Super Cruel and Terrible Tales of Mangaka
	 Act 4 - Ardor
	  Chapter 21
	   The Ring

 - Page 131 -

Chapter 21: The Ring

Komekami: Wah hah hah hah!!
	A tankobon!! Finally, I've got a tankobon for "Mr. Moisture"!!

[Sadoru Komekami, Mangaka]

Komekami: Five long years since my professional debut!! All that time I spent getting my own serial, and finally!! Finally!! I'm going to get my first volume!
	Well done, me!!
	Brilliant!!

 - Page 132 -

Komekami: Once it comes out, I'll send a thousand copies to the heartless mother who called me a terrible son and a waste of food money!!
	Another thousand to the bitch who cut things off with me because I wasn't "going places"!!
	Another thousand to the other magazine's editor who told me I'd be better off going back home to farm tomatoes!!
	I'll send them ALL!!
	I'll coat the floor of my room with them...
	Wahahahaha!!
	My tankobon, my tankobon!
	Come out soon, my wonderful tankobon!!
	My precious!

Editor: Yes, about that...

 - Page 133 -

Komekami: My editor, my lord!

Editor: We have a problem.

Komekami: What?!

Editor: Remember how you made Mr. Moisture poop on the street in Chapter 3?
	It's caused a bit of problem with the higher-ups.

Komekami: But, but that's one of the signature concepts of the manga!!

Editor: Remember when that happened in Yokohama?
	The "Serial Grade Schooler Street Pooping Incident."
	They're afraid that your series is promoting that sort of criminal activity.

Komekami: But sir, you told me to start this series because "Mr. Poopeater" was so popular!

Editor: Things have changed. Poop is out.
	We're going to have to cancel it.

Komekami: Whaaaat?!
	I'll redraw it! I'll go back and redraw that entire scene!
	Just please print my book, sir!

Editor: I'll give it a shot.

 - Page 134 -

Komekami: Raaaahhhh!!

Because outdoor defecation was such an important keyword to "Mr. Moisture," the redrawing was a 
long and painful process. This revised version, created under a limited time frame, suffered from 
the loss of a unifying theme, but to Komekami it was still a brilliant bit of work.
SO FAR.

Komekami: Yesss!
	This'll do it!
	My tankobon is MADE!!
	Brilliant work, me!!
	Be proud, me!!

Editor: I hate to interrupt your celebration, but...

 - Page 135 -

Editor: Remember when Mr. Moisture pees underneath the table at his girlfriend's house in Chapter 5?

Komekami: Oh!
	That was vital to depict his trust for the heroine!

Editor: See, the company president's son has a bladder problem. He pees everywhere.
	We're thinking it might be a touchy subject.
	It'll have to be cancelled.

Komekami: I,
	I'll redraw it!
	Raaahhhh!!
	Huff, huff.
	Sighhhh.

Editor: Sorry once again...
	The part in Chapter 10 where Mr. Moisture pukes in his sleep?
	Well, we put out Tachinosuke Chikubi-sensei's "Sleepbarfing Boy" last month, and the numbers were dreadful.
	We're gonna have to put a kibosh on sleep-narfing.

Komekami: I, I,
	I'll redraw...
	Urrrrgh!

Editor: About that "Mr. Moisture" title.
	Our managing editor doesn't like it. His ex-wife had the same name. (Moistureko)

Komekami: I'll change it!

Editor: While we're on the subject.
	You know that pen name you've been using?
	It's kind of weak.

Komekami: ...I'll fix it.

 - Page 136 -

And after a long road of setbacks and struggles, the end result was Boyata Bobojima's "Hecka Crazy Dude." However...

Kids: What the hell is this "Hecka Crazy Dude"?
	Just a ripoff of "Mr. Moisture."
	This newtimer really sucks, totally lame ripoff artist.
	Who is he?

Editor: The sales are terrible, my man.
	Can't you, you know, TRY a little harder?

Komekami: Damn youuuuu!

Editor: Gwaaaaah!

Paper: Mangaka Strangles Editor!!
	Komekami, arrested for attempted murder
	Personal Grudge

Editor: See, that strangling incident is a problem.
	I'm afraid we're canceling your "Mr. Strangler" tankobon.

Artist: I'll redraw it!

 - Chapter 21 End -