If you’re a faithful Manga Recon reader, you may have noticed that several new reviewers have joined the team. Helping me, Erin, Ken, Chloe, and Isaac sort the manga wheat from the chaff are Phil Guie, Sam Kusek, and Michelle Smith. Here’s what they had to say for themselves:

Phil Guie is a freelance writer who lives in Brooklyn, New York. A liberal arts graduate with a degree in English, he is doing surprisingly well, and even has time to focus on his hobbies, which include movies and American comic books. Phil’s favorite film is The Third Man, and he can talk about superhero comics until the cows come home.

Sam Kusek goes to Emerson College in Boston, has an awesome girlfriend, and enjoys taking late-night rides through the city on his baby blue bicycle, Gloria. He wears tight pants and buys cartons of Vitamin Water… and why don’t they have Vitamin Water vending machines?! He loves (and often quotes) Scrubs and Home Movies, and has a great appreciation of local music and, of course, manga.

Michelle Smith has been writing manga reviews on her blog Soliloquy in Blue since 2006 and has amassed a diverse and extensive manga collection. She’s a musician, a math person, a voracious reader, a competent cook, and a new homeowner. Basara tops her list of favorite manga, and she shamelessly exploits all opportunities to urge people to read it.

Welcome aboard!

As for this week’s new arrivals, you’ll find something to suit just about every taste, from fanservice spectaculars (Alice on Deadlines, Nephilim) to fantasy-adventures (Dorothea), shojo romances (I Hate You More Than Anyone, Tears of a Lamb), and angsty vampire intrigue (Vassalord). My top picks for the week are Silver Diamond (Tokyopop), a peculiar sci-fi series with gorgeous artwork, gorgeous male leads, and enough plants to populate the New York Botanical Garden (don’t ask, just read) and Real (Viz), Takehiko Inoue’s gritty, funny drama about paraplegic basketball players. Want a second opinion? Then check out Ken’s glowing yet perceptive review of this decidedly adult story.

SHIPPING THIS WEEK
Alice on Deadlines, Vol. 3 (Yen Press)
Bizenghast, Vol. 5 (Tokyopop)
Case Closed, Vol. 24 (Viz)
Chibi Vampire, Vol. 9 (Tokyopop)
Daemonium, Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
The Dark Good-Bye, Vol. 2 (Tokyopop)
Dorothea, Vol. 2 (CMX)
Elemental Gelade, Vol. 8 (Tokyopop)
Ellie Mamahara: Alley of First Love (BLU Manga)
Ghost Talkers Daydream, Vol. 1 (Dark Horse)
I Hate You More Than Anyone, Vol. 5 (CMX)
Martin and John, Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
Nephilim, Vol. 2 (Aurora)
Oh My God, Vol. 1 (Aurora/Deux)
Plastic Chew (Tokyopop)
Psychic Power Nanki, Vol. 3 (Tokyopop)
Real, Vol. 1 (Viz)
Rising Stars of Manga, Vol. 8 (Tokyopop)
Rolling, Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
Rose Hip Rose, Vol. 2 (Tokyopop)
Rurouni Kenshin VIZBIG Edition, Vol. 3 (Viz)
Samurai Deeper Kyo, Vol. 29 (Tokyopop)
A Seduction More Beautiful Than Love, Vol. 2 (Tokyopop)
Silver Diamond, Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
Spiral: Bonds of Reasoning, Vol. 4 (Yen Press)
Star Trek: The Manga, Vol. 3 (Tokyopop)
Suzunari, Vol. 1 (Yen Press)
Tears of a Lamb, Vol. 3 (CMX)
Tetragrammaton Labyrinth, Vol. 3 (Seven Seas)
Tokko, Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
Vassalord, Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
Your and My Secret, Vol. 2 (Tokyopop)