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 How to Read a Manga
By Adam "OMEGA" Arnold
and Steve Diabo (Kaneda)... in breathtaking ADAMVISION!!!
 Hello,
everyone, and welcome to my room. Please don't touch the
stuff. |
 Observe -- A 'near-mint' copy of Young
Magazine Weekly 1997 #35, containing Shirow
Masamune's Manmachine Interface: Dual Device #5,
the short story Alive by Yuki Tanaka, Black
Brain #136, Yuzo Takada's 3x3 Eyes Act 247,
and tons more that make this 387-page, out-of-print book
an excellent read and a very cool collectible. This issue
of the Japanese manga magazine uses a newsprint paper
stock with ink that can rub off as would on a normal
newspaper. In sharp contrast, Japanese manga 'phone
books' feature multicolored paper that has a consistency
of childrens' construction paper. The glue used in the
spine of the book can produce predominant indentures at
various points, which one would typically find on a copy
of the book that has been butchered and neglected by some
crazy fool who would not give his manga the admiration
and care that it so deeply deserves. As with any step-by-step,
this tutorial can be applied to all forms of books with a
99.999999% success rate. |
 Step #1. The most important stage in
reading any book is to have the proper tools to get the
job done. For this, you will need a shower cap to keep
hair or dandruff from falling into the precious book. A
pair of safety goggles is required to keep eyes from
becoming irritated from stray whiffs of chemicals used in
the printing of the book. A breathing mask is worn to
keep carbon dioxide, airborne salivary enzymes and other
bodily chemicals away from a collectible, because it's
not a good thing to cough on a book. Latex gloves are a
must to protect the book from sweat, skin cells, and
germs. The final ingredient is the use of a folded mylar
comic book sleeve that will serve as a 'reader' to give
an extra barrier of protection between you and the loved
one. You can never have too much protection. In a way,
it's kind of like learning how to read all over again,
isn't it? |
 Now that you have the tools, it is time to
get started with the removing of the book from its own
protective mylar comic sleeve.
Step #2. Carefully take the manga in one
hand (left or right, depending on personal preference)
and gently lift the tape on the top flap of the mylar
sleeve until the flap opens. |
 Step #3. Roll the tape and flap onto the
outside of the front portion of the mylar sleeve. |
 Step #4. While carefully holding onto the
book, place the 'reader' over the open end of the mylar
sleeve and prepare for the next step. |
 Step #5. Grasp the top of the manga
magazine with your thumb on the back cover and your other
fingers on the front cover so the manga rests firmly in
the palm of your hand. Take the bottom of the manga with
your other hand, turn it vertically, and slip the
protective mylar sleeve about 75% off of the book. |
 Step #6. Carefully turn the prized book
horizontal while taking the spine of the book carefully
in one hand (either right or left, again depending on
personal preference) while supporting the bottom of the
book with your free hand. |
 Step #7. Finish removing the comic from its
home in the protective mylar sleeve while continuing to
support the book in the hand which will soon be used to
hold the book while you assess the book's grade. A book's
grade can vary from 'Mint' condition, through 'Near
Mint,' 'Very Fine,' 'Fine,' 'Very Good,' 'Good,' 'Fair'
and 'Poor.' |
 While the collectible is out of its
environmentally-shielding container, one must practice
proper personal hygiene. If you feel the need to cough,
you must look away from the book to keep the book free
from bacteria. Above all, you can not eat, drink, relieve
yourself, or touch any portion of your body while holding
the collectible. |
 Step #8. Carefully pull the cover of the
book away from the rest of the issue, in normal 'I'm
going to read this book' fashion (only a lot more
carefully) while supporting the book directly in front of
you. Japanese anthology manga magazines requires gentle
spine support because the covers can be easily damaged or
dented at the spine. Because most anthologies are simply
folded and double stapled, chances are the books do not
have a visible manufacture spine crease. If this is the
case, an alternate method of reading the manga would be
to place the book on a flat surface while the actual book
is supported by two sets of inclines. |
 Step #9. As you progress through the book,
continue to support the book at all times. WARNING: If
you experience hand cramping, ignore the pain. The
tingling sensation is being caused by the weight of the
book obstructing the flow of blood to the limb. The
sensation will subside in a few moments and you will be
able to focus on the task at hand with a clear mind. If
you absolutely must exercise your hand; it is suggested
you close the book, lay it on a flat surface and start to
flail your limbs violently like a deranged seal. |
 Step #10. When you are finished with the
book, close the book and support it with both hands so
the cover is down. |
 Step #11. Carefully grasp the page portion
of the book with the hand that turned the pages while
reaching for the books protective mylar sleeve with the
other hand. |
 Step #12. Since the protective mylar sleeve
should still be in the open position, all you will need
to do is take the mylar sleeve in your holding hand and
place it at the bottom of the comic (If the sleeve is
not, lay the book on a flat surface and roll the top flap
of the sleeve back to the open position). Carefully slide
the book into the mylar sleeve taking special care to
note the status of the book's pages at all times. A page
crease at this juncture would be disastrous. |
 Step #13. Finish sliding the book into the
protective mylar sleeve. Unhinge the top flap from the
front of the sleeve, and attach the top flap to the back
of the sleeve. Depending on the sleeve, you may need to
remove the air from the bag. To do this simply lay the
bagged magazine onto a flap surface with the cover down
and gently bring your hand from the bottom of the bag to
the top to let the air escape. |
 Congratulations! You have successfully
removed, evaluated, and replaced your prized collectible.
You may now store your collectible in a custom-made
cardboard storage box, a well-supported book shelf, or
any other form of storage that meets the space
requirements for your collection. |
 What? What about Bug Bug? |
 NO! It's not mine! I only have it for the
monthly calendar, which features the only fully-dressed
female in the book! |
 Ooooooh...I've never thought of doing that
with candle wax... She looks so... vulnerable... |
 Well, even though this book was obviously
planted in my room by a prankster... this copy of Bug
Bug 2000 #1 is in pristine condition, and the monthly
calendar premium makes it even more of a collectible. Off
you go, now... I'm going to... just... reorganize my
plush toy display... yeah. |
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