Gossip Girl, Gossip Girl, does whatever a gossip will....

[skjam]

I don't think we've ever talked about Yen Plus here. It's a monthly anthology magazine from Yen Press, with a mix of manga, Korean manhwa, and American "mangaesque" comics. To facilitate this, comics that read from left to right start on the left side of the magazine, and manga that read right to left start on the right side of the magazine. It's an interesting mix of titles, including the latest from the maker of Full Metal Alchemist.

But today I'm just posting four pages from their latest issue (January 2010), with the new feature Gossip Girl. This is adapted from the popular books by Cecily von Ziegesar, which have also been made into a relatively popular TV show. I have neither read the books nor seen the show, so I can't speak to how faithful the adaptation is.

The premise, as I understand it, is following the lives of an assortment of teenagers from New York City's Upper East Side. They have wealth, good looks, popularity, immunity from prosecution, you know--all the things that you'd think would make you happy. But since this is a soap opera, nothing doing on the happiness front. Instead their days are filled with constant drama. Drama which is not helped by the mysterious narrator, "Gossip Girl." No one knows who she really is, but she's a member of the class, gets invited to all the parties, and always has the latest dirt.

Our story opens on the birthday party of one Blair Waldorf, current "queen" of the Upper East Side.





Chuck Bass reveals that his idea of a tasteful get-together is a stripper-themed party. (According to my crib notes, Chuck swings both ways in the books, so maybe not just female strippers.) Blair is not impressed. Y' see, she's busy preparing for a certain day....





I don't know about you, but planning the wedding in that much detail before the guy even proposes seems a bit over the top. Yeah. Nate not only hasn't actually proposed, but he's already cheated on Blair with her former best friend Serena. Prince of a fellow, he is.

I'm not going to spoil the rest of the chapter, since if you're a fan, you already know where this is headed, and if you're not already a fan, you should be able to find it at a bookstore or Amazon for a reasonable price.



Your thoughts and comments? Any Gossip Girl fans in the audience?

Comments

[iskander]

This follows the TV show very well. I wonder if they will show nudity or other events they could not on American television ?

[toasty_fresh]

The real Chuck and Blair do not approve of these badly dressed posers.

(Seriously though, wtf is Chuck wearing?)

[skjam]

either exactly what he's described as wearing in the book, or "generic depraved bisexual of the early 1980s".

[tsunamiwombat]

I thought generic depraved bisexual of the early 80's WAS what was exactly described in the book.

[icon_uk]

The notion that any of the freakishly pretty, and yet weirdly, plastically unattractive, stars of Gossip Girl would have any leeway in calling someone ELSE a poser is... amusing.

[toasty_fresh]

Chuck Bass smirks handsomely at your obvious denial.

[icon_uk]

Sorry nope, too plastic-y and over-styled.

[scottyquick]

You don't find Ed Westwick attractive 0_o?

[icon_uk]

Nope, he's just too smirky (very few people can make a smirk attractive to me in real life) and vaguely artificial looking, like a stylists mannequin rather than a person.

[scottyquick]

For anyone watching this conversation, this



is what Ed Westwick looks like.

[skjam]

Ehn. Okay, I guess, but not a face I'd specifically tune in to see.

[toasty_fresh]

And this:



and this



and this



and-- okay, okay, I'll stop.

[scottyquick]

GOOD LORD WOMAN NO DON'T STOP

[lynxara]

No, I'm okay with the stopping.

[scottyquick]

... says the man with a Gary Frank face icon.

[lynxara]

The icon tagged with "Gary Frank can't draw," iirc. =)

[kenn_el]

I see your Chuck Bass, and I raise you a Nate Archibald!

[toasty_fresh]

This guy?



Yeah listen there's a reason Blair's going out with Chuck now . . .

(jk he's pretty but I prefer Ed)

[kenn_el]

Nate/Chace is the only reason I watch. (And I still think the ultimate relationship will be when Chuck and Nate finally realize that they are each other's soul mates!)

[greenmask]

That's a different guy, for real?

[kamino_neko]

What he said. Jeez...I complain as much as the next person about how so many of the women in Hollywood look alike, but the way to fix it isn't to make the MEN interchangeable, too...

[skjam]

Perhaps some of the pretty plastic women?

[iskander]

"I'm Chuck Bass. "

[skjam]

And I'm sure he'd find it hilarious that a thread inspired by his awful outfit has gotten much, much more attention than Blair's perfect wedding fantasy.

[unicornicopia]

OH MAN I LOVE THREADS WHICH DEVOLVE INTO ED WESTWICK PARTY TIME.


(Oh my sexy, when he speaks with his normal accent? GUH)

[icon_uk]

That's my point, there's more styling product in his hair than there is personality in his face. He's what they refer to around my neck of the woods as peely-wally... he looks like he needs some sun, some texture to his skin, a cheaper haircut and a good meal.

There's just a wave of such actors apparently in vogue now, and they just, cumulatively, do bugger all for me.

[greenmask]

I'm with you on this. He looks like a doll, only not one that might fun because all those accessories would fall off all over the place.

[ravenous_raven]

hm, I have to agree, much too snobbish and self-centered and not at all approachable...

[scottyquick]

Well, that's his character.

[ravenous_raven]

well, judging from other photos I've seen of the actor, he's still rather aloof

[lynxara]

My first thought upon seeing the guy was "frat douche."

[toasty_fresh]

My first thought was "lay it on me."

[scottyquick]

Going to motto you here.

[lynxara]

Good for you.

[scottyquick]

Why are you getting so wanky over this?

[lynxara]

If that last bit came off confrontational, it wasn't meant that way. If this dude turns your crank, that's awesome. You go have fun with that.

I would prefer that the posting of the guy's publicity stills in the comments come to a halt, but whatever.

[toasty_fresh]

It was a joke, but ok . . .

[ian_karkull]

I agree. I prefer my men much more natural. That guy's face probably comes right off when you squeeze a little too hard.

[lamashtar]

Eh, I prefer the art people to the tv people. Possibly because I have different standards in prettiness..

[ian_karkull]

Oh my, pretty rich white kids and their petty little lifes! How utterly fascinating.

Now excuse me while i choke on my own bile.

[ashez2ashes]

Major Motto. I never understood the appeal of these kinds of shows. Everyone's so unlikable.

At least Yen Press also brought out Soul Eater. That helps their karma some.

[iondan]

All I know about gossip girl is that Leighton Meester is unfathomably pretty.

[celestialchild]

I watched ten minutes of this show and was in a rage five minutes through. And now they're making a manga of it. D: