Next Exit
| Next Exit | |
|---|---|
Cover of Next Exit 1 (2005). Art by Christy Lijewski.
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| Genre | |
| Author | Christy Lijewski |
| Publisher |
 Slave Labor Graphics
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| Original run | 2004 – 2006 |
| Volumes | 10 |
| Rising Stars of Manga 3 | |
Next Exit is an American manga-influenced comic series created by the comic artist Christy Lijewski. It is her first running series starring the two characters Millicent Retrab (the girl with the map) and Markesh (travelling companion and muito-mysteriouso Alchemist) in their quest to try to escape from the world of Akaline, a plane inhabited by people, figments, shadows, demons, and dolls (all in the most literal sense of the words).
The world involves many SciFi aspects, such as alchemy and organic cyberkinetic dolls, as well as fantasy, such as dragons, talking animals, and magical apparitions. The world also seems to be multilingual (languages resembling if not being Japanese and Korean appear in art throughout the series).
The series is currently up to issue 10, and volume 1 (a collection of six periodicals) hit bookshelves June 2006.
Alchemists in Alkaline seem able to transmute out of instinct alone. Also, in Alkaline, matter may only be transmuted once, after that nothing can be done to change the object again. Organic material can be altered with alchemy, including humans, although it does seem to cause some kind of corruption. This corruption is described as "poisoning."
Only certain people can do alchemy, and it is implied that simply having the talent is not enough to do advanced work. That apparently requires study and research. It is sometimes feared by the ignorant as a form of witchcraft.
Doors, although being the basis for the series and having Markesh and Retrab as leads, is not a prequel. It can best be described as an alternate or simpler version of the same story, or a very similar story with the same characters.
Doors is the short one-shot comic story on which the comic Next Exit is based, having been written a few years earlier by Lijewski for the TokyoPop Rising Star of Manga Contest, where it was a runner-up. The basic premise, as well as the two protagonists, are the same. Retrab and Markesh are seeking a "Door" (a term which in the series is replaced by exit) out of the world of Alkaline, a fantastic dreamscape where thoughts mould and change as rapidly as they can while abiding the rules of this reality. They journey through various traps and monsters (called shadows) to try to reach a door. And eventually they do, but it's not exactly what they expected...
Differences include that Markesh's alchemy is less developed (not in terms of his ability but in explanation), motorized vehicles seem more common place, and Retrab is more useful in a fight, though still careless. Also, Exits are called Doors and neither Maps nor the Academy are mentioned. Doors also are apparently easier to find than exits, but they are individualized, only working for certain people, or even, only a certain person.
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Wikipedia