Bristol Comic Expo announces their guest and line-up for this year's event.

2008's Bristol Comics Expo, 10th/11th May will see an even larger manga section than before. This is previewed at:

http://www.comicexpo.net/08manga.html

 This is the line up:

- Misako Rocks, returns again from the USA
- Helen McCarthy, Manga critic
- Frederik Stromberg, Swedish manga/comic book critic
- Yokaji studio, a group of chinese artist living in Sweden.
- Dimensional Manga, a new UK publisher
- Sean Michael Wilson of Boychild Books, 'Lafcadio Hearn's Japanese Ghost Stories','Yaoi volume one', Best New Manga volume 2.
- TOKYOPOP, with their big display again
- Dark horse comics joins us this year
-'Selfmadehero', a UK publisher launching their new manga adaptations of  Shakespeare.
- Yishan Li, a Chinese artist, Best New Manga volume 2 now published by Dargaud
in France and working on books for US publishers.   
- the London collective of Japanese manga artists 'Umisen-Yamasen' will be  there (there might be as many as 5 of them attend!)
- Siku, with his new manga Bible books.
- Ilya, the editor of the Mammoth book of new manga, will be there with some of his manga 'mammoths'.

AND special guest from Japan: Akiko Shimojima, manga artist from Tokyo, coming over for her first visit to the UK!

Manga panels include:

SAT 12pm NOON 'MANGA MOVERS'- Sean Michael Wilson chairing and everyone involved in the manga section introducing themselves for 5 min each.

SAT 1.00 PM FREDRIK STROMBERG Making his 1st UK Convention appearance. Swedish  Comics Master hosts a special European Manga Panel with the Yojak studio.

 SAT 5.00 MISAKO ROCKS! An special solo talk with Misako on her life, books and  music.

 SUN 1.00PM DAVID HINE Manga to mainstream, the cross over of creators now  between the two has never been closer.Is this a good thing? David is joined by  Ilya, Sonia and Emma.

 SUN 2.00PM HELEN MacCARTHY Manga & Anime writer and publisher takes a career  spanning look at the life and works of who many consider the godfather of the  genre OSAMU TEZUKA.

 SUN 3.00PM Manga Alternatives with Akiko Shimojima and Yishan Li.
 An introduction to the world of independent/alternative manga in Japan - books beyond the normal style of manga seen. Discover the little known and rarely seen alternative style manga in Japan. By SEAN MICHAEL WILSON who lives and works in Japan. Also introducing Tokyo manga-ka AKIKO SHIMOJIMA, on her first visit to the UK. She will show and tell us about her manga and working techniques. Plus chinese arrtist living in the UK, Yishan Li, telling us about her manga also!