I am so excited about Eric Wight's manga, My Dead Girlfriend. I first became a fan of Eric's work on The O.C. (He's the "ghost artist" for Seth Cohen on the show.) Yes, I LOVE The O.C. (which further confirms the fact that I'm a 15-year-old trapped in a 30-something body), so one day I Googled Eric and we decided to do a project together. Eric blew us away with all of his ideas...I believe he sent something like 12 pitches my way...but the one that captured all our hearts was My Dead Girlfriend.
 
My Dead Girlfriend invites readers to meet Finney Bleak. At any other school, his Johnny Depp good looks and Aberzombie style would secure him a place among high school royalty. But within the halls of horror at Mephisto Prep, normal is the new weird, and Finney dangles from the lowest rung of the social evolutionary ladder.
Then along comes Jenny Wraith. Smart. Beautiful. But kind of dead. Jenny is the ethereal object of Finney’s affection, except that their corporal differences keep them apart. As if young romance wasn’t awkward enough, try getting frisky with a ghost!
 
Eric's art style is so dynamic and original, it's like nothing you've ever seen before. I am in love with it. And I now invite you to share in the manga goodness that is My Dead Girlfriend. Joss Whedon, Meg Cabot, and Brad Meltzer are already singing its praises...and I'm sure you will be, too, once you check out this sneak peek. Let me know what you think. Get in touch with me here: http://www.tokyopop.com/julietaylor/blog/!
 
Julie Taylor
Senior Editor

Finney Bleak lives in a world of horror--literally. His family are ghosts, his classmates are monsters, and Finney is the most normal kid in school. But within the halls of Mephisto Prep, normal is the new weird and Finney dangles from the lowest rung of the social evolutionary ladder. Then along comes Jenny. Smart. Beautiful. And totally into Finney. Only problem is, she's kind of dead. Jenny may be the ethereal object of Finney's affection, but their corporal differences keep them apart. As if young romance wasn't awkward enough, try getting frisky with a ghost. Just how far will Finney go to be with his true love? Let's just say not even Death can stand in his way.

ERIC WIGHT is a professional animator and illustrator whose clientele include Walt Disney, Warner Brothers, Cartoon Network, DC Comics and Marvel Entertainment. Wight has visually developed many high profile entertainment properties for animation, including Austin Powers, Charlie’s Angels, Terminator 3, and was Art Director of the proposed Buffy the Vampire Slayer Animated Series. His work has been profiled in USA Today, The New York Times, Time Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, Spin, Wired, and Wizard Magazine, among others. Wight’s comic book adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon earned him the Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award in 2004 and helped garner the prestigious Eisner and Harvey Awards for Best Anthology for Dark Horse Comics.Currently, Wight’s artwork can be seen on the hit Fox television show, The O.C. as the ghost artist of principle character Seth Cohen. His work from the series is also featured on a variety of licensed products, including a t-shirt line for the national retailer, Urban Outfitters.

PHINEAS “FINNEY” BLEAK
Finney isn’t like most kids his age, especially the ones at Mephisto Middle School. For starters, his entire family are ghosts and he’s the only one still flesh and blood. He also has the uncanny ability to escape death (much to his mother’s disappointment, who would like nothing more for her son to be like the rest of his family). At any other school Finney’s charming good looks, athletic prowess and sharp wit would make him one of the most popular kid in his class, but here at Mephisto he is treated like an outcast and considered weird for being ordinary.
  
JENNY WRAITH      
The object of Finney’s affection. Jenny became a ghost after accidentally falling down a rabbit hole and was transferred to Mephisto Middle School. She has a crush on Finney as well, but his unfortunate luck and their corporal differences keep them apart.

MOOKIE:
Finney’s pet gargoyle, who has the personality and energy of a hyperactive puppy. Though he can’t speak, Mookie has plenty to say with expression and pantomime.