12 Days (book)

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12 Days
OCLC
76180456

12 Days is a debut graphic novel/global manga[nb 1] written and illustrated by June Kim. Basing the plot partially on a story told to her by a stranger, Kim began an early version of 12 Days as a sophomore in college to help herself cope with the

cartooning. Following her successful pitch of 12 Days to manga publisher Tokyopop
, she resumed work on it in early 2005 and finished in the middle of August 2006. 12 Days focuses on Jackie Yuen, who decides to drink the ashes of her former lover for twelve days in beverages as a way to cope with her grief over her death.

Tokyopop published 12 Days in North America on 7 November 2006, to generally positive reviews. Critics praised the manga for its mature portrayal of grief and relationships, and its realistic artwork, although the choice of print for the dialogue was considered distracting. Reviewers also discussed the comic's treatment of the issues of love, loss, and lesbian elements. In May 2011, Tokyopop shut down its North American publishing branch, with the status of its original, global manga titles left unclear.

Plot

For the first eight chapters, 12 Days centers on Jackie Yuen, a 29-year-old part

Korean American school nurse Noah Yoon, she decides to drink her ashes over twelve days in beverages as a way of coping with her grief. Nicholas "Nick" Yoon, Noah's younger half brother, steals some of Noah's ashes for her to use, and soon joins her in mourning. She reminisces on how she met her and became involved in a lesbian relationship; however, Noah ended their relationship to marry a man to appease her father, and died returning from her honeymoon in a car accident a month ago. As Jackie continues her ritual, she begins to feel ill and eventually faints. Nick takes her to the hospital, where she recovers. On New Year's Day, she parts from Nick and returns to her apartment to find that he has taken the engagement ring she had wanted to give Noah, and unknown to her, he mixes it in with the remaining ashes. 12 Days concludes with "Chapter 0", set before the events in the rest of the comic: Noah finds Nick studying for exams, and they briefly discuss Artemisia II of Caria, an ancient Greek
queen who drank the ashes of her husband. Noah then hints that she has found someone whose ashes she would drink.

Style and issues

June Kim, the author and illustrator for 12 Days, primarily drew the artwork in the

exposition.[8] Additionally, Kim uses a brief, untranslated Korean song alongside the predominantly English text.[5]

Critics have focused on the issues of love and loss. 12 Days primarily deals with "a love affair and its aftermath," according to Dirk Deppey of

AfterEllen.com's editor-in-chief Karman Kregloe stated that the comic "explores the impact of loss, and how relationships are supported and broken in times of grief."[11]

To a lesser extent, critics also discussed the lesbian aspect. Martin felt that the lesbian element of 12 Days had been addressed, without becoming overstated.

anime convention Yuricon, considered neither story to be "lesbian narratives", but rather "narratives of grief, of relationships and of missed opportunities for communication and closeness."[7]

Production

manga artist Kiriko Nananan, Neil Gaiman (left), and Djuna Barnes (right).[12]

Partially modeled on a story told to Kim by a stranger, 12 Days began during her

cartooning.[13][14] In addition to illustrating the cover of Australian rock band Jet's 2003 debut album Get Born, she had three of her short comics published in anthologies: "SheepSheepSleep" (2003) in Broad Appeal, "B-612" (2003/4) in New Thing Vol.2, and "Repeat" (2005) in SheWolf Vol.1.[2][14][15]

At the 2004

Tokyopop Germany.[18]

Reception

12 Days received generally positive reviews from critics. Caroline Ryder of

naturalism in her artwork.[19] She later placed it on her list of the top ten global manga.[4] Draper Carlson recommended it, commenting: "The emotions the book carries will be familiar to anyone who's suffered a loss in love. It's a work to meditate on."[10] Conversely, A. E. Sparrow of IGN wrote that the story sacrificed its coherency in its attempt "for a deeper level of understanding"; Sparrow concluded: "12 Days is simply trying too hard, burying some absolutely beautiful illustrations in a sea of chaotic storytelling."[20]

Notes

  1. ^ Kim considers it a graphic novel,[1] but has referred to it as global manga in an interview with Newsarama;[2] reviewers have alternated between labelling it as a global manga[3][4] or a graphic novel.[5][6][7]

References

General
Specific
  1. ^ a b Kim, June. "Info". Junekillustrations. June Kim. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Ong Pang Kean, Benjamin (11 October 2006). "From Ashes to Smoothies: June Kim Talks 12 Days". Newsarama. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d Brienza, Casey (5 September 2008). "12 Days GN – Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  4. ^ a b c Dacey, Katherine. "Ten Great Global Manga". The Manga Critic. Archived from the original on 29 December 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Martin, Theron (27 January 2007). "12 Days GN Review". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2009.
  6. ^
    Here Media Inc. p. 2. Archived from the original
    on 11 October 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  7. ^ a b c d Friedman, Erica (8 March 2007). "Okazu: Lesbian Graphic Novels: Fun Home and 12 Days". Okazu. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  8. ^
    Fantagraphics Books. Archived from the original
    on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
  9. ^ "June Kim – Illustrator". Junekillustrations. June Kim. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  10. ^ a b Draper Carlson, Johanna. "12 Days – Recommended". Comics Worth Reading. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
  11. AfterEllen.com. p. 1. Archived from the original
    on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  12. AfterEllen.com. p. 2. Archived from the original
    on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  13. ^ a b c "Manga+Comics: 12 Days". Tokyopop. Archived from the original on 14 June 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2011. I met June Kim at San Diego Comicon in 2004, about three weeks after I started my career at TOKYOPOP. A fellow editor, Mark Paniccia, was trying to recruit her, and he got me involved with pitching the project and putting together exactly what this book would be until I got to take over for real when Mark left the company for his own dream job at Marvel Comics.
  14. ^ a b c Kim, June. "Resume". Nofish Entertainment. June Kim. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  15. ^ "June Kim – Illustrator". June Kim. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  16. AfterEllen.com. p. 1. Archived from the original
    on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  17. ^ "Tokyopop: Japanese Manga Licenses to Revert to Owners". Anime News Network. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  18. ^ "Bücher: Manga: 12 Days" [Books: Manga: 12 Days] (in German). Tokyopop. Archived from the original on 12 August 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2009.
  19. ^ Dacey, Katherine (6 December 2006). "Three by Tokyopop: 12 Days; The Dreaming, Vol. 2; Trinity Blood, Vol.1". PopCultureShock. Archived from the original on 1 October 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  20. ^ Sparrow, A. E. (27 November 2006). "12 Days Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2009.

External links

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