Silicon Times, a new publisher of Chinese and Korean comics ('manhua'), which plans on releasing 30 English-language graphic novels in 2004, has signed an agreement with Diamond Book Distributors, making Diamond the exclusive US distributor of the publisher's English language titles to the bookstore, library, warehouse, mass merchandise and direct markets.  Silicon Times plans on publishing its graphic novels in black-and-white in a standard 5' x 7' format.  Unlike manga, Chinese manhua graphic novels are read from left-to-right, and will remain in that familiar format.

 

The first title Silicon Times is publishing for the American market is clearly targeted at the emerging core of teenage female manga readers.  Written by popular 'Chinese girl manhua author' Rainbow Buddy, The Delicious Season, the story of a cooking-savvy college student who gets a job as a personal chef to a picky guy, is both teen romance and cookbook.