Death Note vol.6 is really just an extension of vol.5, completing the "third Kira" story arc. Tsugumi Ohba finishs off superbly with plenty of the intrigue we've come to expect of the series, along with a dose of intense and suspenseful action. Misa, Light's self-proclaimed girlfriend, plays a greater role than usual, even going so far as to reveal the third Kira by herself. Interestingly, since Light still has no recollection of being Kira, we find him pushed out of the spotlight, becoming more of a supporting character for the inner monologues of Misa and L.
Things change dramatically, however, in Death Note vol.7 when Light gets his hands back on his Death Note and his memories and killer's tendancies return. Finally, everything comes together for the beginning of this volume, and all the questions you asked yourself during vol.5 and 6 are answered. And, as if that's not enough, the biggest plot twist EVER happens. EVER. Don't deny yourself vol.7 because you simply can't miss this momentous event.
Oh, and Ryuk is back. Yaaay!
A lack of cable TV is a terrible thing, and the pain and suffering caused by it is only amplified when the Cartoon Network airs something I really, really want to see. Such was the case a few weeks ago when I just so happened to look in the TV guide at the CN listing (something I usually avoid doing to save myself the torture) and saw that there was a Hellboy cartoon playing that weekend. “Gnargh” was the word that escaped my lips, along with a number of others that might be accompanied by a delightful little jingle provided by the FCC. I really enjoyed the Hellboy movie and would have loved to see this cartoon. But, I realized, perhaps I wouldn’t have been worthy of watching the cartoon since I hadn’t read any of the original comic books in the first place. Deciding that this was an event long overdue, I set out to immediately remedy it with Hellboy vol.1: Seed of Destruction.
It’s really good. I know you knew that already, but the really-goodness of the book deserves to be analyzed so you know why it’s really good. This is the whole thesis behind the reason why we have bunches of words next to the “4 out of 5’s” and “8 out of 10’s.”
If you want a nice, professional look at Hellboy, read the introduction by Robert Bloch in this book. More than likely, he’ll make a better case as to what makes Hellboy really good, and use bigger words, too. Knowing that all you have to do to read this flattering intro is look at the first five pages of the book while at your local Barnes and Noble, I’m just going to skim over the positive stuff for now. Mike Mignola’s deep, shadowy art is beautiful. It’s great noir, but it’s different from Sin City in that he uses color, and vibrantly at that. Hellboy himself is, of course, a stunning red, which serves to establish him in every panel and provides a dramatic contrast to the dark inks and deep shadows. The story is synchronized perfectly with the art, assisting the blend of noir, action, and black magic. You have to keep an open mind as you read and expect that the giant demon-guy’s origins, or anyone else’s, aren’t going to be easily explained, but the references to various worldly religions and mythologies add some really interesting depth to the book.
My only complaint? The price tag. $17.95 is a significant amount to be paying for a four issue volume, though there are a couple of short promo stories and a fan art gallery at the back. Hell, I could go buy the movie DVD for less than this book, never mind something from Marvel with the same amount of content, or a tome like one of the Buddha volumes. If you’ve got the dough, though, spend it, ‘cause the book is worth the extra cash.
Midori Days vol.7 hits all the right notes, but, unsurprisingly, is playing the same tunes the series always does. The episodes in this book are fun and funny, but, just as in past volumes, they’re mostly rehashes of plots that Inoue has already used. At this point, it’s beginning to get old. That said, there are some great points to vol.7, like the episode with the 38-year-old man who looks like a really cute girl. There are some important episodes for certain characters too, as the story prepares to come to a close with the next volume. But for me, the best part of vol.7 was the special story at the end: a samurai tale casting Seiji as a ronin outlaw. Wait till you see how Midori is cast; it’s very clever and funny.
Vol.8 is the end for Midori Days, and Inoue quickly begins wrapping up the loose ends about the Midori universe. As our favorite characters’ longstanding dilemmas come to a conclusion, much of the humor that makes Midori great is sacrificed to make room for the melodrama that makes Midori not-so-great. Still, I couldn’t help but feel a touch of emotion having to say goodbye to the likes of Ayase and Kota, never mind the sprawling three-chapter storyline concluding the outcome of Midori and Seiji’s relationship. Will Seiji confess his love for Midori? Will Midori ever return to her normal body? Will Seiji ever be able to masturbate with his right hand again?!
Come on, you know that’s what this series is REALLY about.
Monster vol.4 is really spectacular. The first and last chapters are one-shots to help develop some characters, but most of the book is an extra long story featuring Nina's return, neo-Nazis, and some of the best thrills and chills I've seen yet in this series. In fact, I would say that vol.4 has the best story arc I've yet read in Monster, and that's saying a lot. This is a book you should buy without a second thought.
After vol.4, I was left starving for more and couldn't wait for the next volume to be released. Unfortunately, Monster vol.5 didn't live up to expectations. Don't get me wrong -- it's still very good -- but it simply didn't have the excitement of vol.4. The stories feel too much like filler to be enjoyable, especially Chapter 4. I couldn't help but feel like there should have been more to do with Johan, and that Naoki Urasawa was stalling with these rather stagnant stories. On the plus side, however, there is some progression for Inspector Lunge's story. Vol.5 is still worth buying; just make sure you read vol.4 first.
Clive Barker should be a familiar name to anyone into the horror scene. Among his creations are household names like Hellraiser and Candyman, along with any number of horror writings. He writes, paints, and has several movies and video games based on his works. Of course, I am not into the horror scene, so the graphic novel adaptation of his children’s story, The Thief of Always, was my first encounter with his works.
Since it is a kids’ story, you needn’t worry about running into the likes of Pinhead or anything so disturbing in this book. Nonetheless, this is a scary story and features monsters, madmen, and magical forces beyond our control. Gabriel Hernandez’s artwork is absolutely stunning and his ethereal character designs and pastel visuals help influence this level of creepiness. Honestly, this book is worth picking up for the illustrations alone and, though you can tell Barker’s story was pushed as the main selling point of the book, the story ends up playing second fiddle to the art.
Still, the story holds up well. It opens in the dead of February with the protagonist, a ten-year-old boy named Harvey Swick, bored out his mind. Out of nowhere appears Rictus, a surreal man with a tall hat and smile that literally extends beyond his face. He invites Harvey to Mr. Hood’s Holiday House, a beautiful, fantasy-filled place that offers anything and everything that a child might want. Toys, airplanes, dinosaurs, ice cream, a huge field to play in, and Christmas Eve every night. But if Holiday House didn't offer some antagonism, it wouldn't be a very good story, so Harvey quickly realizes that he and the other children at the House are prisoners of Rictus and the other bizarre housekeepers and he must fight to reclaim his childhood.
The story is well-written, though there are a few instances where the script and the artwork don’t seem to collaborate, leading to some confusions. My biggest complaint is the way that Harvey goes about as if he understands exactly how the magical world of the Holiday House works. There’s no clever explanation of how he learns, he just knows all of a sudden that he can do this, and this will happen. This trap of ambiguous solutions is one that a lot of stories that revolve around magic unfortunately fall into. But otherwise, The Thief of Always is a good, imaginative story with very pretty pictures. Probably worth picking up if you’re a young reader with a penchant for fantasy.
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