Alright, since 2006 I've been waiting for this book, I heard about it at Comic-Con and I was caught from the minute I saw the promotional art, then I hear Joss Whedon, Jeph Loeb, even Geoff Johns have had high praise for this book. Those three are some of my all time favorite writers for some of the greatest comic books out there, so if they love it, it must be good, right?

When you first open the book, on it's second page, you might be a bit taken aback by the eight solid reviews it has. Does a manga really need all that endorsement? No, it doesn't. And especially My Dead Girlfriend does not. Yeah, these are some of the biggest names in geek and nerd culture, but we don't need to hear it repeatedly. Some will probably be annoyed by this, which is why I'm pointing it out, I personally enjoyed some of the fresh remarks they had, even if it did feel a bit repetitive.

The book stars Fin Bleak, a kid in high school who's family history is measured by their ridiculous death, not the life they led. Fin realizes his death will be a mess, so he's not exactly a thrilled kid who loves life. I don't want to spoil anything, but some of the deaths in the Bleak family are just flat out hilarious, you will enjoy them.

So, three months prior to the events of the book Fin is at a carnival where he meets a beautiful girl named Jenny Wraith, they have an amazing time and set up a date for the next day, she doesn't show, making Fin think he was stood up, which has made him quite depressed. Obviously with the title you can put the pieces together with what happens.

Anyhow, Fin goes to Mephisto Prep, a school full of monsters, literally. Fin is the only normal kid in the school, well besides Dalhia. Anyhow, he's surrounded by wolf kids, vampires, undead kids, Foreign exchange kids from another planet, and the witches, who have alot of potential to be interesting female characters. Fin has a bully in the name of Karl, a frankenstein-kid who seems to really hate him, anymore on those events would be spoilers. But you get the idea of the overall tone of the book.

The art is spectacular, stylized, very animated-ish. But it's Eric Wight, and he's an amazing artist to begin with. The character designs look great and inventive, and Salamander is an incredibly hot teenage witch. It's all very gothic in design, very Tim Burton-ish, as it were.

My Dead Girlfriend is an OEL Manga, purists may hate the term, and may hate the book for being in this category, but it's your own stupidity and ignorance if you choose to miss out on an amazing book.

Volume 1- A Tryst Of Fate is Seven Chapters in length, told over a split timeline, at times, and features a really touching, true to teenage life tale of a kid looking to find something for himself and just be happy. With this being one of Eric Wight's first outings in this area, he really does shine, creating real characters and believable settings, even in a fantasy world. The combination of horror and real life teenage drama works and creates something fresh and fun.

Is it breathtaking and inventive? Not really. Does it bring something new to the fold? Yeah. It may not be a shattering book that breaks a ton of new ground, but it is an amazing piece, so if you like OEL Manga, and love a good and fresh story, then My Dead Girlfriend is for you. The comedy elements are great, and you'll find yourself laughing out loud at some of the jokes and fun moments.

It's worth the 10 bucks, so grab it, and enjoy. Once you pick it up, I guarantee you won't be able to put it down.