For those unacquainted with Garo, the magazine began in 1964 as a clear political rebellion against the notion of manga being “only for kids.” Starting off as an antiwar and pro-democracy magazine aimed at elementary and middle schoolers, it eventually matured into being more focused in its art, establishing the genre of gekiga, “dramatic pictures.” Its influence on the manga world is undeniable, as even legends like Osama Tezuka being amongst its admirers.
The Kickstarter for this project has already hit its targeted goal, and now distributes any excess funding directly to the artists. The anthology boasts an impressive lists of cartoonists, from Michael DeForge to Luke Pearson, and whether or not you agree as to the legitimacy of this project, it is undeniable that the art is going to top notch.Portland based illustrator-extraordinaire Angie Wang’s sublime manga influenced art is more than fitting for the Garo tribute. Her work conjures up a sense of a dream-like fantasy within a Japanese horror story. “The Teacup Tree” is depicted in a similar style to her recent work in “Girl Apocalypse” , exploring a young girl’s unusual friendship with a teacup-loving shadow creature. It reminded me a little bit of a take on Peter Pan and that heartbreaking moment when you realize you’ve grown up and your childhood companion is nowhere to be seen.
It’s important to note that this comic reads Right to Left
Just a correction – I’m not actually a contributor to this. Love Angie’s comic, though!