EC Archives: Tales From the Crypt vol. 2 Review

Creators: Johnny Craig, Graham Ingels, Harvey Kurtzman, Wally Wood, and others
Publisher: Gem Stone Publishing

I was too young when the original comics were released, but back when I was in middle school, I saw a comic adaptation of Creepshow and it changed the way I saw comics. I was lucky enough to get some of the hardcover rereleases in the early 90’s that were done in black and white and I was blown away by the stories and artwork. Lucky for me I no longer have to find those other volumes missing from my collection. These volumes just keep getting better and better with each release.

This volume reprints the second six complete issues (24 stories) of the comic book "Tales From the Crypt", originally published in 1951 and 1952. They feature classic horror stories of vampires, werewolves, ghouls and monsters in the vein of the early "Dracula", "Frankenstein" and "Wolf Man" movies, and even an early look at blending animal DNA with man’s. Some of these stories were the inspiration for several feature films and the HBO series of the same name. The stories in Tales From the Crypt rarely deviated from the basic formula in that they almost always ended with a shocking, ironic twist with a character getting what they deserve. Throughout the 200+ pages of this book the creators give us our dosage of morality tales with their own supernatural twist.

This book features some fantastic talents, because to be fair EC had the best artists of the era; Al Feldstein, Johnny Craig, Wally Wood, Jack Davis, Joe Orlando, Marie Severin, Graham Ingels, and Harvey Kurtzman. This restored collection the artwork shines like never before. The pages are vibrant and crisp and look like they were illustrated by today’s top artist. I can’t get over how nice this art looks on high quality paper and the coloring looks vibrant. Sadly that is part of the reason it brought down the rating a bit. Some of the pictures look too vibrant and flashy and the colors don’t mesh well with the art style. These editions also include special features such as an interview with Nancy Gaines, the widow of EC Comics founder Bill Gaines. The book lists for $50, but it is well worth the price of admission for stories such as these. A-

Ultimate X-men # 92 Review

Author: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Salvador Larroca
Colors: Paul Mounts

I haven’t reviewed an Ultimate X-men book in over a year. There is a reason for this. As much as I can’t stand Mark Millar’s Civil War or Wolverine run, his Ultimate X-men run was great. Sure it was a dumb-downed version of old stories, but he kept it fresh and the art by Adam Kubert was phenomenal. Lately both the writing and the art have gone to shit. I can’t believe how easy it is to fuck up a comic that hasn’t been around for even 100 issues, but Kirkman showed me how. This however is Kirkman’s last run on the book and the past two issues have been readable. The art by Larroca helped to ease the eyes too.

Charles Xavier is dead!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!! Seriously, did anybody reading that atrocious Cable story think he was really dead? Sorry, anyway yes Xavier died and Cyclops disbanded the X-men and just make the mansion just a school for mutants. Meanwhile Bishop formed the new X-men. However Xavier wasn’t dead….he was just taken to the future to be trained by Cable to fight Apocalypse. Turns out that Bishop was working with Cable to resurrect Apocalypse. The Fantastic Four decide to try and help SHIELD. So Cable is really Strife and Onslaught is really Xavier and Cable is really Wolverine and Wolverine lost an arm and I have lost my fucking mind for keeping up with this book. The issue just served as a placeholder between the cliffhanger from last issue and the finale next month. Professor X might be dead again and Phoenix is back!

Just because I said they were readable doesn’t mean they were good. Nothing of relevance happens in this issue and to be honest about 50% of Kirkman’s run felt that way. Cable and Bishop’s motives are just fucking ridiculous. Why lie at all? It doesn’t make any sense; it seems really over-the-top to be taken seriously. Larroca’s art did help some, but I still don’t know why this book just isn’t cancelled? I’m not sure if anybody can save the book. Over the years it certainly has lost its cool and fresh factor and it just seems to be here because it’s an x-book. C-

Negima! Magister Negi Magi Spotlight

Story & Art: Ken Akamatsu
Translations: Douglas Varenas, Toshifumi Yoshida, and others
Adaptation: Peter David, Trish Ledoux, Kathleen O’shea David, Ikoi Hiroe, and others
Publisher: Del Rey

Over the last month I have been reading Negima Magister Negi Magi just about every chance I got. After reading the first 15 volumes of this series and having read the entire Love Hina series, I have come to the realization that Ken Akamatsu has made a living off of underdog boys and girls who inexplicably adore them. I really have no idea how something like this could work in real life, these wimpy guys get all the chicks. That’s it I’m going to stop working out and see what happens. But anyway, I have heard this book called plenty of things, but by far my favorite way to describe this book is by calling “Harem Potter” (that’s something I came across on the internet). While I consider myself rather witty, I’m not that witty.

So the premise "Harem Potter” is not really far off. A 10-year-old prodigy wizard is sent by his Hogwarts-like school in Britain to Japan, there to teach English to14-year-old Japanese schoolgirls at an all-girl's school. Negi Springfield wants to test himself to be like his father, a famous mage and for some reason a teacher is what he chooses to be. This is all in the hopes that one day he will meet his father or just an excuse for Akamatsu to have a setting at a high school. Oh yeah, we get to see those underage girls in this high school uniforms we have all come to love. There are 31 girls in the class, well one is a ghost and one's a robot, but come on its manga. Negi has his work cut out for him it’s not an easy obstacle he has to overcome and over time he gets help from his students. Ohh yeah and his goal is to hide the fact that he is a wizard.

I guess we can talk about these 31 girls for a bit. This is probably the biggest cast I have read in a manga. It was sometimes hard to keep up with who is who and the fact that some of them look identical and they all wear the same clothes don’t help. Negi's students consist of a wide array of smart students, athletes, cheerleader, academically challenged. But what class doesn’t have those types of girls in there? This class however, also includes several martial artists, a vampire, a ghost (like I mentioned before), a ninja, a robot, at demon, a time traveler (who also happens to be a Martian), a web idol, and plenty of witches. The thing that does make each student stand out is their involvement in different clubs. Many of these girls are eventually drawn into Negi's world of magic or have long been involved with the magic world. Through interaction, Negi learns about his students in depth. Even though his goal is to hide that he is a wizard, that later gets put aside because each girl finds a way to help Negi.

Now, I have mentioned that there is a robot a vampire, and a ghost, but most of these girls share another attribute, and that is that some of these girls have crushes on this 10-year-old boy teacher. I think this is why Asuna stands out, because she doesn’t see what the other girls see. There's a lot of slapstick grabbing of his crotch, boobs smacking in his face, and as with Love Hina there's just scores of bath scenes. There's a basic gross factor in the main romance that's difficult to get past, though it helps that Negi has no sexual desire for any of them, whatsoever. Once we get past that in the first few volumes, it's a basic adventure story, with Negi getting to know a new classmate every 3-4 chapters and going through some sort of bonding. By the end of Volume 9, half of the 31 girls are aware he's a wizard, so he no longer feels the need to keep his secret. But Negi is likeable in a genuinely likeable way, as opposed to Love Hina's Keitaro, who seemed merely hapless and a loser who can’t get into any University, but for some reason you find yourself routing for.

This isn’t just normal classes these girls are attending. While yes there is plenty of book study and field trips, there are also plenty of heated battles and magic fights. In the Evangeline story Arc we are introduced to the Pactio system. The Pactio system is a system of magic. It’s any magic user who can select a companion. These companions then attain abilities related to their personalities. It enables the magician casting the spell, the Magister, to transfer some of their magic power to the other person involved in the “pactio”, the Ministra, improving the Ministra's natural capabilities, by an average of ten times their normal capacity, according to Chamo (Negi’s pet/familiar). They can then summon a magic artifact if they wish.

After the heated battles, Akamatsu mostly focuses on fun and games. And of course, lots of magically-induced goofiness, such as Asuna beating her head against a boulder for being interested in Negi. And the final gag is Konoka tackling a terrified Setsuna with proclamations of love. Good thing the other girls, especially Ayaka, didn't get a hold of them. Probably by far my favorite two characters Konoka and Setsuna. They have been friends since childhood, the problem is, as the two have grown up, Setsuna's friendship has turned into a full-blown crush. Which is a big problem, as not only is Setsuna trying to remain detached and failing miserably, but she's also been brought up to believe that feeling such things for another girl is wrong. It doesn't help that, once their initial 'I'm avoiding you' difficulties are settled, Konoka is nice, sweet, and unselfish and basically doing her best to be lovable, if completely oblivious. The wonderful thing about these characters is that they have sounded the same since volume 1. Even after a handful of different translators and people that have adapted the book, the characters have sounded the same from the beginning. Towards earlier volumes I thought I noticed a little of Peter David humor he puts in his own books, but in reality it was just the characters themselves.

The artwork for Negima is rather impressive. It seems that Akamtsu has really sharpened his style since his days on Love Hina. While the characters can be cute and simple at times, the overall look to things is more detailed, especially on his fighting scenes. It seems that the earlier volumes had a CG look to the background and that really took my eyes away from the characters. Speaking of the characters, the students are also rather sharp and detailed, each noticeably different than every other. At first it seemed really confusing, because some do look like, but after 15 volumes I could really tell the difference and couldn’t wait till some of my favorites showed back up again. The spells and fights in Negima are easily what carries the artwork. I think the only thing about his art that still bothers me are the missing nipples. Yeah, I may sound like a pervert for pointing this out, but in manga and some American comics, I have a problem when something I know is supposed to be there isn’t. For an artist that takes his time with every detail from faces to buildings, I really don’t know why he didn’t go ahead and draw nipples on the girls. But oh well, just a small gripe, but when you have a bath scene in just about every other book, it could be a big problem.

That is not the only flaw Negima has either. The main problem to me is that it seems so unoriginal at first and the first few volumes I really had to push myself to read. We have that automatic love/hate relationship between Negi and some of his students. It's filled with gratuitous nudity and slight Lolita fetish (I have no clue what it’s called when it’s directed at boys). Akamatsu's fixation on the female body continues from his days on Love Hina, there are entire chapters where every girl is stark naked, with the exception of Asuna. Sure it’s contrived at times, but how else are we going to get fan service in manga. There is a good plot underlying this, and the Setsuna/Konoka pairing, while one-sided, is quite well done for both comedy and angst/drama. Negi’s goal is totally believable and I found myself cheering for him at times to become the Master Wizard. There are times when he is forced to make decisions I don’t think a 10 year old could handle better, hell I don’t think I can make better choices and I’m 30. This book is definitely for people that enjoyed Love Hina or enjoy romantic comedies, magical adventures, wonderful art, and a great story with an underdog for a protagonist. While it can be rather predictable at times it still manages to keep me in suspense. B

Teen Titans # 57 Review

Author: Sean McKeever
Penciler: Eddy Barrows
Inkers: Palmiotti, Jose & Barrows
Colors: Rod Reis

I hate to admit, but I really gave up all hope on Teen Titans. The title used to be a huge grade A book every month when it started out. But, damn right after Johns left, the book has just been spiraling downhill. McKeever has been struggling to find the right voice for the characters and the quality and in the plot has just been nothing but shit. Then come these last two issues and if this is any indication of the way TT is heading, then count me in.

The Clock King continues his strike against the Teen Titans while Ravager confronts her reasons for being on the team. The Terror Titans are taking down the Titans one by one and this time it’s Ravager’s turn. While it was no problem taking down Kid Devil, it seems that the Terror Titans are having a little issue with Ravager. It seems that it takes Dreadbolt, Copperhead, and the new Persuader to take down our girl and even in the end she decides how she goes by blowing up the Titan Tower. Luckily she managed to get Marvin and Wendy out. Oh yeah, and it seems that they are really torturing the hell out of Kid Devil.

I’ve been such a Rose fan since she joined the Titans. Her ties with Deathlock and her gung-ho attitude has really made me fall for her. Not to mention she looks pretty nice in a bathing suit and that eye-patch…..errr yeah, she’s great. McKeever has managed to nail both her and Kid Devil’s characterizations and has kept me interested with the last two issues. While she has a sensitive side, we can still see her kick so much ass in this issue. Barrows has been improving lately, but I’m not sure if he is really meant for this book. His characters look too old to be teenagers and sometimes his facial expressions are a bit off. I haven’t given up 100% on this book and issues like this make me glad I didn’t. B+

Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 Review (Paperback Edition)

Author and Artist: Doug Petersen
Publisher: Villard

As a child one of my favorite book series was Brian Jacques' Redwall. So when I saw the cover to Mouse Guard, I just couldn't resist. The story is pretty basic; in the mid-12th century mice struggle to live safely and prosper among all of the world’s harsh conditions and predators. The Mouse Guard are not simply soldiers that fight off intruders; rather they are guides for common mice looking to journey without confrontation from one hidden mouse village to another. The Guard patrol borders, find safe ways and paths through dangerous territories and treacherous terrain, watch weather patterns, and keep the mouse territories free of predatory infestation. This reminded me of all those Samurai stories I used to read that were set during the age of Meiji.

What really intrigued me about this first book was the way it each chapter served as a stand-alone story; an introduction to this wonderful world. This is a rarity these days in comics, with every issue being part of a six issue story arc. In the first book Saxon, Kenzie and Lieam are dispatched to find a missing merchant mouse that never arrived at his destination. In doing so they stumble onto much more than they had bargained for. A mouse claiming to carry the legendary Black Axe is certain that the guard is outdated and plans an uprising to control all the towns and villages. Only by working together can the guards defeat this scourge, finding an unlikely ally to aid them along the way. There are some fantastic battles within the book, but I really don't want to give too much away.

Keep this in mind while reading the book though, Peterson tells much more of a story through his drawings than he does the actual text. The book is definetely not dialogue heavy so don't expect this to be a deep meaningful comic. It is instead a very well done adventure story without all the fuss and extra details. The plot jumps about a bit but is definetely understandable. Petersen enmeshes you so thoroughly in this world that he sees little reason to fill you in on some of the background details. Some characters don't physically show up until the last chapter. These are characters that have been mentioned since the beginning of the book.

Originally Petersen self-published the first issue of Mouse Guard as a black and white comic. That version certainly had its own strengths and Petersen brought a lot oft that texture and strong, thin ink lines to these pages. The artwork, to put it lightly, looks absolutely beautiful. From the character designs, it looks like an excessive amount of time went into drawing each character. The scenery is not over looked either; every leaf to tree branch is given time and detail. Petersen brings a certain richness to this book; he is a fantastic storyteller by making the action really easy to follow. After reading this book in color, I don't think I could go back and read it in black and white. The colors look like they were actually painted. Every beautiful color you that brings to mind Fall is in this book; bright oranges to the wonderful reds just fill the backgrounds.

By the end of the book I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I can not wait for the next volume to be collected. Winter is currently being published as single issues. This was a nice little surprise; it's one of those rare treasures you just can't put down. I recommend this book to everyone I know. If you are a fan of Redwall, Secret of Nimh, Bone, or just a fan of great story telling with a fantasy aspect, go and buy this book. At a cost of only 18 dollars I recommend everyone to pick this book up and give it a try and bring out the innerchild in you. A+

She-Hulk # 27 Review

Author: Peter David
Penciler: Val Semeiks
Inker: Dave Meikis
Colors: Rob Ro

Despite of what that Mike Deadato cover tells you, there is no wall smashing in this issue. To be honest these last few issues of She-hulk haven’t been action packed. But hell, She-hulk hasn’t been the most super-hero ass stomping book since the days of John Byrne and later Dan Slott. Both concentrated on humor and remained in continuity amongst the Marvel Universe. What Peter David is doing here took a while to get used to, but I’m sure glad that I stayed on the book.

Even though this issue is a wrap up to his six issue story arc, but it really feels like a standalone issue. It seems that Larry Ryan is being blamed for the death of his wife Tanya. Of course we all know that it was Cazon who killed Tanya and Larry had to watch his wife die, not once, but twice. After Jazinda murdered Cazon, Jen and Jaz left in pursuit of Bran. They didn’t expect the authorities to arrest Larry and hold him responsible. After a misunderstanding with a jail cell door, Jen is thrown in with Larry and is forced to call in a favor from an old friend. Mallory Book shows up to defend Larry and with the help of Iron Man is able to get the case dismissed.

I loved this issue; with the return of some old characters that haven’t been seen since Slott left the book, the apology from Iron Man, the whole Al-Len-Town joke from 42nd Street, and the whole courtroom trial, what was not to love about this issue? Jazinda finally decides to share her secret with Jen and the whole conversation that Jen and Mallory share, it was all priceless. But what really sealed the deal was Jen’s feelings towards Iron Man’s apology. Semeik’s art has really improved over the years. The last I saw of his work was an issue of Wolverine in the mid 90’s when Wolverine was turned into an ogre….we won’t go there. His art is expressive and very clean. Each panel is easy to follow. I can’t wait to see where David takes this series, specially the Secret Invasion parts. A

Green Lantern # 29 Review

Author: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Ivan Reis
Inker: Oclair Albert
Colors: Ranov Mayor

Secret Origin kicks off with this issue and to my recollection this is the sixth time since I’ve been collecting comics the origin of Hal Jordan is retold. But Johns makes this one a little different. Sure it’s that same scene with his dad and the plane wrecking we’ve seen over and over, but it seems there are things in this issue that will set the pieces for The Blackest Night.

The issue starts with an inner monologue by Hal Jordan. Reminiscing of his dad and how he told him he could be whatever he wanted to be. Bam! We are back in that popular scene that Johns always goes back to; Hal’s dad flying a Ferris plane and Hal admiring from below holding his dad’s jacket. His father’s plane blows up in front of his eyes (ohh yeah and Carol Ferris was there too). Hal grows up and purposely gets kicked out of the air force academy to visit his dying mother. Seriously this is nothing you haven’t read before, even if you’ve just started reading GL with John’s run. The only difference I see here is there is more detail about Hal's mother and the appearence of Abin Sur and his revelation about Blackest Night.

The connection between Hal and the Blackest Night doesn’t really happen until the last page and last panel to be precise. But, this is really nothing new either, since it’s all been hinted in recent issues of GL. That’s why I love the GL series so much, the writer’s ability to hint to the readers a great conspiracy behind the origin of Hal and the GL Corp without actually going back and doing an origin issue. So this is why I have mix feelings about this. Don’t get me wrong the story is still solid and you really get an emotional depth from the characters, but so far this seems like a director’s cut of Emerald Dawn. You still get your money’s worth in this issue though, with the fantastic art of Reiz and Albert and the great colors that Mayor provides. Even though Reiz seems to be playing around with his style. Fans old and new should still enjoy this issue and even though it won’t be in your face thrilling action that the previous GL issues have been, it will still move you as much. B

Midweek Manga Reviews: From Air Gears to fighting Reindeer

Air Gear vol. 6
Story & Art: Oh Great!
Translation: Makoto Yukan
Letterer: NMSG
Publisher: Del Rey

After a long streak of love story manga, I decided to go back to my true roots and read something with plenty of action and plenty of fan service. Thank God for Air Gear! Back to the world of high-tech inline skating, intense battling/racing, and gorgeous half naked women. Who could ask for anything more? In this volume Ikki(Itsuki Minami) learns a little about Rika’s past, which of course revolves around the Sleeping Forest and Sora. Instead of learning a lesson from hearing about Sora’s tragic past, Ikki sets a new goal; to be the new storm. For some reason Sora sees that the wind loves Ikki and starts training the new sleeping forest. What I found rather odd was a silly philosophical look about Rika’s moves starting at her ass. Ikki eventually meets one of the four Titans of Behemoth; Mitsuru Bandou (The Cyclops Hammer). It’s funny how the art style really mirrors the extreme fun, fast speed, and exciting thrills that the story provides. The use of heavy manic lines and high-speed action sequences are some of the best that I have ever seen. The battle sequence between characters or whenever they are just training take place high above the skyline and the art really brings out the sense of being that high in you. Sure there is plenty of over the top fan service, but I can’t wait to see where Oh Great takes us with the next volume. A-

Gon vols. 2 & 3
Story & Art: Masashi Tanaka
Publisher: CMX

As you might have noticed there are no credits for a translator or for someone who did the English adaptation. It’s simply because there are no words in these books that have to be translated. To put it simply Gon is a journey about a little tyrannosaurus and his explorations of the great animal kingdom. He is a little 2 foot tall dinosaur that packs attitude and style with every bite. He has an appetite for exploring and humiliating the great predators of the wild. From destroying a school of piranhas, eating some bad shroooms and taking all his animal friends out, to defending his fellow wolf brothers against a Siberian tiger. That is his goal though, Gon just marches through life enjoying the world and defending the weak with his own sense of justice. Although sometimes he can act a bit sadistic or mean he sure can be an intimidating force. It’s a great mix of Kimba, Jurassic Park, and Bambi. These books really bring out the kid in me and that’s a rare thing to find in today’s books. This is one of the best manga of all time and when you open these pages you can tell why Gon is loved by adults and children all over the world. Now, stop what you are doing and go and buy these great books! A+

The King of Fighters 2003 vol. 4
Story: Wing Yan
Art: King Tung
Translation: TJ Zhao
Publisher: Drmaster

You think that a comic based on a videogame that came out in 2003 would draw no interest from me. But this is King of Fighters we are talking about and those games have been part of my life since 1994. I’ve known Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, and Leona longer than I have known some of my friends. But anyway, this review isn’t about fond memories of a 30 year old. Volume 4 kicks up the action a notch when Team K goes against the High School Girl Team, but their match is interrupted by Phantom Pain-Kirameki Kannaduki. We also have a great match between the Hero Team vs. the Fatal Fury Team (who to me should be part of that hero team). We see Terry Bogard sport his outfit from the Mark of the Wolves game and take on Shen Woo. What’s not to enjoy about this series? We have the characters that are staying true to their videogame counterparts, the settings that are based on stages within the game, gorgeous artwork that captures the fantastic martial art techniques and awesome power moves, and ohhh yeah plenty of gorgeous women that keep making you turn those pages. My main gripe is with the price point and length of these books. They are $13.95 for 130 pages of comics. Keep in mind though that the pages are in color and they are printed on some nice glossy paper, but there are trade paperbacks with more pages that cost less. If you are a fan of the series or interested in a book full of action this is a must buy for you! B

Kuro Gane vols. 1 & 2
Story & Art: Kei Toume
Translation: Ikoi Hiroe
Lettering: Gabriel Lee Levine
Publisher: Del Rey

When I looked at the covers of volume one and two, I really didn’t know what to expect from this series. I thought it was about a deformed samurai or a samurai/frog creature (don’t know why I thought frog). As it turns out this story is about a robot samurai. Do you know how badass that is? I’ll say it again; Robot and a samurai, even though he is more of a cyborg than robot, but still. On a quest to avenge his father Jintetsu died and was given a new body by Genkichi, the man who found his dying body. However, with his new body comes a few problems such as he can no longer talk because he has no vocal cords and his face has a metallic look to it. But, he does have a talking sword that is somehow connected to his brain and can speak his thoughts. After Genkichi is killed Jintetsu begins a quest to look for his father’s murderer. It is here where he runs into an old friend Otsuki, the beautiful girl he left behind. After he kills his father’s murderer he leaves Otsuki for a second time, but this time his sword tells her he is nothing but Jintetsu’s ghost. In the next volume he really does the same thing by going to a new town and helps people out with their dilemmas. The art is very reminiscent of Blade of the Immortal and Samurai Deeper Kyo. The characters are drawn with sketchy lines and the layout of the panels really make the action sequences easy to follow. These two books give you your money’s worth with over 200 pages of samurai action and a set of wonderful translation notes that Del Rey is notorious for always providing. If you are looking for something new and interesting this is the book for you. A

Muhyo & Roji’s Bureau of Supernatural Investigation
Story & Art: Yoshiyuki Nishi
Translation: Alexander O. Smith
Lettering: Mark Griffin
Publisher: Viz

After reading Uzumaki, Museum of Terror, the Ring, and Present; I was in a mood for some dark manga. Manga that would creep me out and put images in my head that would haunt me for a week. For some reason I thought I was going to get this from BSI. I have no idea why I thought this by looking at that cover. So, yes I was disappointed in the book looking at it like that. But, when I read it I found myself really liking the story and I can’t put my finger on it, but I thought the story and art were superb. This book feels more like The Real Ghostbusters, yeah not the one with the Gorilla and Yu Yu Hakasho. It has everything you need to tell a semi-haunting yet fun story; Magic, demons, ghosts, and the spiritual law enforcement. It’s about these “legal exorcist trying to stop out of control ghost from getting out of control. The book is separated into chapters that deal with different and stand alone stories of the occult. But they all seem to be a setup for something larger in the future. I love how the two partners are not the best of friends and are always bickering with each other. Some of the art really does remind me of those horror stories, specially the walking doll and the chair that tried to swallow Jiro. The book is not without flaws though, while I enjoy the art, I really don’t like the character designs for the main protagonists. They seem really outdated for a book that premiered in 2004. The hair style and clothes are reminiscent of manga I have read in the late 80s. Sometimes the jokes get a little repetitive too, but I am still curious to see where this series takes me….so I can’t be that bored. B

One Piece vol. 17
Story & Art: Eiichiro Oda
Translation: JN Productions
Adaptation: Lance Caselman
Publisher: Viz

Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirates are back! This is it! This volume wraps up the Drum Island arc. The final showdown between our gang and King Wapol and he is not giving up his castle that easy. This volume is filled with intense fights and plenty of humor that rivals those great stories in Dragon Ball Z. It seems that Luffy has befriended Tony Tony Chopper and has turned him into an ally against his fight with Wapol’s thugs. It seems that Chopper is also a medicine man, and we all know that the Big Horn village needs help with their beloved leader dying in the snow. We also get a glimpse of one of the most “colorful” and unique characters in the entire series; Bon Clay (Mr. Bon 2). One Piece is an action adventure story with some great travelling and conquering stories. It all started with Luffy looking to fulfill his dream of becoming the great Pirate King and now it seems to be focusing more on his crew family. The characters designs and artwork have always seemed timeless because of their presentation. To find so much fun comedy in a story filled with great adventure and moving stories is a rarity in today’s stories. A

Episode 96 - Silly Ring, Activate!

In this episode, we open an Iron Man movie figure, read e-mails from Sanna and Ray, and discuss Justice League of America 19, Captain America 36, Iron Fist 13, Countdown 6, Amazing Spider-Man 554, Iron Man 27 (which leads into the discussion about the Mandarin's rings), Death of the New Gods 7, Robin 172, Checkmate 24 and FX 1. We close with a bit of movie discussion, regarding the upcoming Hulk and Iron Man films, Justice League: The New Frontier and the upcoming Batman animated film, and the finally upcoming Evangelion movies.

So the sheet on which I wrote the show notes is at home, and I'm at work, but I want to go ahead and get the episode up, so I'll update this post later with the notes. I can tell you that 1) the audio on this one is much better and 2) we spend a lot of time talking about the Mandarin's rings.

Episode 96 - Silly Ring, Activate!

Robin #172

Robin #172
Writer: Chuck Dixon
Pencils: David Baldeon

This issue starts out with Tim hand-gliding over an illegal casino (what’s up with all the bat-gliders lately…seriously). The story from here is pretty standard. Tim waits for Violet to show up and rob the place, Violet does, criminals are tipped off and mayhem, mayhem mayhem! This is Chuck Dixon folks, so I may make little light of the writing but, it’s handled well trust me.

The really big point I wanna bring up within this issue however, was the reveal of Spoiler. We finally see the person under the mask that has been stalking Tim, who can’t possibly be Stephanie Brown….and yet? The blonde-haired beauty penciled, appears to be none other then Stephanie Brown herself. So…why is this such a big deal?

Well….the first thing Brown being alive would resolve is, why there is no memorial case for her in the batcave. I know…..some of you are like….who gives a crap about a case, all I have to say to you is….you’d be surprised. The glaring omission of a memorial case for Stephanie has been a sore spot within DC fandom ever since her death in War Games, being aggravated even more by events in the War Crimes story. The question has always been brought up….why did the first and only female Robin never get a memorial case in the batcave. Panels have been looked over numerous times and whilest Jason Todd’s memorial case stands in 3/4s of the shots, you never see anything for Stephanie Brown. Check it out…seriously I am not making it up. Whenever Didio has been asked about the Brown issue he has always avoided it, making remarks sometimes saying to the effect it’d never happen. Many think this was a specific policy with Didio, the reasoning of this thought being to slight the role of female heroes in some such way. I don’t know about all of that BUT, with this resurrection of sorts, this issue of the memorial case could be seen to have been framework laid for upcoming stories…in that possibly Bruce never made a memorial case for Stephanie…simply because after a point, he had found her to be alive. Whether this was planned from the beginning or instituted due to fan outcry I don’t know…perhaps that’s the greater question. Again, I know this doesn’t seem huge but, trust me, look around the comic blogosphere some, it’s an issue.

Moving along, the questions arise a plenty with Stephanie’s resurrection, the actual method that will be used to explain Stephanie’s sudden re-appearance. I mean…How did Stephanie come back?…or was she ever really dead? Explanations? The Stephanie seen is a clone, a ghost, a Stephanie from a parallel Earth, somebody with plastic surgery made to look like Stephanie, maybe it’s Clayface, or this person actually is Stephanie after her body was dipped into a Lazarus Pit by some unforeseen person,…maybe Leslie lied AGAIN to Bruce and has been keeping her alive and unseen…though not well enough as she thinks. I could go on and on but, you get the gist.

One also must wonder if this sudden resurrection ties in, in any way to current or upcoming events within the DCU (Countdown, Final Crisis, Reign In Hell, Blackest Night etc, etc.). The appearance of “A” Spoiler in the Gotham Underground series seems like a portent of sorts, of things yet to come. Then again....it could be just be Didio saying "I GIVE UP", lol.

What about Tim?….all of his feelings and reactions to such a reveal as this?

Solicits for the upcoming Robin/Spoiler special coming up will probably tie up a lot of these questions....but...again...maybe not.

I could go on and on about Stephanie being alive…needless to say, it sparks a lot of questions and discussion in both past, present and future continuity in the DCU at large.

Overall this issue was decent, and I am curious to see where Dixon goes with this and how he utilizes the character of Spoiler whom seems to be...in fact Stephanie Brown. Baldeon’s penciling again was alright, it wasn’t horrible nor was it mouth watering, it was just ok. B+

Catwoman # 77 Review

Writer: Will Pfeiffer
Penciller: David Lopez
Inker: Alvaro Lopez
Cover: Adam Hughes

Most of the time Adam Hughes’ covers don’t really bother me. They usually don’t have anything to do with the interior of the book. Half naked women with T&A everywhere, but hey he’s just doing what the editor tells him to do. While this issue is a tie-in with Salvation Run, with the exception of Joker, none of those villains make an appearance. I wonder how his All Star Wonder Woman is coming along? He’s been working on that since 2006?

While Pfeiffer manages to keep his title character in the spotlight amidst all the crossovers and tie-ins and this Salvation Run tie-in is no exception. Selina is still trapped in her fantasy world of Gotham City. Where she can do anything like take out Batman, Green Lantern, Flash, and even knock out Superman. Martian Manhunter reveals to her that it’s just her own mind she is in, not another world like she thought. She eventually breaks free of the machine and now must find a way off this hell planet.

I’ve always enjoyed comics like this. Where we dive deep into the subconscious mind of the lead character and find their perfect world. Three issues is kind of pushing it though, even though watching Selina single handedly take town members of the JLA was fun to see. I love the way that David Lopez handles these scenes too. While they are comical; they also remain dynamic. I hope they wrap up the SR tie-in with next issue so Pfeiffer can keep telling the stories he wants to tell. A-

Batman and the Outsiders # 5 Review

Writer: Chuck Dixon
Penciller: Julian Lopez
Inker: BIT
Colors: Marta Martinez
Action packed and Chuck Dixon should always go hand and hand. I would still like to know why Tony Bedard was replaced as the writer of this book. I know that Koi Turnball was replaced because he could not meet a monthly deadline. I’m not complaining at all, because I really love this creative team.

Batman and his team of Outsiders are on a tactical strike against an evil corporation. Unbeknownst to him he is on the end of Gunhawk’s sight and barrel. Lucky for him Gunhawk and Bunny are processed by Ralph and Sue Dibny, who were such a joy to read again. While the team takes on Militia it turns out Geo Force of all people saves the day. Metamorpho, one of the most powerful heroes on Earth, was being taken apart by Militia and Geo-Force not only takes him out single-handedly, but destroys an Omac when funny enough it took the whole JSA to drop one these suckers. He writes Geo like the man, heck I can see why he fits in this team more than he ever did in the Justice League.

There are still a few problems with the issue. I’m not sure I like what the way Dixon is handling Thunder and Grace. They just seem to be in the background lately; I just hope Dixon has plans for them. I think I am also ready for a super villain to come into the Outsiders’ life and make a little havoc. The evil corporation is getting a little old and there are plenty of villains in the DC universe. I’ve also noticed in the past issues that Batgirl’s dialogue just keeps getting odder and odder. I’m not sure if I like that direction. Meanwhile Dixon’s Batman, Green Arrow, Katana, and Geo Force are a great read. And the Dibnys really saved the day and this issue. Julian Lopez has some great potential as a dynamic action artist. He just keeps getting better and better with each issue. All his faces are filled with emotion and his action sequences are a great match for Dixon’s storytelling. Throw in some classic villains and we’ll have a great book in our hands. B

Wolverine Origins # 23 Review

Writer: Daniel Way
Art: Steve Dillon
Colors: Matt Milla
Cover: Simone Bianchi

This is going to be short and not sweet. It's really a shame that Bianchi's talents have to be wasted on the cover of such a horrible book. All I really had to do to review this craptacular book was copy and paste my review for the last issue. Because that’s all that happens in this issue for the third time. 3 issues in and Wolverine and Deadpool are still fighting. Deadpool steals the spotlight (poor Deadpool) from Wolverine in this cat and mouse game. 90% of the story is both Wolverine and Deadpool fighting and we still don’t know why. While Deadpool’s schemes are a complete rip off of Looney Tunes; in a way they are amusing, but out of character. If Way’s unique style to the character is to make him crazy rather than arrogant, quirky, and sarcastic then count me out of the ongoing Deadpool series. This story arc could be wrapped up in one issue. Dillon, who is an accomplished artist on Preacher, Punisher, and Hellblazer still, has a problem drawing the character of Wolverine. For some reason Wolverine always looks like he’s got to take a crap or just looks surprised in every panel. Somebody give this guy another project and someone find Way a Will E Coyote comic to write. Even the Mexican smuggling bicycles joke couldn’t save this book. F

Birds of Prey # 116 Review

Author: Sean McKeever
Penciller: Nicola Scott
Inker: Doug Hazelwood
Colors: Hi-Fi

I got really excited when I saw the cover to this issue and saw the name Gail Simone. Not that I haven’t enjoyed McKeever’s run on the book, but Simone really brought out the testosterone in the book that it was lacking since the days of Dixon. As it turns out it was just a misprint on the cover and McKeever himself is going to be replaced by Tony Bedard and just when I was getting used to his writing too.

It seems that Lady Blackhawk is now under the control of her old nemesis the Killer Shark, which for some reason I find really creepy. As it turns out this guy is only a descendent of the original Killer Shark and his whole ploy was to find the location of the original Killer Shark’s loot. There is a long drawn out fight between Misfit and Black Alice. Alice takes possession of Misfit’s power, which is something she wasn’t able to do in the past since she was only able to possess mystical energy.

My biggest gripe with the issue is that it just seems to wrap up to fast. There were so many setting stones for possible storylines, but it seems McKeever was in a rush to get his storylines wrapped up before the next writer comes on board. I also have a huge problem with the one dimensional way Misfit is written. For a character with some interesting powers and plenty of potential she just keeps annoying me, but I think that is the way McKeever sees her; as an annoying teenager. The star of this book is certainly the talented Nicola Scott. I have grown to love her artwork. It was a little bumpy ride at first, but I blame that on Ed Benes who sat the standard 90s look to the book with T&A everywhere. Scott just draws some of the most realistic and still beautiful females in superhero comics today. As long as she stays I stay with the book. Of course Manhunter’s brief appearance didn’t hurt the grade at all. B

Midweek Manga Reviews: From Dragon's eyes to seduction of the not so innocent!

Dragon Eye vols. 2 & 3
Story & Art: Kairi Fujiyama
Translation: Mari Morimoto
Publisher Del Rey

It’s been a few months since we reviewed the first volume of this great manga, but we play catch-up by reading volumes 2 and 3 back to back. The Dracules have planned to take over Mikuni, but the members of VIUS led by the mysterious Issa, Leila who is still training to be a great warrior, and Sosei stand in their way. It seems that Leila wants more from Issa than his expertise. She’s got her eyes on his Dragon Eye, a powerful magic weapon. With the Eye, Leila can become the world’s greatest soldier-and finally avenge her parents’ death! The trio must team up with a group of four to explore the outskirts where Dracules have been spotted. It was difficult to put the books down, the more they hint at revealing Issa’s past the more I want to stick around and find out more. Tensions really rise when each member of the VIUS encounters a Dracule or every time we think the Dragon Eye will be used. This doesn’t feel like the monster of the week that plagued the first volume; it has finally picked up steam and doesn’t get boring at all. I love the fast paced adventures and the dynamic artwork really helps with those great action sequences. Sure it is very reminiscent of Naruto (now this could be because they have the same translator as well), but with enough originality and style it really does stand on its own two legs. Looks like Del Rey has another great hit in their hands! A

Metro Survive Vol. 1
Story & Art: Yuki Fujisawa
Translator: Stephen Paul
Adaptation: Ailen Lujo
Publisher: DrMaster

I really hate saying this, but that cover doesn’t do this book justice. You really have no idea what the book is going to be about with a bleeding chick on your cover. The story takes place after a massive earthquake hits the super-metropolis Tokyo. In the wake of the devastation the story the characters must learn to survive in this No Man’s Land. Mishima is a maintenance repairman for the Exopolis Tower, Tokyo's largest and hottest high-rise business and entertainment building. He promises to come home in time to celebrate his son's birthday, but when his timid ways lets him get push-overed into working over time that will take him all night. On the subway train heading home, the earthquake strikes and collapses both Exopolis and its underground train lines. Now Mishima is trapped deep underground with the other passengers of the train, some of whom are less than cooperative without food and water. The situation really makes you feel for Mishima, all he wants is to get out alive and see his family, but when you put him in a situation where not everyone is cooperating his true colors really shine. He is a timid man like I stated earlier, but he is thrown into a leadership role and forced to take charge. I couldn’t put the book down and let me tell you it takes a while to read, because it is very dialogue heavy. I love movies and books about human survival and this book was unsettling to read sometimes, because some of the characters feel so real and they all cope with this disaster separately. My only complaint was the cover, but don’t let that lure you away from picking this great book up. A

Naruto vol. 28
Story & Art: Masashi Kishimoto
Translation: Mari Morimoto
Adaptation: Deric A. Hughes & Benjamin Raab
Publisher: Viz

Naruto is back! I guess we can think of this just like the transition period between Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. This really does begin the second part of Naruto’s adventures. Luckily we only had to wait just a couple of months for his return. But in Naruto’s timeline over two years have passed since Jiraiya took Naruto under his wing to train. They both return to Konoha village for an emotional and short reunion with their friends. Naruto looks taller and seems wiser than he did in volume 27. Now Kakashi has to treat Sakura and Naruto as equals, not as his students (and like him, I think I enjoyed when they hung on every word he said). The village receives news that the Akatsuki are attacking the Sand village and Tsunade orders the trio to go and investigate. But, it’s not a happy reunion for Team Kakashi, Temari, and Gara. I loved this volume; it was like seeing old friends again. Even though it’s only been two months since the last volume of Naruto came out, it really feels like in two years every has matured and changed in appearance and in skills. I love the foreshadowing when Jiraiya tells Naruto not to use a specific jutsu. The manga reads a little more mature than its 27 volume predecessor. It doesn’t seem like Naruto is the prankster he used to nor is he trying to achieve some impossible dream like when he was a kid. If this is the new format for storytelling in the Naruto universe then count me as a Naruto fanboy! While I did enjoy the original run, it wasn’t until this volume that I really dug the characters (with the exception of the Kakashi story). If you are a fan, you know you have bought this. If you’ve never read Naruto, pick this up! There is a nice recap page with events that happened in the preceding 27 volumes. A+

Seduction More Beautiful than Love vol.1
Story & Art: Lee Hyeon-sook
Translation: Dongjin Oh
Adaptation: Barb Lien-Cooper
Publisher: Tokyopop

Wow, that is one long title and judging by that cover seduction could be more fun than love, but I’m not sure about beautiful. Anyway, the story focuses on first year high school teacher Daoun and her ambitions she has with her new job. Along comes second year senior Ryumin, who also happens to be tall, dark, handsome, and mysterious and oh yeah, happens to have a crush on her. Now Daoun is start to have mixed feelings about her student and doesn’t know how to handle it. But wait, there is a third party involved in this story that just complicates things further and his name is Hyunwoo. He’s been in love with Daoun since they were classmates and now he is her fellow coworker who notices the sexual tension between Daoun and her student. However, Hyunwoo is shy and when he tries to share a perfect day with Dauon it all goes wrong. It’s not really a great love triangle, but still an interesting one. To complicate things even further Ryumin has a very jealous girlfriend who will do anything to keep her man. While Ryumin may seem like a suave guy, he is really an emotional wreck. He had an accident that left him with physical and emotional scars. While the illustrations are elegant and detailed, I really think they are averaged. Some scenes the faces are left blank and I’m not sure if the artist is trying to make an artistic point or if its laziness. Whatever it is, it really didn’t add anything to the story for me. I really enjoy the drama and the romance in this title though. Soap operas don’t get any better than this. B+

SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom vols. 6 & 7
Story & Art: Chi Wan Shun
Translator: Yun Zhao
Adaptation: Shawn Sanders
Publisher: DrMaster

If these books had been released 15 years ago I would have given blood and plasma for it. At 15 I bled SNK and Capcom and for a match of the century like this to take place in a comic I don’t think my heart could have taken it. Things are a little different now, but these books still bring out the kid in me. The story follows the premise of the game "SNK vs. Capcom Chaos" where the fighters had to die to get into this great tournament. Here in this realm between worlds the best of the best fighters fight it out. They even give you back stories of characters for those who aren’t really that savvy with worlds SNK or Capcom. It seems everything is coming together for the grand finale. Akkuma has been defeated by Athena and must now be a servant to Cosmos. Ryu and Ken have a long match that lasts more than one volume. While the stories will probably get any fanboy’s blood flowing the artwork is really what takes the center stage. Each action sequence is portrayed in nice tight pencils and ink and the colors while not flashy really flatter those pencils. Still, some of the "money shots" are fully painted, making the art look absolutely gorgeous. Fans of Capcom and SNK will no doubt be picking this fantastic series up and I assure you that you will definitely get your money’s worth, unlike the times you were getting your butt handed to you at the arcade. A-

Togari
Story & Art: Yoshinori Natsume
Translation: Hiroko Yoda
Adaptation: Matt Alt
Publisher: Viz

For some reason I thought of Go Nagai when I looked at the cover. Perhaps it was the eyes or hair, but something really reminded me of Nagai’s work. I was also reminded of Ushio and Tora, so needless to say I had high expectations going into this book. The plot revolves around Tobei, a tortured soul in Hell for 300 years now for committing horrible atrocities while he was alive, but he's never repented for the crimes that he committed. In fact, he's more defiant now than ever. Lady Ema, is like the warden of Hell, offers him a way out. She gives him 108 days to collect 108 sins, or Toga. Toga are sins which have taken corporeal form in the shape of various monsters which are able to possess humans. Tobei is given the Togari, a wooden sword which can be used to defeat Toga. If he can complete this mission in the time he was given, Tobei will be pardoned and freed from Hell. The first person he has to save from a Toga is Isuki, who manages to get abducted by a serial killer. This book reminds me of a cross between Key the Metal Idol and Bleach. 108 days really isn’t enough for this guy to do all this, but I find myself believing in Tobei. It’s a darker tone manga and the art style really helps set the mood. Even though it’s dark and sketchy it really is easy to follow. While it’s not the most original story it was a still a fun read, but I’m not sure how long they can keep the story going if he only has 108 days to do it in. B-

Episode 95 - I Think They're Going Back to Mongul

I'm back, with Omar, Chris and Melanie - it's like a Beatles reunion. We play some voicemail, and read a few e-mails, which launches us into some recommendations for classical heroics in comics (we suggest Gravity, Y The Last Man, Kingdom Come, Green Lantern Rebirth, the Dark Phoenix Saga, Batman Year One and Year Two, and Sailor Moon), a further discussion of digital comic downloads, some Transformers talk, and we ring the bell on Ray vs. Jeff, Round 2.

Then we move onto comics discussion, starting with The Last Defenders 1 and hitting on Logan 1, Wolverine 63, Serenity - Better Days 1, Green Lantern Corps 22, X-Factor 29, Walking Dead 47, Booster Gold 7, BPRD 1946 3, Abe Sapien 2, Secret Invasion Saga and Doctor Who 1.

Episode 95 - I Think They're Going Back to Mongul

Midweek Manga Reviews: Fairy Tails and more folklores!

Bastard!! Vol. 16
Story & Art: Kazushi Hagiwara
Translation: Kaori Kawakubo Inoue
Adaptation: Sean McCoy
Publisher: Viz

All hell broke loose literally with the release of the last volume. This volume doesn’t back down from all that intense action either. Hagiwara has finally found an art style that he is comfortable with and the action sequences have never looked better. Dark Schneider is still roaming in hell chatting with Satan while Lars, Zakk, and the others continue to fight the Seraphs. Lucien attempts to convince the Angels that human beings are worth saving but his calls for mercy go unheard. Meanwhile, Yoko comes to the realization that she is the one who has been protecting Lucien the whole time, not the other way around. Nei, Gara, and Kall-Su continue hacking into an ancient computer and find out the cause of the Great Destruction that lay waste to the earth years ago was not the work of demons, but of angels! They also come to realize the God they had been worshiping was in fact the real evil destructive force on the planet. And finally the angel Michael emerges, but what exactly does that mean for our heroes? Dear God, this book is so full of adrenaline, every time I’m done reading it I want to go to the gym and work out for hours. The heroes have never looked better and the women are bouncier than ever. I have loved this book from the beginning and continue to push people into buying it. My only gripe is the time the books are released every 3 to 4 months is just not fast enough and instead of putting explicit content stickers on the front of the book, now they are just part of the cover. Like I said small gripes and nothing really to complain about a great book. A

Fairy Tail vols. 1 & 2
Story & Art: Hiro Mashima
Translation & Adaptation: William Flanagan
Publisher: Del Rey

When I looked at the cover for some reason I thought this was going to be a great manga. The artwork reminded me a lot of One Piece’s Eiichiro Oda and I loved the use of colors and placement of the characters. Then I looked at the creator of Fairy Tail and noticed it was Mashima, the same guy that brought us Rave Master, a manga I have been following since volume 1(I had no clue it has been over in Japan for three years now). Now I got really excited about reading the book. It seems that using magical schools have become a common theme since Harry Potter made it big, the way I see it as long as the characters are interesting and there is a well told story, count me in! Del Rey has decided to release both volumes 1 and 2 simultaneously. In the world of Fairy Tail some people have the power to wield various kinds of magic skills. These mages can take on special jobs for very good pay, but only if they are part of a guild. That is the sole purpose of a guild to join so you can take on job; Fairy Tail, being the most popular guild. We are introduced to Lucy Heartphilia, who is a Stellar Spirit Mage or a mage who summons spirits from other dimensions to do tasks for them such as Aquarius. Natsu Dragonil, who is on a quest to find the mage who raised him, Igneel and has the ability to swallow fire and produce it. Happy is a cat and right now I think he is a mage talking cat who is a full member of the Fairy Tail guild. I love how Natsu is not your stereotypical hero; the guy gets motion sickness and doesn’t look remotely cool when he is saving a damsel in distress. Without giving too much away about the plot I have to say that Fairy Tail is a very good series that I would recommend to any manga fan. It is highly enjoyable and the plot has a few twists in it that I didn’t see coming. Think of a mix between Harry Potter, One Piece, and of course Rave if you are thinking about picking this book up and you won’t be disappointed. A-

Fever vol. 1
Story & Art: Hee Jung Park
Translation: Hye Young Im
Adaptation: Ailen Lujo
Publisher: Tokyopop

What a clever way to spell fever I thought to myself and in a way that is the way the entire book is set up. It is very misleading and what I thought was going to be another long and boring love story really took me by surprised. I had never read Hotel Africa so I really had no idea what to expect. The story is about High school student Hyung-in and the way she has dealt with life since her friend committed suicide. She has had it with school, family’s expectations, and a dull life; all she wants is out. But when she meets an orphan and a strange country-boy Ji-Jiun and Kang-Dae on the bus, she begins an unexpected journey into the unknown, at a mysterious place called, yeah you guessed it; Fever. All the characters are unique in their own way. Ji-Jun seems like a trouble maker, but is just misunderstood and has rotten luck. Hyung-in is still trying to figure out how to go on with her life. Kang-Dae just seems to bring the trio together along with Bong-nam. I really love the inner monologue. The translation is above average and if the quality continues then I too will be picking this book up. Park’s art style is very clean and crisp when it comes to the characters and the backgrounds are very detailed. I really love the attention to detail Park gives Bong-nam, I always find it very difficult to draw dogs and Park just makes it seem easy. A-

Mushishi vols. 2 & 3
Story & Art: Yuki Urushibara
Translation: William Flanagan
Publisher: Del Rey

I can’t remember if I mentioned this in my review of the first volume of Mushishi or not, but I love those covers. For some reason they have an aged look to them and the paper the art is printed on really makes those water colors stand out. Genki is still trying to find and get rid of the Mushi for the world to be a safer place. But as we see in these volumes the stories are now more about living in peace with the Mushi. The short stories range from Mushi that have kidnapped a fellow Mushishi (a Mushi expert) to an orphaned boy in the forest that has befriended the Mushi. The writing is excellent even though I preferred some of the translation seems a bit odd at times. What else can I say about the art? Other than its rich and detailed. Although the episodic nature of the series prevents extended supporting character development, the reader does get to know Ginko and a limited cast of repeating characters quite well. Mushishi is a wonderful collage of Japanese folklore and fantasy coming together in an elegant and hauntingly beautiful title. I love how it introduces so many fascinating elements of the Japanese culture. The fantastic notes by Del Rey in the afterword really help the reader get to know some of these cultural references, so I applaud Del Rey for taking the time to make something more enjoyable. A Must Have for any manga fan and a brilliant introduction to the genre for newcomers, I highly recommend this series, you won’t be disappointed. A+

Your & My Secret
Story & Art: Ai Morinaga
Translations: Yuya Otake
Adaptation: Jay Antani
Publisher: Tokyopop

There was something about that cover that cracked me up when I looked at it the first time….ohh I don’t know, perhaps the girl that has a tear drop running down her face holding the guy in her arms. So, along with great works of fiction like Freaky Friday, Vice Versa, Like Father Like Son, and Switch comes Your and My Secret. The premise of the book is one we have seen almost run into the ground in manga and anime, but it does have a twist. Nanako is the most beautiful, fragile, and adorable girl at her high school, that is until she opens her mouth and reveals her true self. Once she shows her true self, guys' dreams are shattered because she is a tomboy. Akira Uehara, sensitive and demure by nature he has the looks and brains, but his personality is so dull he is overlooked by all his peers. But one day Nanako's grandfather comes up with crazy, life-altering invention and Nanako and Akira are forced to keep a very big secret. Akira is sent to Nanako’s house to take her homework from school, when he accidently walks into her grandfather’s lab. They end up switching bodies with each other. The art is typical shojo, but for some reason turns really ridiculous when the characters do something stupid. I find it funny that Akira makes a better girl and Nanako a better guy, which is almost scary and I really want to find out if they get their bodies back, so it does have my interest with that twist. B-

Episode 94 - I'm Pretty Much Just Blaming the Editors

In my second week off, Omar, Melanie, Chris and Nick talk about Kickass 1, Young Liars, Cable 1, Buffy 12, X-Force 2, Green Lantern 28, Detective Comics 824, Countdown 8, Uncanny X-Men 496, and the latest issue of Wormwood. Next week, I'll make my triumphant return and whip these guys back into shape.

Episode 94 - I'm Pretty Much Just Blaming the Editors

Episode 93 - No Time for Character Development

In my absence, Omar, Melanie and Chris recorded a wonderful episode of the show, in which they read a lot of really fun e-mails, and talk about Justice Society of America 13, X-Men Legacy 208, Captain America 35, Melanie discovers a small indy series called Dragonball, Ultimate Spider-Man 119, Batman 673 (not 672 as Omar guesses), Countdown 10, Teen Titans 56, and Kickass 1.

Episode 93 - No Time for Character Development

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #12

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 #12
Writer: Drew Goddard
Pencils: Georges Jeanty

The words "jumped the shark" come to mind after reading this issue.

The story starts out with Xander and Renee (Slayer) keeping watch over the castle, apparently there are some wolves grouping around the place...blah blah blah. THEN, you have a panel of Buffy in bed with Satsu. Cue to me saying, What the fuck? Yes, apparently Buffy has knocked boots with one of her slayers, Now, I have no problem with gals that like gals but, in the case of this story and Buffy's overall character, umm, no. The whole thing just has me shaking my head. The scenes themselves are handled alright, as it's apparently Buffy's first time with a woman but....something about the whole thing just feels wrong. Throughout this issue I almost felt like Buffy or whoever was gonna wake up from a dream. It feels...forced I guess is the word, like at some point Goddard said to Whedon...."Hey Joss...I am running out of ideas, how about we turn Buffy gay too". I know that's a harsh thing to say but, that's how it comes off as.

The rest of the story had some nice comedic moments per usual as Buffy asks Satsu to keep the bedroom jaunt a secret....then Xander, Renee, Dawn, Willow, and Andrew end up running into the bedroom a breath later, Buffy highly embarrassed.

The wolves that had been surrounding the castle earlier attack, switching forms, from vampire to wolf to bees to mist/fog...finally stealing the Slayer Scythe and making a hasty retreat. Everyone questions these new vampires' powers and why they stole the scythe, causing the Scoobies to send Xander off to meet an old "friend", Renee in tow. Yeah....the old friend....Dracula. Pretty much at the panel of Dracula, I was sorta glad the issue had ended.

Out of the BTVS universe there are 100s of different characters that could have been brought back to help enrich the overall story in this title.....Oz, Riley, Angel, Wesley, Fred/Illyria, Harmony, Spike, frakking bring the f'ing Mayor back....but...Dracula? Really? That's the character you wanna reintroduce in this series? Argh!!!

This issue was ok....that's me saying this folks....so bare that in mind. The comic itself is still leaps and bounds above most current storytelling in comics BUT, this is Buffy...so try as I might, I have higher standards for this title then the rest. Turning a character gay is fine but, do it right and not as filler till the next big story gets momentum. Reintroducing new characters, again fine, but make it one we actually give two flying fucks about. Dracula wasn't that interesting in the Spike/Dracula mini...and he's not that interesting in this.

In closing, Jeanty's pencils have started to grow on me but Goddard's writing this issue brings to mind the Fonz flying in the air....and unfortunately...those AREN'T busses below him. B-

Logan # 1 Review

Author: Brian K. Vaughn
Artist: Eduardo Risso
Colorist: Dean White

When I heard the name Brian K. Vaughn being mentioned I immediately jumped on this series. My favorite character + a fantastic writer = money well spent. At least that was my formula when I bought the issue. I mean it’s got to make sense right? Nobody has done anything with the character’s past since he got his memories back. Now it’s the perfect time for BKV to show us what he is made of. I’ve always said a writer’s true test is if he can write a good X-men story.

For the first four pages Logan shows up at an old temple in Japan talking about how he has to take down this old adversary from the past. It hasn’t been revealed who yet, but the rest of the issue is a flashback to 1941 and WW2. Logan and a guy named Warren are POWs that were captured by some Japanese troops. At this time Logan was a member of some Canadian Special Forces Unit and was sent to Burma to blow up a bridge and that’s all he can remember. They end up escaping and run into a beautiful Japanese woman named Atsuko on a bridge (maybe this is why Logan had such a fascination with Mariko). Warren wants to put her down, but Logan stops him and tells him to take a hike. She takes him back to her place, they play a little Marvin Gay, and get it on. Alright everything is true, but the Marvin Gay part. It is revealed though that he is in Hiroshima and thinks can’t look good by the end of the third issue.

While the beginning of the issue felt stereotypical of introducing a new baddie to the Wolverine mythos, you don’t really appreciate it till the ending. There really wasn’t any tension or plot build up and there, but the revelation of his location made me go back and reread the book and it just kept getting better and better each time I read it. Sure, there are some silly things like finding some random easy chick in Japan and knocking boots within minutes, but BKV’s dialogue is so good he makes it seem like it really could happen. He nails the attitude and dialogue for the character, both in terms of the modern narration and his WWII era dialogue.

I have been a fan of Risso since his Hundred Bullet days and his art in this series is fantastic. It has a nice mix of his own contemporary style thrown in with a little Mike Mignola, and Frank Miller. It really works well for a story like this and it reminded me of the classic Claremont and Miller mini. I just felt like there really to be a little more meat in the first issue and I’m sure Atsuko would agree with me. It’s a shame that the book has $3.99 price tag, which seems expensive because of the small plot. But you know if you are a fan of Wolverine or BKV you are still going to pay for it. I really cannot wait to see what happens next and hopefully we’ll get lots more out of issue two. B+

Uncanny X-men # 496 Review

Author: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Mike Choi
Colors: Sonia Oback
Letterer: Joe Carmagna

Warning: Review contains spoilers
Uncanny X-men has been getting better and better over the last year. I believe that Bru has finally found the character’s voices and is getting comfortable with the cast. Sure Nightcrawler doesn’t pull out the classic mein freud or Colossus uses the tovarish line every five seconds, but they are still in character.

Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Wolverine are still in Mother Russia visiting the graves of Peter’s parents. They then go into a bar and make a crack at Juggernaut walking in, take down some Russian thugs, and are set to leave Russia. Meanwhile Cyclops and Emma are leaving the Savage Land to see what has happened to Angel and apparently Hepzibah, who seem to be caught in an acid flashback. The mysterious party responsible is a goddess who has managed to block Emma from finding her friends.

My biggest problem with the issue has nothing to do with Bru, but more with the editors. If you don’t want to know the ending of Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-men, you might want to skip this issue. But yeah, it seems that Kitty Pryde doesn’t make it out alive or at least not back home with the rest of the X-men. Of course it doesn’t go into detail, but it still irritates me when they do things like this.

Sure, the book has been late and it’s not Bru’s fault his book comes out on time, but man they really drop the bomb in this issue. Also, since when does Cyclops need to be told what a Celestial is? Doesn’t he remember almost getting squashed by a Celestial’s foot during the Judgment War storyline in X-factor?

While the issue remains a fun issue to read, I really can’t believe they are following up Messiah Complex with a hippie villain. Also, I’m assuming that Hepzibah is now a “cat lady” and has lost all her skunk attributes. I think Mike Choi’s artwork is completely gorgeous, but of course Oback has lots to do with that. However, even though his art is very clean and pretty, I don’t think he is really suited for a team book like this. I think he draws everyone too young and he has the same faces on most the guys. But, his Emma Frost is nice to look at. So, overall it’s still a fun issue and I hope the revelation of the mystery goddess is not someone lame like Lorelei or Beautiful Dreamer. B-

Cable # 1 Review

Author: Duane Swierzynski
Artist: Ariel Olivetti
Letterer: Joe Caramgna

Lone Wolf and Cub…err I mean Cable # 1 hit the stands this week and much like the solicitations showed it is the adventures of Cable and baby in time!!!! Following in the footsteps of Messiah Complex Cable for some reason thinks he is solely responsible for the life of this child and of course he is not alone because someone is following in his footsteps.

I really can’t say too much about this book other than it was written like a blog or a diary and its set in the not so distant future. Seriously, not much happens in this issue. Cable is attacked by four punks and he ends up killing them, has a nice flashback, and encounters Bishop (that has figured out a way to travel through time, not that it’s that hard in the Marvel Universe). The book feels like Lone Wolf and Cub, Fist of the Northstar, Mad Max, and Kindergarten Cop (alright, I’m really pushing it here) wrapped into one. I have no idea why Cable is so surprised that the flooding of 2012 did so much damage, since he is from the year 3000 and something. And why bring the baby to such a defunct future? What a prick! Why not take the baby to a time of peace and tranquility, you know like the Renaissance.

My problem with Olivetti’s art has always been his 3D model backgrounds; they just don’t blend well with his characters. It really doesn’t flatter his characters because they always look like they have been photoshoped in. Swirzynski’s Cable sounds like Cable, but then again how hard is it to write an old warrior that can time travel? It’s a rather lightweight read that takes about 2 minutes to read, so that’s $1.50 a minute….man you can spend that kind of money calling an adult single line and get more satisfaction for your buck. Since it’s the first issue it is hard to judge, but I really see more blog entries reminding us how much of a warrior Cable is. C

X-force # 2 Review

Authors: Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost
Artist: Clayton Crain
Letterer: Cory Petit

It seems that the new trend for X-books this week is to put the inkers and some colorist out of jobs. These artists must be getting a heck of a paycheck if they are doing all the work. Anyway X-force # 1 left us with a pretty decent cliffhanger, where Rahne was about to get her brains blown out by Mathew Risman, a Purifier and in this issue we are left with another big cliffhanger, well at least to us New Mutant fans.

It seems that Risman wasn’t aiming at Rahne’s head, but rather her kneecap, I guess I must have missed that panel. Wolverine is finding a difficult time being a leader and keeping X-23 on a leash. The Purifiers end up kidnapping Rahne again, because X-23 wired the house and forgot to mention it to everyone. For some reason Cyclops really didn’t mind at all, because his whole mission was to kill Mathew Risman, not rescue Rahne. There is also the revelation that Reverend Craig was Rahne’s father the whole time and she apparently knew. Bastion wants these mutants dead and not torture and his sole plan right now is to resurrect Magus from the bottom of the ocean.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I really don’t get the premise of the book. I mean it’s a covert ops team that has one of the most recognizable characters in the Marvel U on it? I mean how are they going to be secretive? Maybe Wolverine should get a new costume. Those red eyes aren’t fooling anyone. I know Cyclops is a prick, but when did he stop caring about the lives of his team members and friends. This is what they pulled Rahne from X-factor for? For her to be getting kidnapped and tortured? Judging by the cover of next issue I’m assuming all that is going to change and the character might too forever.

The art was delightful to look at, but like I’ve always said from the start, I don’t think that Crain is the right choice for this book. His art thrives off of intense action scenes, while the slower moments aren't as impressive. I have lots of faith in Yost and Kyle, but really this book would work better as a miniseries or if Cyclops stuck to his “there is no more X-men” statement. Can’t wait for that fight with Magus. B- I would like to mention how stupid those bloody variant covers are by the way. Do people really want to pay additional money to have a little red on their cover?

Detective Comics 842 Review

Writer: Peter Milligan
Penciller: Dustin Nguyen

I have no idea why I like Batman with a scarf so much, but I do, I really, really do. At first I was like, hey wait, Batman doesn’t need to wear a scarf everyone knows he has a built in heating and cooling system in his batsuit. But wait, he is wearing the Suit of Sorrows, the one that Talia gave him during the Resurrection of Ra’s crossover, and the bases for this story.

So because of the SoS I get to have Batman in a scarf beating up French monks, does it get any better? This is a great Detective comic by Milligan. It cuts right in on Dini’s run but you might have a hard time knowing it without the credits in front of you. It is a self-contained story with plenty of acknowledgement to the past story without it going overboard. The inner monologue is on point and the art really shows off the SoS. I really loved the pacing of the book too. There were two moments where Robin suggests that Batman do one thing, and then you turn the page and bam he’s done the exact opposite, but of course he’s done the exact opposite, he’s Batman, he never rests, never gives up, when is Robin going to learn?

I liked that most of the mystery was solved but not all of it. This allows for the suit to be opened back up again. And I have no doubt that it will, probably from a hot superstar Scottish writer who has a flare for cracking old stories vaults and taking a peak inside, I don’t know. Not much else to say, its happening more and more where Detective comics is the best choice for a classic one issue story, someone should tell Patton Oswald (The comedian/writer of the forward in the Justice League of America HC) A+.

Green Lantern Vol 4 28 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils: Mike McKone

This issue of Green Lantern marks the end of the Sinestro Corps War Epilogue and the three-part Alpha Lanterns story, but really it is the first stepping-stone to the War of Light, which will bring on the Blackest Night. In this issue we get a ton of small events that move the overall scope of the next two years worth of events forward.

I say first stepping-stone but it could be argued that the first stepping-stone was part 11 of the Sinestro Corp War. But in this issue we get the second new law and it pretty much paves the way for the war grants so much more freedom to the GLs. We also get the upbringing of two more emotions: Rage and Greed (Red and Orange). Though it seems there was no problem creating the rage rings and power battery, greed is going to take some extra time to develop for reasons that haven’t been addressed yet.

Laira has her trial, which is extremely short and though it probably wouldn’t have been the most interesting piece to read about, I would have preferred a much longer court battle. The issue was not nearly as black and white as the arguing sides made it out to be. There was a lot of gray area within the crime itself, and if it was all going to be swept under the rug and ignored than they should have written the crime in a much more obvious direction. Basically what I would have liked was a greater argument on if Laira was justified in killing Amon Sir because he still had on his ring and the law made it clear that though the initial war was over the fight against the Sinestro Corp threat was still going on. I didn’t agree with how the Guardians and the Alpha Lanterns ruled, but I think that was on purpose, we—the readers—are supposed to find holes in the Guardian’s arguments. I wanted more opposition to the Guardians and the AL than just Hal and Laira. I feel like the trial and the AL themselves were pushed aside to further the other sentient emotions coming into existence. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing how those other spectrums come to life but I wanted the story to be about what it was supposed to be about. The side note should have been the spectrums, when instead I think the trial was the side note. I mean we already have a new color lantern at the end of this story, I thought the rise of the Light War was going to be much slower. And I was excited about that. I wouldn’t mind each color getting its own story line; they all seem interesting and important.

The amount of foreshadowing in this book is truly overwhelming. I didn’t know foreshadowing could really be so overwhelming to be perfectly honest. It seems like without a doubt the Guardians are going to become evil or at the very least corrupt and in some way side with Sinestro, hell I see Sinestro taking over the GL Corps in some twisted way for a short period of time. I don’t know what that means for the Sinestro Corps, I guess they just become the Yellow Lantern Corps then. Though this issue was awesome for the fan boy inside of me, I wanted more from it, and the more I think about it the less I liked it, B-.

Podcast Update

So it's getting pretty late into the week, and you're probably wondering when the podcast is going to go up. And since I have an answer (actually quite a few answers) I thought I'd share my knowledge.

Reason 1: Family matters that will be explained further have taken a few of the podcasters away from doing the podcast for not just this week but probably next week as well. Maybe even the week after that, it is a "see how it goes" bases.

Reason 2: (and this probably should have been #1) THERE IS A RECORDED PODCAST!!! It is on my computer and is too big to just shoot to Dan over e-mail and when we all have more time I will send it to him and he will post it up. Despite not having a podcast posted, and missing a few members, we will go ahead and keep recording. What this means for you is that we will keep recording podcasts once a week and will post them whenever we get the chance. Potentially this means another week without a podcast and then in one week there will be three posted podcasts covering three weeks of content. That is the game plan.

Reason 3: The excuse we've had a lot this winter, a snow storm may disrupt our plans in Reason 2. We will just have to see how things go for now, and try to stick to the plan but the weather service is saying this is going to be the worst one of the season (going out with a bang). So if the snow hits too hard it could delay our plans to record another podcast to an even later date.

All we can really do is keep you posted, say we're sorry, and trying to deliver classic About Heroes banter from our jabbering jaws to your pointy vulcan ears as quickly as possible.

Any further questions or comments can be posted here.

And remember Stay Geeky!!!

Midweek Manga Reviews: Devils in love and girls with guns!

Devil’s Bride
Story & Art: Se-Young Kim
Translation: Hyun Joo Kim
Adaptation: Lorelei Laird
Publisher: Tokyopop

That cover threw me for a loop because I really had no idea what it had to do with the story, well until there is a revelation about sixty pages into the book. The devil has been living in the forest alone for a long time. He gets a visit from an old friend, Jya and informs Jya that he is looking for a human bride. He wants to purchase one, because after all he is the devil and women just don’t throw themselves at him. A young girl approaches him one day and states that she is the only one willing to be his bride as long as she is getting paid, because her father needs money. Turns out that this cute young girl was nothing more than a pretty boy dressed in women’s clothing trying to deceive the devil, but ends up falling for him. Do to some kind of accident (I’m still not sure what happened) he dies and is later rebuilt by the devil. Now the devil is starting to put human pieces together to “build” his perfect bride. There is also an origin story about a blind boy named Alex, who seems to be our main character. So, not everything might be what it seems to be. I really enjoyed the story, for something I thought I was going to care less about, I really was pleasantly surprised. It doesn’t seem like we are dealing with the devil, but with a man that has sold his soul to the devil for the gift of sight. Not everything is laid out in front of you and I love that in storytelling. The reader is left to put the pieces together and finish the rest of the story. My only complaint is the art….we have one woman that actually appears in the whole book and I couldn’t tell the difference between her and all the guys, except for the mercenary, cause he was just plain ugly. It does have a second volume that I will be checking out. B

Jpop Idol
Story: Millenni + M
Art: Toko Yashiro
Translation: Monica Seya Chin
Publisher: Tokyopop

You know it had to happen. I’m actually surprised it didn’t happen earlier, but with the consistent success of American Idol there just had to be a Jpop (Japanese) Idol. Sure there have been other books like this covering this subject, but this is the first time that those two words have been together in one book. It figures that a company like Tokyopop would release a book like this, because they were really one of the earliest pioneers trying to push the Jpop music and lifestyle to the mass American market. From the minds of Toko Yashiro (artist for Shogakukan's magazine Shojo Comi) and writer Millenni+M comes Jpop Idol, a story of pursuing your dreams and what you are willing to pay to achieve them. Everyone and by the terms of this book I mean everyone, dreams about being the next J-Pop Idol! Best friends Mika, Kay, and Naomi win a nationwide singing contest, setting them on their way to stardom. But only Mika is offered a recording contract, however you know nothing like this comes without a price so the price in this particular tale is her friendship with Kay. Things get more complicated when Mika meets Ken, who used to be a boy-band idol and now serves as a music producer promising her to make her a household name. But it isn't long before she discovers that Ken is paying his own price for his love of music, because he has a secret of his own. This volume reminds me of a book called B. B. Explosion, but with better art and a more believable cast. Sure it seems really hokey, but the story really puts you in Mika’s shoes when she has to decide what to do next in her life. There are color pages included towards the very beginning that make the art really shine, makes me wish the rest of the book would have been in color. B-

Princess Ai: Rumors from the Other Side
Creators: Plenty!
Translation: Christine Schilling
Adaptation: Hyun-Joo Kim
Publisher: Tokyopop

There seems to be an expanding universe in from a little series called Princess Ai. Everything from a tattoo book to a coloring book, it seems that for a series that has been over and done with for a couple of years now, fans still demand more. To be honest I wasn’t that impressed with the original Princess Ai series. The artwork was gorgeous, but the story left me a little wanting. So keep that in mind when you read what I have to say about this follow-up. This is a collection of 12 stories that take the Princess Ai characters and twists them around. A collection of untrue stories, gossip, rumors, and just blatant lies that are done by Tokyopop’s top manga creators. Such creators as Steve Buccellato, Misaho Kujiradou, Kim Mi-Kyung, Sara Winningham, and other artist and writers that do their take on what they view Princess Ai as. Of course the original Princess Ai was a groundbreaking project to begin with, since it involved Courtney Love, so this is another unique take on the stories told by D.J. Milky. The stories range from cute and funny to the sad and bizarre. For some reason I ended up enjoying this book more than the regular series. It must have been the fresh take on the characters that did it for me and probably the fact that each story only lasted about 15 or so pages. Each creator really shines with their story and I’m assuming that’s because they are free to write and draw about anything as long as they use the PA characters in some kind of way. If you are looking to sample of these talented creators works, this is a perfect book for you and I’m assuming fans of PA already have this pre-ordered. B

Rose Hip Rose
Story & Art: Tohru Fujisawa
Translation: Emi Onishi
Adaptation: Michael French
Publisher: Tokyopop

When I heard of this book, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it because I’ve been such a fan of Fujisawa’s GTO. I wanted to read how he would handle a lead female character. I never got a chance to read the Rose Hip Zero series, so this is my introduction to that world. What I did notice though is that the GTO series and the Rose Hip Zero series which are the originals are both rated OT and their sequels GTO: The Early Years and Rose Hip Rose are rated M. Not that I’m complaining, I am always up for a Mature rated story. I really didn’t know what to expect with a title like Rose Hip Rose….come on, this is the manga world after all! It wouldn’t have surprised me if I had ended up reading a story about a runaway hip or a creature that is nothing but roses and hips….anyway. Kasumi Asakura is a police assault squad ace that is going undercover to a local high school to try to solve some murders going on in Tokyo. All I can say about the story is that it is intense and the action is in your face. I’m not that familiar with Kasumi, I’m sure more character development happened in the previous books than in here, but I like her character. Dynamic action lines and detailed line-art in every panel is what Fujisawa is known for. Panel to panel during action sequences that are so brutal and insane I can see why this is rated M. There is a great balance of close-ups to background artwork that defines what a great manga is supposed to be. Fans of GTO and chicks with guns should really check this book out. A

The Third vol. 1
Original Story: Ryo Hoshino
Original Character Design: Nao Goto
Art: Ariko Itou
Translation: Angela Liu
Adaptation: Mel Gilden
Publisher: Tokyopop

I have been slacking on my anime watching for quite some time and reading a prequel to an anime that I didn’t even know existed is testimony to that. It seems that there is an anime released by Right Stuf under the name Third: The Girl With the Blue Eye that follows the adventures of Honoka and after reading this manga I am definitely checking out the anime. But, anyway this review is for the manga.....so the set up is many years after a large destruction known as the Great War that killed 80% of the population, the outlands are now being watched by a group of beings known as The Third, named for the third red eye on their forehead that can access various computer systems. In this barren, apocalyptic landscape lives Honoka, a jill-of-all-trades who uses her powerful third blue eye to detect life forces in battle as she attempts to keep her friends from The Third's deadly grasp. Sometime in the near future Honoka is destined to become the formidable but graceful Sword Dancer and this is the story of how she will eventually get there and what obstinacies she must overcome. As of this volume Honoka is still trying to make a name for herself in the desert outlands as a Dune Runner. The story reminds me of a mix of Mad Max, Sandland, Weathering Continent, and Full Metal Panic. I really like Honoka she is very determined to become the best, but the author still writes her as a timid girl at times. I am looking forward to the next volume and continuing to read her adventures. A-