Bryan Lee O'Malley, the Canadian (and half Korean!) comic book creator best known for the "Scott Pilgrim" graphic novels, has drawn the cover for the Shojo Beat art issue. This might just be a pretty big deal, representing a nice chance for a North American original graphic novel to tap into some of that massive manga audience. Here's a quote from the press release:

"It is an honor to illustrate Beat Girl for the cover of the March issue of Shojo Beat," says O'Malley. "The manga genre, and the shojo art style in particular, have notably influenced the direction and look of many Western series, including my own, and Shojo Beat has been at the forefront of building a genuine interest in comics for girls by an increasing amount of domestic female readers. I look forward to the momentum continuing and to readers exploring this special issue."