Wandering Son HC (2011-2015 Fantagraphics) comic books 2013

Volume 4 - 1st printing. Story and art by Shimura Takako. The Wandering Son series has garnered extensive praise for its uniquely funny and sensitive treatment of the travails of two Japanese tweens who find themselves coping with the knotty issue of gender identification as they slowly realize that maybe they aren't who they were meant to be. In this latest volume, a love triangle develops along with its inevitable companions, jealousy and hate! Hardcover, 200 pages, PC/PB&W. NOTE: These are Japanese manga-style GNs and are meant to be read right-to-left. Cover price $19.99.

Volume 5 - 1st printing. Story and art by Shimura Takako. In the latest volume of the acclaimed series about transgendered kids exploring their unfolding identities, we've reached a big event; the junior high school entrance ceremony. The boys wear black uniforms with stand-up collars based on mid-19th century European military uniforms and the girls wear navy blazers, tan skirts, and red ribbon neckties. Enter our heroes; Nitori-kun is forced to wear a boy's uniform while Takatsuki-san has to wear a girl's! Yet one girl, "Sarashia Chizuru", draws stares, whispers, and pointed fingers, because this long-haired beauty is wearing a boy's uniform. Both Nitori-kun and Takatsuki-san are awed by the girl's courage, but Takatsuki-san is particularly vexed by their own faintheartedness. They envy more than a few other students who experience such liberty in wearing either uniform and ponder what it ultimately means about themselves. Envy and jealousy are prominent themes in Volume 5: Chiba-san is jealous of Takatsuki-san, for whom Nitori-kun still carries a torch. Maho envies Anna-chan's professionalism as a model. And Chii-chan's loyal sidekick, Shiri Momoko, is intensely jealous of anyone in whom Chii-chan shows the slightest interest. And so our protagonists set off on the journey to adolescence.Hardcover, 200 pages, PC/PB&W. NOTE: These are Japanese manga-style GNs and are meant to be read right-to-left. Cover price $19.99.