Nova #35
RASL #7
Jack of Fables #44
Fables #93
Echo #20
Justice League of America #43
Incorruptible #4
Teen Titans #81
Thor #608
God of War #1
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Comics for the week of March 24, 2010
Haunt #6
Power Girl #10
Mighty Avengers #35
Uncanny X-Men #522
Deadpool #21
FVZA #3
Victorian Undead #5
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time #1
Nemesis #1
The Marvels Project #7
Power Girl #10
Mighty Avengers #35
Uncanny X-Men #522
Deadpool #21
FVZA #3
Victorian Undead #5
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time #1
Nemesis #1
The Marvels Project #7
Review - Biomega Vol. 1
Review - Biomega Vol. 1
By Tsutomu Nihei
VIZ Signature
The year is 3005 and there is a virus called N5S which is turning everyone on the planet into zombies. There are some people called Accommodators who seem to be immune to the virus, but their pheromones attract the mindless hoards who are the rest of the population. One accommodator is seemingly a young teenage girl named Eon Green. She is being sought after by the government Public Health Service and also by agent of TOA Heavy Industry Zoichi Kande. Zoichi is synthetic human and is helped by an artificial intelligence named Fuyu; riding his super cool motorcycle, killing massive amounts of zombies in his mission to retrieve Eon from the Public Health Services. Oh. And did I mention Eon's guardian, a talking bear named Kozlov L. Grebnev?
There is much to like with Biomega. As I was reading this volume, I realized that I had seen his work in a Marvel series titles Wolverine: Snikt. The action is fast. Most of the story is told without much dialog. The speed of the pacing is easily visible with the exceptional artwork. Like most all manga, this is black and white. But unlike most manga, there is very little grey scale. Using very thick black lines helps make the world seem more harsh.
Though this is rated by VIZ for Mature readers, from the first volume, I would consider adding it to an older teen graphic novel area. Zoichi does cut through infected zombies like he's harvesting wheat, but I did not see it as bad as some other violent content in other comics. However, there is other manga avilable that would be far safer for libraries to purchase for their collections.
By Tsutomu Nihei
VIZ Signature
There is much to like with Biomega. As I was reading this volume, I realized that I had seen his work in a Marvel series titles Wolverine: Snikt. The action is fast. Most of the story is told without much dialog. The speed of the pacing is easily visible with the exceptional artwork. Like most all manga, this is black and white. But unlike most manga, there is very little grey scale. Using very thick black lines helps make the world seem more harsh.
Though this is rated by VIZ for Mature readers, from the first volume, I would consider adding it to an older teen graphic novel area. Zoichi does cut through infected zombies like he's harvesting wheat, but I did not see it as bad as some other violent content in other comics. However, there is other manga avilable that would be far safer for libraries to purchase for their collections.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Comics for the week of March 17, 2010
Kookaburra K #3
Wolverine: Origins #45
Batman #697
Sweet Tooth #7
American Vampire #1
Batman and Robin #10
Daffodil #3
Spider-Woman #7
Jack of Fables #43
Joe the Barbarian #3
Battlefields: The Firefly and His Majesty #4
Irredeemable #12
Wolverine: Origins #45
Batman #697
Sweet Tooth #7
American Vampire #1
Batman and Robin #10
Daffodil #3
Spider-Woman #7
Jack of Fables #43
Joe the Barbarian #3
Battlefields: The Firefly and His Majesty #4
Irredeemable #12
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Review - RIN ~Daughters of Mnemosyne~
RIN ~Daughters of Mnemosyne~
FUNimation
Naked anime women? Check. Gory violence? Check. Degrading sexual situations? Check. This show is one I would not recommend for any public library because of the extreme subject matter. But I actually found it had an intriguing story and excellent animation that kept my interest.
With six 45 minute episodes, this OVA tells the story of Rin, seemingly a well dressed business lady who is a private investigator. Working with Mimi, a young woman who is good with computers and offers up vodka instead of water when Rin asks for a drink at the beginning of each episode, Rin is hired to solve seemingly simple investigations that always balloon into more sinister crimes. The first episode is set in the year 1990 and has Rin investigating a missing cat, but runs into a man who has amnesia. Loosing interest in the cat, she starts looking into the mysterious mans past discovering what his secret. This starts Rin down a path to her ultimate fate.
But as it turns out, Rin and Mimi are immortal. They can be shot, cut, blown up, and their bodies will eventually reconstitute back to perfect health. And since Rin is being stalked by an assassin throughout the series, it makes for some very gruesome "death" scenes. Each episode is set about 20 to 25 years later than the prior episode. So by the end of the series, the story is in the year 2055. Rin and Mimi are working with the grandchild of the man she met in the first episode. And we learn why she is tied throughout time his family. In this world, there is a tree which releases orbs called time fruit. The time fruit passes through solid objects and then disappear back into the earth and only immortals can see the tree and it's fruit. The main point of the entire story is to find out why the tree exists and what effect the fruit has on humanity.
As I mentioned in the beginning, this show is not for sensitive people. Bloody, degrading, sexual violence is inflicted on Rin. Though the animation is excellent, the plot compelling and even top notch voice acting, the presentation makes this series one a library should probably steer away from. Even searching WorldCat shows that currently not a single library has this series in their collection. So if you want to watch this series, you'll have to buy it, watch it online, or ask to borrow my DVDs.
FUNimation
With six 45 minute episodes, this OVA tells the story of Rin, seemingly a well dressed business lady who is a private investigator. Working with Mimi, a young woman who is good with computers and offers up vodka instead of water when Rin asks for a drink at the beginning of each episode, Rin is hired to solve seemingly simple investigations that always balloon into more sinister crimes. The first episode is set in the year 1990 and has Rin investigating a missing cat, but runs into a man who has amnesia. Loosing interest in the cat, she starts looking into the mysterious mans past discovering what his secret. This starts Rin down a path to her ultimate fate.
But as it turns out, Rin and Mimi are immortal. They can be shot, cut, blown up, and their bodies will eventually reconstitute back to perfect health. And since Rin is being stalked by an assassin throughout the series, it makes for some very gruesome "death" scenes. Each episode is set about 20 to 25 years later than the prior episode. So by the end of the series, the story is in the year 2055. Rin and Mimi are working with the grandchild of the man she met in the first episode. And we learn why she is tied throughout time his family. In this world, there is a tree which releases orbs called time fruit. The time fruit passes through solid objects and then disappear back into the earth and only immortals can see the tree and it's fruit. The main point of the entire story is to find out why the tree exists and what effect the fruit has on humanity.
As I mentioned in the beginning, this show is not for sensitive people. Bloody, degrading, sexual violence is inflicted on Rin. Though the animation is excellent, the plot compelling and even top notch voice acting, the presentation makes this series one a library should probably steer away from. Even searching WorldCat shows that currently not a single library has this series in their collection. So if you want to watch this series, you'll have to buy it, watch it online, or ask to borrow my DVDs.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Review - Blood Song: A Silent Ballad
Blood Song: A Silent Ballad
by Eric Drooker
Dark Horse Comics
It's very rare that I feel music in a graphic novel. But with Blood Song, artist Eric Drooker creates a simple lyrical tale of a young woman and her journey away from peace and innocence. The story starts out in a primitive fishing village where a family enjoys dinner. But as an invading army with helicopters destroys the village, a young woman escapes with her dog. As she flees, she is transported to many different settings and eventually ends of up a city where she meets a man who is a street musician.
As I mentioned, this story is one of the most musical that I have read. Wordless, like a symphonic tone poem, there is an ebb and flow of emotion. With many large single panel pages, even diptychs, to very small panels with several on a page to tell the story, the size of the panels is a way Drooker is able to control the tempo of this work. The color palette is another tool used to influence the timbre. He uses mostly cooler colors of blues and purples. But there are snippets of warm colors that make infrequent dramatic appearances. A butterfly, a sunset, a hut on fire, a single flower, colored red/orange stand out like beacon on the page drawing attention to an emotional point in the piece. The reader can not help but feel the melody as the young woman dances though her journey, through the good times and the bad.
It's obvious that Drooker was thinking musically when he created this work. Though it only takes a couple minutes to go through, I found myself going through the book a couple times. Its musical quality amazing me each time. Artistic and poignant, this book can be added to many public library collections into they teen collection. But don't think too many younger people will "get" this book. Maybe I'm being too critical of young people, but I don't think they will be able to hear this music Drooker has composed for us.
by Eric Drooker
Dark Horse Comics
As I mentioned, this story is one of the most musical that I have read. Wordless, like a symphonic tone poem, there is an ebb and flow of emotion. With many large single panel pages, even diptychs, to very small panels with several on a page to tell the story, the size of the panels is a way Drooker is able to control the tempo of this work. The color palette is another tool used to influence the timbre. He uses mostly cooler colors of blues and purples. But there are snippets of warm colors that make infrequent dramatic appearances. A butterfly, a sunset, a hut on fire, a single flower, colored red/orange stand out like beacon on the page drawing attention to an emotional point in the piece. The reader can not help but feel the melody as the young woman dances though her journey, through the good times and the bad.
It's obvious that Drooker was thinking musically when he created this work. Though it only takes a couple minutes to go through, I found myself going through the book a couple times. Its musical quality amazing me each time. Artistic and poignant, this book can be added to many public library collections into they teen collection. But don't think too many younger people will "get" this book. Maybe I'm being too critical of young people, but I don't think they will be able to hear this music Drooker has composed for us.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Comics for the week of March 3, 2010
New Ultimates #1
The Mighty Avengers #34
Detective Comics #862
Sweet Tooth #7
Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love #5
Girl Comics #1
Chew #9
Batman and Robin #9
The Mighty Avengers #34
Detective Comics #862
Sweet Tooth #7
Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love #5
Girl Comics #1
Chew #9
Batman and Robin #9
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