North Light Books, an imprint of F+W Publications (the parent company of Krause Publications), is launching IMPACT, a new line of comics-related drawing books.  Eventually North Light hopes to publish four to six IMPACT titles per year, but just two are currently scheduled for 2004.  The first is Manga Madness by David Okum, which ships in March and contains over 50 basic lessons, using step-by-step instructions, on how to draw characters and scenes, as well as sidebars on Japanese terms, traditions, and character types.  David Okum, who teaches art in Ontario, Canada, published his first manga work through the Antarctic Press in 1993.  Another pioneer of 'North American' manga, Lea Hernandez (see 'NBM To Publish Rumble Girls') will publish her guide to manga-style drawing.

But Manga-style art won't be the only subject of IMPACT's how-to volumes.  Vince Giarrano, who has worked for both Marvel and DC, will publish his Comics Crash Course through IMPACT in August of 2004.  Comics Crash Course focuses on superhero comics, pin-ups, and the styles favored by America's top comics publishers.