Dragon Ball Part 1-8 (Viz Monthly Comics)

Dragon Ball Part 1 No. 8
Released	October 1998
Publisher	Viz
Volume Data
Format	6.625" x 10.25"
Pages	32 pages
Chapters	Dragon Ball Chapter 14; Dragon Ball Chapter 15
Viz Publication
Translation	Mari Morimoto
Adaptation	Gerard Jones
Editor	Trish Ledoux
Graphic Novel	Dragon Ball Volume 2
	v · d · e

« Dragon Ball Part 1-7 (Viz Monthly Comics)

Dragon Ball Part 1-9 (Viz Monthly Comics) »

Dragon Ball Part 1 No. 8 is the eighth issue of Viz's Dragon Ball Monthly Comics, the original English-language printing of the Dragon Ball manga. It was released in October 1998 alongside the eighth issue of the "Dragon Ball Z"-branded chapters. Akira Toriyama's original color pages are printed in greyscale.

The issue's title page appears on Page 1 of the paper pages, instead of in its usual place inside the front cover.

List of Chapters

Further information: Viz Monthly Comics and List of Dragon Ball Chapters

#	Viz Chapter Title	Original Publication	Page
14	Dragon Ball Chapter 14: "Kame Kame Kame Kame Kame Chameleon"	Weekly Shōnen Jump 1985 #14 (Japan, 05 March 1985)	2
15	Dragon Ball Chapter 15: "At Sixes and Sevens"	Weekly Shōnen Jump 1985 #15 (Japan, 12 March 1985)	15

The title pages of chapters 14 and 15 are included in their original greyscale on pages 2 and 15 respectively.

Cover Illustration

This issue's Akira Toriyama cover illustration was originally drawn for an insert poster in the 1985 #31 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump. This issue contained Dragon Ball Chapter 37, and it was published on 13 August 1985. The illustration gets a half-page reproduction in Dragon Ball Daizenshuu 1 ("The Complete Illustrations")^[1] and a smaller reproduction in the Dragon Ball Chōgashū ("A Visual History").^[2]

Staff

English Adaptation: Gerard Jones
Translation: Mari Morimoto
Touch-Up Art & Lettering: Wayne Truman
Editor: Trish Ledoux
Cover & Interior Design: Viz Graphics

Managing Editor: Hyoe Narita
Editor-In-Chief: Sataro Fujii
Publisher: Seiji Horibuchi

Letters Column

This issue's letters column is printed left to right on pages 31-30. There is a standard solicitation for reader letters on the inside of the front cover. A complete transcription of the column is below; fan art is omitted. The responses are written by editor Trish Ledoux. (Parentheses) and [brackets] are Viz; {braces} are Kanzenshuu notes.

Goku and the Gang have come to a plateau of sorts regarding their search for the dragon balls—six down, one more to go, right?—but the adventure itself is still just getting started! When we come back, not only will we know what's up, doc (you'll see, soon enough), but we'll have new reason to reconsider Yamcha and Pu'ar, too! (Good news, right, Cari?) —Editor
The Monkey's Tales: Dragon Ball Letters Page c/o Viz Comics P.O. Box 77010 San Francisco, CA 94107 db-ltrs@viz.com
{left: drawing of Goku on Kinto-un holding a bag with the text: "DRAGONBALL MAIL CALL LETTER BAG"} Nikko Higashi, San Dimas CA
PU'AR POWER I'm a 12-year-old female fan, just to tell you how broad [Pun intended? No?—Ed.] your audience is. I am a monthly reader of Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z and Ranma 1/2. Thanks so much for making it so easy to have manga in English! I also thank you for keeping the original Japanese style of having comics printed from right to left. I only have a couple of questions to ask you: (1) How old is Pu'ar? (Yamcha's highly adorable kitty!) Is Pu'ar male or female? (2) How did Pu'ar end up with Yamcha anyway? {drawing: self-portrait (?) hugging Pu'er with the text: "GIVE ME ALL THE PU'AR YOU GOT!!! (please...te, he..) and "P.S. Tell Pu'ar hi!} {envelope with drawing of Pu'er, Kinto'un, and two Dragon Balls, address redacted by Viz} Cari Wynne Reston, VA
Standard editorial dodges—in the case of not knowing the answer to given questions—are to (1) not print the letter; (2) ignore the question, and focus on some other aspect of the letter; or (3) 'fess up. This time, at least, put us down for Option No. 3. (Sorry, Cari.)
DEAR AKIRA TORIYAMA I thought I recognized your art for the role-playing game "ChronoTrigger" for SuperNES...! I think that was one of your best projects! Oh, and your DB and DBZ comics rule, too. {/column} Enclosed in this envelope is a collage of characters from DB/DBZ. I definitely hope you keep all 42 volumes coming. The humor is pretty good, and the art and storyline is fantastic. I've always been a fan of manga/anime/Japanimation, and wish you the best of luck. I have a couple of questions: (1) Where can I get DB/DBZ back issues? (2) Can you start to enter subscriptions/back issue offers into the comic? PLEASE!? Thank you for reading my letter. {right: drawing of female character, maybe Bulma} Jasmine Blucas Joliet, IL {below: drawing of kid Goku, adult Goku, Bulma, Oolong, Chi-Chi, and a self-portrait, signed "Jasmine Lea Blucas, Age: 13"}
In the current absence of our ability to forward fan mail to Mr. Toriyama, Jasmine, please accept our admiration on your art. (We especially like how you slipped yourself in there.) Regarding back issues, subscriptions, and so forth, give the toll-free number 1.800.394.3042 a try—we're sure we can set you up with something, even if Mr. Toriyama himself is unable. {/page}
THIS COMIC APPROVED BY— Neehow! I've been doing some serious investigating and what I found shocked me. If young kids enjoy this comic, and if you want kids to read this, pleeze, I suggest thatcha put "Comics Code Authority" seals on your comics LEGALLY. If the kids' parents find their children reading these with the seals on 'em, then you'd get some nasty letters (or go out of bizness). I'm not practical; just trying to help a comic I love. I'm a cartoonist wannabe, an' I know you probably get letters from people who ask to work sithcha, but I'm just tellin' ya, you'd be better off wit' a "C.C.A." seal. It's like a "G"-rated movie to show parents their kids can read these. Catch ya on the flip side! Jessie Hughes New Canaan, CT I'd recommend the same for other Viz comics, for the kids' sake.
"Created in 1954, the Comics Code Authority is a document which had comic book publishers trying to appease a white middle-class America, which was desperately trying to maintain its values and morals," writes "Comic Book Conundrum" online columnist Joe Grineau (http://www.sideroad.com/comics/column12.html). For those of you unfamiliar with the term, the Code is essentially a series of guidelines self-adopted by the comics industry in a last-bid attempt to avoid the destruction of their livelihood, as then threatened by Senate Subcommittee hearings and popular lsentiment regarding a perceived link between juvenile delinquency and comic books (ever hear of a band called "Seduction of the Innocent"? Dr. Fredric Wertham, a crusader against comics as a causative factor in juvenile crime, named his book-length indictment of the industry exactly that). "One last code dictum," Grineau concludes, "has plagued the medium for decades: 'In every instance good shall triumph over evil and the criminal punished for his misdeeds.' This moral dictum has had large literary implications; it made comic book stories not much more than simple morality tales." As publishers of tales in which the good guys DON'T always win, Jessie, you'll forgive us if we don't rush to adopt your suggestion, even if it might have certain other, debatable, merits.
LOGO INCLUDED When you said you were looking for ideas for your letter page title in Issue No. 4, I started to think of a name for your title and this is what I came up with: "Dragon Ball Mail Call"! I finally had a chance to work on it. I love to draw in manga and anime style, so I included a drawing of Goku to go with the title I love to read the comics you publish. Some of my favorites besides Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z are Ranma 1/2, Tenchi Muyo!, and Inu-Yasha. To all the people at Viz, keep up the good work! Maybe I'll see my title published in the near future. Until then, KAMEHAMEHA—! {/column} {drawing of the suggested title in the logo style} Sincerely, Nikko Higashi San Dimas, CA
San Dimas, huh? Betting that you're just about ready to KILL the next person who makes a "Bill and Ted" joke, we'll skip the lame attempt at humor and thank you for your letter column title idea. It's too bad we can't use it; as announced previously, the one we all ended up liking best was "The Monkey's Tales," as suggested by Brandon Wilks of New Orleans, LA. (We're sorry if you haven't received your loot yet, Brandon—the intern took a lot of beating—uh, convincing—but your due rewards should be in your hands soon.)

S O M E N O T E S A B O U T F A N A R T ...
We love the art you send in, but because of space restrictions, there's no way we can use it all! Therefore, to increase the chances of your work being seen, please keep the following tips in mind: • Pen works better than pencil. • No artwork larger than 8 1/2 by 11. Print your name (and age, if you wish) on the back of your art so we can give you proper credit. • Typed letters have a better chance of being printed than hand-written. We stay up all night reading manga and playing RPG's, and our eyes are tired. • We realize tracing artwork is fun, but it's not as much fun for the rest of us. Be original! Put Goku and the other DBZ characters in weird situations (but not too weird, please—we've got li'l kids reading). Thanks! {/page}
{right: drawing of Bulma, copied from when she first sees Yamcha in chapter 8} SPECIAL BONUS FAN ART!!! by Aaron Hedensten of Olympia WA

Notes

References

↑ "1985". Dragon Ball Daizenshuu 1: Complete Illustrations. Japan: Shueisha, 25 June 1995. ISBN 4-08-782751-8. (p. 27)
↑ "1985". Dragon Ball Chōgashū. Japan: Shueisha, 09 May 2013. ISBN 978-4-08-782520-6. (p. 12)

[1] "1985". Dragon Ball Daizenshuu 1: Complete Illustrations. Japan: Shueisha, 25 June 1995. ISBN 4-08-782751-8. (p. 27)

[2] "1985". Dragon Ball Chōgashū. Japan: Shueisha, 09 May 2013. ISBN 978-4-08-782520-6. (p. 12)

[1]

[2]