Fantagraphics’ Takumigraphics imprint debuts this week with a manhwa: Lovers of the Empire Volume 1 by Yudori, a funny, heartfelt exploration of class, colonialism, and love set in 1920s Korea. Yudori’s previous book, Raging Clouds, was also published by Fantagraphics.
As the first Takumigraphics publication, Lovers of the Empire will introduce a new, curated slate of international comics from cartoonists from Korea, China, Singapore, Taiwan, the Philippines, and other Asian countries.
“Lovers of the Empire is a cute boy-meets-girl romance, set against a silent backdrop of massacres and battles,” says Yudori, who is from South Korea and based in England. “That is in a way what it feels like to exist as a Korean: keeping the façade of abundance and harmlessness, while something is always brooding deep inside, just below the point of explosion. Wars do not stop at battlefields and bomb sites, they seep into our everyday existence.”
Lovers of the Empire follows two teenagers from different social strata who are thrown together. Arisa Jo, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is the most eligible bachelorette in all of Gyeongsung (the capital city). With her Western dresses, movie star hairstyle, and assertive attitude, she embodies bold “Modern” values. Jun Seomoon is her opposite, a young man from the countryside deeply rooted in tradition. When Arisa’s father tasks Jun with escorting her to the big city, their personalities clash and sparks fly. Their unlikely connection opens these teenagers’ eyes to new perspectives amidst the rapidly changing world they find themselves in. On the surface a sweet and funny “will they, won’t they” romance, this story garners depth from its depiction of Korea at a crossroads: a city occupied by Japan, molded by Western influences, and facing a modernity that stirs inner conflicts within its citizens. Rendered in gorgeous full color, this period piece portrays a fascinating city in a tumultuous time, with two winsome characters at its heart.
The 224-page hardcover Lovers of the Empire Volume 1 is due out this week – and you can read a preview below.
The Takumigraphics imprint was announced about a year ago, and will focus on comics from East Asia but with the literary bent that Fantagraphics is known for. “Fantagraphics’ mission has long been to celebrate great cartooning in all of its incarnations, from the form’s early luminaries to contemporary artists from around the globe currently forging the future of visual storytelling,” explains Fantagraphics Associate Publisher Eric Reynolds. “Takumigraphics is an extension of this mission, and an acknowledgement of the key role that Manga, Manhwa, and Manhua, and other east asian comics continue to play in forging that future. As we continue to expand our roster of Asian works, it made perfect sense to bring them under one umbrella, to best showcase the great works being created in Japan, South Korea, China, and elsewhere.”
“We at Fantagraphics are thrilled to publish Yudori’s Lovers of the Empire trilogy,” says editor Conrad Groth. “Her new series has it all: endearing characters that play off each other in delightful ways, a lushly rendered period setting, and a plot that deftly balances lighthearted romance with deeper themes to sink your teeth into. Funny, engaging, and crackling with curiosity and imagination, Lovers exemplifies the kinds of work we aim to publish in the Takumi line.”
Future Takumigraphics releases include Marina Lisa Komiya’s On Their Frontlines: The Lives of Japanese War Brides in August, Shimura Takako’s Wandering Son in September, Akane Torikai’s Wandering Cat’s Cage in October, and Kago’s The Ultra Power Mongol Invasion in November.
The second volume of Lovers of the Empire will be out in April, 2027.
