DIARY

A 2025 NATIONAL POETRY SERIES WINNER SELECTED BY SASHA ROQUE PIMENTEL

A collection of poems that explores questions of time, language, community, and selfhood through a contemporary Asian American lens.

DIARY heralds the arrival of a virtuosic new talent. Spanning the first five years of Yi Wei’s twenties, it chronicles their attempt to write truth in the midst of grief, isolation, and upheaval. As Wei moves candidly through self-doubt, self-denial, and self-examination, we witness both a poet and a person in the making, only to find that they are always being made and unmade. The work is never done.

Through experimental techniques of grammatical and imagistic fragmentation, collage revision, footnoting, and formal ruptures, DIARY lays bare its political intent: to move beyond the gaze of power that places all experience into the neat history of the white, capitalist, patriarchal state.

Using the poetry of Theresa Hak Kyung Cha as their guide, Yi Wei opens an intimate window into interrogating how we re-enter ourselves and come to belong to the people we love, outside of the state, without the state.

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs