RISING STARS OF MANGA VI: CHRISTY LIJEWSKI

[MattBrady]

by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean

Continuing our look at recent winners of TOKYOPOP’s Rising Stars of Manga contest, we move the spotlight to creator Christy Lijewski. She was a runner-up winner for her short story, “Doors” in TOKYOPOP’s third Rising Stars of Manga talent search competition. Since then, she’s gone on to create Next Exit, published by Slave Labor Graphics in late 2004.

Later this year, in September, she will see her own manga creation, RE:Play published by TOKYOPOP.

"RE:Play is an amazing story from an even more amazing artist," editor Julie Taylor told Newsarama. "Working with Christy has been a great pleasure. She is the ultimate pro. I am always blown away by her artistic abilities. And her stuff is edgy without being alienating. I love it!"

Newsarama: What made you decide to enter the Rising Stars of Manga contest?

Christy Lijewski: Well, I was just about to graduate and was shopping around for publishers, so when I saw the contest I thought it was the perfect chance to kill two birds with one stone. I got to do a short story I had been wanting to write for a while and submitted something to a publisher I had wanted to work for. There really was no good reason for me not to enter.

NRAMA: Is RE:Play connected to your RSOM3 entry, “Doors”?

CL: Not really. “Doors” is being turned into its own ongoing story in Next Exit, a comic I'm doing for Slave Labor Graphics.

RE:Play is just about as far removed from my RSOM entry (and Next Exit) as possible. It's a lot less action oriented and a lot more emotion oriented, also it takes place on Earth, so you know, there is that. [laughs] That's not to say there won’t be some... fantastical elements to RE:Play, but I can promise there won't be any flying cats.

NRAMA: How has your world changed since being named a runner-up winner in the RSOM contest?

CL: Well, before the contest, I wasn't sure where I was going. I was looking for publishers and didn't really have any leads on where to go next.

However, after the contest, SLG liked the short story I did so much they hired me to do an ongoing story based off of it, and then I submitted a couple proposals of other stories I had on the back burner to TOKYOPOP and they liked them so I got signed to do RE:Play.

It's like I went from having no work to mega work overnight, and I'm definitely grateful for it!

However, I do have to admit I miss the free time I used to have to play video games, as I am a giant dork. And dorks need video games. We so do.

NRAMA: What have you learned from your work experience with TOKYOPOP?

CL: Hmm, that's really a tough question.

I think the most important thing is probably to try to deliver something that both you and your publisher can be satisfied with. What you want to do and what your publisher wants to do may vary, but somewhere in the middle there's a middle ground that you can both be happy with and I think it's important to find that. That's sorta your zone and it's good to work within your zone. I think that applies to almost any career out there really though, so maybe it's not just a comic artist thing. [laughs]

NRAMA: In a nutshell, what is RE:Play about?

CL: Oh man, I knew this question was going to be on here. I'm so bad at synopsizing things. Ok, here goes...

RE:Play follows the life of Cree, the lead singer for a punk band who's bassist has just left the group and thus, screwed them over royally.

Cree's the daughter of a famous singer, a woman she both detests and idolizes. She blames her less-than-ideal childhood on her mother's absence as she traveled around the globe performing, but at the same time holds the same goal for her life as she desires to make it big with her own band.

An accident took her mother's life when she was young, and she never knew her father, so shortly after her death Cree was sent to live with her mother's best friend's family. She was cared for and loved by his family, as if she was a child of their own, but somehow it didn't make up for the emptiness she felt from having no real family to speak of.

To this day she suffers from abandonment issues and guilt over her mother's death but manages to hide her feelings behind a positive attitude and a smile. Growing up as she did she's a rather mature person in most aspects but tends to be a little naïve in dealing with the real world.

By chance she ends up meeting Izsak, a young man who happens to be the best bass player she's ever heard, and her best chance at saving the band from dying out.

The only problem is Izsak has somehow lost all his memories and has been living on the streets since, well, since as long as he can remember. Not exactly the best situation one can be in to help others out. So Cree takes him in with hopes that he'll be able to save her band and in turn she'll be able to help him.

The story centers around these two and their interaction with the rest of the band, but everything changes when Cree starts being watched by two mysterious figures who seem to have it in for her and her friends. Who they are and why they're stalking the group isn't clear but what is clear is that there's definitely something they know that the others don't. And that something is going to end up getting someone killed if they're not careful.

Hmm, yeah, that's the best synopsis I can give without giving anything away. It's definitely a series of mysteries and questions, so I can't give too much away without spoiling it for the readers.

NRAMA: Who’re the rest of the band members?

CL: We have Rail, who's the guitarist of the band and also Cree's best friend. He was the son of the family Cree grew up with so she views him not only as her friend but also as a protective older brother.

He's the most reasonable and rational of the group, even if he doesn't look it, and looks out for Cree through all her stupid mistakes. He has serious misgivings about Cree taking Izsak in and doesn't trust him very much, when strange things start to happen around the group, Rail is the first one to blame Izsak. The two are constantly at odds and he makes no move to hide his distain for Izsak. Rail has a tendency to come across as an overbearing jerk, but what he says isn't always what he means and he truly is a kind person with only the best intentions for his friends in his heart.

There are a lot of other characters, but those are the three main that I can talk about without being a walking talking spoiler machine.

NRAMA: How did it come about, and what inspired you to create RE:Play?

CL: I've always wanted to write a comic about the music scene and about secret organizations with mysterious motives, not necessarily in the same story, but well, it worked out that way! [laughs] This is really just something I've wanted to write about for a long time. Also, I wanted to try my hand at a more romantic type story, and since this story focuses on a couple as the main characters, well a would-be, might-be-type couple, it fits the bill.

NRAMA: As a reader, what're some of your favorite manga/comics?

CL: Well, hands down, my favorite manga is Bleach. Kubo Tite is my most adored artist ever. I'm also addicted to Death Note, Fullmetal Alchemist and D. Gray-man at the time being. I read a lot of manga though, so limiting it to those four would be hard, but I would say at the moment they're probably my four top titles. Some others that I have love for would be Samurai Deeper Kyo, Hot Gimmick, Zettai Kareshi, Soul Eater, Boku to Kanojo no XXX, Peacemaker Kurogane and Gintama. Man, I could go on all day…

NRAMA: And how much have these influenced you as a creator?

CL: I think they've all influenced me, definitely. I think anyone who creates comics is influenced by creators they admire. I mean, I'll read Death Note and think "Wow, Oobata Tsugumi is a genius! I can't imagine how a writer can think like that! He writes geniuses as his characters so he has to think like that as well, so admirable!" or read Bleach and be awed by how well Kubo Tite portrays action and emotion in his lines and inks. I think with every comic I read there's probably one thing that stands out to me as amazingly admirable over the other aspects of the comics and in turn when I'm working I try to keep in mind how those things made me feel. If I can remember how I felt while reading those comics, I think it helps me to more accurately pin point and achieve how I want to feel about my own work.

NRAMA: As a creator, what’s your ultimate goal with RE: Play?

CL: Honestly, I just want to create an entertaining story with characters that people might feel something for. I hope by the time the series is over the readers'll feel like they know the characters as well as I do. That's the best goal a creator can aim for I think.

NRAMA: Now, for something pulled from manga land. Who would you be if you were to live in your own fantasy world?

CL: In fantasy land, I'll have become the queen of my own nocturnal island nation which I shall rule with an iron fist and an army of scantily clad bodybuilders in chaps. Over the years, my empire will have grown to encompass 13 smaller islands and my nation will have become a hot spot for tourism thanks in part to a smutty romance novel detailing the raunchy exploits of a journalist named Fifi LaFoo on her trip across my island nation.

Also I'll probably own more cats.

Related articles:
TOKYOPOP’S RISING STARS I: JESS STONCIUS ON WORK BITES

TOKYOPOP’S RISING STARS II: FELIPE SMITH ON MBQ

TOKYOPOP’S RISING STARS III: M. ALICE LeGROW ON BIZENGHAST

TOKYOPOP'S RISING STARS IV: AMY KIM GANTER ON SORCERERS & SECRETARIES

RISING STARS OF MANGA V: LINDSAY CIBOS ON PEACH FUZZ

RISING STARS of MANGA VII: IRENE FLORES ON MARK OF THE SUCCUBUS

RISING STARS OF MANGA VIII: RON KAULFERSCH & MIKE SCHWARK ON VAN VON HUNTER

RISING STARS OF MANGA IX: SHANE GRANGER (w/ JASON HENDERSON & TONY SALVAGGIO) ON PSY-COMM

TOKYOPOP'S RISING STARS X: WES ABBOTT ON DOGBY WALKS ALONE

ON FIVE SETS OF RISING STARS: JEREMY ROSS ON TOKYOPOP'S RISING STARS OF MANGA

[Groovie Mann]

Plug for my Next Exit Review.

Christy Lijewski is a fine artist and I'll definitly pick up RE: Play.

[emo_pare]

Of all the Rising Stars of Manga, I'm most excited with Christy Lijewski's RE:Play mainly because I'm currently loving the Next Exit series. High Hopes for this title!

[Tavisha]

Way to go Christy~!!!


I like the expressions and energy you give your characters. Good stuff~! I'll be looking out for this one~!

...and I bet you're a fan of Saiyuki too >___^

[Charlie Hustle]

not my style of artwork but this is high quality stuff. seems comfortable drawing different angles and staying in perspective. it feels like the atmosphere is there. good luck with the book

[Crispy]

Aaaah... Christy's been one of the best things to come out of RSOM, honestly. I think she is one of my favorite winners... even above some of the actual... well... winners. She's quirky and her art is simply ASTONISHING!

I'm so glad she FINALLY synopsis-ized Re : Play... it's been one big freakin' secret since she told that she had a deal with Tokyopop.

The best thing about her work though is that it has a genuine feel. It doesn't seem like it's trying to be something else... it just IS, and she pulls it off well. I can't imagine her stories being told any other way. Next Exit just wouldn't work in another style... and I don't think Re : Play would either.

(doot dee dooo, I love sounding like a fanboy)

Anyway, I really hope this book sells well. It's one of the ones I'm most anticipating this year.

[tania del rio]

Nice! I love Christy's edgy artwork. It has so much style and energy. I really enjoyed "Doors" but this looks even better!
I'll have to add this to my ever-growing list!

-Tania