About Heroes

08: A Graphic Diary of the Campaign Trail
Story: Michael Crowley
Art: Dan Goldman
Publisher: Three Rivers Press

Okay okay, why am I reviewing this in the manga section? Well it’s the standard manga size book and it is in black and white; soooo that is my only reason. I read this book while I was a sick a couple of weeks ago and never had a chance to review it. I just kept pushing it off until I could take a time to devote to it. Like most people in the world Election 2008 was the first time I took so much interest in the race for the white house. I really didn’t see myself watching so many biographies on Barak Obama and John McCain, let alone reading books on them. Now that the election was over, I kind of wish I had read this book before election night. Done through the eyes of two fictional reporters this book really served as a reminder of how crazy and intense the election of 2008 was. It serves as a time capsule of each blow by blow event. It can’t really be considered a comic book or graphic novel retelling of the events because it works more like a slide-show focusing on main parts of the campaign trail. It is very fast-paced and done with a sense of enough experience to be covering the real election. While the artwork was great at times, sometimes I noticed Hilary Clinton looking more and more like a demon. But McCain, Bush, and Obama look dead on. I have to admit it was an enjoyable read and like I said it really did serve as a reminder about a great historical moment in this nation’s history, but it still didn’t have any sequential art; just a bunch of stills. B

Ai Yori Aoshi Volumes 1-3 Collection
Story & Art: Kou Fumizuki
Translation: Alethea & Athena Nibley
Publisher: Tokyopop

Being a fan of anime and manga comes with prices. There are certain genres of anime that I just don’t get, but I always end up liking some after reading a few issues or watching few episodes. Anything from maids to hentai and the harem anime/manga I just never got into. Ai Yori Aoishi (the title is a play on words Bluer than Indigo and love is thrown somewhere in there) happens to be a harem manga. All the hot sexy women are for some reason attracted to the dorky virgin kid. Kaoru Hanabishi is setting off to go to college when out of nowhere his childhood friend Aoi Sakuraba enters his life to be his wife. Apparently Kaoru’s late mother agreed for the two to get married. Since the two were escaping family duties they needed a place to live and money. Enter Miyabi Kagurazaki who offers them a place to live. A nice summer house for Aoi since her family owns the place and a little hut out back for Kaoru. In no time the summer house becomes a dormitory for Kaoru’s friends and classmates, who all happen to be hot chicks. Tina is an American hottie from Texas that is studying in Japan, Taeko becomes the clumsy house keeper at the summer house she even moves her little cousin in Chicka, and Mayu has had a crush on Kaoru since she was 12. What we have here is a normal story that doesn’t have any extra terrestrial invasions or magical twists. It turns out to be a very sweet story. I do enjoy seeing that all the girls are different in their own way. Aoi constantly agonizes whether or not her fiancée is going to accept her, but I really don’t know how this charm is going to last for more than six volumes though. I guess the only way to find out is to keep reading. If you liked Love Hina, Negima, and Maison Ikkoku you should definitely check this out. B

Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo volume 1
Manga: Mahiro Maeda
Scenario: Yura Ariwara
Planning: Mahiro Maeda & Gonzo
Translation: Gemma Collinge
Publisher: Del Rey

I have never seen the anime Gankutsuou, but I did have to read the Count of Monte Cristo when I was in middle school, oh so many years ago. The first thing I noticed is the dramatic change in artwork from the cover to the inside of the book. Sure the cover is full of beautiful colors, but it is also more detailed and defined than the sketchier looking inside artwork. This is not a bad thing, because the Maeda’s art is absolutely beautiful. It reminds me of something from the early days of Studio Ghibli and even has a dash of the art in Nausicca mixed with Moebius in there. The sketchy lines and rough outlines blend so well with the toning effect that Maeda creates a highly detailed world and gives life to each character. This art style might not be for everyone because it does take some getting used to if you are not used to it. The story is the same as Alexandre Dumas’ tale of betrayal and revenge, but it’s supposed to have a futuristic sci-fi twist. But it really doesn’t seem that way to me, because everything looks so 19th century Europe. The Count wants revenge against the families that conspired against him and imprisoned him for so many years. The story stays pretty faithful to the original, but it’s hard to keep up with such a vast amount of characters. There is just way too many to keep up with and while the art is lovely, it gets difficult to tell them apart sometimes. It’s a classic story with some great artwork so I will be following this series; I just hope they explain why the count has pointy ears. B

Orange Crows volume 1
Story: James Perry II
Art: Ryo Kawakami
Lettering: Lucas Rivera
Publisher: Tokyopop

There are times I’m so glad that manga has come a long way from the way it used to be when I first start reading it 20 years ago. Never in that time did I think I would live to see American’s writing and drawing their own manga. Not just Americans, but the OEL (Original English Language) line is all over the globe. Pretty much it serves as a means of finding talent in different places other than Japan. Orange Crows falls under the OEL category, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a strike against it. Over the last two years I have found to love some OEL, although I still don’t get the love for Megatokyo. The story centers around a witch named Cierra Pensblood and her exile to her Wilderness for having broken a sacred law of trying to create her own magic (and managing to scar herself and hurt her best friend in the process). After five years of surviving in the barren wasteland she returns to her old city only to realize that it’s not the same as she once left it. After five years of being absent her world is not the only that changed; now her old friend Natty Batsgrave is distant and Cierra’s dark side is awakening. The story is simple enough to follow and enjoy, but it’s really the possibility of this series becoming darker and darker. There are things laid out in the first volume that make me think that and Kawakami seems more than capable of drawing a different range of story-telling. The only problem I see is that at times the art can be a bit confusing and hard to follow. Fans of Negima, Harry Potter, Spiderwick Chronicles and His Dark Materials should check this title out. B

Vagabond VIZBIG Edition volume 1
Story & Art: Takehiko Inoue
Based on Eji Yoshikawa’s Musashi
Adaptation: Yuji Oniki
Publisher: Viz

I have no idea why I never got around to reading Vagabond. Being such a fan of manga like Blade of the Immortal, Kenshin, and Samurai Deeper Kyo I’m surprised I never checked it out. I had no idea it was based on Japan’s greatest (or at least most popular samurai) Musashi. Well at least the fictional Musashi as written by Eji Yoshikawa. Let me tell you, if you haven’t read Musashi, do yourself a favor and check it out. The story of Vagabond is one you’ve probably read many times before; it’s about the journey of Takezo, a young man, future master swordsman, who is in search of purpose and meaning to his life. At first he thinks to become the best swordsman means to challenge and defeat the best in the world. Takezo wanders from place to place, battling swordsman and other fighters all in his quest to become the strongest fighter alive. Some of these enemies become friends, and some friends become enemies. Sure it sounds like books and movies we have all watched before, but there are so many layers to this formulatic plot that makes everything fresh. But it’s the art that truly draws me in. It gives the book a fleeting and suspenseful sense of what’s going on in each panel. Inoue was born to draw samurai action and he does it so perfect. It is absolutely gorgeous, dense, and very detailed. These characters literally come to life with the help of his pencils and inks. It really does put you in this time and place. I’m so glad I waited to read this wonderful series it was well worth the wait. The first three manga are included in this big version that is oversized and at a fraction of the original cost. Anyone interested in Japanese culture, swordsmanship, or just likes a great story should check out this series. The color pages and the additional sketches really give you no reason to buy this series if you haven’t yet. A