As with Tokyo Zombie, Evan Hayden and I will be adapting the title for English audiences-- with Evan handling the book production, design and lettering, and me tackling the translation (with friends' help) and editing the book with Last Gasp's Colin Turner.
The Japanese edition was published by EnterBrain and is around 275 pages. This English edition will be only Suehiro Maruo's third book released in English (after Creation Books' "Ultra-Gash Inferno" and Blast Books' "Mr. Arashi's Amazing Freak Show"). The publication is planned for Spring 2010, and some of the book release details are still being hammered out. Generally speaking, it's rare for a publisher to announce a title license this early in the process, but we are all so excited we wanted to share the news as soon as possible.
About the book, from previous posts:
Panorama is an adaptation of a novella by Japanese detective fiction godfather, Edogawa Rampo. The story takes place at the end of the Taisho era, and follows an unsuccessful science fiction author with an uncanny resemblance to a former classmate/son of a rich industrialist family. When the industrialist's son dies, the author fakes his own death, digs up and hides the other man's body, then washes himself up starving on a beach in a town where the dead man's family lives. After some more intrigue and scheming, he proceeds to take redirect all of their money to build a mysterious pleasure palace island, and live like a sensual weirdo king. Crazy and amazing stuff!
Evan, Colin and I will be working hard over the coming weeks and months, and I probably won't have any updates in the immediate future. But later on, I'll be sharing tons of details on the process and title here at Same Hat.
So um... is anyone excited?!
OH FUCK YES!!!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to read this so badly; you guys are awesome.
Since I'm attending Berkeley in the fall, mind if I stop by and hug you if I'm nearby?
Awesome! I will be picking this up for sure.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! - and, I wish you much success! I'll certainly buy it.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff! Anxious to get hold of this one!
ReplyDeleteAnd I wanted to get the original edition (mostly to watch the pretty drawings). Now I'll be able to read it too. Sweet.
ReplyDeleteYES!YES!YES! I'm dancing around the room in pure joy!
ReplyDeleteYou are my fairy godmother, I knew it!! :P
Definitely excited!! I can't wait to pick this up.
ReplyDeleteI know I speak for Ryan when I say that we are totally stoked to be working on Panorama Island, and I can't wait for you guys to see it!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a killer announcement. GIMME DAT.
ReplyDeleteSTOKED
ReplyDeleteThis better get sold where I am. Tokyo Zombie took AGES.
ReplyDeleteHell yeah excited.
Holy shit!! Amazing!!! I never realized how shitty my French had gotten until I tried reading Le Lézard Noir releases... this will be awesome!
ReplyDeleteI am deeply thrilled. Any Suehiro Maruo in English is an event with a cap E.
ReplyDeleteDude.. that is some of the best (or the best?) news ever posted on SH :). CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteFucking awesome news!!
:D
ReplyDelete(OMG word verification was: lies. a sign?)
i just j'd in my p.
ReplyDeletei love this story the most out of every manga on my bookshelf. i know you'll do an amazing english translation of it! so excited!
ReplyDeleteOh MY!!!
ReplyDeleteI just discovered your wonderful site.Awesome news
ReplyDeleteI am going to buy a copy for myself, a copy for my pets, and an additional copy for each meal I don't eat.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS EVERYBODY! We are just as excited as you guys :)
ReplyDelete@kouros: Sounds like a plan, high-fives at the new Viz Jtown center in SF?
@adam: Thanks!
@cyphane: We appreciate the support! Gonna have a lot of legwork next Spring to make this an indie success
@Jos: Awesome!
@Big D: Definitely-- the book is lush :)
@mytro: :D !!!
@m: SWEET. Thanks, m!
@fluffyduck: thanks! Make all your friends buy it too :)
@Evan: Um, hey dude. I think people are excited :)
@joseph luster: I want to go to there.
@Michael: Awwwwww yeah
@JE: We'll make sure you get your hands on a copy, by any means necessary!
@Vivian: That's cool that you snagged the Le Lezard editions of his stuff to tide you over!
@genjipress: I completely agree!
@azraelito: Thanks for all the comments and Maruo-love
@brendan: Yes, definitely! Can't wait for you to read it. Maruo is the shit.
@zytroop: It is not a lie, I promise :) Sorry it's not Sensha (yet!)
@moebaby: Uncle Maruo has that effect on people
@Monika: I might ask you for some feedback along the way... thanks dude!
@gea: :)
@nitty: Thanks for checking us out and welcome!
@TonyT: i wonder if i can get karan to blurb it, haha
Wow. The amount of comments left already just shows how much Maruo love there is out there!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to up to the minute information, as and when, on this project. There's a lot of good alternative (for want of a better phrase)manga coming out in the next 12 or so months but, seriously, I think Panorama Island is the most exciting release of them all. Roll on Spring 2010!!!
Yeeeess. I'll say it again: amazing news. And from flipping through the book briefly a few days ago, I can say that the artwork is bizarre, complex, and magnificent even beyond Maruo's usual superhigh standard.
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait. Thanks for doing the right thing :]
Yesssss!! Amazing! I'm already anxious to ready it. You guys made an excellent work on Tokyo Zombie. I'm sure your work on Panorama Island won't be different! All the best.
ReplyDeleteHoly fuck this made my day.
ReplyDeleteMore Maruo in English is ALWAYS a good thing. Tracking down his other English-language works is hard enough :P
Congrats to you and Evan, Ryan!
Wow, I don't have anything to contribute that hasn't already been said, but THANK YOU GUYS! What great news! Now I have something to look forward to next year already. :D
ReplyDeletedefinitely, throw anything my way!
ReplyDeleteNice. It was a pretty interesting read, though not what I'd really consider typical Maruo. While I haven't read the source text, I guess since it was an adaptation he ended up sticking pretty close to certain things. I'm glad to see that it's coming out. I hope the PR milks the hell out of the award it won so it really gets out there.
ReplyDelete@jimpac: I think this is a record for comments on a Same Hat post :) The 2nd half of 2009 will be the Ax anthology, along with D&Q's new books. It's an exciting time for alternative manga fans!
ReplyDelete@sheisept: Thanks, Sophia! Glad you got to check the book out in person. I'll be carrying it around with me all summer!
@Okada: Still a long ways off, but the time should fly by. Hope you enjoy it!
@EOIN: Thanks dude, all the credit is due to Last Gasp for being willing to take on the project and going after the license!
@Noel: No more slumming! (at least, not for Maruo). I assume this means nobody is gonna mess with a scanlation, right?
@Monika: cool! I will be taking you up on the offer, down the road!
@Laika: I knew the story before his comic, but hadn't ever read it. That said, Maruo's Imomushi is very directly related tied to the original story by Rampo. As much as I enjoy some of Maruo's earlier stuff, I think coupling him with Rampo's fiction really takes it to the next level. I assume they are gonna push the award-winning aspect hard, but the success will depend most on folks from places like you guys spreading the word to friends! I'll be doing contests and promotions (and free stuff!) via Same Hat for sure :)
@NANA: Thanks! Uncle Maruo does not disappoint!
ReplyDeleteoh my god congratulations!! I'm really looking forward to it wow.. Best news I've heard in a while 8D
ReplyDeletethat's fantastic news indeed! good luck and keep us on the wire!
ReplyDeleteFINALLY! MASS PRODUCED MARUO IN ENGLISH! I WON'T HAVE TO FELLATE THAT MANY PUBLISHERS AFTER ALL!
ReplyDelete@jaclyn: Glad you are excited! I thought you'd dig this news :)
ReplyDelete@winslow: You guys are the front line of the Maruomania, i'll keep you very posted!
@anon: One less author that you'll have to perform favors to get on the road to proper release. There's still many more worth fighting(?) for though!
Great news! I bought the book on our last trip to Tokyo, and was wondering why nobody's translating this! Great job Ryan!
ReplyDelete@actionist: Thanks Bharath! I'm surprised that no other publisher tried to fight Last Gasp for it :)
ReplyDeleteI don't have any information (way too early) but if Panorama does well, I'd love to see the new one (Caterpillar) come out after that...
Keep up the great blogging and work over there!
This artist just keeps getting better with time, especially now that he's confident enough to not have to constantly use references and do spot traces. Here's hoping more of hist stuff gets released.
ReplyDeleteI'm late to hear about this but this is indeed great news. Same hat is the best thing to happen since Pulp Magazine, in fact BETTER. Congrats and I hope the book does well.
ReplyDelete@siliconneedle: Thanks for checking the blog out! You are being hyperbolic, since PULP was the best thing for indie manga ever, but I appreciate the kind words.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are a dude after our own hearts!
@protegon: Really? That seemed like a good idea?
ReplyDelete