March 1, 2010 Johanna Oni Press / Lion Forge 4 comments

Possessions: Unclean Getaway

It’s a crazy idea for a kids’ book, but it works surprisingly well. Possessions: Unclean Getaway by Ray Fawkes is the story of Gurgazon, a demon inhabiting a five-year-old girl, who is taken away to the Llewellyn-Vane House for Captured Spirits and Ghostly Curiosities. Once captured, it only wants to escape, resulting in weird comedy. It’s done in black, white, and a weird light green the publisher appropriately describes as “sickly”. It’s billed as suitable for “all audiences”, but I […]

March 1, 2010 Johanna TV News Leave a comment

Proof That Superheroes Are Mainstream

I was watching Secret Diary of a Call Girl, starring Billie Piper (the first new Doctor’s main squeeze) as Belle, a high-priced London hooker and now writer. The most recent episode, the fifth of season three, had an interesting exchange between Bambi, another call girl Belle has been mentoring, and her new flame, Byron. Byron, a spoiled rich boy, first hired Bambi two weeks ago, and now the two are getting married. Belle doesn’t believe prostitutes can have boyfriends, so […]

March 1, 2010 Johanna Toon Books 3 comments

Zig and Wikki: Something Ate My Homework

This is something of a departure for the excellent Toon Books line of comics for early readers. Zig and Wikki: Something Ate My Homework is non-fiction, intended to interest kids in science. Zig and Wikki are aliens, trying to capture something for the class zoo as a homework assignment. Zig is the one-eyed red one, with tentacle arms, while Wikki pops up factoids on his head screen. (That’s the educational part.) When they get lost and wind up on Earth, […]

February 28, 2010 Johanna Movie Reviews Leave a comment

The Accidental Husband

I like a good romantic comedy, even if I know what’s going to happen, but I strongly dislike movies aimed at women that insult my intelligence and engage in sexist stereotypes. Unfortunately, The Accidental Husband is one of those in the second category. A woman can want to be in love without being idiotic, childlike, or a criminal, although you wouldn’t know it from this. There are many spoilers below because I can’t make my point without discussing how the […]

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths cover

February 28, 2010 Johanna DCU Original Animation 4 comments

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths — The DVD Review

It’s an alternate Earth, a place where Lex Luthor heads up the good guys and the characters most like “our” Justice League are murderers. (Hmm, maybe that’s not so different from current comic continuity. The darkening of superhero comics makes it hard to tell the good guys from their “evil twins” these days.) Anyway, Luthor needs the Justice League to help him return democracy to his world and overthrow the Crime Syndicate in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. I […]

February 25, 2010 Johanna Manga News 2 comments

Plagiarism, Scanlations, and Copies: Nick Simmons’ Incarnate Rips Off Bleach

Today’s schadenfreude opportunity: Nick Simmons, writer/artist of Incarnate from Radical Comics (and son of KISS member Gene Simmons, which might account for some of the glee in watching his downfall), has been caught copying various panels and dialogue from popular manga series, including Bleach by Tite Kubo. I found out about the plagiarism accusations from Robot6, which includes the news that Radical has “halted further production and distribution of the Incarnate comic book and trade paperback”. I assume that includes […]

February 24, 2010 Johanna Other Manga Publishers Leave a comment

My Darling! Miss Bancho Volume 1

by Mayu Fujikata This cute school story is great “brain popcorn” — something entertaining that only occupies your attention while you’re reading it. No nutritional value, no lasting effects, but enjoyable while it lasts. The first thing you need to know is that “bancho” means something like “gang boss” or “chief”, since it’s untranslated throughout the book. And it’s key to understanding the situation in My Darling! Miss Bancho. Whoever defeats the current bancho becomes the new one, ruler of […]

The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Volume 1 cover

February 22, 2010 Johanna Dark Horse Manga Reviews 14 comments

The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Volumes 1-5

When I first heard of The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, it was well-recommended, but I wasn’t sure it was for me, given that it was classified as horror and the premise involved lovingly depicted dead bodies. I’m glad I went ahead and tried it, because I very much enjoyed it. It reminded me of Pushing Daisies, if that show was more laconic and Japanese. The series stories are by Eiji Otsuka with art by Housui Yamazaki. Five students at a […]

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