source: ICv2
