The Greatest Comic Convention in the World ISN'T In The United States! 

The Greatest comics market in the world is Japan and it's not even close. The more you get to know how publishers, mangaka, readers and society in general treat manga the more you realize they are on a whole another level. I wish more people in the West were able to actually go there and see it firsthand, some things you gotta see them with your own eyes or you just won't believe them.

Ed talking about dojinshis so much lately and Jim encouraging fan works in the last videos has got me inspired to work on my own. As much as I don't like working on established characters or fan art stuff, I see it as a way to make something that I would want to read myself because a lot of new stuff on the racks just isn't cutting it for me lol Thanks for putting these out, guys.

Absolutely fantastic episode, and eye opening to what can be done to make comics culture expand here in the USA markets. Please do more of these deep dives on how to better the conversation and what’s out there for creators. Like con show, print, material, cost differences for creators. You guys are killing it! Keep making comics!

This brings me back to the earliest cartoon conventions I went to, in the 1970s -- the annual "Comic Art Convention," mostly at the Statler Hotel in NYC, around 4th of July weekend, organized by Phil Seuling. In those days it was all actual, original comic art, hauled in by collectors in cardboard boxes, along with some other comics-related toys and memorabilia, and some comic books, filling several floors of the hotel. A lot of the cartoonists were there too. Toward the end of that era came a massive sea-change, when the Star Trek and sci-fi TV/movie stuff crept in, and soon actual cartoon art took a back seat. "Not that there's anything wrong with that," but I'm saying there was a time when cartoon conventions were all about the actual cartoons, wall to wall.

Thanks, guys! The range of styles and level of drawing talent in those works of "amateurs" is simply overwhelming for a single viewing. So much information is contained in those pages!

That was super fun. I read a bit of doujin online but it's definitely not the same as having a book in your hands. Thanks for sharing

Wow! That’s wild! I’m at a real loss of words! Definitely impressed and inspired just looking at the plethora of comics! Please showcase more stuff like this because everyone really needs to see this kind of stuff from so called amateurs! I love seeing creative comics and in the bumpercrop of shitty formula corporate comics this is just the kick in the ass/blowtorch creative people need to put out their own stuff and in my opinion this is going to be the best thing that can happen especially with all the stagnant crap of variant covers and threadbare empty events! Happy New Year 2023 and keep reading and making YOUR OWN COMICS!❤️😎😎🎯

Everything Ed said about integration of amateur level hobbyists in Japanese publishers, printers etc. business model from the get go is true and essential for comics as a medium to thrive. As an European I can think an example from France, another country with comics as an integral part of the culture. For example, last october, French publishers published 300 titles of manga, 90 of which were new titles. Its an incrdible amount, considering its on top of everything they do on their own. But, to my point: several of them get promo videos, with animation, voice actors the whole shebang. They are shown widely on TV and in movie theaters. Essentially, when you go to see the latest Marvel movie in France, you'll see trailers of manga books in there. That is the level of effort French manga publishers put into their promotion. Doujin are an excellent example of the base for success to happen, but it doesn't stop there, the support continues from bottom to the very top, without resting on their laurels. That's why they thrive.

There needs to be a Cartoonist Kayfabe convention. You guys get exponentially bigger as time progresses and have essentially given birth to countless creators putting their own work out there. As Ed said, this CAN BE a reality here- I feel it's already begun, in fact. Do it in the Midwest, centrally located, maybe in Kansas City or St. Louis, where a venue and lodging are affordable.

Comitia is freaking awesome. I don't have time to make comics anymore but you're making me get that itch again! There's people of literally every level of skill there, which encouraged me to get into it in the first place.

Wow. I loved visiting comic stores in Japan but I never went to a convention. If only the UK comic marts had even a millionth of this sort of comics, even a few food or cat comics. The artwork is amazing. Love the pencilled comic, I think it just looks great to see it in that form. The travel comic was superb, really mind boggling.

I've never been to Japan and these videos are making it seem like a great idea. I think it's my resolution this year to make it out there

Guys, I absolutely adore your passionate attitude. I remember seeing Japanese manga in paper for the first time on the Japanese stand in Angouleme (FR). I was equally astonished as you were.

I really loved that unfinished book, I don't know how many other people like the process zines. A lot of the Inktobers have process stuff and I can't get enough of it. Also, good to know the ladies drawing the big tiddies. The variety of printing is fun to see. I think I remember seeing some screen caps for a Doujinshi documentary a while back I'm going to look for.

That last one is breathtaking

Well, that just got added to my bucket list.

Super inspiring video guys. Love the reportage on something I didn't even know existed and now might be one of my favorite concepts ever.

Great episode, but also a massive tease :)

I actually recognized a few artists on here . . . especially those of a certain section *cough cough* goes to show how much time I spend on twitter lol

It seems like the hurdle at this point in America is distribution, how to get books into people’s hands.

From recollection, Comiket follows a lot of these patterns. It also does trailer videos for the games, which are anthologized in large "doujin games of Comiket" videos here on RU-vid. I find them absolutely fascinating.

Glad you had fun man. I was just a couple blocks away, but had to take my family back home after staying in that area the night before. Happy to help ya get there though!

Some of this stuff is breathtaking. I need to pick up my doujin game.

Incredible! Thank you for the inspiration!

Oh, man - I wish I could go to these conventions someday - You must get fully energized to draw after one of these. Great episode.

Thanks so much for sharing this. Absolutely inspiring

that travel log was gorgeous! reminded me of my neighbors the yamadas

Hey Ed, I’d like to pick up your ‘X-Men: grand design’ books here in the UK but ensure you get you dues rather than second hand. Any retailers here that you directly deal with??

Great episode... So inspiring to see all that variety

This is a special video - thanks for sharing your experience and finds

Awesome way to start the year thank-you!

Happy New Year! 🎉 Damn this convention sounds beyond badass! Looks like a trip to Japan needs to happen this year! 🙌🏻 Major props to these creators- incredible talent!

Great video, I'm jealous. Now that you have got Patreon, will you possibly do mailbags there?

Agree with everything you guys said. Speaking as someone who is not a creator but has just lived in Japan for a long, long time, that girls rugby comic (the unfinished one) is definitely getting picked up by some company soon for sure. Nice timing / theme / art, all coming together. You guys should totally go next year and get a table.

Absolutely love this stuff! I have to go to one of these events next year

Subbed. What a lightning rod of inspiration.

That sister one with the octopus is FUCKING AMAZING 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Wait till they find out what they're charging us just to go into Wonder con, lol

I won't lie, this made me depressed. I went to New York years ago and made leave-behinds for editors. You swear I was trying to leave a rotten fish behind. No one was taking em, one of the big two didn't show up. I'm in my mid-thirties with a day job and man. I really wanted to do be doing comics full-time. I wish we had something like this out here. Thanks for sharing though!

You know what Ed and Jim? You're both right. Looking back, i made a comment where I absolutely jumped the gun with that whole "Deranged" statement on the previous video where I was putting up a bias. Granted, I've seen comics from Japan that are incredibly INCREDIBLY bizarre sexual stuff (Lots of incest, sexual assault and other taboos) and I guess I brought my own bias with me when I said that shit so, I'll be the first to admit that I made massive assumptions so you guys are absolutely right. Happy new year and all the best for Cartoonist Kayfabe!

the cover art is amazing, what comic or manga does this illustration come from?

I've been to Comiket for one day, but never heard of this show. I wonder if it's new and if the publishers are putting Comitia on. A couple decades ago a friend of mine was talking about starting a doujinshi sort of convention here but I think the closest we come to is SPX because you can't do doujinshi that has IP in them for sure here. If you want to get into this sort of thing more there's an manga and anime called Genshinken that's entertaining and insighful. About 13 years ago I went and came back with a giant case of it and US customs didn't even bother examining the bags. Not sure if that changed. I did have a scat doujinshi but it was drawn so well I couldn't pass it up. So you should have brought those books back.

Ed: "What's 1Jesus when you can have 456 of them?" Jim: "Touché....." 😂

Heyo Jim! any chance you can show us how to make a comic like uhoman? that would be fantastic. Cheers! 🍻

This is easier said than done but if you go table out there. I would see about translating your comics and making a big cheap phone book. Try to get it printed and waiting for ya. Good luck

Are there any Cartoonist Kayfabe discords out there?

japans comic scene is way ahead of ours man

Ed, was signing the work a thing? How were the creators with that sort of thing?

Japanese comic culture is so amazing. Sad it’s not really replicated here

This and your recent weekly shoot about there being no industry, it's up to us, link here; ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-piv9V6R_nOU.html are some of the most important Kayfabe work you have produced. I could easily argue they belong pinned to the top of your Kayfabe homepage as excellent examples of Make More Comics!