Independent Opinions, News, and Reviews of Graphic Novels, Manga, and Comic Books
It’s a good thing that I’ve had years of practice reading “boy comics”, material that, regardless of whether it’s appropriate and in spite of what’s going on in the story, position their female characters as eye candy for the male reader. If I didn’t, I’d have given up on this series by Yukiya Sakuragi long before now. Volume 17 was a real challenge in that area. I’ve mentioned the fan service before — the pinup shots of Suguri in bathing […]
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All-Star Superman, due in Spring 2011 and based on the comic by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, will be the 10th DC Universe original animated film. There’s a lot of good reasons to look forward to All-Star Superman. It’s got wonderful source material, and it’s being adapted by writer Dwayne McDuffie. In the original story, Superman came to terms with his own mortality, and yet, while dying, set out to save the Earth once again. Based on this piece of […]
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Veronica #202 has gotten tons of press, as it was promoted for months ahead of time (since April) as a real milestone for Riverdale: it would introduce Archie’s first “openly gay” character, Kevin Keller. While I completely support the idea — it’s about time that Archie’s hometown of Riverdale was made more diverse in lots of ways — I did find it a shame that, as with another recent big-press storyline, the execution is much worse than the concept deserves. […]
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Looks like Andre’s speculation was right after all. Kodansha USA Publishing just sent out the following press release: Kodansha and Random House Transform and Expand Their U.S. Manga Publishing Relationship Kodansha Ltd. and Random House Inc. have announced their plans to change and expand their manga publishing relationship in North America. The companies are shifting from a licensing relationship to a sales and distribution arrangement as of December 1, 2010. The current relationship between Kodansha and Random House began in […]
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When I first heard that Networked: Carabella on the Run was a co-production with a non-profit organization, I was leery. PrivacyActivism is dedicated to helping people “understand the real-world implications of privacy losses” and protecting this fundamental human right. I feared that the message, although from a cause I support, would overcome the story. Thankfully, that’s not the case. I quickly got caught up in the adventures of Carabella and her classmates as we learn more about where she came […]
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Friend of the Blog Barry Lyga (The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl) is launching a new young adult novel series with Archvillain, out this month from Scholastic. It’s the story of Kyle, who was setting up to play a prank the night the weird meteor shower gave him superpowers. Now, Kyle’s bored in school, because his new intelligence has put him miles ahead of everyone, and his former status as most popular kid in school has been usurped […]
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I love animal comics, but I am too squeamish for horror, so I wasn’t sure how I’d react to the blend in Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites. I should have had more faith in the skills of writer Evan Dorkin and artist Jill Thompson to create stories worth reading. The Beasts of Burden are the neighborhood dogs (and a stray cat) of Burden Hill. They were introduced in “Stray”, which first appeared in the anthology The Dark Horse Book of […]
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To bring more attention to the “overlooked … artists and writers of the vibrant African American independent comics community”, authors John Jennings and Damian Duffy have assembled the coffee table book Black Comix: African American Independent Comics Art and Culture. Instead of looking backwards, Black Comix focuses on the present and future, highlighting those creators that are less well-known than they’d like. The foreword, by Keith Knight (The K Chronicles, Knight Life), provides a personal reflection that sets the stage. […]
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