Yes, it's been a long time since I've posted in this blog, and I probably won't be doing it very often any more. As some of you have picked up, I'm no longer an editor at TOKYOPOP and therefore have very limited involvement in TOKYOPOP projects. However, that's not to say that I've completely severed my ties. I still have a few fingers in the TOKYOPOP pie, and occasionally I may pop in here to plug one or two of them.

Today, though, I'm here to plug a project that I was working on prior to my departure. As an editor focusing on brand licensed projects, I wasn't very involved with manga pilots, but there was one that I successfully pitched and edited, and that pilot has now made its debut on the website.

Of all the projects I've edited these past few years, none is harder to categorize than Nichol's Cog. Part science fiction, part drama, part horror, it's a rarity in TOKYOPOP global manga: an anthology series. In the spirit of manga like Pet Shop of Horrors, Cog, should it get published in full, will be a collection of interrelated short stories, each of them differing in tone, and all involving the character of Ty, a "Cog" in the world that we live in.

Cogs are immortal beings bestowed with special powers by the Tinkers, monstrous creatures who determine the fate of not only every living creature on our world, but throughout the entire universe. Think of the Tinkers as fates, and Cogs as their agents. It's the Cogs who ensure that the events of the world play out the way that they're meant to. However, the Cogs have little say in the matter. They're simply tools. But what happens when a Cog begins to question his role in things?

This is the story that plays out throughout the entire series, as we see Ty (and other Cogs, some more malevolent than others) impacting the lives of numerous individuals in remarkable, unexpected and occasionally horrific ways. The story in Nichol's pilot is an origin story, and as one, is markedly different than the rest of the series. For starters, it's a period piece. (I've already seen one person comment that the theme of the series seems to be race, which isn't the case.) The rest of the series will take place largely in the present day, which is indicated by the final page of the pilot. While Ty is always at the center of the series, he's frequently not at the center of each chapter, as he is in this first chapter. However, after much discussion between Nichol and I, we decided to start the series with Ty's origin to make it clear how epic the full story is, and because Ty's origin was an intriguing and exciting story in its own right. If a second pilot chapter is requested, that one will be in the present day.

I'd also like to say a few words about the creator. Nichol is an artist whom I'd known for a couple years before she pitched Cog to me. She entered the Rising Stars of Manga contest multiple times before she won, and each entry was dramatically different from the one before. Like her manga, Nichol is an artist who's difficult to categorize. If any of you have read her winning Rising Stars entry, Chronicles of the Big Feet, you'll know that she has a way with edgy, screwball comedy. However, her first two Rising Stars entries were dramas, and discomforting ones at that. Those of us who judged the contests took note, and we also noticed that her art consistently improved with each entry.

Regardless of what happens with Cog, I fully expect Nichol to carve out a successful career in comics and manga. We may not ever see her drawing Spider-Man or Batman, but that's fine by me. A creator this unique deserves the chance to work on her own stuff. I'm glad to have contributed to Nichol's comic book debut, and I look forward to seeing where she goes from here. Perhaps you can even help her on her way by reading, rating and commenting on her pilot. You can find it in the pilot section of the TOKYOPOP website, or just click here for a direct link.

I hope you enjoy it! Good luck, Nichol!