January 7, 2019 Johanna Kodansha Manga Reviews Leave a comment

Is Kichijoji the Only Place to Live? Volume 5

Is Kichijoji the Only Place to Live? volume 5 keeps the series, about finding young women the perfect apartment, fresh in two ways. Author MAKIHIROCHI continues to find different reasons and challenges for the house-hunters, while we see more about what the real estate agent twins are doing for their own living space. The first chapter presents a young woman moving out on her own for the first time, accompanied by her mother, who finds fault with everything. Can the […]

January 7, 2019 Johanna Nobrow Leave a comment

Under the Canopy: Trees Around the World

This gorgeous, oversized picture book will create new appreciation for nature, obviously, but also for cultures around the world. Under the Canopy: Trees Around the World is written by Iris Volant and illustrated by Cynthia Alonso. Each page describes a particular type of tree — such as willow, coconut, birch, or eucalyptus — accompanied by a lovely illustration of a legend or key moment associated with them. The apple tree, for example, gets a picture of Isaac Newton thinking about […]

January 1, 2019 Johanna Kodansha Manga Reviews Leave a comment

Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju Volume 9

As the series prepares for its conclusion (volume 10 is the final one), the characters in Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju volume 9 contemplate the pending retirement of Yakumo, the last rakugo master. Yakumo and an old friend, a gangster, begin the volume with a garden stroll while they reflect on how much things have changed. It’s a mood I can empathize with more and more. It’s wonderful that so many people value Yakumo’s work and want to tell […]

January 1, 2019 Johanna DC / Vertigo Leave a comment

Catwoman / Tweety and Sylvester Special #1

I know it’s ridiculous for me to be talking about Catwoman/Tweety and Sylvester Special #1. It’s a silly event tie-in that came out four months ago. I bet no one even remembers it. But it’s a really good comic that shows what a skilled creator can do with even the most ridiculous premise. Gail Simone writes and Inaki Miranda draws the team-up, which starts off by pairing Catwoman with the “puddy tat” Sylvester. She’s shocked he talks — complete with […]

January 1, 2019 Johanna DC / Vertigo 2 comments

Batman Annual #3

What would Batman be without his butler? In Batman Annual #3, by Tom Taylor and Otto Schmidt, the answer is suggested to be “dead on the street”. I enjoyed this focus on a necessary but often overlooked aspect of Batman’s life, butler Alfred Pennyworth — and I say Batman because there’s nearly no Bruce Wayne here. It would make a good start for anyone interested in the upcoming Pennyworth TV show, although this comic is about Alfred now, and the […]

January 1, 2019 Johanna Other Manga Publishers Leave a comment

Satoko and Nada

Satoko and Nada means well and looks unusual for manga. Created by Yupechika, it’s the story of two college roommates in America. Satoko is Japanese, and Nada is a Saudi Arabian Muslim who wears a hijab. The series’ origin as a 4-koma (four-panel strip) online is apparent in its simple art style, with flat, minimal figures and each page a complete comic. But most aren’t going to read this for impressive visuals. The appeal is seeing two very different people […]

January 1, 2019 Johanna Comic News Leave a comment

Nightlights Sequel Now Available for Order

Lorena Alvarez’s Nightlights was a gorgeous, unsettling story about art and nightmares. Now there’s been a sequel announced, Hicotea: A Nightlights Story. The young artist Sandy returns and On a school field trip to the river, Sandy wanders away from her classmates and discovers an empty turtle shell. Peeking through the dark hole, she suddenly finds herself within a magical realm. Filled with sculptures, paintings, and books, the turtle’s shell is a museum of the natural world. But one painting […]

January 1, 2019 Johanna Boom! Studios / Archaia Leave a comment

Giant Days #46

Giant Days #46 does something that’s surprisingly hard to do: tell a stand-alone story as part of a long-running series that’s satisfying on its own while faithful to the appeal of the title. Writer John Allison and artist Max Sarin have been working on Giant Days for most of the run, so that’s not surprising. What did surprise me was how geek-focused but affectionate this issue was. As shown in these preview pages, Susan has decided to find out who’s […]

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