As an extension of the PULP experiment/enterprise, the editors (including Jason Thompson, Izumi Evers, Carl Gustav Horn and others I'm surely forgetting) worked with Chikao Shiratori (an ex-GARO editor) to put together an anthology called Secret Comics Japan. I've previously posted about this important collection which (along with Comics Underground Japan and, to a lesser degree, Sake Jock) is a key piece of reading for any Same Hat reader.
I have really distinct memories of first encountering this book when Evan brought it along on our cross-country road trip to get me out to Stanford in 2001. This book is where I first encountered Shintaro Kago, as well as Furuya's PALEPOLI strips and Makoto Aida's groundbreaking MUTANT HANAKO. At the time of Secret Comics Japan's publication, PULP ran an overview of the state of "indie manga" in Japan in the early-2000s, as well as detailed notes on each story included in the anthology. I found it pretty fascinating to revisit this stuff, and have included large scans for your reading pleasure below:
CLICK EACH PAGE FOR THE FULL-SIZE IMAGE:
(Interview about PULP x SECRET COMICS JAPAN, page 1)
(Interview about PULP x SECRET COMICS JAPAN, page 2)
(LOOKING AT: The Life of Momongo, Gedatsu Man)
(LOOKING AT: Swing Shell, JR.)
(LOOKING AT: Heartless Bitch/Painful Love, Punctures)
(LOOKING AT: Mutant Hanako)
(LOOKING AT: Editor Woman, Palepoli)
(A hilarious "rating" of each story in terms of Gore, Porn-ness, Huh?, Laffs, and other traits)
