This fall semester I’ve been busy interning at Vertical. Everyday I take a train from where I live upstate to NYC. From Grand Central I walk about 12 blocks to the building Vertical’s office is located in. After a quick stop for breakfast I start to work at my given assignments.

At the beginning I was busy proofing manga pages. This consisted of me looking over a series of PDFs to see if there was any mistakes on the pages. After I checked each page I would re-convert them back into a PDF file. The plan is to have each file eventually converted into an e-book friendly file.

Around the same time as I was doing work on this I was also given the assignment of cleaning manga pages. Cleaning pages consisted of removing Japanese text from each page in Photoshop. Some of the text is placed over parts of image, so removing it means messing up part of the image underneath. This results in having to go back in and touch up some areas by either redrawing some parts, or using the clone tool to fix up the zip-a-tone. For the cloning tool, I  had to learn how to correctly use and apply it when working with zip-a-tone layers. One of the main things I learned and worked with were the overlay and clipping options that are available for the clone tool.

At first I was having difficulties getting the zip-a-tone to line up correctly. To fix this, I erased all the zip-a-tone then created a new layer underneath the one I was working on. Here, I went about recreating the zip-a-tone as a mask. By recreating the zip-a-tone from scratch, and working with it one area at a time, I had more control over it.

At one point I was given the task of designing a logo and cover design for a new manga title Vertical is going to be putting out in the future. This task was meant as a test to see how I would go about creating a cover and logo if given the actual assignment. To start, I creating a bunch of thumbnail designs of both the logo and the cover with variations on how the logo would be placed on it.

Next, using InDesign I went about creating the cover design. I was given a few assets to work with including the image of the cover’s art work. After creating the logo, I placed it on the cover in a visually appealing way. Then I repeated this for two over cover variations. Just to verify, I didn’t draw out the cover’s image, I was merely creating the logo and how it was placed on the cover.

I also helped create part of another cover design. The design called for random black spots so I was given ink and a tooth brush and went about splattering the ink on a blank page. Someone then took the ink splatter and scanned it into PS. There, she transformed and scaled it to make it usable for the cover design.

I was also able to try my hand at lettering. Lettering is a bit different than western comics as you fit the letters to already drawn bubbles. Also, the font is set vertically as to take up as much space within the bubble as possible.  Also, when lettering SFX the original Japanese SFX is still present, you’re just placing the translation for the SFX on the page. To do this, you need to make the new translated SFX text small enough to fit next to the Japanese text, but also large enough to see.

Come Comic Con I volunteered to help out at Vertical’s booth. After helping bring over boxes of books to the convention center I helped setup the table and worked the booth during the convention, but during my downtime I visited other company booths to show off my portfolio. My best reception was at the Archie booth who really liked what I had. They even said for me to email them a PDF with my portfolio later on. I also met with a small group who’d say they be in contact. As for panels, I had time to attend one I was looking forward to.

The panel was set up for indie comic artists to network. A good way to describe it was speed-dating. We would spend some time introducing ourselves and exchanging info with people, then after a certain time period move on to someone else. It was a quick and nice way to make contacts. I even met an alumni from SCAD.

While most of my time was probably spent cleaning manga pages, I really had fun at this internship. Not only did I learn a lot but the people I worked with were very friendly. One of the best things to come out of this is I’m getting production credit in at least two titles that are going to be releasing soon. Also, I was told that the cover design I did was really well received and might even be used for the actual release. They just need to get permission from the artist in Japan.

Overall, this internship was very productive and of course fun.

Lastly, I just want to thank everyone at Vertical for allowing me to partake in an internship with them and for all they provided me.

Love manga? How about drawing manga-esque pieces? The majority of manga distributors here in the U.S. have a strict policy about only publishing and distributing titles created in Japan (though quite a number of manhwa titles have also been made available). Not many artistic opportunities are available in the manga industry for those stateside. Available positions range from cleaners and translators to editors.

But, thanks to ongoing contest from the creators of online site, JManga, you now have a chance to enter this part of the comic industry. First, refresh your memory on JManga by reading last year’s article about the company’s new translations.

From July 26th to September 26th, a special contest is being held to find a new translator. This person must be able to translate a sample manga title provided (three to chose from) from Japanese to English. The three titles to choose from are “Coppelion,” created byTomonori Inoue, “Chocolate Cosmos,” created by Nana Haruta and “Shindo,” Created by Akira Saso. Go to the JManga Facebook page and choose a title to translate. This will open up a new tab where you can view the manga needing translation (Flash required). Make sure to grab the submission formatting guide from the above link, then get a-translating.

Once finished, you can submit your work on the Facebook page or by email to mtb2012@jmanga.com. For file types, .doc, .xls, .pdf, .txt and .rtf are acceptable as long as you keep the same format as the official submission format. The grand prize winner wins a trip to Japan and is awarded a grant to be a translator, and runners-up are awarded iPads.

by Jeremy Kahn

A retrospective of video game art will be running at the Smithsonian American Art Museum from March 16 to September 30. The exhibit will span five eras of video game history broken up into categories detailing each generation of video games. From arcades, to 8-bit consoles, to 16-bit, to the transition between 16-bit and the current generation. In all, the exhibit will be covering 40 years of video games as well as the technologies behind them.

Fan involvement was a major part of the exhibition since its planning stage. Fans voted on 80 games from an initial 240. These 80 games got the honor of being displayed as part of the exhibit.

Recently, as stated on their flickr page, a new contest has been opened for fans. To help showcase the artistic evolution of video games, the museum is looking for fans to submit “photographs that show how video games can inspire creativity!“ From inspired drawings, to sculptures, costumes, even food, the possibilities are endless. To submit and see more info check the flickr link above.

There has been quite a lot of discussion on whether or not video games qualify as art (Film critic Roger Ebert is perhaps the most famous voice against the idea). Thing is, video games are a new medium so there is a lot of room for discussion. If we compare video games to film we can make a lot of comparisons to the earlier days of film. As video games evolve and become more mainstream we might just get to the point where it can be considered art. This exhibit is definitely a step in the right direction.

If you’re in the area, be sure to check out this exhibition and enjoy the art (not to mention the playable games).Finally, if you’re in the area at the time be sure to check the exhibit out (especially since there will be playable cabinets for the games there). Good luck to all who enter.

Another game generation brings with it another Nintendo portable game system. This time Nintendo offers an intriguing new feature. Nintendo’s new 3DS delivers the ability to play games in 3D without glasses. I’ve found the 3D effect interesting to say the least. While it doesn’t hinder gameplay, it also doesn’t really add much. If anything it is more of an addition, adding a layer of enjoyment to the game beyond what is already there.

Of course people that have problems with 3D (those that get headaches or can’t see 3D well) might not find the effect very enjoyable. Fortunately, and to their credit, Nintendo included the option of raising or lowering the 3D effect. For a lot games, it seems to make no significant difference.

This isn’t to say the 3D doesn’t work, it does. It adds a surprising amount of depth to games. It’s an immersive experience very much unlike previous Nintendo handhelds. Sadly, it still leaves the player wanting a little more.

The device itself fixes a lot of problems consumers had before. With a recent update for example, the e-shop (the online shop you can purchase games from) allows you to buy games using an exact amount. This means if a purchase costs $3.99, then instead of buying $5 worth of credit like you were forced to in the past, you can just spend the exact amount needed. Another thing improved upon is the fact that games are allowed to have downloadable content (one of the first to do so will be a Fire Emblem game coming out in Japan).

The system also functions as a camera that taks both 2D and 3D pictures. The only problem is that the pictures come out very grainy. Don’t expect any high-quality photos here.  A recent update also allows for video capture (also option to video capture in 3D). There is also a built in music player that you can play music straight from a SD card. While the built in speakers are pretty decent, it’d be wise to use headsets.

While not live in the US as of this article, Japanese gamers can download demos for recent and upcoming games. So far what we have here are videos that can be downloaded to the SD card for playback. Also, there is a video download station that automatically downloads new videos every now and then. These new videos are specially made for the 3DS (be sure to check out Dinosaur Office).

Nintendo also made sure to carry over their virtual console. While they were a bit slow at first in pumping them out, some real goodies have been starting to come out. They also have been revamping some of their classic titles in 3D, Kirby’s Adventure for one and coming soon Kid Icarus.

Despite a few hiccups, it’s clear that Nintendo put a lot of work into the 3DS, making it a worthy purchase.

By Jeremy Kahn

Back when Disney acquired Marvel many quickly jumped on the train of thought that a Disney Marvel crossover would only be a matter of time. There were many people saying things like it was only a matter of time till Mickey Mouse appeared along side Spider Man. There were even some going the opposite direct with Marvel characters appearing in Disney shows and movies. One thing that people were most vocal about was the fact that Disney likes to keep a family friendly image. They were afraid this in turn would lower Marvel’s standards regarding their stories, making them less mature. The main thing people kept saying over and over was to keep the two companies’ titles separate.

Well, to the dismay of some the inevitable has happened. In the latest Avengers issue 19, Marvel gives readers a quick side story featuring the two main characters from Prep and Landing. For those unaware, Prep and Landing is a holiday special that premiered in 2009. This year Disney has made a sequel called, Prep and Landing: Naughty vs. Nice. The first special focused on how Santa’s elves help him deliver gifts. The story revolved around an elf, Wayne, who has grown tired of his job. Wayne hopes to be promoted to Santa’s list checker. The new special sees Wayne team up with his younger brother as they have to save Christmas from a naughty child who hacks into the naughty and nice list.

This side story in the comic is basically a story of Wayne and his new partner delivering gifts to the Avengers’ mansion. Throughout the story things like the Avenger’s logo, Iron man’s glove, Captain America’s shield, the Hulk, are among a few things shown or hinted at. The main problem with this story is it feels like a quick cash in. Since the sequel Prep and Landing: Naughty vs. Nice aired recently this feel like a promotional story more than anything else.

This isn’t to say the whole thing is bad. One thing of note is that the characters in the story from Prep and Landing were originally CGI. Even with this they fit in just fine with Marvel’s 2D hand drawn world. The art work has a nice brush look to it (really capturing the feel of the holidays). As this is a holiday-themed story the majority of colors are in the red and green spectrum. The transitions from panel to panel are easy to follow. This all comes together for a story that feels like a marketing ploy to entice people to watch the new special.

Of course the argument can be made that this story is non-cannon, having no effect on any of the Avenger issues. The thing is, it’s only a matter of time till we see something that does have an impact (ex. a Donald Duck pulling a Howard the Duck).

For those that already have this issue or are already planning on getting it then this doesn’t matter. But for those that aren’t planning on buying it, this small story isn’t worth the purchase just for this. If only this idea wasn’t used for a promotion.

By Jeremy Kahn

Of all the reasons to own a SEGA CD, Sonic CD always come to mind (probably one of the only reasons as well). Since the SEGA CD, Sonic CD has only been ported to the PC and GameCube (and PS2 in the UK) via GEMS Collection. The only thing is, every release after the initial one contained the American soundtrack, not the Japanese/European one (which some preferred). Well good news. Recently announced, SEGA will be releasing the Japanese/European versions to about all systems under the sun (with added features like Tails as a playable character). In addition, they will be releasing a soundtrack featuring the Japanese/European soundtrack in the Japanese region.

Now to the meat of the article. SEGA is currently holding an art contest with a deadline of the 29^th of November. Basically, you are to draw Sonic CD themed scene and send it to your respective regions. For America, SEGA of America – communityteam@sega.com, SEGA of Europe – community@sega.co.uk, and SEGA Mexico – saucedo@teamone-la.com. Make sure to attach your fan art submission to the e-mail and include the following:

• Your first and last name,
• Your age,
• Your state/province
• Your e-mail address
• Your telephone number including area code
• The name or reference for your Fan Art Submission

Remember, the art piece must be Sonic CD related.

In all, there will be 50 prizes per region. The breakdown is as follows.

“Grand Prize Winners
Five winners will receive a copy of Sonic CD on either PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, or on Steam as well as a signed copy of the Sonic CD soundtrack from Sonic Team, including:

Iizuka-san, Producer for all Sonic titles
Senoue-san, Director of Sound on Sonic Titles
Hataya-san, Music Composer of Sonic CD
Hoshino-san, Art Director of Sonic CD

First Place Winners
Forty Five winners will receive a copy of Sonic CD on either PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, or on Steam as well and a copy of the Sonic CD soundtrack.”

Finally, SEGA posted original Meta Sonic design sketches on their blogs for inspiration, as well as words of inspiration from Sonic Team art director, Kazuyuki Hoshino.

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/segaamerica/6359622455/

Kazuyuki Hoshino, “This sketch takes me back! When I was new to Sonic Team, I was tasked with designing what was to be Sonic’s rival character. I was so excited!

Although some slight changes were made between this and the final design – for example, his eyes are rounded and the proportions of his body are different – for the most part, he was already Metal Sonic. This sketch was used as a draft for the character’s bitmap that you see in game so it’s rather simple, but it brings back a lot of good memories and is very special to me.

Tips When Drawing Metal Sonic

1. Remember that he is METAL Sonic so focus on giving him a nice metallic texture. You can do this by emphasizing the highlights and reflections on his body.

2. Try to position him in a way that will show off his iconic details like his glowing eyes, menacingly pointed fingers, and the large engine on his back.

I hope that these tips will prove useful and look forward to seeing all of your submissions!”

For more info, go to http://blogs.sega.com/2011/11/11/sonic-cd-fan-art-explosion-contest-of-amazing-things/