This time, it’s personal!

Yes, I’m a little biased when it comes to the WB-produced Superman: The Animated Series (TAS), spearheaded by Bruce Timm and much of the Batman: TAS crew following that groundbreaking animated series. While I have no direct link to the show itself, I do have a (tenuous) connection — I was editing the Superman line of comic books for DC Comics during part of the time that this show was in production. Because of that, I got the privilege of reading (and approving for DC) many of the scripts for the series in advance. Occasionally, I even got the chance to kibitz a bit, as when one of the writers phoned my office to pick my brain on which members of the Legion of Super-Heroes (which I also edited) might be ready to make the leap to animation in the Superman episode “New Kids in Town”.

Even without this minor connection to the series, I would still say that this Superman series was the best Superman animation project ever made for TV. I would even go so far to say it was the best animated Superman ever. The original 1940s Fleischer cartoons are obviously amazing to watch — mostly because there was a lot of time, money, and effort thrown at them, especially early on. But I would say the WB version still has the overall edge, based on the quality of the writing of the series. (Some of the Fleischer cartoons are beautiful, but dumb.)

Although not known while the series was in production, this Superman series would eventually be known as the middle point of the trilogy of great DC superhero projects headed up by Timm, preceded by the groundbreaking Batman: TAS (and follow-ups). Then everything they learned on both Batman and Superman culminated in Justice League/ Justice League Unlimited.

Superman: The Complete Animated Series
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There was a lot of wonderful experimentation during the Batman years, but Superman: TAS was the lynchpin in opening up the entire DC Universe to this type of animation project. While the Batman series had a huge cast of supporting characters and recurring villains, very few guest stars actually appeared — and those tended to be on the quirky side, like Jonah Hex or Zatanna or the Demon. The Superman show, however, really opened up the the DCU in introducing Justice League members (The Flash) and science fiction concepts like the Legion of Super-Heroes and the GL Corps. Other DCU characters made their animated debuts, such as Lobo, Dr. Fate, and Aquaman. Plus, characters important to both the Superman “family” and the DCU — such as Steel and Supergirl — were also first seen in animated form here.

Significantly, many of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World concepts (Darkseid, Intergang, and the New Gods) are as strongly connected to this animated series as they were to the original comic books. As an added touch and tribute, Kirby himself becomes a part of the animated series as the visual basis for the Detective Dan Turpin character, another of Kirby’s creations. Turpin’s storyline throughout the series is one to watch for, cumulating in the episode “Apokolips… Now! Part II”, one of the series’ most moving and shocking moments. (And unfortunately edited in this DVD presentation, as Timm and company snuck in visuals of some non-DC Kirby characters, as well as some real-world Kirby fans and co-workers, who were altered or edited out after the episode first aired.)

The Presentation

Superman: The Complete Animated Series presents all 54 episodes in the exact same disc configuration as they were originally presented in separate sets: six discs (with three of the discs double-sided, so handle carefully!). The discs — rather than being labeled Discs 1-6 — are still labeled as Discs 1 & 2 (three times over), although the booklet lists the discs as 1-6. So if you’re looking for Disc 5, you are actually looking for Disc 1 of Volume Three. This is annoyingly sloppy.

The discs still contain all of the original material from the previous DVD presentation — including all of the previous special features and commentaries. Plus, there’s a seventh Bonus Disc in this collection, containing a brand-new 17-minute featurette. The Despot Darkseid: A Villain Worthy of Superman features Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, Rich Fogel, Alan Burnett, James Tucker, Stan Berkowitz, Glen Murakami, and others all talking about how much the Kirby Koncepts of Darkseid and the New Gods characters really brought something special to Superman, both in the animated show and the comics as well.

It should also be noted that the World’s Finest storyline where the animated Batman first met the animated Superman (later released as a separate video and DVD called The Batman Superman Movie) IS included on this set as three regular episodes of the Superman series. However, the Direct-to-DVD movie Superman: Brainiac Attacks is NOT a part of this collection (nor even really considered part of the overall DC Animated Universe continuity), despite its stylistic similarities to Superman: TAS and the use of many of the same voice actors (most notably Tim Daly and Dana Delaney). Today, Superman: Brainiac Attacks stands alone as a sort of forerunner to the current “series” of DC animated films, including Superman: Doomsday and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, but not really a part of them either. (Note: The latter two films are also not a part of the Superman: The Complete Animated Series collection.)

The Legacy

While Superman: TAS often seems like the lesser of the three great Timm-produced DC superhero series, it’s really an unfair label. Batman: TAS is held in high regard for being the first and blazing the trail, locking down the style and substance of how the DC Universe would look animated (and done right). Justice League simply wouldn’t exist at all without the development and “heavy lifting” that these Superman shows provided. Superman provides the key (as always) to unlocking the secrets and magic and majesty of what the DC Universe actually is. It’s cliche’ to say it, but Superman provides the light to balance Batman’s darkness, and without the two of them together to inspire, there simply aren’t any other DC heroes.

Looking at them critically, I think is fair to say that all three shows had their ups and downs: There are just a few too many Batman episodes which are leadenly paced, something that also happened with too many of the early one-hour Justice Leagues (although masked brilliantly with some spectacular action sequences). When you dig into them, I think that you might just find that some of the very best moments of the DCAU occur throughout Superman: TAS, whether is the pitch-perfect origin reenactment in the early episodes to the first meeting of the two icons in “World’s Finest”. The strength of the Superman character is that you can do the wacky episodes like “Mxyzpixilated” or “Bizarro’s World”, and they tend to counterbalance the more solemn events such as in the two-part “Apokolips… Now!” episodes or the super-charged series finale, “Legacy”. “Ghost in the Machine” is just a great episode — and the basis for a huge storyline in Justice League Unlimited. And the “Little Girl Lost” episodes are both touching and offer a starting point for Supergirl/Kara’s long-term growth as a character (also more fully developed over in the Justice League series).

The voice work in Superman: TAS is one of the series’ high points, including the wonderful acting from all three of the leads — Tim Daly as Superman/Clark Kent, Dana Delany as Lois Lane, and Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor. I love the fact that real-life couple Shelley Fabares and Mike Farrell play Ma and Pa Kent, and who can forget Gilbert Gottfried as Mr. Mxyzptlik or the amazing Ed Asner as Granny Goodness!

Superman’s Rogues Gallery isn’t as strong or unique as Batman’s, but some Superman foes — like Toyman in “Fun and Games” or Metallo in “The Way of All Flesh” — actually improved as villains in a way that the comics seemed incapable of doing. Live Wire was a great new villain developed on the show and later incorporated into the comics. And, of course, the animated version of Lex Luthor developed into another classic series character.

The animated versions of Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen did well by staying away from most of the annoying traits of the characters over the years (and many awful incarnations of same in other media). They turned up the spunk for them both here, making them active participants in the action. I really like their designs, although Lois’s very cute but extremely impractical (for the amount of flying and falling she does throughout the series!) pleated miniskirt makes her look more like a cheerleader than the top reporter of a major metropolitan newspaper! At least she’s not the frump she is traditionally portrayed as in the comics, and Jimmy is no longer the bow-tied geek boy.

Of course, we finally got to see the Legion of Super-Heroes animated. And done right. A dream come true for many of us long-time Legion fans. Thank you.

While Batman: TAS may have stranger villains and more moody gloom per square inch, and the Justice League may have the power and glory and more capes per capita, Superman: TAS has got them all beat in in one important area. This show has heart. (And not just the Kryptonite-powered ones either!)

(The studio provided a review copy.)

Classics Illustrated: The Raven
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Illustrated by Gahan Wilson
Papercutz, $9.95 US

Gahan Wilson’s tormented art seems like it would be an excellent choice for the emotionally haunting poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, but I was surprised to see how it was handled.

The shading shown on the cover is missing from the book’s interior. Instead, Wilson’s art is flatter, with less line weight variation. The most astounding element is the coloring, done in pastel yellow, pink, and blue. The result is Easter-eggy cute. I don’t associate cuddly with Poe, but that’s the feeling I’m left with here. It’s something like a child’s first melancholic reader. (There’s no credit given for the coloring.)

Normally, I like illustrated text for reading poetry, because the art, if well-chosen, adds an additional layer of meaning and interpretation. The pacing of the first poem, “The Raven”, is off, though, with the pictures showing a man reading and then a man opening a door. That’s two too-literal images for the first stanza, and then the next six are illustrated only by a picture of a raven. The next two, covering eight more stanzas, are the man staring at the raven, and then staring at a picture of a girl. And again, instead of black gloom, we get pastel pink chair and curtains. I guess it’s reassuring to the young, but for me, it was totally the wrong mood, almost funny.

With “Annabel Lee”, I was distracted by the silly seashell motif drawn decorating her tomb. “Lines on Ale” is a trifle, out of keeping with what one usually thinks of Poe. It’s shoved in with the others, when more spacing of presentation would aid in switching the mood. That’s true of many of the pages, where the text runs right into the image without enough white space to frame it.

Other poems included are “The City in the Sea”, “The Sleeper”, “The Conqueror Worm”, “The Haunted Palace”, “Alone”, and “Eldorado”, the lone dissenter from the color scheme I find so troubling. That one is done in bright red and gold, happy colors that had me reaching the end of the poem thinking “that’s it? What a letdown. Shouldn’t there be another 12 stanzas?” (There’s only four short ones.)

Graphic Classics: Oscar Wilde

Graphic Classics: Oscar Wilde
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Graphic Classics, $11.95 US

I know of Oscar Wilde, of course, but I know more about his life than I do his work. I think the only thing I’ve read of his is The Importance of Being Earnest (not included here). I was eager to see this volume because it includes work by Molly Kiely, a favorite of mine who usually draws porn. She illustrates Salome (adapted by series editor Tom Pomplun), which concludes the book. Before that, there’s

• The Picture of Dorian Gray, adapted by Alex Burrows, illustrated by Lisa K. Weber
• The Canterville Ghost, adapted by Antonella Caputo, illustrated by Nick Miller
• Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime, adapted by Rich Rainey, illustrated by Stan Shaw

All those creators I was also unfamiliar with, although I greatly appreciated finding out about Lisa K. Weber, who mainly does work for young people (such as Cricket magazine). I like her soft pencil work and characters driven by expressive eyes. She handles Dorian Gray admirably. I knew about the device of the picture, but I had no idea of the many other relationships and actions that drive the story.

Although these black-and-white adaptations, by nature truncated to fit more than one in this space, can be abrupt in mood changes, Weber does an excellent job drawing the characters aging in various ways, either visually/physically, or in attitude as they harden (Gray). It’s an affecting, attractive portrayal of corruption.

The Canterville Ghost uses its fantasy elements to satirize rude, rich Americans of the period, their fondness for branded and bottled preparations, and their trampling of great British traditions, including the family haunt. Given the many cultural references, notes would have been a help, but it’s funny enough without them. The art is posed and caricatured; it reminded me of something you might see in Mad magazine. Overall, it’s an amusing story that ends up being quite touching, and I’m glad it’s being retold.

Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime is even more exaggerated in its art style, to the extent that I found it hard to follow as a comic. The material is true to Wilde, making fun of how credulous aristocrats could be and following a silly premise to ludicrous conclusions.

Finally, Salome. The art was lovely, as I expected, but I found the text ponderous. I would have preferred more editing to lighten the content and reduce the amount of lines. It’s one thing to be true to the text, but a comic requires a different balance of words and art, so ultimately, I found this unsuccessful. Still, the volume overall has more enjoyment than not, and it’s an entertaining way to learn more about some of Oscar Wilde’s classics.

Jane Eyre: The Graphic Novel

Jane Eyre: The Graphic Novel
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By Charlotte Bronte
Adapted by Amy Corzine
Art by John M. Burns
Classical Comics, $16.95 US

Classical Comics takes an interesting approach to its versions of the classics — they release the same art with varying texts. This book, for example, is available in a Quick Text edition, with modern English edited down, or an unabridged Original Text edition. (In fact, there are four versions, since each set was originally done in British English and then redone, localized, for Americans.)

The books are handsome and substantial, with slick, heavy paper to show off the color art. The painted style suits the “classic” nature of the works. Comparing the two versions, it’s interesting to see how they handle the length differences, since the Quick Text is so much shorter than the Original. I expected the panels to look emptier without the longer captions and dialogue, but the transition is handled well. Most readers are going to buy only one or the other, anyway.

This is an attractive way to read what can be an intimidating novel. Background material covers the author’s life, tells a little bit about how this graphic novel was created, and points to teachers’ resources. That academic audience seems most likely for this work, as a way to interest reluctant students.

(Complimentary copies for this review were provided by the publishers.)

With volume three, Mechademia has finally hit its stride. This is the first issue without articles plagued by problems either in English grammar or argument construction. Finally, I was able to completely focus on the ideas being presented instead of getting frustrated with the mechanics. Mechademia has achieved a new level of excellence, and I’m going to hold them to this standard from now on.

Mechademia 3
Limits of the Human
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This volume further supports my argument that Mechademia should stop trying to develop a theme for each issue. I know it’s easier to solicit for papers if there are defined guidelines for authors. However, I feel that half of the articles in this volume clearly fall outside the motif of “exploring the limits of what it means to be a human and how these limits of humanness are constantly being redefined”. It takes some very convoluted reasoning to make the articles on manga aesthetics, Lolita fashion, and Taiwanese toy collecting fit the stated theme. This issue demonstrates that, in practice, Mechademia is willing to accept and publish articles that meet their quality standards even if they don’t fit the announced focus. So I say give up the pretext of having an overall arcing theme.

The one essay that I didn’t like was the opening piece by Mark C. Taylor, “Refiguring the Human”. It’s a shame, since I read and enjoyed his book Erring: A Postmodern A/theology in seminary. This essay is filled with circular reasoning and academic jargon. It all sounds profound, but scratch the surface and you find it is all veneer and no substance. I’m sorry to see Taylor’s writing devolve to such a state.

Michael Dylan Foster’s essay, “The Otherworlds of Mizuki Shigeru”, only breaks my heart. It seems that in the last year, everywhere I turn I’m confronted with Shigeru’s manga and art. It all started with the seeing an exhibit of his work and later getting books of the exhibit at the Kinokuniya Bookstore in NYC. Shigeru is not simply one of the great fathers of manga, but he has become a respected cultural authority in Japan. We’re really missing out on a significant author by not having any of his works in English. I hope this grave oversight will be corrected shortly.

Of course, this issue was guaranteed to please me, since there were multiple articles dedicated to two of my favorite creators, Osamu Tezuka and Oshii Mamoru. There are three articles discussing the works of Tezuka. I didn’t always agree with Yomato Inuhiko’s analysis of Tezuka, but he did highlight some interesting connections and deepen my hunger to have all of Tezuka’s works available in English, especially the early works where he was refining his craft. Otsuka Eiji’s essay on the two versions of Tetsuwam Atomu (Astro Boy) is wonderful. Lawrence Bird does a great job with the various versions of Metropolis on film and in print.

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence is one of the greatest movies of all time, let alone one of the greatest animated films of all time. It ranks up there with works like Fantasia and The Seventh Seal. Mamoru’s movies are the perfect blend of action and philosophical speculation. In fact, it would be easy to fill up a 500-page book with analysis of Innocence alone. There are two essays dedicated to Innocence in this volume, and it’s no surprise they’re my two favorite pieces. Both Sharalyn Orbaugh and Steven T. Brown write thick analytic pieces that were pure pleasures to read and think through. The philosophy wonk in me was in heaven. I look forward to further work by both authors. I hope at least one of them does a book length treatment of Innocence. I promise to buy the first copy.

Let me also mention the marvelous interview with Crispin Freeman at the end of the volume. Freeman is best know as a voice actor. His roles include Alucard in Hellsing, Hideki Motosuwa in Chobits, Togusa in Ghost in the Shell, and Ebisu in Naruto. He does a lecture called “Giant Robots and Superheroes: Maifestations of Divine Power, East and West” at conventions and universities. His theory is one I completely agree with, that a culture’s vision of a superhero is shaped by the dominant religion of that culture. The differences between the Japanese and American superhero traditions can be explained by the differences in the religious background of the two cultures. After reading this interview, I have to hear this lecture. I’m also hoping the Freeman will develop his thoughts into a book. His ideas are fascinating and I would love to see him explore them to their fullest possibilities.

Four articles were translated from Japanese scholastic writings on manga and anime. I hope that Mechademia will continue to fund translations. I love getting the insider’s perspective on Japanese culture. They’re able to bring to the discussion table a wealth of history and detail in their articles that American scholars haven’t acquired simply because they haven’t lived in Japan all their lives and naturally soaked up the culture.

I don’t want to make light of what Frenchy Lunning and the editors of Mechademia have accomplished in only three issues. They have started a new scholastic journal for an emerging field of academic study and by the third issue have achieve the quality found in other established scholastic journals. I’ve been, and will continue to be, a harsh critic because I care deeply about anime and manga and don’t want the university intelligentsia to think that this is an academic ghetto for people who couldn’t get degrees in ‘real’ subjects. Comics globally, not just in Japan and America, have shown themselves worthy of serious sustained study. I want Mechademia to be proof that comics are a literary form able to explore the deepest and most important aspects of
our humanity. So a heartfelt thank you to Lunning, the editors, and contributors of Mechademia for fighting the good fight. If I have been heated in my criticisms, it’s only in hopes of burning away the dross so the quality of the work can be above reproach.

If you love anime and manga and want to go beyond just the entertainment value of these art forms, then you must get a subscription to Mechademia. It will help you better understand the Japanese culture, history, religion, and philosophy behind these works. Thankfully, Mechademia is easily available through Amazon. You might even try to persuade your local library to subscribe to the magazine if they have a good manga collection. (A complimentary copy for this review was provided by the publisher.)

This month I celebrate my first year as a reviewer for Comics Worth Reading. Johanna asked if I would consider doing a reflections piece about my experiences. Kind of a “What have we learned, Charlie Brown?” entry. Let me start off with my theory of reviewing and then speak specifically about some of the challenges and joys this past year have brought.

What Makes a Review?

I see reviewing as a continuum where one end is the simple review and the other end is the extended critical essay. At its most basic, a review is simply a recommendation with a reason. “This book sucks.” isn’t a review; it’s barely a recommendation. “This book sucks. The art is bad.” is a review, not a satisfying one, but one nonetheless.

A critical review, something of a midpoint on the continuum, would be like some you see in the Comics Journal or the longer pieces that can be found online. These are generally several pages in length and discuss more than just the plot and art. They usually explore some of the underlying themes found in the book.

The extended critical essays are usually chapter-length articles found in academic journals; they also include book-length critiques. Here you have detailed analysis of the themes of work and its historical context.

My Goals as a Reviewer

I have no allusions or illusions to grandeur. I’m not trying to compete with the professional critics. What I hope to do with my reviews is provide a thoughtful reaction to the books I read. That’s why I’m aiming to place myself in the middle of simple review and critical review. There’s certainly room to debate if I’m giving myself too much credit and I should be much closer to the simple review.

The truth is I became a reviewer to justify my reading habit. So it’s very important to me to preserve that love of reading. This means I begin my review process by simply reading the book. I try very hard to put all thoughts of reviewing or critical analysis aside and just enjoy the book as if I picked it up off the shelf for pleasure reading. For me, books are living beings (metaphorically speaking), and reading is like having a conversation.

I naturally interact with books I’m reading, and I do make judgments as I’m reading. If there are passages I really like, I might stop to study the art more closely. I might find something ludicrous, or I might find something thought-provoking and so set the book aside to think out what the author is saying. The heart of my reviews is my reaction to the book as a reader.

How I Write a Review

Once I’ve finished a book, I like to live with it for a few days. I love to mull over the book and let it wander around inside my head. I think about the characters I’ve met: whom do I like, who frustrates me, do I agree with their actions, do I find them sympathetic, and so on. I reflect on the book’s structure: did I like the plot, did I understand the plot, how well is the book paced, what did I think of the ending. Finally, I look at the art. (Here I’m the weakest.) I try to study the page composition, the anatomy of the figures, the backgrounds, how well the art flows so I’m not left wondering what order to read the panels in, do I find the art attractive.

Occasionally, I’ll go back and read the book a second time with a critical eye to try to break apart the mechanics of the book: what method did the author use to move the plot along, how did the author give us history about the characters, how are the characters developed, how did this scene function in the overall story, etc. I don’t have any deadlines, but I try to write a review a week. I don’t always have as much time to live with a book as I like, but I have nothing to blame but my own poor time management skills.

Those who’ve read my reviews know I have a fairly set format. I start with a summary of the plot, move on to discuss the literary elements of the book, then comment on the art, and finish with a short conclusion. This is a self-imposed format; you’ll notice Johanna has a much more open style in her reviews. I use this structure as a way to help me focus my thoughts. Actually, for me, the summary is an important part of the review process. If I can’t summarize the plot, then the odds are I don’t have a good understanding of the book. The summary also helps remind me what the central elements of the story are so I can focus my review around them.

High Points of This Year’s Reviews

Enough with the mechanics; on to some of my experiences this year.

My attitude from the start has been, “I’ll review anything.” One of the pleasures of being a reviewer is that I get exposed to books I normally wouldn’t pick up on my own. The best example of this is Tail of the Moon. A shojo book about ninja love set in the Feuding States era of Japan doesn’t sound like something I would enjoy. Johanna asked if I wanted to review volume nine, and I figured it couldn’t hurt to at least read it and see what happens. Boy, was I surprised! Ueda crafted a warm, intimate story with appealing characters that hooked me immediately. It encouraged me to continue to try manga I might normally pass by.

Other pleasant surprises this past year were Toto! The Wonderful Adventure, Yumekui Kenbun: Nightmare Inspector, Alive! The Final Evolution, and Rosario + Vampire. All are series I plan to follow and review in the coming year.

Two Disappointments

Of course, reading anything and everything is a double-edged sword, and there were a few books that disappointed me. Two that proved challenging from a review perspective were X Diary and Red Angel. X Diary was the first time I read a book, and as soon as I closed the cover, completely forgot about it. It elicited no reaction from me. I struggled for a couple of days trying to figure why I couldn’t connect to the book. Writing that review taught me as much about my expectations as a reader as it did about bad character development. The book got started as a thought experiment by the author, but she obvious hadn’t put a lot of serious consideration into constructing the characters, their history, their circumstances, and their relationships.

Red Angel taught me about the mechanics of storytelling. Here was a book that had the right parts and should have been a good read but fell flat. It took me a while to realize that the parts weren’t working together properly. It was like looking at a watch and seeing that there were no missing gears. The problem was that the gears were out of tolerance with each other, so the watch didn’t run. The book taught me a new way to look at how stories are structured to see the way plot, characterization, setting, pacing, etc. all interrelate. It made me appreciate the craftsmanship of the stories I do like and especially the stories I find most exciting.

Goals for the Future

Like I’ve said before, at heart I’m a reader, and manga constantly shows me new horizons for the potential of comics. It wasn’t until I read Planetes that I ever thought you could do hardcore sci-fi in a comic format. Ghost in the Shell is still one of the best meditations of what it means to be a sentient being. I think the best shojo art simply transcends the current vocabulary used to describe comics. Manga rewards her devotees well. I find the best critics are the ones who love their subject matter passionately and write from that perspective. I want to follow that model and try to let my love of manga fuel my writing.

Reviewing has been a wonderful learning experience for me. I’ve learned, and am still learning, a lot about myself as a reader. I’m discovering what kind of characters I connect to deeply, what stories move me, what kind of trade-offs I’m willing to make (like accepting bad art, if the story is engaging), what turns me off, etc. I’m also learning more about the crafts of storytelling and drawing. I’m beginning to see how a writer creates suspense, what devices are used to move plots forward, how to use humor as an emotional release, etc. I still have so much to learn about art and its mechanics, but I’m taking notice of things like; page composition, tone use, how to tell a story with just pictures, how to suggest, but not show, an action. All of this has made me love manga that much more.

My goals for the coming year are to improve my writing style, to try to be more penetrating in my reviews, and to be a faster writer without sacrificing quality. I would like to thank the following people who directly, or indirectly, informed my thinking and helped me put my thoughts together: The members of the SPX State of Comics Criticism panel (Gary Groth, Tim Hodler, Dan Nadel, Douglas Wolk, and Bill Kartapolous), Melinda Beasi, and of course, Johanna.

[A note from KC: When Johanna asked me to review the new Batman: Gotham Knight animated DVD, it didn't take me long to realize that I was in over my head. Although the history of American animation is kind of a hobby of mine, I have only a very limited scope of what is going on in the rapidly growing world of anime. Sadly, except for the end credits of the DVD, the talented directors and animation studios that are such a huge part of this video are not mentioned at all on the packaging, nor in the publicity material that was included with this release. Instead, focus falls on the screenwriters, many of whom have comic or cartoon connections, and the voice talent.

Batman: Gotham Knight
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Knowing that the dedicated manga and anime followers of Comics Worth Reading expect us to do more than a cursory review of this important project, I quickly turned to our resident anime expert, Ed Sizemore, to help me with information regarding that portion of the DVD. Ed, being Ed, went above and beyond the call of duty and wrote a full-blown review, which appears here in its entirety. Check back with me at the end for notes on the American creators, additional credits, and information on the DVD extras. Now, here's Ed.]

Similar to The Animatrix, which expanded the world of the Matrix films through Japanese animation, Batman: Gotham Knight allows anime companies to visually reinterpret Batman. DC comics has hired four of the leading anime studios to animate six stories penned by current and past Batman writers. The idea is for them to use the template created in Batman Begins as a reference for what Gotham looks like and what characters they can incorporate in their stories. The events of these six stories are supposed to take place between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.

The first segment, “Have I Got A Story For You,” is done by Studio 4°C. They’re one of the newer studios, but they have made a name for themselves by aiming for the experimental edge of anime. They’re best known for the two-film anthology series Genius Party and the movie adaptation of Tekkonkinkreet. In fact, this story uses the animation style and director of Tekkonkinkreet in presenting our first look at an anime vision of Batman.

I’m not a fan of this animation style. I think the characters and backgrounds look flat. This segment is the most derivative in its storyline but most original in its re-envisioning of Batman. The story is similar to the Batman: The Animated Series episode, “Legends of the Dark Knight,” in which three kids tell of their encounters with Batman and how this shaped their understanding of who and what he is. Batman and foe come crashing into their hangout, and the fourth kid gets to form his own impressions. Studio 4°C draws on Japanese folktales and anime archetypes in the first three portrayals. The ‘real’ Batman at the end is based on Frank Miller’s Dark Knight.

The second segment, “Crossfire,” is done by Production I.G. They’re my favorite anime studio, best known for animating all the incarnations of the Ghost in the Shell franchise as well as providing the animation segments in the Kill Bill movies. Here the style is similar to the Ghost in the Shell TV series, which works well for the story. This dynamic episode is about two cops who get literally caught in the crossfire between rival gang bosses, and Batman comes to their rescue. There are great shots of Arkham and the ghettos of Gotham. Batman here reminded me of Jim Lee’s drawings, but with a longer cape.

The third segment, “Field Test,” is done by Bee Train Production Inc. This studio has done all the animation work for the .hack franchise as well as the shows Noir and Madlax. I like their animation choices; here, they’re realistic with jet black shadows to give a nice moody feel to the piece. The studio also decided to design their own version of the Batman costume. It has smoother geometric surfaces and looked to me like an Art Deco version of a bat. In this story, Batman is trying out a new force field system that would make him bulletproof, but it has unforeseen side effects. The ending is a little obvious, but it’s still enjoyable. Also, this is a morally ambiguous take on Batman and his stopgap measures to handle crime in Gotham.

The fourth segment, “In Darkness Dwells,” is done by Madhouse. They’re one of the more prolific studios, having done animation for shows like Death Note, Cardcaptor Sakura, Nana, Beck, Trigun, Reign, and a host of others. American comic readers will know them most for animating both Hellboy cartoon movies. They use the Batman suit from Batman Begins, with two styles of animation. Above ground, the style is realistic with heavy shadows; below ground, it’s Mignola’s art brought to life. In fact, the sewer scenes are closer to the style of the Hellboy comics than the Hellboy cartoons are. In this vignette, Batman has to rescue Cardinal O’Fallon from Scarecrow and Killer Croc.

The fifth segment, “Working Through Pain,” is the second segment by Studio 4°C and my favorite story of the DVD. It’s mostly flashback to Bruce’s training under a female Hindu mystic who teaches him how to control and channel physical pain. The problem is that their training is cut short and she doesn’t show him how to control emotional pain. This is a very powerful story about the Batman’s psyche and how his past both fuels and binds him. The ending is an emotional smack in the face.

The animation style here is very different from their first segment. This is more realistic with beautiful, delicate linework. I really like how Bruce looks here, and the India scenes are stunning with lots of color and light. It makes a great contrast to the rest of episodes, which are done mostly in the shadows of Gotham. They seem to be inspired by Asamiya’s Batman, who in turn was inspired by Neal Adams.

The sixth segment, “Deadshot,” is the second segment commissioned to Madhouse, but they actually outsourced to the Korean studio Dongwoo Animation Co. Ltd. Dongwoo is the company animating Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fast Forward, currently airing on Kids’ WB. What’s interesting is that Dongwoo used a very distinctive style of anime that Madhouse made famous in the movies Ninja Scrolls, Wicked City, and Highlander: The Search for Vengeance. I like it. It’s realistic with no grey tone — all shadows and shading are done in jet black. Here Batman and Commissioner Gordon are targets for Deadshot. It’s a great story with amazing action sequences and a wonderful way to end the DVD.

Overall, I really enjoyed the DVD, and I didn’t think there were any weak segments. It was interesting to see all the different visual interpretations of Batman and his costume. I think DC picked some great anime studios. I do wish that, instead of having two studios do two segments, WB would have had no duplication in studios. I would have loved to see Studio Bones’ (Cowboy Bebop, Fullmetal Alchemist, Wolf’s Rain) and Gainax’s (Neon Genesis Evangelion, Nadia, FLCL) take on Batman. If there’s a third Batman film, maybe these studios and others can be included in a second anime DVD.

I also enjoyed the commentary track by Gregory Noveck (Senior VP – Creative Affairs from DC Comics), Denny O’Neil (famous Batman writer/editor), and Kevin Conroy (the voice actor for Batman since 1992). They had some interesting discussion on how to understand Batman, what makes him such an archetypical figure, and what makes a great Batman story.

[KC -- And now I'm back with credits and additional notes.]

Overview DVD credits:
Story by Jordan Goldberg (associate producer: The Dark Knight)
Executive Producers: Benjamin Melniker, Emma Thomas, Bruce W. Timm, and Michael E. Uslan

Notable Voices:
Batman: Kevin Conroy
Crispus Allen: Gary Dourdan
Alfred Pennyworth: David McCallum
Cassandra: Parminder Nagra
Anna Ramirez: Ana Ortiz (A new character, partner of Crispus Allen, who will be featured in The Dark Knight)
Scarecrow/The Russian: Cory Burton

“Have I Got a Story for You” Screenplay by Josh Olson (screenplay: A History of Violence), Directed by Shojiro Nishimi

“Crossfire” Screenplay by Greg Rucka (author: Atticus Kodiak series, Gotham Central), Directed by Futoshi Higashide

“Field Test” Screenplay by Jason Goldberg, Directed by Hiroshi Morioka

“In Darkness Dwells” Screenplay by David Goyer (Blade movies, Batman Begins), Directed by Yasuhiro Aoki

“Working Through Pain” Screenplay by Brian Azzarello (Batman: Broken City, 100 Bullets), Directed by Toshiyuki Kubooka

“Deadshot” Screenplay by Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series, Superman), Directed by Jong-Sik Nam

An earlier inspiration for the “Have I Got a Story for You” sequence is the comic book story “The Batman Nobody Knows,” written by Frank Robbins and drawn by Dick Giordano. It appeared in Batman #250 in 1973 and was reprinted in The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told (at least in the original edition, hope it made the cut for the recent reissue).

As Ed mentioned above, there is a commentary track. Denny, as usual, has some amazing insights into the Batman characters, and Kevin Conroy has many great anecdotes, including a discussion of the differences in voice acting between anime and western animation. His story about being in post-9/11 NYC is wonderful and moving.

The deluxe version of the DVD comes with a second disc, featuring two fairly lengthy documentaries, as well as Bruce Timm’s choices of four episodes of Batman: The Animated Series. All are appropriate companions for the feature, as well as being some of the best episodes of the series. The episodes are “Heart of Ice,” “I Am the Night,” “Legends of the Dark Knight,” and “Over the Edge.”

“Batman and Me: The Bob Kane Story” presents the life of this over-the-top personality in an appropriately over-the-top documentary, revolving around a Citizen Kane-like motif. Through surviving footage of what appears to be some public access cable talk show, we are treated to actual footage and voiceover from Kane himself, much of which is put into proper perspective by author and biographer Tom Andrae, actor Mark Hamill, Kane’s widow Elizabeth Kane, Jerry Robinson, Stan Lee, Michael Uslan, and DC Executive Paul Levitz. Most of the testimonials are from the world of Hollywood (where Kane spent most of his time), rather than from members of the comics community. A fascinating documentary, not only for what is said, but for what isn’t. Destined to be a cult camp classic!

I’m sure that “A Mirror for the Bat,” the second documentary and a look at Batman’s villains, probably had a lot of interesting things to say (or maybe not), but I was too busy being distracted by the awful lighting, odd camera angles, and excessively strident music, which had the effect of making Batman’s creators look more frightening than the villains they were talking about. Paul Levitz in real life: Warm and friendly. Paul Levitz in HD under bad lights: Scarier than the Joker.

Overall, Batman fans and anime fans will both find plenty to enjoy in this original animation DVD. (A complimentary copy of this DVD was provided by the studio.) Find out more at the official website.

The immensely talented Jane Irwin (creator of Vögelein) is trying her hand at a webcomic: It’s called Clockwork Game, The Illustrious Career of a Chess-Playing Automaton. It’s based on the true story of the mechanical Turk, and you’ll get a page weekly on Thursdays. (Bless her for having an easy-to-find feed for updates.) Several are already up for your browsing pleasure. From the press release:

Originally designed to amuse the Empress Maria Theresa, The Turk was a machine that could play chess with the skill and originality of a grandmaster. It captivated audiences all over Europe and the United States, playing against many well-known rulers and dignitaries throughout its long and astonishing career. “I was inspired to retell the incredible story of The Turk because it seems far too fantastic to actually be true, and yet with each new book and article I uncovered, the facts became much more captivating than any fiction I could have created,” Irwin said. “Clockwork Game is a mostly-true dramatization of historical events, told with as little conjecture as possible.” Drawn in a crosshatched pen-and-ink style, Clockwork Game marks a major shift in both medium and presentation from Irwin’s earlier work, though the subject matter shares many similarities with her previous graphic novels, which told the story of an automaton brought to life.

When I interviewed writer Jim Dougan last week about his webcomic Sam & Lilah, he was hinting of future plans. Now he’s announced them: the series will continue at Act-i-vate beginning May 1. He’s also teasing a new strip beginning April 15 at former home Chemistry Set Comics. Illustrated by Molly Lawless, its title has caught my attention: “How I Lost My Sh?! at the Apple Store“.

Sam & Lilah came in fourth place in the March Zuda competition; the winner was something called Black Cherry Bombshells, about scantily dressed “ultra-violent” cartoon girls fighting zombies… in other words, every trend I despise. That was the fifth monthly competition. And apparently, the results are declining — this winner had 18,347 views and was marked a Favorite by 363. The original winner, High Moon, had 77,624 views and 456 Favorites. But that’s not surprising, as the newness wears off.

The second Zuda winner, from the December 2007 competition, was Pray for Death. It’s now begun putting up “screens” beyond the original eight for the contest. I didn’t realize that it took three months for more material to go up after the contest end. In this case, it may be due to the artist developing a new style in the meantime.

As Johanna’s unofficial field reporter, I went to the “Manga to Anime: Astro Boy to Spirited Away” seminar at Freer Galley of Art in Washington, DC, Saturday, April 21. The seminar is part of the Smithsonian’s Japan WOW! program that is exposing Americans to various aspects of Japanese culture and will host events through June of this year. The event was from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM with a fee of $45 ($30 for Smithsonian members). There were about 75 people in the audience.

The seminar was divided into three sessions. The morning session ran from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and was a Q& A with three Japanese guests. The afternoon session ran from shortly before 2:00 PM until about 3:15 PM and was a presentation by Susan J. Naiper, Ph.D. The final session was more Q&A with all guests, including Dr. Napier, that ran until about 4:30 PM. (Unfortunately, I didn’t arrive until 10:41 AM due to delays with the DC Metro system and so didn’t get the name of the questioner for the Q&A sessions.) Instead of trying to duplicate the Q&A format, let me share of some of the more interesting comments made by the guests. In the interest of full disclosure, the citations below are not exact quotes but paraphrases of what was said.

The first guest was Mitsuhisa Ishikawa. He is the CEO and President of the anime company Production IG, best known in America for their work on the Ghost in the Shell franchise and providing the animated sequence in Kill Bill.

Quentin Tarantino has always loved anime. He saw two of our films, Ghost in the Shell and Blood: The Last Vampire. Quentin came to our studio by himself without any announcement or appointment. This is not easy because our studio is an hour outside of Tokyo. We didn’t know who he was or that he was really ‘the’ Quentin Tarantino. The anime sequence in Kill Bill is very violent. Quentin told us to consider the show like it was from outer space and to make the sequence as violent as possible. So the staff listened to him and the more we listened the more we thought Quentin was from outer space.

When I look at Spiderman I see the anime influence. Sam Raimi said he was influenced by the anime Nausicaa. I like the cross-culture influences and how they stir up creativity.

I try to make anime with a good mix of 2D and 3D animation. Facial expressions are best shown using 2D and motion is best shown using 3D.

The tendency of Japanese companies coming to the US is to expand by building franchises. Production IG doesn’t want to do that. We want to expose the US to Japanese animation; that is the focus of our office in Los Angeles.

When you compare the male audience to the female audience, males fall in love with the world and the details of the world. If it’s a robot anime, males want to know the details of the how the robot works and want to buy the toys. Females fall in love with an individual character and not the whole cast. Take the J-Pop group Smack, women like one singer of the group and not all. You need to focus on the characters if you want to reach a female audience.

The second guest was Monkey Punch. He is most famous for creating the manga that launched the Lupin III franchise. He is also one of the founders and current President of the Digital Manga Association.

Thirty to thirty-five years ago manga was unpopular in the US. I attended the San Diego Comic Convention and was told by the attendees that they didn’t like the art style of manga. I went back to Japan and discussed this with the other creators. In 1980, a group of about 10 artists including myself and Osamu Tezuka went to the San Diego Comic Convention and did publicity for manga. This event helped to make a difference in manga popularity in America. Frederick Schodt’s book Manga! Manga!: The World of Japanese Comics also helped in changing the US opinion of manga.

I’m currently teaching university courses on how to write manga. I have about 200 students and they all want to be professional manga writers. But the reality is that only one is good enough to become a professional. I would love all them to make it, but that is impossible. I try to treat each student the same, even if they aren’t going to make it. Because even if they don’t become professional manga writers, they might work in another capacity in the manga business and this knowledge of manga writing will help them. Now that the Japanese government is recognizing the value of manga, my course may help them even if they end up working for the government.

I was influenced by American comics, especially MAD and Mort Drucker. Many manga creators are influenced by the American and European comics. The best creators blend the western styles while staying true to the Japanese spirit of comics.

My generation [Monkey Punch is 70] grew up looking to the US and the high production value of their movies and comics. My generation saw Hollywood as its mentor. Hearing that Americans are copying the Japanese comic style makes me long for the days when they were setting the standard. I wish Americans had more confidence to continue to produce great works of their own.

The fan’s response to my work is very important. I try to listen and respond to what fans are saying about my work. In Japan there is a voting system of popularity in the magazines, so you worry when your work isn’t popular. I try to make the story more interesting or sexualize the women more to keep the popularity up. Since my money is from the fans, I have to ensure that I make them happy.

The third guest was Ryuhei Kitamura. He is the director for such live action films as Versus and Azumi. He is currently working on the movie adaptation of Clive Barker’s Midnight Meat Train.

I went and learned filmmaking in Australia. I wanted to be a manga artist but couldn’t draw. I wanted to be an animator but liked to chase women too much. So I became a live action film director.

In Japan the creators of manga write their stories with the audience in mind. They know the pace of the readers and they know where to put cliffhangers to keep the audience coming back. Anime has had this experience to draw on. Japanese live action didn’t have a similar experience to drawn on, so Japanese live action films are still learning how to pace stories.

The big turning point in making anime and magna popular in the US was how the Matrix used Ghost in the Shell as a model. This opened people’s eyes to anime and manga. Hollywood movies are very important for spreading awareness. When I made a live action film based on the manga Azumi, I did it with a Road Warrior feel, even though the manga was very traditional. This swapping of ideas increases the audience.

I try to make movies for myself and my fans. All my films must connect to the fans. If my movies stop connecting to the fans then I’ll quit. I try to stay in tune with what fans want and pick my films based on what the fans want to see. I believe in the power of the fans.

The final guest was Susan J. Napier, Ph.D. She is the author of the book Anime from Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle, Updated Edition: Experiencing Contemporary Japanese Animation. She was one of the first, still one of the few, American academics to write seriously about anime and manga. Dr. Napier gave a lecture titled “Japan’s Floating World: Art, Manga, & Anime.” (Floating world is a reference to the 17th and 18th century court culture of Edo (modern day Tokyo). It is said that fashions rose and fell like the tides.) The lecture began with the historical antecedents to modern manga such as the monk scrolls of the 10th and 11th century and the 19th century woodblock artist Katsushika Hokusai.

There are three modes of anime. 1) Apocalyptic – This is a theme common in late 20th century American films as well. The Japanese islands are very vulnerable to fire, earthquakes, and tsunamis. This vulnerability is seen in early Japanese literature. Also, the memories of Nagasaki and Hiroshima are still very vivid to the Japanese imagination. There can be hope in apocalyptic literature, since some apocalyptic literature talks of the a renewed or restored world after the great cataclysm. Examples of anime in this mode are: Akira, Nausicaa, Evangelion, and Barefoot Gen. 2) Elegiac – This is a lament for someone or something that has been lost. This has not been a prevalent theme in American art, but we see it more in post 9/11 America. Examples of anime in this mode are: Ghost In the Shell, Grave of the Fireflies, and Totoro. 3) Carnivalesque – A theme we are familiar with in the West. In America, we see this theme in the Mardi Gras celebration, a time to cut loose. People can hide behind masks and do crazy things. It serves as a release valve for society. Example of anime in this mode are: Ranma 1/2, Urusei Yatsura, and scenes of Spirited Away.

What are the qualities of anime that attract American viewers? Differences:

1. there is no guarantee of a happy ending
2. a lack of black and white moral dichotomies
3. the themes of sacrifice, deep emotion and sentimental romance not common in American literature
4. coolness of the look/design
5. the use of action, sexuality and imagination

Similarities/Universalities:

1. the realness of anime – how the stories seem to reflect actual people, events, and problems we encounter in our life
2. identification fantasy – the way we feel we can relate to the characters and their situations
3. stories that deal with coming of age, generational problems, adventures, romances, and comedies

I’m interested in the subject of fan power. Japan is promoted by fan power. The global image of Japan is going from a hardware giant to a software giant. I’d also like to know how the otaku culture in Japan effects the anime and manga companies. I’ve heard that companies are making products directly marketed to the otaku instead of the general population.

After the three sessions were over, there was still a half hour left for the audience to personally meet the guests. All four guests were very gracious in talking to their fans and in giving autographs and sketches, and they even posed for pictures.

Overall, I enjoyed the seminar. (I got a sketch and autograph from Monkey Punch!) My only complaint was the ticket price to attend. $45 is very steep for a one-day event. The week previous (Saturday the 14th) the Freer Gallery had an anime marathon as part of the Cherry Blossom festival. The director Satoshi Kon was there in person to present his two films and to answer audience questions. This event was free to the public. The low audience for last Saturday’s seminar is a direct result of the high price tag for the event. Hopefully in the future the Smithsonian will make events of this type more affordable.

Read It, Loved It

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World by Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni Press) — Took me a while to get it, then I was smitten.

Gemma Bovery by Posey Simmonds (Pantheon) — Several years ago, actually. I need to reread it. I wish we’d get more of her work available in the US, it’s so beautiful.

Teenagers from Mars by Rick Spears and Rob G. (Gigantic Graphic Novels) — Although some of the criticisms of the ending are valid, it’s still a powerful work by (at the time) new creators.

Yotsuba&! by Akira Toriyama (ADV Manga) [nb: Author is really Kiyohiko Azuma] — One of the many interesting manga choices on this list. Note that no Viz books were listed, and the only Tokyopop were OEL.

Good, But Not THAT Good

WE3 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (Vertigo) — Fundamentally, it’s one of those cute animal movies dressed up in SF trappings.

Astonishing X-Men Volume 1: Gifted by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday (Marvel) — To really love this, it required that you also be a X-Men fan, since a lot of it was “yeah, that was cool back then, wasn’t it?” The actual new stuff was predictable and not very good. Also, my memories of this series have been damaged by how quickly it took a nose dive.

Street Angel by Jim Rugg and Brian Marucca (Slave Labor Graphics) — I want to reread this now that everyone and their dog isn’t trying to push it. I suspect this won’t be one for the ages, but it wasn’t intended to be.

Own It, Looking Forward to Reading It

The Rabbi’s Cat by Joann Sfar (Pantheon) — Thanks, Sequential Swap.

Salamander Dream by Hope Larsen (AdHouse Books) — It always takes me forever to get to the good stuff, so I wind up praising good work months after everyone else is done with it. I need to work on that.

Tricked by Alex Robinson (Top Shelf) — Given this one’s length and scope, it’s going to require some time set aside for it.

Dramacon by Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop) — I hope this one is as good as I expect it to be.

Night Fisher by R. Kikuo Johnson (Fantagraphics) — This comment isn’t inspired by this title, but around this point, I started noticing how interesting it was that all the expected publishers got at least one book listed. Maybe that’s part of their point, that there are so many consistently good releases from the usual suspects. Yet even Marvel got a nod (see above).

Read It, Thought It Overrated

Epileptic by David B. (Pantheon) — I guess I need to develop more patience for primitive art styles to be a true comic critic.

Ex-Machina: The First Hundred Days by Brian Vaughan and Tony Harris (DC/Vertigo) — The concept is much more interesting than the execution we get every month. And while I admire Vaughan’s ability to spin out plotlines, I’d like to see more actually resolved without sudden stops.

Walt and Skeezix : Book One by Frank King (Drawn & Quarterly) — One of those books that’s more interesting when you hear people talk about it than when you have to get through it yourself.

Didn’t Read It, Not Interested

Black Hole by Charles Burns (Pantheon) — I don’t do horror.

King by Ho Che Anderson (Fantagraphics) — What I’ve seen of the artist’s style I’ve found hard to read.

MBQ Volume 1 by Felipe Smith (Tokyopop) — Too much good manga, too little time.

Why Are You Doing This by Jason (Fantagraphics)

What, Are You Kidding Me?

Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface by Shirow Masamune (Dark Horse) — Go look at that cover and tell me it says “worthwhile, meaty read.” No. It says “chick in bodysuit so tight it looks like painted skin.” If this book is really that good, it’s been severely undercut by the marketing (or lack thereof, given its publisher).

The Genshiken Volume 1 by Kio Shimoku (Del Rey) — I can see why geeks like this — it’s a more even-handed portrayal of their hobbies and fetishes than the usual stereotypes — but still. Best of the year?

My Additions

Here’s my list of books I really enjoyed reading in 2005 that were not included. These are the works that kept me excited about comics. (Please note, I used my database as a reminder, so there may be great stuff out there that I’m blanking on and haven’t filed yet.)

Avigon: Gods and Demons
Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards
Capote in Kansas
Owly: Just a Little Blue
Tramps Like Us (books 4-7 out in 2005)
True Story, Swear to God: This One Goes to 11
Wet Moon: Feeble Wanderings
And Planetes, which concluded in 2005.

Since PW only covers graphic novels, left out from the lists above are Finder #38 (although I expect to see the eventual collection, Five Crazy Women, get high praise next year) and Hopeless Savages: B-Sides.

I’ve been reviewing comics for over fifteen years, reading them for multiple decades, and running Comics Worth Reading since 1999. I also have a Master of Arts degree in Popular Culture, focusing on online fandom and the portrayal of hackers in popular culture. My credits include:

• Graphic Novel and Manga Reviewer, Publishers Weekly, 2003 – present
• Comic Book Columnist, Hogan’s Alley, 2008 – present
• Columnist, “Graphic Novels Worth Owning”, Comics Unlimited, 2003 – 2009
• Judge, Isotope Award for Excellence in Mini-Comics, 2007-2008
• Judge, Glyph Comics Awards, 2007, honoring the best in black comic books and creators
• Contributing Writer, PiQ Magazine, 2008
• Contributor, The Savage Critics, 2007-2008
• Contributor, The Comics Journal #269
• Submissions Editor, Saucy Goose Press, Smut Peddler, 2003-2005
• Contributing Editor, Comicology, 2000-2001
• Online Editor/Webmaster, DC Comics, 1996-1997
• Contributor, The Guide to United States Popular Culture

Please email me with comments or questions. For information on submitting review copies, please read that post.

KC Carlson

KC Carlson has been working in comics since 1972, where, as a teenager, he stripped the covers off unsold comics to return to the publishers for a local magazine distributor. Since then, he has worked for DC Comics (as editor on The Legion of Super-Heroes, Zero Hour, and Superman), the Westfield Company, Capital City Distribution, several retail comic shops, and many other places, continuing to destroy comics at every step. He also once worked as a “pooper-scooper” for a dog show. (Guess which one paid better?)

KC writes the occasional piece for Westfield Comics. Links to his writing can be found in the KC category (feed) at this site.

KC and Johanna have been married since 1999. They met at a comic book convention and share a love of the Legion and the Monkees, among many other things.

Ed Sizemore

Ed says, “I started reading comics in my early youth. My only claim to fame as a writer is having four letters printed in the fan mail column of Arion, Lord of Atlantis. I quit reading comics when I joined the Navy after high school and didn’t rediscover them until about ten years ago. At the same time, I was beginning to explore a then little known art form called anime. A couple of years later, I read my first manga. Currently, I read mostly manga but make an exception for people like Steve Ditko, Mike Mignola, Ted Naifeh, and Josh Howard. My favorite manga artists are Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy, Phoenix, Black Jack), Masamune Shirow (Ghost in the Shell), Rumiko Takahashi (Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha, Maison Ikkoku), and Ken Akamatsu (Love Hina, Negima). I’m also very interested in academic writings about anime and manga.”

View all of Ed’s contributions to this site. He writes about other subjects at his blog.

Rob Vollmar

Rob contributed manga reviews from March 2007 – May 2008.

Rob is a writer of and about comics and manga from Norman, Oklahoma. Rob writes commentary and reviews for magazines like The Comics Journal and World Literature Today as well as having authored manga columns such as “The Occidental Tourist” (Ninth Art) and “International Geographic” (Comic Book Galaxy). His favorite contemporary manga-ka include Moyoco Anno, Naoki Urasawa, and Matsuri Akino but if anyone ever drew more fabulously than Kyoko Ariyoshi, he hasn’t seen it yet.

Rob created and wrote The Castaways and Bluesman, as well as the webcomic Inanna’s Tears. He manages a direct market comics shop (Atomik Pop! Norman branch). For more information on his tastes, view his recommendations of seven classic manga.