Finished my circle cut for Manga Ichiba! These are used as a way for the convention organizers to show who the participating doujin tables are. It’s carried over from Comiket (“comic markets”) in Japan. In JP, doujinshi are much more commonly created and shared – compared to here in NA, where we don’t have an established doujin culture (…yet!).
I spent far too long deliberating on which artwork to use for my circle cut. I tried several, before ending up doing the least efficient option – refining a very messy sketch from this past October. I saved it knowing I’d like to refine it at some point, but hadn’t until now. This isn’t finished – it’s still quite messy in places – but perhaps that is even more appropriate for a circle cut. From my understanding, they are often sketches done for the specific convention (though correct me if I’m mistaken).
I wanted to do something a little more playful, without being misleading about what the doujin is about. This is what I landed on – hopefully it’s a good compromise! :p
Date, Time, & Table Number for Manga Ichiba @Fanime
Oh! And as you can read from the image, this also shows info about where and when I will be at the convention. The convention is 3 days, but every doujin table will only be tabling 1 of the 3 days (unlike traditional artist alleys). Below’s the summarized info:
Table Number: B16
Tabling Date: Saturday May 23, 2026
Time: Day slot, 10 am – 4 pm (“General Audiences”)
I’ll have with me The Harbinger’s Path, of course!
The history of Comiket
I saw a very insightful post on Bluesky the other day, linking to resources detailing the history and ethos of how Comikets in Japan were first established. Much is new information to me! I wanted to link it here, both as a reminder to myself to peruse more leisurely when I have a chance, and in case you might also be interested in reading.
Let me also link directly to the sources, in case Bluesky ever vanishes in the future. Posted originally by the user “saba sabaton” (sabato-n.bsky.social):
Comiket slide deck presentation from 2007/2008
“Comic Market’s Ideals and Vision”
May 4, 2026: Slightly updated the the circle cut art!
Email Updates (Mailing List)
Want to stay updated? Not keen on socials? Email Updates are the easiest way to know when there's something new. Check it out below!
New sign-ups currently receive a free PDF for The Harbinger's Path Chapter 1, from my Trahearne & Malyck GW2 fan comic. This version is exclusive to this email list, containing bonus art not currently available anywhere else.
I might change the sign-up bonus in the future, so if you're interested in seeing this PDF, consider joining soon!
You can unsubscribe anytime. Your inbox, your rules!
Or, perhaps RSS is more your style? There exists an RSS for this sketchblog, as well as an RSS for comic projects (currently page updates).
My aim is setting up ways to connect that's more stable than the whims of social platforms. If this interests you, consider signing-up.
Either way, take care and I hope to see you again!
No Comments