I love reviewing manga and comics. I got into it through working for The Beat, and through them got a contact with a PR rep who works with TOKYOPOP, Manga Mavericks, and Red String Manga, all of which I like to review. But I want to review more stuff! So I signed up with BOOM! Studios for the opportunity to critique their comics, and that required me to create a NetGalley account. I’m currently working through The Traveler: Complete Collection for them, but I also started just randomly requesting digital review copies from a variety of comics, webtoon, and manga publishers.

As tempted as I am to review digital arcs of fiction, I have always believed that I shouldn’t critique books in my own genre, as these writers are my coworkers, and the writing and publishing world is small, while memories are long. Basically, and I can’t find a better way to say this, I don’t want to “shit where I eat.” So I only intend to review manga, graphic novels, comics, etc. Of course someday I want to create my own graphic works, and when that day comes, I might stop reviewing in the genre, but for now, I feel like it’s safe for me to review what I love, since I’m not publishing anything in this area, and comic authors/artists aren’t technically my coworkers. I hope this makes sense. (If you’re curious, look here and here for comments on authors reviewing authors).

ANYWAY! What brought me to write this post, besides mentioning that I’ll now be reviewing works from BOOM! Studios, is that I’ve been approved for my first galley that I impulsively requested, and I’m so excited!

Publishers look at your review rate. If you have a higher review rate, in that you’re really good about reviewing what you’ve been given to read, publishers are more apt to work with you and will grant you an ARC.

I have no review rate right now, so I am completely stunned that Webtoon/Wattpad approved me. I’m so excited to dive right in to reading and reviewing.

Sure, this is going to make things busier for me, but…this blog is all about sharing with you what I love in the hopes that maybe you love this stuff, too.