Manga Reviews: Just in time for Halloween!

Ghostbusters: Ghost Busted
Story: Nathan Johnson & Matt Yamashita
Art: Chrissy Delk, Maximo V. Lorenzo, Michael Shelfer, & Nate Watson
Layout & Lettering: Michael Paolilli & Lucas Riviera
Publisher: Tokyopop

Who you gonna call? Come on! How else was I going to start this review? Being a child of the late 70’s early 80’s how could I pass up on chance to catch up with some old friends? Of course judging by the cover you can see that they were given the manga touch up. Even though it’s not traditional manga, but an OEL style separated into six stories. All the characters show up from the original Real Ghostbusters cartoon: Ray Stanz, Peter Venkman, Egon Spengler, Winston Zeddemore, and even a slimmer cameo. I mentioned that the book was split up into six separate stories, well there lies part of the problem. The first and last story aren’t connected to the core of the book, which is the middle four chapters. I’m really surprised that they didn’t choose one artist for an attempt to bring the classic show back. The problem is that the art is not cohesive and I think going with a more detailed/realistic artist would have been a better choice. It’s not that the art is horrible in any sense, but it just felt like some people that won a contest were drafted to draw this book. With a license item like Ghostbusters I’m really surprised they went that route. Even the stories feel a little off, because sometimes it reads like it’s based on the cartoon and other times like it’s based on the movies. I do have to say that the two writers have a complete understanding of the Ghostbusters mythos. While not the greatest Ghostbusters comic, it certainly better than the IDW comic that just recently came out. I’m sure fans of the GB world are going to pick this up. C+

I Luv Halloween: Ultimate Twisted Edition
Story: Keith Giffen
Art: Benjamin Roman
Publisher: Tokyopop

Every time I would walk past this book at the local book shop I would pass it up because I really thought it was nothing more than a kid’s book. I never noticed Keith Giffen’s name attached to the book. This is the guy that wrote some of the best Justice League, Annihilation, Blue Beetle, and Rocket Raccoon stories ever told. Not to mention the great English adaptation of the classic Battle Royale. Well, enough of the writer and why I wouldn’t pick up these books. Let me tell you, I was completely blown away by this collection! Completely blown away and ended up loving I Luv Halloween. It reminded of a mix of Tim Burton, Jhonen Vasquez, Battle Royale, Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, and Rugrats. That’s about the only way I can describe the mixed bag of goodies I got from this Halloween treat. The story is simple; every Halloween a group of kids get together to go trick or treating. These kids are all lead by the Skull mask wearing Finch and his younger sister Bubbles, who seems insane ,as you can tell by her fascination with pulling out people's molars. When they leave their house to begin the evening's festivities we see that their abode looks abandoned - and that the corpses of their parents, all zombified, are still sitting around. When we meet the rest of the group we see that another kid is dressed are dressed up as a pig, cat, and devil. Blood must be spilled when instead of candy the kids receive apples from an old lady. That seems to be the ongoing gory joke every Halloween. The reader is really thrown into a world which on the surface is similar to ours, but underneath has jarring and fascinating differences that work with the story elements toward more and more unlikely scenarios. Some of the scenes left me really disturbed and others I couldn’t help but laugh hysterically.
The hints of supernatural twists in this volume are enough to drive me to the next one, which promises an elaboration of the only glimpsed at zombie theme. In this collection we are witnesses to three different Halloweens that are all brought to you in color this time! We also get an additional story not released previously. I can’t recommend a more twisted book at this time! Don’t be silly like me and pass this book up!A+

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Story: Various
Art: Various
Translation: Alethea Nibley
Publisher: Del Rey

Objection!!! That’s right…that’s how we are starting this! I have been telling Dan since he decided to become a lawyer that instead of going to Law school, he should just play the Phoenix Wright games. Now he doesn’t even have to play the games by Capcom on the DS, but just read the stories by Del Rey. I’m a huge fan of the lawyer game and have played the original three, so when I saw that the manga came out, I was really excited. All your favorite characters and sidekicks are back in this manga, Phoenix, Miles Edgeworth, Detective Gumshoe, Franziska, and of course my favorite bubbly assistant Maya. What you will get in this book is a collection of 20 different cases and a collection of four panel manga. There is plenty of wacky humor and messed up plots to drag everyone along that isn’t familiar with the Phoenix Wright games. Being familiar with the series will come in handy when references are made to the video games, as well as the ever enjoyable inside jokes. It is definitely full of subtleties that a lot of Phoenix Wright fans would pick up on. Unfortunately it does it this quite often and it could exile those that aren’t familiar with the characters. I loved seeing the different takes on the characters. There are different art styles from various artists; it is actually quite intriguing to see Phoenix Wright and company drawn in each artist's personal style. Some I swear are taken right from the cut scenes in the game. Another point I would like to make is that some of the stories felt rushed and just ended with an anticlimactic end. It didn’t take that much from the enjoyment though, because I was hooked from beginning to end and I can’t wait for volume 2. B+

Vampire Hunter D vol.2
Story: Hideyuki Kikuchi
Adaptation: Saiko Takaki
Translation: Duane Johnson
Publisher: DMP

I don’t think I’ve made it clear how much I love LOVE Vampire Hunter D! Let me set the record straight, I fell in love with the series back in the early 90s when I watched the original anime. I fell in love with the style, the animation, D, and the music. I even used the music in my wedding this past June. Just in time for Halloween I decided to read the second volume of this fantastic series. If you’ve never heard of Vampire Hunter D…well the lowdown in this book is: This is a post apocalyptic future where vampires are a ruling nobility in sharp decline. However, humans are still around and live in a medieval state with fringes of technology. In Tepes, a small town built around ancient nobility ruins, four children went missing ten years ago and only three returned with no memory of what occurred. Now the village has hired D to investigate the mystery surrounding the disappearances. What really blows me away is that Takaki captures his cold beauty perfectly while retaining his less than loveable personality. I think that Takaki was a little more rushed in doing this adaptation because some of the panels look a little sketchier than others. In a way I feel like the first volume better, but that’s because I enjoyed the original novel much more than the sequel. It's a shame that it could not have followed the novel exactly, but for the most part I cannot make a complaint against that. I was still very thrilled to be reading it. It seems that in the manga D is humanized a little more than in the original novel. Will I read the third manga? Hell yeah! I anxiously await the third volume. A

Superman New Krypton Special # 1 Review

Authors: Geoff Johns, James Robinson, Sterling Gates
Art: Gary Frank, Renato Guedes, Pete Woods
Inkers: Jon Sibal, Renato Magalhaes
Colors: Hi-Fi

I always hate when people say: If you aren't reading this book, you are missing out on a great story; If you aren't reading this book you are out of your fucking mind; If you aren't reading this book you are a fucking moron! So Instead of saying something similar I will just say if you aren't reading Superman comics you must be too busy reading a bunch of other shit that you should put down to make room in your hands for fucking Superman!

In the aftermath of the Brainiac story Superman faces two big changes in his life. One is the death of his father Jonathan Kent and the other is the fact that he no longer the last son of Krypton, but rather one of 100,000 plus Kryptonians living on Earth. Superman has choices to make in this first issue of a 9 part story. How will he deal with the fact that his father is dead and the man partially responsible is still alive? How is going to let over 100,000 Kryptonians run around on Earth (just in the few moments they've been here one of them killed an endangered whale)? Will he show more of his Kryptonian roots or the roots planted by his adopted father? Of course these Kryptonians are learning they too are gaining power because of the sun. Some of them are even calling this planet New Krypton. And how the hell is Lois going to react when she finds out her father is still alive and cooperating with Luthor.

The emotions that Superman goes through during and after his father's funeral was only magnified by the wonder that is Gary Frank. He's art makes this Superman come to life and while I know he didn't draw the whole issue he really stole the spotlight with those opening sequences. So much mixed emotion of rage and sadness is shown in these panels it's hard not to feel for Clark. Pete Woods and Renato Guedes do a fantastic job of telling their part of their tale and I can't wait to see what they do in their perspective series.

Damn, one of my new favorite writers and one of my all time favorite writers collaborating on a series that has brought new light to the character. Just when I thought they had told every Superman story possible Johns and Robinson show up to save the day. While we've had stories about Superman vs. the government, the way they come around it now seems really fresh. Like I mentioned before, they really make you feel for Clark and his loss in this issue; it even overshadows the reunion between Supergirl and her parents. You really don't have to be reading Action Comics or Superman to enjoy this story and this could be a good jumping on points for new readers. I wait for part two with a satisfied grin on my face. A

NIS Goodness!!! Reviews of Disgaea Ds, Rhaspsody, and Disgaea 3

All these games are published by NIS America:

Disgaea DS

Have you ever had something that has just consumed so many hours of your life for you? A needy girlfriend? Studying for those SATs and final exams? Work? Well I can tell you that for 120 hours of my life a little game on the PS2 called Disgaea took over my world. You can ask Melanie, she would call me from her apartment in the middle of the night and the extent of my conversations was: uh-huh. I’m going to assume that you have already played this wonderful game on either the PS2 or the PSP and just discuss some of the differences that I noticed after playing 30 hours of the DS version.

This version maintains the original's light-hearted style and impressive amount of replay value, but also introduces us to a multiplayer mode, some new characters (including Adell, Rozalin, and Pleinair), and of course full stylus controls for the touch pad. The DS version of Disgaea is visually similar to the PSP version, though a few adjustments were made to make use of the DS’s two screens. The detailed sprites and pixels look identical and the slowdown problems have been fixed. Unfortunately not everything is identical. The game does lack the same texture that the PSP and PS2 had and the audio seems to be a lower quality. It also feels like the game's difficulty level has also been lowered, which makes it more player-friendly for gamers new to the series. Those were just some of the small gripes I had with this DS version. Other than that it is purely perfect. Sure the game will only take you about 40 hours to beat…but who the hell is that lame? With all the sidequests including the new Etna mode you can easily triple that time. A

Rhapsody DS

Years ago I missed out on the bandwagon that was this game. It originally came out on the Playstation and at the time Atlus was only releasing games in limited quantities. However, Melanie did get to play it and loved the original game. Trust me I have to suffer through the English soundtrack every time I ride with her in the car. As first impressions go, I was really surprised that I found myself hooked on this game. Well when you are in the middle of conference call for hours what else are you going to do? The reason I was surprised is because this game isn’t just an RPG, but it’s a musical adventure. I’m not even into Guitar Hero or Dance Dance Revolution, so I didn’t think I would enjoy a game that is based on musicals.

The graphics are really nice and the bright sprites really shine considering the characters are so small at times. The character designs remind me of the Secret of Mana games and the movement when characters attack is really fluid. I think that the game only really suffers in the graphics department when spells are casts, it seems that after casting so many(trust me you almost have to at times) they all basically look the same and do nothing really awing. The dungeons will start looking the same because it seems that they used the same templates over and over again, or it could be that there is lots of backtracking. Now, what really hooked me was the games soundtrack. I have been wrong all these years, or maybe it was the fact that I just needed to play the game or just listen to the Japanese tracks. The songs are really catchy and the walk around the woods/dungeons/mountains and cruise around town background music is equally well done and lovely. However, fans of the original game will be sad to find out that the English vocals are missing from the game. They have included a new side quest and scenario for the DS exclusively. But even with those the game is a breeze to play through, which unfortunately brings the games score down a bit. Unlike Disgaea the replay value is almost nonexistent. It is still a fun game and any fan of RPGs and great soundtracks should pick this game up. C+

Disgaea 3

Before I start this review….I want you to know that this game is the reason why I bought a PS3! I wanted you to know that before you read the review in case you think I am being biased….because I pretty much am. It wasn’t Metal Gear 4, Resistance, or Little Big Planet. It was the third installment of one of the best damn series out there. Even though I haven’t beaten the game yet, I can tell you it has consumed most of my afternoons and ahem…sick days. Nippon Ichi really knows how to make me spend my day and that hard earned cash.

The story is similar to that of the previous two games. In the Netherworld lies an evil academy by the name of Maritsu. A student at this prestige school is not rewarded for good grades or doing their homework on time, but rather ditching classes and not doing homework. Mao is a student at this school and hopes to one day overthrow his father who is an overlord. He is inspired after reading manga to become a hero. And a hero’s quest is to defeat evil and demons. Rasberyl found out about Mao’s plans and wants to stop him from becoming a hero…so she joins his quest. Unlike the previous installments this time…the demon wants to be a hero. Kind of a twist, but not such a huge one that complete changes the series.

While the gameplay and settings remain the same there have been some changes made. These changes include: Doing away with weapon aptitudes and gradual learning of skills. This time, players must use mana points accumulated after each battle to purchase skills and abilities for their characters. What players have to remember is that each character type has a specific range of abilities they can learn from the weapon trainer. Once they have reached full potential if they want to learn more advanced skills or abilities outside of their class, players will have to use a new system called the Academy World. Much like the Item World there is no way to exit before the 10th floor and abilities can be learned. Something else new to the world of Disgaea is Mabilities. Mabilities can boost a specific stat, cancel the enemies counter attacks, power up certain monster types, and protect your characters from status ailments. There are hidden characters from Disgaea’s previous games, Phantom Brave, and Makai Kingdom. Classes, geoblocks, and 3D maps all make their return. The environments in the 3D maps are an improvement over the previous games that would use flat, small battle fields with some the exception of the latter levels. The battles really are three dimensional now, with every stage feeling unique and multi-level stages. There are now clubs that you can join and boost up your characters.

While the game is a complete joy to play, I found myself asking…did I really buy a Playstation 3 for this game. To be honest, this game could have been released on the PS2 and I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference. I said that about Disgaea when it came out; that it could have been released on the original Playstation. I figure they would do something new with the cut scenes, but it seems to be the same bland cut scenes that they have been using for three games now. This is the power of Blu-ray? Really? I figure I would get some amazing visuals when the characters were talking, don’t get me wrong the game is gorgeous and it runs so smooth on Blu-ray, the backgrounds are amazing, and spell effects are phenomenal, but I can’t imagine anyone else being crazy like me and spending 400 bucks on a system just to play this game. The counter comment to that is that this is the best game in the series that I have played so far and to me this game deserves nothing less than an A for providing me with so many hours of entertainment. Did I mention that you can download characters from the previous games too? What a treat! Bring on the fourth game in the series!

Picture of the Week! Introducing Tommy Pfeiffer!

My brother is one talented motherfucker. He has been drawing for all his life and really has done nothing to promote his stuff out there. He's done some manga reviews here and has helped me color some pictures here and there. So, part of AH 2.0 will have some of Tommy's art on a weekly basis and he is going to help me with the artwork for the website. This is just some a small glimpse of some of the wonderful stuff he has created over the years.

EC Archives: Tales from the Crypt volume 3 Review

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

As I have mentioned before 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. Around this time HBO started their Tales from the Crypt series and when I found out there were comics I went nuts. 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.

This volume reprints the second six complete issues (24 stories) of the comic book "Tales From the Crypt", originally published in issues 13 through 18 (1952 to 1953). Some of the stories featured in this collection are The Thing from Glades, Taint the Meat it’s the Humanity and A Sucker for a Spider. 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. I believe it sometimes takes away from the wonderful art. Volume 3 also includes special features such as a forward by Bob Overstreet and original EC ads that run throughout the volume. This book set the standards for drawing and writing sequential horror stories and you can still tell why after all these years. Want a special treat this year for Halloween? Go and buy this book. I can't wait for Gemstone to reprint the rest. B+

Manga Reviews: Fate Stay Night, Goth, Kyo Kara Maoh, and To Terra

Fate Stay Night vol.1
Story: TYPE-MOON
Art: Dat Nishiwaki
Translation: Lori Riser
Adaptation: Jake Forbes
Publisher: Tokyopop

As an avid toy collector I buy stuff all the time that I have no idea what series or books is based on. A few years ago I bought a set of Fate Stay Night Gashapon figures. I didn’t care where these figures were from, I loved the character designs. It turned out the characters came from a visual novel PC game. That game was then adapted into a TV series, which serves as the basis of this manga. We are introduced to Shirou Emiya and his quest to follow in his stepfather’s footsteps and become a hero of justice. It turns out that his stepfather was a Magus. When faced with death, instead of crossing over to the other side, but is put through a test to see how much of a hero he wants to be. He has been chosen to participate in the Holy Grail War. If he wins he will have his every desire granted. There are seven magi that are also gambling their lives in order to achieve this goal. Now the highlight of this manga is Shirou’s servant Sabre. She is the badass chick on the cover and is summoned to protect her master. Overall it was a rollercoaster ride of great kick ass action and then your typical RPG inspired manga, where the story slows down to introduce the rest of the characters. It was during the slowing down parts that I found the manga to get a bit boring, maybe it was just the way the dialogue was written. It ends with a good cliffhanger and I can’t wait to see what happens next. B-

Goth
Story: Otsuichi
Art: Kendi Oiwa
Translation: Lori Riser
Adaptation: Anothony C. Andora
Publisher: Tokyopop

I kept flipping the book upside down trying to figure out which way the picture was supposed to be. It’s a very catchy cover with limited use of colors and you know a naked chick always gets my attention. The manga is based on the novel that was also published by Tokyopop and it’s a story about two high school students, one being the narrator of the book Itsuki Kamiyama and the other, a girl named Yoru Morino. Both happened to share something in common and that happens to be their obsession with death. The manga is split up into four separate stories: Wristcut, Goth, Grave, and Twins. Morino and Kamiyama first meet, because Kamiyama wanted Morino’s hands due to the slash marks on her wrists. This all leads to a teacher that has an obsession with hands and likes to collect them. The remaining three stories all have different deaths and show the characters have different fascinations with the murders and suicides. For some reason when I started reading this I was reminded of Harold and Maude (yeah, I admit it I love that movie). Being a huge fan of the horror genre I am glad I read something creepy in just in time for Halloween. There is plenty of gore and shocks to creep you out and it does happen to be a standalone volume. I highly recommend this manga. A+

Kyo Kara MAOH! Vol. 1
Story & Art: Temari Matsumoto
Original story: Tomo Takabayashi
Translation: Jennifer Pan
Adaptation: Karen S. Ahlstrom
Publisher: Tokyopop

I never know what to expect when I see some manga covers. I knew that this was an anime series, but had no clue what the concept was about. I have to say that the story had me hooked from the moment that Yuri Shibuya gets transported into another world by being flushed down the toilet. Hey, all the guy was trying to do was stop some bullies from picking on another student. He is now strayed in the Demon Kingdom and is crowned the king and has to lead the Mazoku race to a war against human kind. Only problem is, that he happens to be human too. Although I have read many many manga that featured a typical school girl that gets transported to another world surrounded by good looking guys; this is the first time I have read a manga where the main protagonist is a man too. This is manga has to be some young girl’s dream come true. Plenty of pretty boys with plenty of humor and action to keep even boys interested in reading this series. The only thing I would have loved to see more of is the action in the plot. Can’t wait for volume 2. A

To Terra vol. 1
Story & Art: Keiko Takemiya
Translation: Dawn T. Laabs
Publisher: Vertical

Just two weeks ago I finished the great Andromeda Stories trilogy and I couldn’t wait to open up To Terra. It’s really hard to believe that this book was originally published over 30 years ago. To me it doesn’t seem to have aged at all in terms of art and a great story. This is another trilogy by the same translation team that brought us Andromeda Stories. In the distant future humans are no longer reproducing the same way (keeping it clean), but instead are a product of a universal computer. However, like most computers; there are problems that cause mutants to be born that are known as the Mu. These Mu are forced into exile by The System. Jomy Marcus Shin is a 14 year old raised as a normal human being with latent telepathic powers. He is captured by the Mu to become their new leader and lead them back to Terra. The art stands out as unique as it did back 30 years ago. It feels both retro and progressive. Takemiya’s settings and organic spaceships are simply awing to look at in each page. The only problem that I had with the entire book was that Jomy sounded like a brat for the first third of the book. While this may seem to “old school” for some, I think if you get passed the idea of what manga should look like, you will be pleasantly surprised. A-

X-men: Worlds Apart # 1 Review

Story:Christopher Yost
Penciler: Diogenes Neves
Inker: Ed Tadeo
Colors: Raul Trevino

Storm has always been one of my favorite characters in comics. She has always stood out from the rest of the heroines in the comic’s genre. Damn, even as a kid I knew a black woman leading a team of heroes was unprecedented. She has been a Goddess, X-man, leader, thief, and more recently a queen. Unfortunately, her new status as queen has really dimmed the light in this once well established character. This miniseries, if anything, accomplishes the task of proving that Storm really needs to go back home to the X-men.

I almost got excited when I saw Storm in the Morlock tunnels...err sewers with Cyclops. It seems that Cyclops needs her leadership of the Morlocks to try and recruit new mutants for his safe haven in San Francisco. He questions where her mind is and this takes us back to her recent place of residence Wakanda. It seems that Nezhno murdered an advisor to the king in cold blood. Storm thinks that something isn't right and as she releases her old ward, the King of Wakanda (Black Panther) puts a stop to her. It seems that he is being controlled by the X-men's old nemesis the Shadow King and is trying to turn her nation against her.

I guess in a way I am glad they brought the Shadow King back and if he isn't trying to take down Professor X, I guess Storm is a nice runner up. I'm not sure how I feel about Cyclops acting like a selfish brat, because Storm is now a married woman. Hell, she's only in one other book. He really just needs to sit down with Wolverine and ask him where his priorities are. I never agreed either with the ridiculous marriage of Storm and Black Panther, but I'm not Marvel. I was almost hoping that Black Panther was going to be a Skrull, but no such luck the marriage is still there. Now, this is one marriage I wouldn't mind Mephisto going after. The art gets the job, but that's about it. Some panels Storm looks determined, proud, and beautiful and others she looks like a drag queen strung out on coke. Neves' art is still better than Campbell's sketch....I mean cover. Not sure why this couldn't be told in the Black Panther book and not a $3.99 miniseries. B-

X-men Original Sin # 1 Review

Writers: Daniel Way & Mike Carey
Art: Mike Deadato, Scot Eaton, and Andrew Hennessy
Colors: Rain Beredo & Jason Keith
Cover: Mike Deadato

As a kid I would get excited about crossovers. My favorites were always the ones that would crossover into a book I wasn't buying on a monthly basis. It would introduce me to a new group of characters that I could learn to care about. So yes, I loved Secret Wars, Crisis on Infinite Earths, and of course all the countless of X-overs in the X-men universe. I guess my age is starting to show because I could care less what book is cross over into what book. That or I happen to hate Wolverine Origins and think that X-men Legacy is an idea ran into the ground time and time again.

What we get is another story that seems to rewrite history that has been established for 30+ years. This book goes all the way back to Giant Size X-men 1 and we get to see the all new X-men again. However, for some reason someone at the house of ideas loves to retcon stories. Speaking of which, didn't we already retcon Giant Size X-men with that horrible Deadly Genesis series a couple of years ago? So pretty much Wolverine finds out Professor X is still alive and needs him to mind wipe his son, Daken. Not entirely, just the bad stuff aka mental programming that turned his son into a killer. Xavier refuses, but Wolverine demands it! Wolverine gets up on Xavier's face and tells him to remember damn well that Wolverine was sent to kill Professor X when he joined the X-men! There is also a wonderful reprint of Classic X-men #1; you know to remind you when comics were fucking fun.

What the fuck is going on here? Didn't we already do a story about Wolverine sent into the X-men to kill Professor Xavier in Ultimate X-men? How the fuck is Wolverine's reaction to Cyclops revelation that Professor X is still alive justified. Wah wah you didn't tell me Professor X is alive; I can smell him all over you!!!! Motherfuck, this is the kind of argument I would expect from a jealous wife, who is worried about her husband's faithfulness, and I guess his sexuality. Punching Cyclops for no reason is just fucking stupid. It would have worked back in the early 80s but I think Logan and Scott have moved beyond that. Pimp slapping Emma and calling her the White Queen after having a heart to heart talk with her in the same week on Manifest Destiny, just doesn't make any fucking sense either. Of course punching Cyclops is not the only thing that reminds me of an 80s Wolverine story. Hell no, a classic Wolverine story wouldn't be complete if he didn't call in a favor from an old Asian friend!

I find Miss Sinister (who they are really pushing as a new threat) as threatening as parking tickets. It took years for me to buy Mr. Sinister as a villain; Miss Sinister is going to have to do something really bad to make her a believable baddie. And Daken, no matter who writes him is still a douchebag. The only things I liked about the issue were the interactions between Xavier and Logan. I do like the way Carey handled the new Xavier talking to his old students. I also highly enjoyed the artwork. Deadato's style really fits in well with a flashback story and Eaton is amazing when it comes to facial expressions. It wasn't enough to save the book from being crap, but it was a breath of fresh air when swimming in funk. A bad start to a crossover that I have very little expectations for. At least Marvel was nice enough to include a great story in the back for your 4 bucks! D

X-men: Manifest Destiny # 2 Review

Writers: Mike Carey, Skottie Young, and Chris Yost
Pencilers: Michael Ryan, Daniel Panosian, and Paco Diaz
Cover: Humberto Ramos

I never got around reviewing Manifest Destiny 1, because I think we talked about it on the podcast. So, I figure I would do a review of the second book. These books take the same formula as X-men Unlimited and here lately Divided We Stand. We find the X-men trying to adjust to life in a new place.

In this particular issue we continue the bizarre story of Bobby Drake losing control of his powers again. It seems that Mystique has taken an obsessive interest in our beloved Iceman. Skottie Young probably wrote the best story in this issue featuring the Juggernaut. I'm not sure how I feel about Dan Panosian's new art style. To be honest, I was never a fan of his old style and his inks either. This new style seems to be inspired by Young's sketchy cartoony style mixed with some old school Will Eisner. The last story has a touching moment between Wolverine and Emma Frost.

The first story is by far the weakest. Not, only because the idea is ridiculous, but the story is just not well paced for an 8 page segment. I don't know, I guess part of me is with Bobby and I would want to nail a chick that can change appearance any time. Could be hot, but I wonder if she could change everything.....anyway the art by Ryan seems to be a little off. That last panel of Mystique holding one guard with her right hand and going for the next guard with her left just seems horribly angled. While the second story is really a throw-away story, it was nice to see Juggernaut debate to stay a good guy or become bad again. Yost's story would make more sense if someone had told Yost that Wolverine would be pushing Emma around and calling her White Queen in X-men Original Sin that shipped this week. He practically tells her that all has been forgiven by the X-men and that she does belong with the X-men, but that all gets thrown to the side if you read Original Sin.

If you are into the anthology books like Marvel Comic Presents, X-men Unlimited, and Spider-man Unlimited then this book is for you my friend. I myself have no fucking clue why Marvel made a big deal about this series that is easily forgotten as soon as you put the book down. If you are a completist then you already own this book everyone else can just pass on it. C

Midweek Manga Reviews: TGIF!!!!

Andromeda Stories vol.1-3
Story: Ryu Mitsuse
Art: Keiko Takemiya
Translation: Magnolia Steele
Publisher: Vertical

While we are taking a break from the podcast…don’t worry we are coming back soon, I have found myself reading so many more comics. I had never heard of Andromeda Stories until the kind folks at Vertical sent us a package containing this series in it. I may have mentioned before how huge of a fan of They Were 11 and Galaxy Express I am; so when I looked at the cover I knew I was going to be in for a treat. The story introduces us to the inhabitants of planet Astria where Prince Ithaca is to take throne and marry Princess Lilia. Not only will this make him monarch, but a Holy King of a new kingdom. This is a peaceful planet; so when mechanical soldiers make their move and take over Ithaca’s land the people of this world will have to fight back. It is a fairy tale mixed with machine wars and some alien invasions thrown in.

When confronted with the new menace from space the planet of Astria must unite and set all differences apart. I have to say that the series moved really fast and so much of the main story happens at once. The pacing is so fast that at times the plot gets a little confusing. There is also the fact that there are a lot of characters to keep track of, and most aren’t given much background to anchor them in the main story. I truly enjoyed the tense atmosphere of the story, and thought that the character designs of the invaders were really creepy. Takemiya really knows how to tell a story with her vibrant art. She brings out the subtlest of emotions and dramatic moments. Her way with landscapes really put you in the story. Although some may consider her type of art an old style, it really is amazing to look at some of these panels and get lost in them. Though confusing at times, the story really does fly by and in the end the beautiful artwork and the strong character developments really outshine the weakness of the pacing. There’s a little bit for everyone here, whether its sci-fi or a mix of action and psychic powers like Star Wars meets Scanners. I recommend this book to any fan of the sci-fi genre and fans of fantasy novels. A-

Burst Angel vol.1
Story: GONZO
Art: GONZO & Minoru Murao
Translation: Jeremiah Bourque
Adaptation: Jamie S. Rich
Publisher: Tokyopop

I have been a huge fan of GONZO since Blue Sub 6. Something about the eyes and fluid motion of their characters that gets me hooked. Not to mention the well done placement of CG effects makes for some nice visuals. The basic premise of the original Burst Angel show is a simple one: Really Hot pseudo-mercenary agents in the near future taking down bad guys. Jo and Meg are every man’s fantasy come true; hot chicks with really big guns with enough sexual tension between them that keeps everyone at the edge of their feet. The manga keeps the same upbeat flow of the show. Plenty of things happen in just one volume; a kidnapping, recovering stolen property, and eventually helping a boy with personal problems. However, as much as happens in this volume, not much changes within the characters. They all seem one dimensional stereotypes that never seem to get out of their shell. I’m also not sure how I feel about the art because the characters look a lot younger than they are supposed to and the panels seem off during action sequences. While it’s not as classic as Gunsmith Cats or interesting as Gunslinger Girl, it was still a fun read for any fans of the show and fans that just enjoy hot chicks with guns. B-

Faust vol.1
Creators: Various
Translations: Various
Publisher: Del Rey

While Omar was too busy reading Buddha, he handed me this manga three weeks ago. Well, what I assumed was a manga, but turned out to be more of a work of collected fiction. I was a little overwhelmed by the size of this book and had no clue what any of these stories were about. I recognized CLAMP but that was the only name in this huge group of creators. It’s not only a book, but it also collects manga, interviews, columns, and other bonus stuff any fan of the genre would enjoy. It’s 430 plus pages of pure literary journal that ranges from bizarre to the kick ass. Don’t let the 400 pages intimidate you; most of the stories are written in the light novel style(which means fast reading and stories that will have you hooked from the beginning). There is a xxxHolic tie-in story written by NisioisiN. Kouhei Kadono of Boogiepop fame wrote a story called Outlandos d’Amour; probably the least interesting of the stories. While the story is simple; a guy that can see when other people are in danger, the narration just seems to be everywhere. Not sure if this is more to do with the translation or the actual way the story was told. I have to say that by far I was taken by surprise by the story called Drill Hole in My Brain by Otaro Maiijo. It’s a unique story about a kid named Hideaki Kato who gets a screwdriver driven into his head by his mom’s lover. Somehow this leads him into the head of his alter ego, who happens to be a superhero with a hole in his head. Reminded me of Being John Malkovich, FLCL, and Black and White. Sure it’s kind of messed up, but it’s the good kind of messed up. Now, if manga is more of your thing, worry not. There is some in the back of the book and the color pages in take should be enough to make you buy this buy. They are completely breath taking. I was pleasantly surprised by this little bundle of collected works and can’t wait for the second volume. A

Princess Ai Encounters
Created by: D.J. Milky & Courtney Love
Stories: Various
Publisher: Tokyopop

I was never a big fan of the original Princess Ai series. While the artwork was completely gorgeous, the story always felt lacking. But when you throw in as many creators that this book had; the stories range from bad to great. Princess Ai was the story of an alien girl that couldn’t remember anything about her past. She for some reason decides to become a rock star at Club Cupid, where she falls in love with Kent. Encounter is the perfect title for this book, because the Princess Ai characters do encounter other OEL Tokyopop characters. There are eight stories included in this book and a nice little preview of Princess Ai: The Prism of Midnight Dawn. While some of the stories really didn’t add anything to the already established series, there are some wonderful new moments. Sang-Sun Park adds the Princess and her boyfriend to his own manga The Tarot Café, a manga I really enjoyed reading. A Midnight Opera Thanatos by Hanzo Steinbach was such a great read. It was nice to see the team up to stop Armageddon. The art by Hanzo is simply amazing and really easy to follow. My cat Loki Roadtrip by Bettina Kurkoski was a really nice change of pace. It mixes comedy and the music style of the original series quiet well. I have to say that I really enjoyed this series so much more than the original book. While I haven’t read some of these OEL books, it really makes me want to see what else Tokyopop has to offer. Fans of Ai will already be picking this book up, but I recommend it for fans of anthology collections made by some of the top creators of OEL manga. A-

Batman 680 Review

So I think Grant Morrison is Doctor Hurt. I was going to start this review by saying he was the Joker but the ending of this issue forced me to go with Dr. Hurt. In a lot of ways this might be the best Batman comic I have ever read. However, in a lot of ways this might be the worst Batman comic I have ever read. If you’re just going to give up and concede to one of those sentences without thinking about the other than you’re really narrowing your perception of what’s going on in the book.

By now most people who really cared have googled Zur En Arrh just to see what they come up with and therefore have found the picture of the Batman from planet Zur En Arrh. So clearly Morrison was serious when he said that he believes that everything is in continuity, and I think that Batman RIP, as well as his whole Batman run, is his way of making everything, literally everything, fit in some way. I think it’s a good idea but has been executed way too fast for anyone to really wrap their head around in one setting.

I liked how Batman addressed Bat-mite by calling into question his entire existence. I really liked how Bat-mite turned the tables and basically said that being Batman’s imagination and being an alien from the 5th dimension is the same thing. I still have yet to figure out what Bat-mite meant when he said he couldn’t go into Wayne Manor because he is the symbol of reason and there is no place for reason inside the mansion. For symbol of reason that…didn’t…make…much sense. But I do think it addresses an ongoing theme with this arc, reason and connectivity are all over the place, and at the same time nowhere at all. Morrison seems to be playing off of some ideas of Chaos Theory.

I think the best quote to sum up this issue, this arc, and Morrison’s run comes from the Joker, “The real joke is your stubborn, bone deep conviction that somehow, somewhere, all of this makes sense!” Maybe the joke is on me, maybe its on this review, or on you for reading it. Yeah think about that when you try to go to bed at night!!!

All in all, I’m having a lot of fun with this arc. I know some people hate it, and I can see why they do, but does it really have to stop you from having fun with it? I love how the villains who were inspired by the Joker totally got fucked by the Joker; it’s exactly what you expect to happen because it’s the fucking Joker! Batman had a meet and greet dinner with all his inspired comrades, Joker kills his, nothing random about that it’s just how the world works. And the Joker is so perfectly twisted in this issue. All Star Joker with his lame ass tattoo would totally get rocked by regular continuity Joker. Tony Daniel’s art is perfect for this book, he managed to make a purple Batman still look like someone you don’t want to fuck with. B-

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