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About

Welcome! My name is Kate Dacey, and I’ve been writing about comics since 2006 for sites like PopCultureShock and The School Library Journal. Though I’m passionate about comics as a medium — and will read almost anything in graphic novel format — my first love is manga. Rumiko Takahashi, CLAMP, and Kazuo Koike’s work helped show me that many of my assumptions about comics were flat-out wrong, that it was possible to write engaging, intelligent stories with a mixture of pictures and words.

I’ve created this site for people like me, who identify themselves as readers above all else — people who are less concerned with being manga fans than in enjoying manga and discussing it with other smart folks. If you’re just discovering manga for the first time, you’ll find several features that will introduce you to new series and artists, from the Recommended reading category to List-o-mania, a column highlighting different types of manga (e.g. horror, shojo). And if you’re already a fan, you’ll find features that cater to your interests as well, including Manga Artifacts, a monthly column exploring Japanese comics published before 2000, and The Best Manga You’re Not Reading, a column highlighting great series that aren’t getting the attention they deserve. I also post capsule reviews each Monday — Bookshelf Briefs, a joint effort among the six Manga Bookshelf bloggers — and regular round-ups of manga industry news.

Teachers and librarians looking for more information about manga should visit the Good Comics for Kids website at The School Library Journal, where I write a feature called Good Manga for Kids. You’ll find a variety of other resources there as well, including suggested reading lists, tips for building a graphic novel collection, and reviews that address such educational concerns as reading level and content. (As in, “Are there naughty words? Naked ladies? Bloody sword fights?”) Other great resources include No Flying, No Tights, a blog maintained by teen librarian and comic expert Robin Brenner, and Ask Manga Mom, a column written by Lori Henderson, a long-time comic fan with two manga-reading daughters.

To stay abreast of what’s happening here at The Manga Critic, you can subscribe to my Twitter feed or the site’s RSS feed. Thanks for your support!

About the Author

Katherine Dacey has been reviewing manga since 2006, when she joined PopCultureShock‘s team of writers. Over the next two years, she worked with webmaster Jon Haehnle and fellow contributor Erin Finnegan to transform Erin’s “Manga Recon” concept from a bi-monthly column into a full-fledged website covering manga, anime, and Japanese pop culture. In her capacity as Senior Manga Editor, Kate was responsible for expanding the Manga Recon team from two to nine, and for developing many of the site’s recurring features such as The Otaku Bookshelf, a column devoted to light novels; On the Shojo Beat, a column focused on Viz’s extensive Shojo Beat line; and Comics for Manga Lovers, a column introducing Death Note fans to Western comics. She stepped down from her post in January 2009.

Kate’s resume also includes serving as a panelist at the American Library Association’s national convention, New York Comic-Con, and Wondercon; contributing to Chopsticks, a “comprehensive guide to Japanese culture in New York City”; and contributing to the School Library Journal’s Good Comics for Kids blog, where she writes Good Manga for Kids, a column that focuses on manga for pre-teen readers. She has been interviewed by Blog@Newsarama and Voice of America Radio, and has had her work featured on sites around the web, including The New Yorker’s Book Blog.

When she isn’t writing about manga, Kate swings a golf club, plays the oboe, runs long distances, watches old movies, and frolicks with her dog Grendel. She remains active Kate lives in Boston, MA.

The Manga Critic Around the Web

Guest Posts

Interviews and Podcasts

Mentions

The Manga Critic at Conventions

American Library Association Annual Conference

  • 2010: “The Best Manga You’re Not Reading” (Panel with Brigid Alverson, Robin Brenner, and Martha Cornog)
  • 2010: “Good Comics for Kids: Building a Graphic Novel Collection for Young Readers” (Panel with Brigid Alverson, Robin Brenner, Esther Keller, Eva Volin, and Snow Wildsmith)

New York Comic-Con

  • 2010: “Good Comics for Kids: Building a Graphic Novel Collection for Young Readers” (Panel with Brigid Alverson, Robin Brenner, Esther Keller, Scott Robbins, and Eva Volin)
  • 2009: “Newsflash: Teen Girls Read Manga!” (Panel with Brigid Alverson, Robin Brenner, and Tricia Narwani)

WonderCon

  • 2010: “Comics Journalism” (Panel with David Brothers, Laura Hudson, Graeme McMillan, and Ron Richards)