NBM, the leading U.S. publisher of European graphic novels, will publish it first manga book in the popular 5' x 7' format.  Rumble Girls: Silk Warrior Tansie is a 176-page, black-and-white collection by 'American manga' pioneer Lea Hernandez.  The book contains the first story arc from Hernandez' comic book series, which started at Image.  NBM will price its first manga compilation, which should arrive in stores in December, at the popular $9.95 price point.  In the spring of 2004 NBM will continue the Rumble Girl saga with a bimonthly comic series, which will then be collected into trade paperback collections in the pocket book format. 

Rumble Girls: Silky Warrior Tansie mixes science fiction, intrigue, celebrity watching and romance in a unique narrative blend, which carries an age rating of 15+.  NBM's publishing of the first Rumble Girls volume illustrates two trends that are very apparent in todays marketplace: the popularity of the $9.95 compact pocket book format, and the increasing interest in works by homegrown manga-style artists.