SATURDAY AM ANNUAL 2024

A broad and inclusive collection of manga short stories.

This collection offers nine different tales of varying genres and with different illustration styles. Although each of the entries are stand-alones, some of them are also parts of larger universes; however, even these can readily be appreciated and enjoyed by new readers. The highlights of the collection are “Apple Black,” by Odunze Oguguo, set in a world that’s rooted in magic in which characters meet an unlikely villain who’s a master manipulator, and “MMWOG: Land of Spirits,” by Han X. Rivers, in which a mother is put in the difficult situation of defending the world while also exposing her child to its ghostly horrors. Rivers’ art is especially stunning with its delicate linework. In other stories, the art is cute or sharply angled, depending on the narratorial choices that it complements. “Clock Striker,” by Mike Saharat Srimuang, is set in a technologically advanced world in which a close and meaningful friendship unfolds; the hero of Tapiwa Sikota’s “Spoon” was cursed and turned into a spoon and now faces an evil warlord named Spaghetti; and Angélica Rosales’ “Yellow Stringer,” which focuses on problems at a tabloid paper, emphasizes the importance of fighting back. The book also features an opening letter from the publisher and two interviews, one with WEBTOON artist uru-chan and one with comics professional Sanford Greene. Manga fans will appreciate the diversity of voices and characters featured in this volume marking Saturday AM’s 10th anniversary.

Delightfully varied.