Chapter 23 - New Comics

In the early morning light, Edward sprang up from his mat. Today was the release date of the second issue of "Juvenile Jump," and he couldn't wait. Hastily toasting some bread and grabbing a bottle of milk, he dashed to the nearest bookstore. When he arrived, he was stunned by the scene before him.

The store was already open, and a crowd had gathered.

"Come on, boss, hurry up!"

"Give me a 'Juvenile Jump'!"

"I want a copy too!"

"Make that three!"

The crowd jostled and clamored, all eager to get their hands on the latest issue. Edward couldn't help but smile.

"What an exciting time to be alive," he thought, his eyes misting. As a comic critic and avid reader, he had long despaired at the lackluster state of the industry. He had hoped for a real artist to come along and breathe new life into the comics scene, and now it seemed that time had come.

The store manager, an old acquaintance, had anticipated the rush and stocked up plenty of issues. The previous week, the magazine had sold 190,000 copies, and the manager knew not to underestimate demand. Yet, despite the ample supply, they quickly sold out, the store buzzing with unprecedented energy.

As the last of the magazines flew off the shelves, stragglers arrived, disappointed to find it already sold out. Edward wasn't worried, though; he'd arranged with the manager to reserve a copy for him. As he walked over to the counter, he heard snippets of excited chatter from those who had secured their copies.

"Wow, Saitama is so powerful!"

"Is this a new character?"

"Did you notice? It's thicker than before, and the price is different too."

Edward winced. "Damn spoilers," he muttered under his breath. He hurriedly approached the store manager, who was busy calling for more stock.

"Old man," Edward called out.

Without looking up, the store manager pointed to a drawer, indicating where Edward's reserved copy was stashed. Edward retrieved the comic magazine and clutched it like a treasure. The cover featured a high-quality illustration different from the previous issue, with new characters flanking Saitama.

On one side, a figure that seemed skinless, with bulging veins, loomed over a group of tiny people below. A giant? A dwarf? On the other side, a casual-looking young man sat in a chair, surrounded by a vast white space. Behind him stood a woman with long purple hair, her figure elegant and charming. She seemed to be speaking to him with a bowed head.

Unlike other readers who might speculate about these new characters, Edward knew these images hinted at different stories. "Juvenile Jump" was now serializing not one but three new comics.

Edward rushed home, avoiding the temptation to peek at the pages while walking. Once back, he set his coffee down, turned on his computer to prepare for an immediate review, and finally opened the first page.

The story continued from the previous issue, with Saitama facing the Underworld King. The battle turned out to be a dream sequence, much to Edward's surprise.

"That's it?" he thought, initially disappointed. But it made sense—Saitama was, after all, the One Punch Man. The simplicity and the anti-climactic nature of the fight were perfectly in line with the character's ethos.

As he continued, Edward felt relieved. The introduction of new characters like Genos and more villains maintained the comic's refreshing tone: cool, laid-back, and filled with humor. The pacing promised a consistent quality, making "One Punch Man" a strong contender for this year's dark horse comic.

Turning the page, Edward found the title page for a new comic, "Attack on Titan." The bold, red title stood out, grabbing his attention. The story gripped him instantly: gigantic creatures appeared, threatening humanity's existence, leading the survivors to build three enormous walls—Maria, Rose, and Sina—to protect themselves.

A century of peace followed, turning humans into caged birds, yearning for freedom. Suddenly, a colossal giant and an armored giant breached Wall Maria, plunging humanity into chaos. Among the survivors was Eren Yeager, a boy who dreamed of seeing the world beyond the walls. After witnessing his mother's death, he joined the Scout Regiment, vowing to annihilate the giants.

Edward was captivated. Only five chapters in, the weight and intensity of each episode were overwhelming. The narrative quickly advanced to five years later, where the colossal giant reappeared, breaking through another wall and unleashing more chaos. In a shocking twist, Eren was devoured while saving others.

"What?!" Edward exclaimed, stunned. "How can they kill the protagonist?" He frantically turned the pages, wondering if Eren would somehow survive, but this was no superhero story.

The twist left Edward's mind racing. The sheer unpredictability and depth of the story drew him in, making him reconsider his own biases against non-hero narratives, which had long been a challenge in the industry. If a critic like him was this invested, surely the broader audience would be, too.

Desperate for more, Edward turned to the next page and found another new comic: "Tokyo Ghoul." His eyes widened as he saw the author's name, Xu Mo. He quickly flipped back through the previous issues, confirming his suspicion. "Three serialized works at once?" he marveled.

It dawned on him that Xu Mo was not just a prolific artist but also the owner of the publishing company. The realization hit him like a tidal wave.

"A publisher who writes and illustrates their own comics... and they're all hits!"

Edward could hardly contain his excitement. The landscape of the comic industry was changing before his eyes, and Xu Mo was at the forefront, revolutionizing it.