Rocket Bomber - manga

originally written for and posted on Comicsnob.com [Dec ’06 – May ’08]

Amazing Agent Luna, Vol. 1
Published by: Seven Seas Entertainment
Writers: Nunzio DeFilippis & Christina Weir
Artist: Shiei (Carmela Doneza)

192 (166) pages.
Original Language: English
Orientation: Right to left
Vintage: February 2005
Tones: Jay Jimenez
Background Assists: Roland Amago
Lettering: Michael David
Cover & Layout Design: Culture Crash
Editor: Jason DeAngelis
Publisher’s Rating: Teen

Rating: 3 out of 5

##

Premise: Luna (she of the title) is a genetically modified, specially trained, and awfully cute teen secret agent who has to go undercover for what may be her most challenging assignment: High School.

Synopsis:

We open in Paris, where Luna is infiltrating the Bruckenstein embassy, to find out what nefarious scheme the evil Count Von Brucken is hatching this week. The covert op is a bit of a wash, in that Luna got some good leads, but missed an even better opportunity. Her handler, known to Luna as “Control” (and to others as agent Jennifer Kajiwara) is a bit miffed that Luna didn’t manage a home run, and lets her know it. Luna’s poor little secret agent spirit is crushed (she’s only 15, after all)

The leads obtained in Paris point to Nobel High School, where the sons and daughters of the world’s elite get schooled, while their parents are busy running the planet. Given her age and appearance, Luna is ideal for this undercover mission –- except, she’s never really left the base before. High school is hostile and unknown territory.

As part of her cover, Control is now “Mom”, and thus able to provide close support. (Or nagging; I mean, she’s still Luna’s handler.) Fortunately, at least for Luna, “Dad” is Dr. Andy Collins, staff psychiatrist and one of the few who sees a vulnerable teenaged girl where others see only an agent.

With the support of her ersatz Mom and Dad, and a few new friends, Luna may just be able to survive high school. But social cliques can be at least as tough to figure out as the machinations of evil masterminds, and this isn’t going to be the quick in-and-out assignment Control was hoping for.

…Especially when Jonah von Brucken, the hunky son of yes, that von Brucken, arrives on campus as the latest transfer student.

##

Review:

I’m reaching a bit further back on the shelf for today’s review, but if you haven’t read it yet then it’s still new to you, right? Luna was one of the first titles out of Seven Seas, and alongside No Man’s Land and Last Hope (previously reviewed) might be considered as that company’s “statement” as to what OEL manga is, and might become.

(Or I’m completely off base. I invite comments.)

Besides, vol. 4 of Amazing Agent Luna should street in about 4 months or so, so I get to lay a little ground work now before I do a series overview when I get around to that latest release in June.

Let me heap some praise on both the writers and the artist first: I like Luna, she’s fun. The dynamic between her and Control is also good, but what makes it stand out is the addition of Dr. Collins. His doubting voice in the literally live-or-die world of high-stakes espionage is what makes Luna a character, not just a spy stereotype. And the cover story throwing all three together in one house as a “family”: genius, straight up.

It only seems predictable on our end. After the fact of course it seems like a natural or inevitable setup, but that only reinforces my contention that the addition of this one bit character, “dad” in both name and role, is what makes the rest of the character development work.

And the art is great. I really liked it, and the character designs. “Shiei” isn’t Japanese (at least, I don’t think she is…) but her art is. Talk about nailing a style.

If Amazing Agent Luna has a weakness, it’s that everything feels a little too familiar. The execution of the concept is good, but even the juxtaposition of secret career and high school life has been done before. And while the use of stereotypical elements (like our villain, the Count) are a launching point for the comedy and character development that follows, this title does rely on a readers knowledge of the spy-movie-conventions. The genre hasn’t been done to death, yet, and of course I like DeFilippis & Weir’s take on it, but for some there may not be enough original ideas in Luna to make it stand out.

I’m still giving it 3 marks. And I’m willing to up that rating, if subsequent volumes pay off on this début’s promise.

originally written for and posted on Comicsnob.com [Dec ’06 – May ’08]

Archlord, Vol. 1
Published by: Tokyopop
Writer & Artist: Jin-Hwan Park

232 (184) pages.
Original Language: Korean
Orientation: Left to right
Vintage: 2005. US edition February 2007.
Translation: Jennifer Hahm
Adaptation: Nathan Johnson
Layout & Lettering: Star Print Brokers
Production Artist: Mike Estacio
Cover Layout: Jason Milligan
Editor: Luis Reyes
Publisher’s Rating: Teen, Ages 13+

Rating: 2 out of 5

##

Premise: A human, a half-orc, and an elf have to overcome historic differences to save… heck, I could have stopped at the word “elf”.

Synopsis:

Five mystic gemstones, the Archons, can bestow fantastic power on those that possess them. Long ago, heroes quested for the stones, and they were set in weapons of power forged to make the most of their magics.

Fast forward a few centuries.

One of these mystic weapons –- Brumhart, the sword that houses the Archon of Fire –- has been tied to the line of Nathan of Manas for generations. Leon, last of that line save for his infant son, has been killed, and the Brumhart is taken — though it seems that it can only be properly wielded by someone of Nathan’s blood.

Didn’t I mention an infant son?

Fast forward 15 years… (can we start the story yet? geesh.)

Anyway, the rest of volume one has an introductory scene where we meet the trio who will presumably become our main characters, and a whole lot of side story. At least as much time is spent following the sword Brumhart, and the man who now holds it.

##

Review:

I would call this stereotypical, formulaic fantasy, but we haven’t even started the going-by-the-formula-bit yet. The heroes are introduced (the two guys — human and half-orc –- who just happen to be childhood friends, and a pretty elven archer) but most of the book follows Vile Traitorous Evil (not his real name) as he quests to make the sword truly his own.

(Actually, that’d be a good book. Evil wins, but has to use his usurped powers to fight Even Greater Evil. I should make a note and write that one, a sort of take on or homage to Moorcock’s Elric.)

But as much as I’d like to see something new, alas, our friend Vile Evil is not the hunking mass in armor featured on both the front and back covers. Someone else gets to be the hero, and the mythic model suggests it is the lost babe, now grown into an irresponsible slacker of a teen. He’s been raised in the “haunted” forest by his “grandfather”, the sorcerer Kenneth.

I’ve read this story a thousand times before. I know more or less how it is going to end. I’ll likely read the rest of this particular iteration anyway, because the art is decent and I like epic fantasy even if I do find myself rolling my eyes a bit at aspects of this one.

originally written for and posted on Comicsnob.com [Dec ’06 – May ’08]

Review: Pantheon High, vol. 1
Published by: Tokyopop
Writer: Paul Benjamin
Artists: Steven and Megumi Cummings

192 (160) pages.
Original Language: English
Orientation: Left to right
Vintage: February 2007
Lettering: Lucas Rivera
Cover Art: Steven Cummings
Cover Design: Fawn Lau
Editor: Paul Morrissey
Publisher’s Rating: Older Teen, 16+

Rating: 4 out of 5

##

Premise: Demigods face all kinds of challenges. At Pantheon High, the half-mortal, half-divine offspring of all your favourite dusty mythological powers get an education and learn invaluable social skills, though a few bad apples might occasionally attempt to upset the entire natural order and abrogate undue unholy powers upon themselves… Bad Kids! [*wrist slap*] Detention for you!

Synopsis:

…actually, I think the ‘premise’ blurb just about covers it. And a lot of the fun of this one is figuring out just who you’re dealing with (and how their parents’ baileywicks translate into high school, as seen through the filter of the representative scions).

Let’s just say that 4 baddies (daughters of Kronos and Loki, and sons of Set and Susano) are making their play, and while it seems like more-or-less innocent pranking to begin with, things soon get deadly serious.

So it is up to our heroes — one descendant each from the Greek, Egyptian, Norse, and Japanese pantheons — to work together and thwart the evil scheme. Good triumphs over evil, duh, but there are sacrifices, transformations, and inevitable fan service to consider before we get to a more or less happy ending.

##

Review:

It’s the side jokes that make this one so much fun, from Principal Prometheus & Hercules as a Gym Coach, to “Hall Monitor” Heimdahl (I may be one of just three or four people on this continent who laughed out loud at that last one)

Even if it’s all Greek (Norse, Egyptian, Japanese) to you, I think you’re going to like this book. Enough explanation is given, in context and as needed, and a fair amount of familiar myth (Greek and Norse) is applied for the important story points. And even if you strip all that away, there is still the underlying plot, where superpowered high school students save the world — That’s one part of this story that I know you’ll get.

The book also comes with a whole mess of end notes, which I doubt anyone will reference as they read (at least the first time) though like many other “translation” notes, it’s a handy coda to explain a few fine points you may have glossed over on a first read. The extras also include a ten-page preview of Volume 2, which ably shows that this isn’t just a one-off gimmick, and that the writers have deeper plans for both these characters and this concept.

Good show all around. 4 marks out of 5.

originally written for and posted on Comicsnob.com [Dec ’06 – May ’08]

I knew things would slow down, but Viz has some steady releases throughout February (15 this week); Del Rey, DMP, and CMX will also check in before the end of the month; and shock-and-amazement CMX has some titles out early (as in this week) –at least for the bookstores. Your LCS is likely hosed again.

And sure as giant robots require hot young teenage pilots, Tokyopop will open up the firehose on us again in a few weeks’ time.
And: There is a reason for the “manga-ish” qualifier on my list. Oh, a “For Dummies” book may be bad enough, but I know that I’m going to catch some flack for including Nancy Drew.

Manga (& Manga-ish) Releases for 4 February to 10 February, 2007

Absolute Boyfriend, Vol. 3 — Viz Media — $8.99
Aishiteruze Baby, Vol. 6 — Viz Media — $8.99
Bleach, Vol. 17 — Viz Media — $7.95
Buso Renkin, Vol. 4 — Viz Media — $7.99
Cain Saga, Vol. 3 — Viz Media — $8.99

Claymore, Vol. 6 — Viz Media — $7.99
D. Gray-man, Vol. 4 — Viz Media — $7.99
Eyeshield 21, Vol. 12 — Viz Media — $7.99
Godchild, Vol. 4 — Viz Media — $8.99
Kaze Hikaru, vol. 4 — Viz Media — $8.99

Knights of the Zodiac (Saint Seiya) Vol. 19 — Viz Media — $7.95
Manga for Dummies (instructional) — Wiley, John & Sons, Inc. — $19.99
Nana, Vol. 5 — Viz Media — $8.99
Nancy Drew #8: Global Warning — Papercutz — $12.95 hardcover, $7.95 paperback
Omukae Desu, Vol. 3 — CMX — $9.99

Princess Princess, Vol. 2 — DMP — 12.95
Swan, Vol. 9 — CMX — $9.99
Tail of the Moon, Vol. 3 — Viz Media — $8.99
the All-new Tenchi Muyo, Vol. 10 — Viz Media — $9.99
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Duelist, Vol. 19 — Viz Media — $7.95

##

Questions, concerns, corrections? It’s what the comment feature is for.

This week I’m actually reading stuff from last week: Archlord, Pantheon High, continuations of Angel Cup and Air Gear. On order are Enchanter, two volumes of Tail of the Moon, and two of Penguin Revolution.

I’m also seriously looking at Boys Be, which will be an investment if I like it (T’pop released vol. 12 last week; doubt I’ll like it that much) but I figure it can’t hurt to pick up the first two books.

originally written for and posted on Comicsnob.com [Dec ’06 – May ’08]

Hibiki’s Magic, Vol. 1
Published by: Tokyopop
Writer: Jun Maeda
Artist: Rei Idumi

236 (224) pages.
Original Language: Japanese
Orientation: Right to left
Vintage: 2005. US edition January 2007.
Translation: Alexis Kirsch
Adaptation: James S. Rich
Copy Editor: Stephanie Duchin
Layout & Lettering: Bowen Park
Production Artist: Michael Paolilli
Cover Layout: James Lee
Editor: Carol Fox
Publisher’s Rating: Teen, Ages 13+

Rating: 2 out of 5

##

Premise: Hibiki (she of the title), as the only research assistant of Master Shirotsuki, is immediately offered a job at the Kamisaid Magic Academy –- but she’s just a kid, and while everyone assumes she learned much from Shirotsuki…

(may contain spoilers)
Synopsis:

Here’s the fallout from the first chapter: Shirotsuki, doing research into immortality, is interrupted at a crucial stage in his latest magic experiment by some ruffians who were looking to loot his home. Things go wrong, and the place goes up in flames; but part of the experiment is successful and Shirotsuki’s soul now resides in a small squirrel-like rodent. Hibiki still has her master’s emotional support, but for all practical purposes is now on her own.

She and the squirrel-mage (who can’t talk, for which this reader is thankful) make their way to the capital, where Hibiki sets about looking for work. She doesn’t have to look for long, and in fact work comes looking for her. The Director of the Kamisaid Magic Academy has sent people out to find Hibiki, since she is the only assistant of the noted (and presumed dead) Master Shirotsuki.

The twist is that she’s just a kid, and while everyone assumes otherwise, she can’t really do magic. She’ll even admit this on several occasions; when asked specific questions she just says, “I don’t know.” Director Asuma is a bit of an odd character, so maybe he just doesn’t mind.

She spends a short time as a member of the research faculty (which doesn’t work out) before being transferred to a teaching post. This leads to a confrontation with a jaded student who doesn’t believe in the value of magic anymore.

Hibiki accepts a challenge (magic vs. technology, in the form of a gun) and manages to win with a little timely help from her rodent-master. While she gets rebuked for dueling students, the incident proves her worth as a teacher, in her own unconventional way, and it seems that Hibiki won’t be fired anytime soon.

And we’re only halfway through the book.

The following three chapters deal with the creation of Homunculi, artificial beings once used as weapons on the battlefield. Hibiki meets a mage doing research in the field in an effort to replace a lost child. She just wants to help, so she gives it a try. The result is that a cute child mage (again with help from the squirrel) manages to produce an even smaller, cuter homunculus… with a humorous personality twist…

##

Review:

If I were reading an all-text treatment of this story, without benefit of visuals or any note of Hibiki’s age, I’d guess she was 12 or 13. Maybe a shade younger. Looking at art in the book (which doesn’t mention an age) I might go with 8 or 9, but it’s so hard to tell with a manga style that makes it hard to pin an age on anyone.

If you can get past the fact that someone wants to hire an 8 year old to work on the faculty of a magic school just because her old master was such a big name in the business, well, the rest of the book is going to be fun. If you happen to like cute (as in, Sanrio style cute) then you’re even better off.

In this case, judge the book by the cover: There she is. If you want to read more about Hibiki then you will be treated to a light but surprisingly thoughtful comedy that deals more with what people feel, and healing the pain of souls, than of magic on it’s own.

If Hibiki instead induces a diabetic coma because she’s just too sweet for your tastes, you’ll likely be able to tell that from the art style displayed on the cover. (Hibiki isn’t even the worst example of the oh-so-cute style that I’ve encountered: there is the aptly named Sugar, a Snow Fairy which is in it’s 3rd manga volume and runs 26 episodes on DVD. Just in case you need a reference)

Hibiki is going to be a fun read for most manga fans, but won’t appeal to all. While I’m only giving the title 2 marks out of 5, if you like über-cute characters or were a fan of harry-potterish magic fantasy then you might mentally add a point or two.

originally written for and posted on Comicsnob.com [Dec ’06 – May ’08]

Review: 0/6 (zero/six) Vols. 1 & 2
Published by: Netcomics
Writer & Artist: Youjung Lee

176 (162) & 192 (180) pages.
Original Language: Korean
Orientation: Left to right
Vintage: 1998. US editions December 2005 and March 2006.
Translation: Jane Choi (1) & Jeanne (2)
Graphic Designer: Eunsoon Cheon
Editor: Jason Lee Oakes (1) & Philip Daay (2)
Publisher’s Rating: Ages 13+

Rating: 3 out of 5

##

Premise: Boy, Moolchi, meets Girl (Robot?) Jong-e. She knows Kung Fu. She claims that her job is to protect Moolchi, which she does any way she can.

Synopsis:

Moolchi Ga is every bully’s favourite target: He is easy to beat up, always willing to fork over a little cash, and his athletic prowess is only developed to the point of being able to run away. He gets beat up daily.

One day after his beating, he comes home and is asked to sign for a package. A large package. Jong-e, to be exact. At first, she doesn’t move, which worries Moolchi a little. When she does start to move, he gets worried a lot. She beats up the bullies for him, which doesn’t solve his problem or improve their attitude. She follows him to school, which leads to more misunderstandings, a few more beatings, and another set of problems.

Jong-e either learns quickly, or is slowly gaining more and more of her personality the longer she is up and operating. While in chapter 3 her movements are still stiff, and her conversation skills severely lacking, by the end of volume one she is not only talking, but talking back, and it’s apparent this isn’t just some living doll sent to serve her ‘master’ but a much more complex problem, and relationship, for Moolchi to deal with.

Of course, Moolchi is changing, too. In volume two, he finds that he’s grown somewhat suddenly overnight, and he is both more capable and maybe, more attractive to the chicks. Kanghee Song is a girl who always sort-of liked Moolchi (not that he noticed) but now that he has more confidence, it seems things are developing on that front, too.

And then things get really complicated. Let’s just say that when Jong-e was sent to protect him, it wasn’t because of the bullies, and scarier things will soon be getting off a plane that has recently landed in Korea…

##

Review:

This is a very different style than a lot of manga fans might be used to. Lee uses a lot more ink, with a rather decided preference for hand-drawn effects and shading, and only uses a few grey-scale tones– and those sparingly. (Oh, and the eyes are roughly normal-sized too, not big doe-eyed moë platters.) The art reminds me much more of an independent American comic than of most manga. The effect is off-putting at first, but easy enough to adapt to. I wasn’t even halfway in when I was much more taken by the story, rather than distracted by Lee’s artistic style.

The story can be distracting enough, on its own. I found myself, many times in just these two volumes, thinking, “Oh. so it’s going to be that kind of comic,” when just 20 or so pages later, Lee takes my expectations, blows his nose with them, and tosses them out like yesterday’s trash.

I think he’s doing it on purpose. And the larger story, the one where forces unknown are converging on Moolchi for reasons unknown, still waits in the shadows like some hungry grue, and we the readers are given only scraps and crumbs as to how that’ll play out. There is so much going on in the meantime, though, that you can almost forget the vaguely-outlined frame story that brought (well, shipped) Jong-e to Korea in the first place.

With the high school drama and first romances, along with the occasional fight scene, and the usual hints and peeks (PG-13 teasing)–plus the whole boy and his robot angle–we might be justified in thinking that this is just another teen comedy manga. Except it’s manhwa, and I doubt anything will be manga-generic like we expect. Writer/artist Lee isn’t going to let us off that easy.

originally written for and posted on Comicsnob.com [Dec ’06 – May ’08]

Innocent W, Vols. 1 & 2
Published by: Tokyopop
Writer & Artist: Kei Kusunoki

208 (190) & 224 (198) pages.
Original Language: Japanese
Orientation: Right to left
Vintage: 2004. US editions September 2006 and January 2007.
Translation: Christopher North
Adaptation: Daniel Mishkin
Production Artist, vol. 1: Jihye “Sophia” Hong
Retouch & Lettering, vol. 1: Jennifer Carbajal
Layout & Lettering, vol. 2: Star Print Brokers
Cover Layout & Design: Louis Csontos
Editor: Paul Morrissey
Publisher’s Rating: Older Teen, 16+

Rating: 2 out of 5

##

Premise: Six witches, a few innocent bystanders, and Makoto Hirasaka (uncanny private eye) find themselves stranded in the mountains, lost, and hunted. And then things get deadly serious.

Synopsis:

Makoto took the job from the lovely young lady who happened into his office; it seemed like an easy paycheck. Ride the 5 o’clock bus on a particular line, and find the witch.

Except there’s more than one witch. And this particular bus is going way off it’s usual route. And it all gets weirder from here.

It almost sounds like an odd game show: survive the challenges, be the last witch standing, and inherit the title of all powerful witchdom. Except… the witches all want to survive, and are willing to work together against the psychos, witch-hunters, revenge-nuts, and the animated near-dead to beat this thing and come out as a group. Methinks whoever set this up is not amused.

Through two volumes there have been casualties on both sides, and a few twists and reveals along the way. Through it all, the pragmatism and ever calm attitude of detective Makoto is the one thing that seems to be keeping the small group together, though it remains to be seen if anyone will come down out of the mountains alive.

##

Review:

I’m not a big fan of horror comics. The gimmick/set-up here is pretty neat, though, and the past lives of each of the witches (Makoto included) all have a bearing on current events, and why these particular souls are in the mountains for this witchhunt. It plays out on a psychological level every bit as much as a physical or metaphysical one.

And the blood. And the gore. And the walking bodies, the spirits, the psycho killers and axe murderers and oy… [*swoon*]
It’s all a bit much. Though despite that (or perhaps because of the background carnage) the emotions and interplay between characters is heightened, and in volume two there are a number of twists that I’d like to see play out. You know, provided Kusunoki doesn’t just kill off those characters.

It’s a comic with a small cast, and a small but proportionately high body count. Don’t get too attached to any one character, because she will be dead or psychologically scarred in a matter of pages.

And the aforementioned blood, and gore, and bugs… It’s not a comic for the squeemish. But if a good horror show –- with some solid character studies –- is what you’re looking for, you’ve found it.

originally written for and posted on Comicsnob.com [Dec ’06 – May ’08]

Elemental Gelade, vols. 1 & 2
Published by: Tokyopop
Writer & Artist: Mayumi Azuma

192 (172) & 196 (178) pages.
Original Language: Japanese
Orientation: Right to left
Vintage: 2002. US editions July and November 2006.
Translation: Alethea (1 & 2) and Athena (2) Nibley
Adaptation: Jordan Capell
Copy Editor: Peter Ahlstrom (1) & Stephanie Duchin (2)
Retough & Lettering: Jose Macasocol, Jr. (1) & Bowen Park (2)
Production Artist: Fawn Lau (1) & Jennifer Carbajal (2)
Graphic Designer: James Lee
Editor: Troy Lewter
Publisher’s Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5

##

Premise: Special beings, the Edel Raid, are capable of combining with their partners to form impressive ass-kicking combat combos. Maybe it’s obvious that the edels are sought out by a number of forces, to add their power to the cause. This puts Cou (a third tier air-pirate) in a tight spot, since he just found Ren (one of the aforementioned edel raid) and while he and Ren seem to hit it off, there is a whole world out there that objects to their growing relaionship…

Synopsis:

The story opens with a raid. The Red Lynx, a crafty crew of Sky Pirates, is in the closing stages of knocking over a manor and absconding with the loot. It is in this context that we are introduced to Cou, a junior member of the gang, but one with an inflated sense of self importance: while the other members are professionally and efficiently cleaning out the treasury, Cou took it upon himself to crash through a window and start monologing to the manor’s owner about greed and fat and, “Hey! Wait, guys! don’t leave me!”

Cou isn’t the sharpest sabre in the pirate arsenal.

Back on ship, and presumably just a few minutes later, Cou is walking by the ship’s treasury and notices the door standing ajar, and unlocked. Curiosity gets the better of him, so he takes a peek at the recent haul, “accidentally” opens an old chest, and accidentally finds and wakes a girl inside. She’s Ren. She doesn’t say much, and doesn’t explain anything (like, for starters, how and why she was spending so much time in a dusty old box) but she does say that she must get to a place called Edel Garden.

And just a few minutes after that, agents of Arc Aeil, who introduce themselves as an Edel Raid Protection Agency, board the Red Lynx’s ship, and offer to buy Ren. When negotiations along those lines fail (mostly because Cou objects to selling people) the boarders decide to go with their fallback position: violence. Lots of it. Not surprisingly, after some bulkhead rending and explosions of the fair to middling variety, the ship slowly crashes– so everyone manages to get off and seems to be unhurt, but still, a bad day for the Red Lynx.

Ren and Cou find themselves grounded, separated from his crew, and stuck with the agents who just crashed both ships in a fight that they instigated. As agents of this “protection” agency (since they no longer have the means to take Ren back) they plan to monitor her and Cou instead, presumably until they get another ship or some other way to return home.
The cliffhanger from volume one leads right into action in volume two, which opens with a duel between fighters and their edel raids.

The slower pace of volume two, where Cou and Ren are forced to slog their way along the ground with Cisqua, Rowen, and Kuea (of Arc Aiel, so recently their enemy) leads to an understanding of sorts between the two camps, and an uneasy alliance when both Ren and Kuea are targeted in the town of Mamfe by an Edel Raid hunter…

##

Review:

I like sky pirates. My all-time favourite Miyasaki film is Porco Rosso. Maybe it’s the engineer in me (I don’t have an engineering degree from Tech but the time spent serving out my sentence there during my formative years will forever handicap colour my later life) but Miyasaki’s sky pirates are always welcome, whether we consider his movies Porco Rosso & Castle in the Sky, or other anime like Last Exile… and Elemental Gelade.

I was a bit unfair in what I originally posted (much of the current review is an edit and re-write from 2/1, the following day) so let me address a few of those points first:

“So much goes on in the first volume that past the bond formed between Ren and Cou, we the readers are likely to get just as lost as the characters.”

Yes, it’s fast paced, with plenty of action scenes. The reader is plopped down right in the middle with little in the way of background or explanation offered. I was lost on a first read, but I got a lot more out of the title after coming back to it, and noticed some nuances of character that I guess I had missed the first time through. So in that light, I guess that this title will improve in future volumes as familiarity with the characters and premise aid the reader in making sense of the briskly moving, action-driven story.

By the end of volume two, we know the bond between Ren and Cou is going to be the crux of the rest of the series, the temporary truce between Cou and Cisqua is bound to be more or less permanent, and the drip of information from Azuma to the reader will continue in so slow a fashion that even after the series is done, we’re still going to have questions.

originally written for and posted on Comicsnob.com [Dec ’06 – May ’08]

Snow, Vol. 1
Published by: Tokyopop
Writer & Artist: Morgan Luthi

192 (184) pages.
Original Language: English
Orientation: Left to right
Vintage: October 2006

Lettering: Lucas Rivera
Cover Layout: James Lee
Editor: Paul Morrissey
Publisher’s Rating: Teen, ages 13+

Rating: 3 out of 5

##

Premise: Hub is an overlooked planet way on the edge of known space, so far out in fact that the galactic force known as the Warmongers haven’t even bothered to conquer it. Yet.

Synopsis:

Luthi opens the book with the Warmonger’s new weapon, the Ghost, rendering an entire civilized planet to smoking rubble. It’s a fun 24 pages.

The story proper begins with the man who calls himself Snow as he first arrives on Hub, like many other refugees just looking for a chance to start over. Local government is of the warlord/mafia variety, living in the streets appears to not only be a viable choice but perhaps the preferred one, and the economy is running on a cash-or-blood basis. Refuse City, the “ass end of the universe”, is a better place than just about anywhere else for someone who doesn’t want to be found, to lay low.

After a few run-ins with both some angry street vendors, and also one of the local gangs, Snow soon finds himself throwing his lot in with the Crows, the one gang on the entire planet that is run by “good” guys. I mean, they still steal and stuff, but there is a Robin-hood-flavoured community outreach aspect to the violence they employ.

The Crows’ boss is Katarina “call me Kat”, who looks three-and-a-half different kinds of too cute and normal to be running a gang, even one with aspirations of virtue. She sets up Snow with a job and a place to stay, and he quickly becomes a part of the community. It all seems to be sliding into an alien brand of normal when of course, the Warmongers finally get around to Hub.

There is a reveal in chapter 4 that most of us can guess, followed by a touch of romance, some 10-story tall robots, the bulk of the action sequences and some rather decisive ass-kicking. The book closes as the characters and story reset to zero (well, the new status quo) and the hook for volume two is introduced.

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Review:

I wasn’t tricked — I flipped through the book before buying it — but this isn’t manga. It’s a 5 × 8, 190 page paperback from Tokyopop, but Luthi and Snow are firmly in the American camp. There are some manga touches, and that along with the clean, simple art (ready for TV animation, hint hint) remind me quite a bit of CN’s Teen Titans — a comparison that you can take as a recommendation or a condemnation, depending on your point of view. The sci-fi background, where humans and aliens rub elbows (tentacles, whatever) in a world that is different from but so much like our modern one also reminds me of Futurama. (…which you can take as a recommendation, etc…)

While I could pitch this Hollywood-style “It’s a mix of TT and Futurama, baby, but with a manga bent!” that doesn’t really capture the book, or the story. There are touches of humour — like the Lungfish-Elvis-Impersonator, the boy bomb-bots, a Parrot-alien Pirate with a rat-faced mini humanoid riding on his shoulder — but even the outlandish humour is dark. The bright, clean artwork stands in contrast to what is actually a fairly bleak story.

It’s a quick read, and character development is little more than a passing thought, but it hits me in the right way in the right places. I enjoyed the book, and while I breezed through it on a first read, I find myself taking more from both the setting and the story with additional re-readings. I’m tempted to only give this book 2 marks, but I must be hungry for sci-fi titles because even a half-assed, half-comedy sci-fi title was greatly appreciated. 3 out of 5.