Dramacon (vol 1) by Svetlana Chmakova
Review by Darlo
17.Dec.06
Christie is at her first manga convention with her boyfriend, Derek. Not only are they in a relationship, but they are also partners on a manga together (he draws and she writes). However rather than try to show Christie the support she needs, he flirts with every fan girl with an attractive waistline. Annoyed at this Christie rushes off and gets swamped by the crowd. To her rescue comes Matt, a suave cosplayer shrouded in mystery who always wears sunglasses, who helps her feel more at home at the convention. Their relationship starts out as a seemingly harmless love-hate friendship, but grows deeper as tension between Christie and Derek becomes more entangled.
As the book progresses, Svetlana Chmakova shows us many different aspects of con-life with awesome comedy and an almost British sense of sarcasm. Towards the end of issue one, the tone does turn and you find why it has been called Dramacon instead of Comedycon. The drawing styles range from very cute chibi imagery, to very finely detailed drawings, but they do not lose flow or seem out of place.
As a bit of a convention n00b myself, I find it very easy to relate to the main characters and seem to recall meeting many familliar characters at London MCM Expo. If you're a convention veteran or haven't even heard of the term cosplay, Dramacon is a fantastic read for all. I myself can't wait to get my hands on the second in the series.