Dramacon

Publisher
Tokyopop
Writer
Svetlana Chmakova
Artist
Svetlana Chmakova
Country of origin
Japan
Length
3 volumes
Year
2005

Dramacon Volume 2

By David Rasmussen
1st Apr 07

Remember when we met Svetlana Chmakova for the first time some months ago? She who we should all vote in as the poster child for the as yet realized “No Mangaka Creator Left Behind” program? Well 2005’s Dramacon has finally got itself a sequel as a year has passed, October 2006 came, and Dramacon Volume 2 released.

Dramacon, in true The Red Star style, premiered back in 2005, seemingly flying low under the fandom radar and becoming one of those cult classics people always hear about (something you didn’t even know you had to be a part of). The title was low key (like The Red Star’s humble beginnings), was probably underprinted (another The Red Star quirk), and… yes… as we saw Dramacon Volume 2 print with Volume 3 to come we also saw Dramacon snatch up the Best of 2006 Award for Best AmeriManga/OEL Manga (NOTE to Pop Syndicate readers… yeah, I didn’t have enough time to get the awards introduced here but this coming November I’m going to start soliciting for votes from all of you so stay tuned for that). Now, while we wait for the concluding factor of the series with Dramacon Volume 3 let’s review the middle chapter, Volume 2.

First, let’s look back to Volume 1 and recap what came before this.
Welcome to Dramacon! Not the official name of the convention in this story but it might as well be seeing how the drama flows like an unchecked Antimatter Flow Regulator in Scotty’s engineering section. Real name of the convention… Yattacon. Yeah. Yattacon.

Christie was not having a good day of it on her first trip to an Anime Convention, especially seeing how her first trip was not turning out the way she thought it would go. When amateur manga writer Christie first thought of this trip to promote their manga with her boyfriend slash mangaka partner she never thought things would spiral out of control the way they did. However that is exactly what happened as she went traveling with roommates from fluffy plush Happy Tree Friends, her soon to be out of here “partner” who’ll have a meltdown during this volume, and her chance encounter with “I’m damn sure he played Cyclops in the X-Men movies” guy slash “cosplayer” (who “mysteriously” wears dark glasses in an indoor convention, but for entirely good reasons mind you since he seems to be short an eye) named Matt who opens new relationship opportunities for Christie -- or would have if things didn’t turn out the way they did between year one and two, but more on that later.

The first volume detailed her first awkward, painful, scary, disturbing, potential filled, happy happy pain pain oh dear god somebody’s going to get hurt (bludgeoning hurt or trampling stampede hurt or oh dear god the security here are large troll from World of Warcraft size as well as emotional hurt) before it’s over convention. A railroad ride of ups and downs which, in the end, earned the title a 5 out of 5 AND that aforementioned Best of 2006 Award to boot (tied with Alex de Campi’s Kat & Mouse as best of the year).

When the year ended she has a whole year to wait until she can return to the “field of battle” with the second convention one year later, which gives her another chance to hook up with Matt… then reality began to settle in. Having broken up with her last boyfriend (who tried to rape her during the convention) she tried to call Matt… before this female voice picked up the phone and completely shocked her out of her mind. But she learned to cope with this… coping equaling lots and lots of crying. But she had more than this to worry about, much more. She had actual schoolwork and tests before graduation to muddle through (which seemingly includes playing through the last days of the PS2’s lifespan before the console ceased being a present gen console), and then there’s Wary City #2... Yes, Number 2. Go figure.

Well with a new Wary City comes a new Artist (a female Artist… and no, Christie is still straight as heck…) and a new person to meet her first year of horrors/joys that is Yattacon. A mix between coy attitude and “Oh dear (bleep)in’ god I wanna go home and hide!” nervous breakdown mode (tinged with fear and nervousness which will make sense shortly), Christie’s new Artist Bethany has found herself at the con which Christie has become suddenly used to.

Speaking of the con new people come to light now that some of those from the first are gone. Gone are the troubled older pair who chaperoned Christie the first time out, replacing them is a trio of wild and crazy kids (two women, one guy) who run the booth right next to them and seem to provide some of the weirdness of the con (especially since the two females are kinda out there). To balance out the hyper goodness of these two females on one side is dark clouds of grim morbidity of the female to this dynamic duo’s other side who seems to be more of a downer than a help (go figure). But don’t worry, the convention has more than enough twists and downers to not overwork this woman as the one and only “villain” of the title.

For instance Matt returns… with a new (obsessive grabby clutchy wannahaveatall cost) girlfriend, which doesn’t suit well for Christie because that puts her feelings (and possible long distance relationship) concerning Matt in most probable jeopardy. Expert mangaka Lita from last year is back, and she plays a larger role in this one than she did before. Christie’s new artist is having home problems (with parental units who are not into her artist dreams) which may come to a head now that she’s being headhunted by MANGAPOP (TOKYOPOP?) as an Artist… too bad they’re not looking for writers before (heard that story before… sigh).

Throw in the usual chaos of the convention INCLUDING the aforementioned love entrapments of the Bermuda Triangle of love between Christie, Matt and his new “accessory” (girlfriend), and a scary freaky fanboy who shrieks about what is and is not manga… never heard that argument before, but I guess cons bring out the weirdoes (and I‘m not just talking about the guy who dresses up like the Sailor Moon clone that shows up at the con every year to scar whoever is new to the convention at the start of the book).

The second year continues to be solid, and as it opens the door to Year 3 (the eventual finale of the series) we close the door on Dramacon Volume 2 and wait for the finale this year… but while we wait…

YOU‘RE NOT BREAKDOWN… I MEAN YOU‘RE NOT HAVING A BREAKDOWN… eh… Dramacon 2006 Edition.
I’ve been throwing out quite abit of praise lately, haven’t I? Well, I guess it’s because I’ve only been picking books I know will get high scores… this is one of them.
It may have slipped under (or over) your radar last year, but hopefully with nailing a Best of 2006 Award (amongst any other awards nailed by it during the year) this won’t be under (or over) your radar any longer.

You have about seven or so months left before the finale with Dramacon Volume 3, so this is about as good a time to get acquainted with this title (and it’s convention rival for 2007, Aoi House in Love : The Great Con Caper One Shot from Seven Seas coming a few months prior to Dramacon) before October rolls about.

It may be near Halloween, but Dramacon Volume 3 will be more treat than trick.
As for this one? Second verse, same as the first. Dramacon Volume 2 gets 5 spunky table neighbor girls in the cat-ear hats out of 5.

-- David Rasmussen 1st Apr 07