Boys of Summer (comic)

Infobox Asian comic series
name = Boys of Summer


imagesize = 220
caption = Cover, "Boys of Summer" volume 1
ko_hangul =
zh_hanzi =
romanized =
genre =
Humor = y
Romance = y
author = Chuck Austen
illustrator = Hiroki Otsuka
publisher = flagicon|United States Tokyopop
publisher_en =
publisher_other = flagicon|Hungary Mangattack
demographic =
magazine =
first = 2007
last = 2008
volumes = 3
chapter_list =
related =
content =
subcat = Tokyopop
sort = PAGENAME
OEL=y

"Boys of Summer" is a three volume Original English-language manga by Japanese artist Hiroki Otsuka and written by American Chuck Austen. It is a romantic comedy. The series deals with the main character's relationships with women upon his arrival at college as well as his relationship to the school's baseball team. The series is published by Tokyopop and is rated as suitable for persons over the age of 16 as it contains scenes with partial nudity. The first volume of Boys of Summer was released May 9, 2006 and runs approximately 200 pages with the second volume originally scheduled for release October 10, 2006. As of September 2007 only the first volume is available. The second volume released in October 2007 in Hungary. In 2008 the manga will re-released three in one (like an omnibus) in the USA. The second and third volume will never released apart in USA.

Synopsis

Volume 1

Bud Waterston is an 18 year old male "in full hormonal bloom" with a predilection for nosebleeds. After saying goodbye to his mother and siblings he leaves to attend Wilton State University 2 hours away with his best friend Manny. Bud is looking forward to meeting what he imagines are legions of scantily-clad young women but things do not begin well for him. Upon arrival he gets into a car accident and runs afoul of an upperclassman. When taking Manny to baseball tryouts, he discovers that the car he ran into is owned by the manager of the baseball team and the upperclassman, Jake, is the star pitcher. After an altercation with Jake that injures Bud and reveals he possess a high speed fastball with great control, he meets the manager's daughter, the team's starting catcher Chrissie.

Later, Chrissie approaches Manny to find out more about Bud--namely why he doesn't play baseball with his incredible skills. Later she finds him at a party thrown by a Keeley, a sophomore girl living in his co-ed dorm. Finding Keeley in Bud's lap, she storms off and Bud follows arguing with her only to discover she lives across the hall from him. Afterwards Keeley appears and apologizes to Bud wondering if he and Chrissie are involved. Bud denies it and Keeley expresses an interest in Bud.

The next day Bud and Chrissie are heading down to breakfast together when they discover that Manny has not activated his dining card--meaning he cannot enter the cafeteria. Bud gives Manny his card and resigns himself to skipping breakfast but Chrissie volunteers to buy him something elsewhere and the two of them leave. While eating they talk and eventually the talk turns to baseball when Bud suddenly realizes that Chrissie is only being nice to him to get him to join the team and leaves insulted.

That evening Chrissie's father comes to Bud's dorm and offers not to report the damage Bud caused to his car in return for his joining the team. At first Bud resists but after discovering that Manny, also a catcher, probably will not make the team due to Chrissie and calling his mother and finding out the projected rise in the insurance premiums, he shows up to practice on one condition: only Manny can catch for him.

Characters

Main Characters

Bud Waterston- The main character, Bud is a horny, perverted teenage boy who is a very loyal friend to Manny. He also has an incredible gift as a pitcher--able to throw a fastball accurately at 100mph--but refuses to play baseball because of the suicide of his father. When dealing with Bud the Japanese convention of nosebleeds as signaling sexual arousal is turned on its head--while his nose does bleed around Chrissie, it is always the result of blunt trauma (e.g. hit in face by a baseball, running into a door, etc.). In addition he usually seems to lose his temper quite easily around her.

Manny- Best friends with Bud since childhood, Manny used to be Bud's primary catcher until Bud quit baseball. He is stockier than Bud, and there is a running joke about his love of food. He is also something of a mama's boy in that he often speaks with his mother on the phone for long periods even if she is the one that calls him. Despite this he always sticks up for Bud and backs up his friend.

Chrissie- Starting catacher of the Wilton State baseball team and at least a year older than Bud, Chrissie does not need her relationship as the manager's daughter to ensure her position--she is an excellent catcher. She began playing baseball to spend more time with her father but eventually developed a love for it. A little uptight in regards to the popularity of "oversexed" girls like Keeley, the romantic relationship between Chrissie and Bud seems like it will be a central focus of the series.

Minor Characters

Jake - The star pitcher (until Bud) of the team, Jake is cocky and arrogant and likes to shove Bud around. He even tries to bully the manager of the team because he is the only player that is considered above average.

Keeley - A sophomore who lives in the same building as Bud and Chrissie, Chrissie considers Keeley a "skeevy, oversexed tramp." Nevertheless, she is intelligent enough to attempt to get into upper division classes in only her second year. After teasing Bud at her party, she expresses a genuine interest in his relationship with Chrissie and is glad to find out Bud is single.

Chrissie's Father - The manager (referred to as coach in the manga) of the Wilton State University baseball team, he wants his players to have fun because if they are playing for Wilton State, then "no worthwhile scout or college was interested in you." Even so, he goes to great lengths to get Bud on his team from having Chrissie talk to him to offering to forgo the damages to his car.

Art Style

External links

:* [http://www.tokyopop.com/S-1663/ Boys of Summer] at TOKYOPOP.:* [http://comics.ign.com/articles/704/704051p1.html IGN's "Boys of Summer" Review] :* [http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=6679 19 Page Preview of Boys of Summer at Comic Book Resources]