Terror of Godzilla (1988)

Author and Illustrator: Kazuhisa Iwata  |  Translators:
Mike Richardson / Randy Stradley  |  Page Count: Approx 30 per issue (176 total)

“...conventional weapons only seem to make him angrier!”

A six-issue miniseries set thirty years after the events of the first Godzilla film (1954). Japan has been free of kaijū trouble since then, but a natural volcanic eruption in the Pacific Ocean changes that. It's time to suit up, JSDF.

The first thing you ought to know is that the English language edition published by Darkhorse is the original manga translated but it's been coloured (the original was B+W). I'd have preferred it left as it was intended, but in all fairness it's not a bad job and the upside is we get it on better paper stock than Japan did. I'm going to take the optimistic stance and say that it could've been much worse, truly.

Artwork is Tezuka-inspired. Issue one is occasionally gruesome, but subsequent issues are less interesting. There’s not much emotion conveyed through facial expressions and it bothered me that the plucky hero, reporter Goro Maki, was drawn with his mouth open most of the time, surrounded by dramatic lines that did little to increase the actual drama of the scene. He gets himself stuck between two G's, the Government and Godzilla, but with help from a Professor of bio-physics named Hayashida he's determined to see the story to the end.

The story itself does everything you’d expect it to do and a few more things besides. The creature—referred to as male—puts the fear of G into the people of Japan. He and his man-boobs get at least a half dozen two-page spreads, often dialogue-free, that are impressive, effectively showing the scale of the problem.

America and Russia get involved in a secondary capacity, having commentary on atomics pinned to their inflated chests. During one such scene it succinctly puts into perspective the attitude that men of war have toward nuclear weapons and the bombing of cities into just three small panels. It shows how justification for such action is balanced against proximity to home soil (i.e. how far from home). A human error can be even more terrifying than Mother Nature's.

The quality takes a dive with the addition of a clichéd, hysterical female calmed by male rationality, in turn followed by male heroics and female sensitivity. Oh, dear. And finally, to punctuate the gender inequalities further, it ends with a daring act of male chivalry! You’ll see it coming from a mile away. The same story was handled much more competently in the film version, The Return of Godzilla (1984). The post-explosive ending is definitely memorable, though.

2½ instances of THOOM! out of 5

Note: You can find spoiler-free, mini-reviews of some of the many Godzilla films (and some other other kaijū eiga films) on our sister site, In a Nutshell.

Satoshi Kon's OPUS (2014)

Author: Satoshi Kon  |  Illustrator: Satoshi Kon  |  Page Count: 384

"It's like I was flying forever... but then somehow ran out of forever."

OPUS focuses on a stressed-out writer/artist named Chikara Nagai. His current project is a serialised manga titled Resonance. It's nearing its end but Nagai’s having trouble with some of the characters, they don’t want to go where he needs them to be in order to advance the story. It’s a common problem for fiction writers of lengthy works: the characters either get written into a corner or take on a life of their own and become problematic. In Satoshi Kon’s hands that notion exploded into a wild, spiralling metafiction wherein the pressured creator ends up closer to his creation than he ever thought possible.

It begins with pages from the Resonance manga, meaning our first exposure is both an (almost) ending and a beginning. There are even adverts for previous Resonance volumes, helping to sustain the illusion that it’s a real product. It has its own unique story with purposeful clichés working in tandem with originality, but it's the larger story that'll draw you in a lot more.

There’s no doubt that Satoshi would've used his own experiences within the profession as a basis for the work. Some of the events in Nagai’s life have even been documented as happening in Satoshi's, so it‘s fair to assume that it’s at least partially autobiographical in nature. Most of the best stories are.

NOTE: You ought to know before deciding whether or not to pick up the collection that it’s not finished and it never will be. Sadly, Satoshi Kon passed away in 2010 leaving the anime/manga world a less colourful place. The 2014 Dark Horse edition contains all of Volumes I and II written in 1995-96 but not previously translated into English. Volume I is filled with mind-bending action. Volume II continues in the same vein but also goes to some very dark places.

The DH edition also has a never-before-seen chapter that in some ways eases the ‘no ending’ situation. I like to think that Kon would be pleased it was discovered and included; you'll understand why I say that if you read it.

5 P-MODEL albums out of 5

Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Search: Part 2 (2013)

Author: Gene Luen Yang | Page Count: 76

When people come to your throne room and bow, they're not bowing to you. They're bowing to what you represent.

Continuing on their quest to find the whereabouts of Ursa, the Gaang are increasingly at odds with Azula until Zuko makes a concession over Ursa's letter and a confession to Aang about his willingness to rule. With some peace between them, they make it to Ursa's hometown of Hira'a  where they meet the director of the acting troupe of which Ursa used to be a member. The director leads them towards Forgetful Valley, a dangerous place where people who enter supposedly never return.

The suspense is killing me, but leaves me giddy with excitement. The characters felt so alive, I could picture them moving like I was watching the show, especially a certain bit of Sokka making faces. The interwoven flashbacks are also deliciously revealing and contain quite a few continuity nods to the series. Azula's antagonism was a little tiresome as it was clear that she would only freak out so as to add some drama that wasn't really needed, but she is there so she needs something to do. Still a decent read with great art, characters and the reveals on a tragic and romantic story.

4 involuntary poop face out of 5

Lone Wolf and Cub: Omnibus: Volume Five (2014)

Author: Kazuo Koike | Illustrator: Goseki Kojima | Page Count: 712

"Love, affection, obligation, revenge! Joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure! Of the human emotions we choose revenge!"

Three years have passed since father and son set out on the road. In that time there's been much death and there's more to come. The Yagyū letter arc that featured in Volume Four continues into Volume Five. The Lone Wolf, Ogami Ittō, who carries the letter on his person, is hunting for his missing son Daigoro. The perspective is split between his journey and the lost and lonely Cub's search for his father. Even when separated the path on which they walk is unchanged, so neither of them neglects their other duties.

For Daigoro, even being close to death is no reason not to honour a father's teachings. For Ogami and Retsudō, history repeats. For the Yagyū clan, the retrieval of the letter is all-important because if the secret hidden within it is discovered the consequences for them would be grave. Everyone has something to lose and no one is prepared to be the one that does.

One of the things that fascinates me the most about the series, other than the two protagonists, of course, is the way Kazuo Koike is able to put us quickly and directly into the troubled mindset of the people that hire Ogami to kill on their behalf. They've reached the end of their tether and it's snapped, but does that justify paying a man with a child five hundred ryō to kill someone? If we sympathise with their situation, quite often the answer to that is a resounding yes.

The book collects together chapters 53 - 63 of the original Lone Wolf and Cub manga (the remainder of Volume 10: Hostage Child; all of Volume 11: Talisman of Hades; and all of Volume 12: Shattered Stones).

5 wild dogs out of 5

The Guild: Knights of Good (2012)

Author: Felicia Day | Page Count: 129

"I recited Ozymandias offstage per your request for character motivation. Look on your works ye mighty, and despair."

The second volume of The Guild trades collects the one-off comics that featured the backstory of the guild members and functions as pretty much a prequel to the first season of the show actually ending right where episode one of the show would begin. Ms. Day's writing chops shine through, but are also enhanced by the guest writers that include many of the actors that portray the characters which gives them an extra bit of authenticity and they really help the characters translate from screen to page. The fleshed out backstories adds layers and insight into the characters.

The art is vivid and varied and the plots are character driven hilarity with a touch of maudlin. The Zaboo one is exceedingly entertaining as it is both hilarious and somewhat manic with some even sort of interactive minigames added to it, as it should be I suppose given the gamer tendencies of the franchise. I don't imagine non-fans will find a lot to enjoy, but for viewers it can add much to the experience.

4 infections of Hand AIDS out of 5

Ghost in the Shell: Vol 2: Man-Machine Interface (2001)

Author: Masamune Shirow | Illustrator: Masamune Shirow | Page Count: 312

"Characters and letters are mirrors on the soul—books are their body. Life can be defined in so many different ways…"

If you've read either of the previous books in the series (Vol 1 (1991) / Vol 1.5: Human-Error Processor (2003)), the first thing you'll notice about M-MI is the difference in art style. The technology needed to fully visualise the future world as Shirow imagined it had finally caught up with his vision. His obsession with depicting the future as detailed and as sexy as possible took him approximately four years and five months to achieve. It's the most perfect blend of traditional manga and digital colouring that I've ever seen. I don't generally like the technique, but it's almost impossible not to be awed by the result.

It’s set in 2035, five years after the events of the first book, but it's not a direct continuation. Section 9 feature occasionally, but mostly it follows the Major, who's now the chief security officer for a huge conglomerate. She protects their business interests while also financing some of her own.

As ridiculous as it may sound, your enjoyment of the book will be partly dependent on your reading speed. If you're a slow reader, the rigid, tech-talk will appear to reduce everything else to a stuttering pace. Conversely, if you can read at a steady and moderate speed, you'll be able to better balance the action that's happening around the information overload. Yes, Ghost in the Shell is about lofty concepts, but it's also about action and about moving from problem to solution in the quickest possible time. Unfortunately, Shirow throws constant interruptions at you in the form of lengthy and atmosphere-breaking footnotes, further impeding the all-important flow.

It's a feast for the eyes, there's no doubt of that, but the plot is much too complicated for its own good, so expect to be overwhelmed and possibly even completely lost on your first read through. For me, the deeper understanding that came with repeated readings was accompanied by a realisation that a sizeable part of the first half could've been cut with no great impact to the resolution.

3½ remotely controlled humanoid terminals out of 5

Lone Wolf and Cub: Omnibus: Volume Four (2014)

Author: Kazuo Koike | Illustrator: Goseki Kojima | Page Count: 696

"They'll sacrifice anything to further the clan—even their reputation! That's why they're so dangerous!"

It's well-established that Ogami Ittō is a man of action and few words. Kazuo Koike takes that trait to extremes in the first half of Volume Four. I'm guessing the ratio of words spoken to people killed is almost balanced. The land is covered in snow, so even the normal ambient sound effects are muted, but it works because Goseki Kojima is as good a storyteller with his kinetic art style as Koike is with his minimal text. As in life, sometimes words just get in the way.

Retsudō, the head of the Yagyū clan, is a key player this time. It's all well and good to have a nemesis, but unless they have a suitably dramatic reason for wanting to kill the hero, then they're a walking cliché. Fortunately, Retsudō has a reason. We get to see the beginnings of his hatred for Ogami and better understand the fire that fuels his obsession. Drip-feeding info over an extended period of time can backfire if it's not done properly, but Koike has mastered it.

In desperation, Retsudō hires shinobi (ninja) to kill Ogami. The shinobi use tactics that an honourable swordsman wouldn't, tactics both direct and indirect.

No space left to expand upon how Ogami gets handy with the Nagamaki; the bitter-sweet way Koike explores a woman's anguish and the mechanics of personal sacrifice; or Daigoro’s determined countenance.

The book ends with a multipart story that delivered everything I'd hoped for, and more. It became my favourite part of the entire series so far.

The book collects together chapters 41 - 52 of the original Lone Wolf and Cub manga (the remainder of Volume 8: Chains of Death; all of Volume 9: Echo of the Assassin; and the first part of the stories from Volume 10: Hostage Child).

5 weaves out of 5

The Guild: Volume 1 (2010)

Author: Felicia Day | Page Count: 93

I have all the tools to live life to the fullest. 
As soon as I get happy, I'm raring to go!
Am I there yet?

I loved The Guild and yet had no idea it existed in comic form. I snatched it right up. This is a collection of comics 1 through 3 that detail the origins of the guild as we follow Cyd Sherman; a meek and timid girl who uses gaming to escape the pressures of her real life that include underemployment, a douchebag boyfriend and general lack of control. That sounds kind of heavy, but it is first and foremost a comedy like it's web video counterpart. The underlying emotion though helps with a connection to the character since it feels real. Since the whole concept of the Guild is partly autobiographical to author Felicia Day's own experience with gaming compulsion it is not hard to see how she could be so well versed in how it is to be able to translate it onto paper.

The artwork is crisp and vibrant and is also scattered with various artists work from the original comic covers and bonus art in the bonus section of the back. The series characters come out very well onto paper with their special mix of comedy and antisocial sociopathic tendencies. As Cyd delves further into her growing addiction she comes across all her guildmates forming something akin to human interaction that seems to solve some of her social faults, even if her therapist disagrees. Overall, a quality book in story, art and even the physical paper itself. So glossy, mmm, I can see my fingerprints when the light shines on them.

4 accidental acts of arson out of 5

Ghost in the Shell: Vol 1.5: Human-Error Processor (2003)

Author: Masamune Shirow | Illustrator: Masamune Shirow | Page Count: 176

"I took this job partly because I wanted some cool new high-tech toys…"

This slim volume was released after GitS: Vol 2: Man-Machine Interface (2001), but the "lost" stories that it contains were written prior to that, in 1991, '92, '95 and '96, which explains the 1.5 in the title. I didn't enjoy it as much as what came before, but only because it lacks one of the major players, meaning the original team dynamic was disrupted. Instead, it introduces a new regular character in what feels like a move made simply to make up the numbers.

Togusa and the new team member get most of the action. They bicker and bond like most buddy cop pairings. It's a beneficial pairing for Togusa, he gets to stop being the rookie, but the new addition isn't really all that interesting.

The Fuchikomas get quite a bit to do, which pleased me. However, when illuminated with the cold light of truth, about 50% of the book felt like filler and with only 176 pages in total that's a problem. It deserves credit for the other 50%, though. Some parts of the stories that work well were later plundered for the SAC TV Series, and we all know how good that was.

My biggest gripe is that Shirow goes overboard with the marginal explanations: some pages have more text squeezed onto the bottom or up the side than there is dialogue in the panels. You're free to ignore it, of course, but I'm incapable of doing that; my brain won't let me.

3 bumble bees out of 5

Ghost in the Shell: Vol 1 (1991)

Author: Masamune Shirow | Illustrator: Masamune Shirow | Page Count: 368

"…There was an 'SOS' literally written in blood on the cyberbrain unit…"

The serialised manga that started the Ghost in the Shell phenomenon is both a product of its time (it has those weird noses and relies on comedy/chibi style reactions) and light-years ahead conceptually and philosophically of where most western comic writers were at the time. Shirow uses a similar kind of futuristic world to what he'd created for his previous works as a foundation, but by introducing GitS-specific concepts he effectively crafts something totally unique.

The blurb on the back makes it sound like what you're getting is the same story that was featured in Mamoru Oshii’s anime adaptation (1995). That's not strictly true. You do get that story, but it's only a small part of the entire book and it doesn't appear until late in the day. If all you wanted was the movie in book form, you'll be slightly disappointed. Admittedly, Oshii took the best of what the collection has to offer, but on the plus side you get a lot more content than was in the film, so it's actually better this way.

Note: There's more than one version of the book available, depending on where in the world you live. There's the censored Kodansha edition, the Dark Horse edition, and the Titan Books edition. The version used for review was the UK Dark Horse edition (2004) that had all originally removed pages fully reinstated.

4 ghost-dubs out of 5

Lone Wolf and Cub: Omnibus: Volume Three (2013)

Author: Kazuo Koike | Illustrator: Goseki Kojima | Page Count: 720

"Life, death… Both are meaningless to an assassin of meifumadō."

You'd think that by this stage in the story, over 2000+ pages, that both Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima would begin to show signs of running out of steam, but there's zero evidence of that. The plotting and art are as perfect as ever.

There's an occasional slight shift of perspective in some chapters, making Ogami Ittō more of a bit player, but it never once feels like an intrusion in the arc. And it has the added effect of further opening up the world. We get to see more of how the other half lives, which invariably helps in how we view Ogami.

One thing that should always be remembered is that, even when it’s not explicitly stated, the wicked Yagyū clan are never far from his thoughts.

The different regions that father and son travel through are often characterised by the number of hungry poor contrasted with the number of rich patrons eager to satisfy their vices. I don't think it’s a cliché that the poor people are more often than not the kindest of all; I think that's a universal truth in any era.

I found myself needing to consult the glossary of terms at the back of the book more often this time. The more depth Koike added to the world, the more new terms were being introduced. It's good that Dark Horse continue to include and add to it with each edition.

The book collects together chapters 28 - 40 of the original Lone Wolf and Cub manga (the remainder of Vol 5: Black Wind; all of Vol 6: Lanterns For the Dead; all of Vol Vol 7: Cloud Dragon, Wind Tiger; and the first part of the stories from Volume 8: Chains of Death).

5 gora, gora, gora out of 5

Æon Flux (2006)

Author: Mike Kennedy | Illustrator: Timothy Green II | Page Count: 96

"They found my body, but they never found me."

The backstory of Æon Flux is a lot more complicated than it first appears, but for the purposes of this review I'll sum it up (badly) in one paragraph: Æon is a Monican assassin fighting against a Bregnan government that wants to control the personal freedoms of every citizen within its walls. The walls provide protection but are also a kind of prison. In the eyes of the Bregnans, she's a terrorist. She fits the textbook description of that but in reality she's fighting to free slaves who don't know they're slaves, so that makes her something else, too.

There's an ecological message to the fore but it's less important than Æon's own story and of her role within the mysterious organisation. You'll get small glimpses of both those things, but to understand her true motivations and the deeper workings of the world in which she operates you'll need to watch the anime TV series. Doing so will enrich the story of the book. However, having watched it you'll then be in a position to compare the two and you'll see that the book is weak in comparison. That leaves you with a problem: watch the anime to more fully appreciate the book's setting and in so doing enjoy the book's actual story less. Like they say, the more you know…

It can be viewed as a prequel of sorts to the Hollywood movie starring Charlize Theron, but the character designs are more specifically designed to reflect Peter Chung's originals from the TV series. If you're not familiar with his style you'll maybe think that Timothy II's illustrations are bad. Some of the perspectives are arguably a little wonky, but the elongated limbs and odd facial expressions are purposeful. The costumes and the architecture are as they ought to be. So too is the odd sexual nature of the lithe Æon. There'll be people who dislike or outright hate the style, but that's true of every stylistic choice.

The book collects together the entire Æon Flux comic, issues 1-4.

2½ dionaea muscipulae out of 5

Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Search Part 1 (2013)

Author: Gene Luen Yang | Illustrator: Gurihiru | Page Count: 76

...and if you can't trust your family, who can you trust?

Alright then, now we're getting somewhere. The series is finally coughing up some details about Zuko's mother as a flashback of her story is woven between the present search for her. The circumstances of which force Zuko to conditionally release Azula from her imprisonment to aid in the search hindered not just by being Azula, but also by her still-damaged mental state.

The art is top notch and has fixed the weird face morphing that Zuko had in the previous comics. The story is interesting, but that is mostly due to the mystery of Ursa being slowly unraveled rather than an engaging plot. This being only the first part, it feels more like an exposition dump at times. The better parts are about the nature of family in both the text and in the contrasting sibling pairs of Sokka & Katara and that of Zuko & Azula. Zuko proves once again to be the more interesting of the characters though the whole is of course less because of a lack of Toph. And the short length is still irksome given they could have easily put all parts in one trade, but then of course you would only have to buy it once. Bastards.

4 Involuntary rape-face out of 5

Lone Wolf and Cub: Omnibus: Volume Two (2013)

Author: Kazuo Koike | Illustrator: Goseki Kojima | Page Count: 712

"…[I]n this hardscrabble world, fealty won’t put food on the table!"

Ogami Ittō continues his journey across Japan in the second omnibus from Dark Horse. The manga is less linear than the films, so it occasionally jumps back to offer insight into earlier times. It tells us why Ogami and Daigoro are on the road, what sparked the quest for retribution and what happened to the young boy's mother, as seen in the first part of the first film, Sword of Vengeance (1972).

Ogami is strong-willed and fierce when it comes to dealing with enemies. Yagyū Retsudō's assassins and hungry mercenaries lie in wait at every turn, hoping to best the swordsman and claim the reward, but the rōnin remains resolute in his duty even when confronted with seemingly impossible odds. When not engaged in swordplay, he's comforting and practical when it comes to family matters.

Goseki Kojima's artwork continues to help define the series. There's often page after page without dialogue, but the imagery speaks volumes. He'll follow a two-page spread of excessive bloodshed and fury with a single branch of cherry blossom suspended over a still pond and it won't seem out of place. Instead, it'll seem like the most natural progression ever.

The ease with which he's able to convey what young Daigoro is thinking deserves the highest praise I can give. Daigoro is just three-years-old, so he rarely speaks, but his simple, heartfelt expressions mean we're consistently privy to the Cub's thoughts; even more so in this volume because he gets a lot more to do.

I noticed something about Daigoro's character that was given more significance this time, or perhaps I simply overlooked it before. Whatever the case, it's subtle but all-important to his worldview.

I neglected to mention previously that covers are by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley, so aren't representative of the superior B+W artwork inside.

The book collects together chapters 17 - 27 of the original Lone Wolf and Cub manga (the remainder of Vol 3: The Flute of the Fallen Tiger; all of Vol 4: The Bell Warden; and most of Vol 5:  Black Wind). Make room on your shelf because if they release the remainder of the books in the same manner, with approximately two and half of the original volumes per omnibus, there'll be 11 books.

5 more steps along the white path out of 5

(EDIT: The DH website shows there to be 12 books in total.)

Lone Wolf and Cub: Omnibus: Volume One (2013)

Author: Kazuo Koike | Illustrator: Goseki Kojima | Page Count: 712

"I beg of you. Use your sword to rid our lord of these jackals at his side."

Lone Wolf and Cub is the story of the swordsman Ogami Ittō and his young son Daigoro. Ogami was once the Shogun's loyal executioner, but now he's a hunted rōnin (a sword for hire). Together, man and child travel a path beset on all sides by enemies; it's a path of vengeance that'll take them directly into Hell.

Structurally it's episodic. Ogami roams from village to village, contract killing for money to buy food and shelter, but the bigger picture is never forgotten: the hunt for revenge is the reason he moves that way and he won't stop until it's achieved.

He's a superb tactician and a lateral thinker as quick with his wits as he is with his sword. Even when all around is death and fury, his concern for Daigoro remains paramount. The bond between them is unshakeable.

Creator Kazuo Koike's storytelling is masterful. Every word has purpose. Ogami says very little, so when he does speak we know to sit up and pay attention.

Much of the time Kazuo lets Goseki Kojima's amazingly kinetic black and white visuals carry the story along. It's not the typical, clean-lined, big-eyed style you may picture when you hear the word 'manga'. It’s grittier with deft strokes of the pen. When the blood starts to fly, Goseki captures the intensity better than any other manga artist I've ever encountered.

I'm happy to report that Dark Horse chose not to attempt to translate words with no direct English equivalent. Instead, they included a short but informative glossary of terms at the back of the book to explain the meanings.

The book collects together chapters 01 - 16 of the original Lone Wolf and Cub manga (all of Vol 1: The Assassin's Road; all of Vol 2: The Gateless Barrier; and the first part of the stories from Vol 3: The Flute of the Fallen Tiger).

4½ twisted ropes out of 5

The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia (2013)

Authors: Shigeru Miyamoto, Eiji Aonuma | Page Count: 276

'As the stories and storytellers of Hyrule change, so, too, does its history.'

Zelda fanboys / fangirls are an odd bunch.  I can say that without malice because I’m one of them.  The Hyrule Historia that we waited so long for isn't the Zelda bible like some claim; it’s a Zelda history book like the title implies.  The content is spilt into 4 main parts:

1. An in-depth look at the most recent LoZ game: Skyward Sword.

The book has a heavy bias toward Skyward Sword; it begins and ends with it, and fills a large part of the middle.  It makes sense from a developer point of view to push your most recent game deep into the consciousness of the reader but it makes the book uneven.

2. The official History of Hyrule.

It gives the story of each game in chronological order, so expect major spoilers if you haven’t played them.  It attempts to explain the split in continuity in the timeline that occurred after the events of Ocarina of Time, which is interesting.

3. Production sketches and art from the 25 year history of the series.

There are hundreds of illustrations, from all of the games.  Some people might call that filler but I call it treasure.  Getting to pour over previously unseen concept art and line sketches is something I enjoy.  If you 'meh' at the thought of doing similar, you'll hate this section.

4. A manga prequel to the Skyward Sword game.

A short manga written and illustrated by long time LoZ manga creator(s) Akira Himekawa.  If you're a collector of the manga, you'll know what to expect.

Overall, it's a beautifully presented book with a wealth of information and a shitload of artwork that should keep fans happy for a while.

4 decipherable alphabets out of 5

Avatar: The Last Airbender The Promise Part 3

Author: Gene Luen Yang | Illustrator: Gurihiru | Page Count:76

It's a new kind of world. There's no getting around risk.

Shit has hit the fan. The Harmony Restoration Movement is a failure and now multiple sides on the conflict are about to come to head. Aang is tasked with maintaining balance, but is now unsure how exactly that can be accomplished. Sticking to the rigid definition of it has only led to the current state that threatens the hard earned peace and has itself become a danger to the future of the people and Aang himself. Zuko faces a similar conundrum except that it is mostly an internal conflict in himself. Aang must manage peace between the 3 sides of the conflict which may involve invoking the titular promise.

That sounds pretty heavy, but this is Avatar we're dealing with so it is still that same adventurous, humorous and action storytelling that's to be expected that is still a light tone given its target audience. Toph and Sokka will provide any levity that readers may need. The story and action are great but come to a somewhat rushed and incomplete conclusion. To be expected as it is revealed that this has merely been a prelude to the next series of adventure that will presumably answer the question that readers came to this series hoping it would be answered; the whereabouts of Zuko's mother. But what is there is still entertaining, colorful and full of great character drama. A wonderful continuation of the series overall with great hints poking at future storylines.

4 fat guys and their inexplicably hot girlfriend out of 5

Avatar: The Last Airbender The Promise Part 2

Author: Gene Luen Yang | Illustrator: Gurihiru | Page Count:76

Who you choose to defend deserves to be defended simply because you chose them.

Aang is working to towards a peaceful resolution to the failure of the Harmony Restoration Movement while Sokka joins Toph in an effort to motivate her students and keep her new school from being usurped; two similar situations that may end up being resolved the same way just on different scales. Zuko takes the opportunity to learn how to be an effective Fire Lord from the only person he knows who has experience and regular citizens prepare for the clash that may be unavoidable as cooler heads may not prevail.

The characters introduced and then ignored in the first volume are now fleshed out and made interesting and my desire for more Toph was given and it is great. Her plot-line provides the most in character growth, humor and the action. The action is scarce in this volume as it is setting up for the concluding 3rd part, but if you actually like these characters then there is plenty going on to make up for it. The art is still crisp and vibrant and seems to be closer to the character models of the show though Zuko still looks off. Maybe it's just me.

More fleshed out characters and some little teases for long time fans are what fill this volume.

4 Immovable hats made of spears out of 5

Avatar: The Last Airbender The Promise Part 1 (2012)

Author: Gene Luen Yang | Illustrator: Gurihiru | Page Count: 76

WACK-A-POW!

The Promise picks up straight where the series left off with Aang and Team Avatar taking on the task of rebuilding after the end of the 100 year war. Not everyone is down with that though and Aang and Zuko may be at odds at how balance can be restored. Returning characters abound with some whose whereabouts were previously unknown (Boomerang!)and some new ones though none of those seemed particularly worth caring about. More Toph, please. The character designs look just as they did on the show with some tweaks to show the time difference with the exception of Zuko who seems to frequently go off-model, particularly his face. Or maybe it's just the pressures of ruling getting to him. Yeah let's go with that. The reaction faces are still great and numerous.

Given it's short length, I don't see any reason to split into volumes other than marketing, but whatever, I don't know the logistics of comic printing and I'll take what I can get. As to that nagging question that probably most people came for the answer... of course it wouldn't be in the first part. Crisp and clean presentation with some interesting story teasers and some nice bending scenes. A new adventure with these characters is always welcome.

4 Oogies and Aang's shit-eating grins out of 5

Serenity: Those Left Behind [2005]

Author: Joss Whedon & Brett Matthews |  Illustrator: Will Conrad & Laura Martin

Page Count:  104 Pages

“What’s up, Wash?”

”The usual -- crime

…and us trying to avoid punishment.”

You know the story by now:  Buffy The Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon created a space western TV series called Firefly for the FOX network.  FOX hated it, tossed it around, seeming like they purposedly wanted it canceled and got their wish after 11 episodes.  Fans created an uproar, DVD sales skyrocketed through the roof, resulting in Firefly being taken to the bigscreen to tie up loose ends in the feature film Serenity.

Whedon didn’t have enough screentime to tie-up everything in 2 hours, so went to Dark Horse comics for a 3-issue mini-series that bridged the gap between the series finale and the feature film.  Serenity: Those Left Behind is not essential reading and answers some things I preferred left a mystery but is still a good time that captures the feeling of the series perfectly.

Written by Joss Whedon & Firefly/Supernatural writer Brett Matthews is probably why it seems exactly like a lost episode.  In fact, a little too much at times, as the format doesn’t translate into graphic novel form all that well.   What’s great though, is Whedon & Matthews don’t go “Oh look, it’s in comic form!  We don’t have a budget limit here, we can do whatever the hell we want!”  They stay true to the series and let the story pacing unravel at a slow, yet pleasant pace without ever relying on anything too huge.

As a huge fan of series I can recommend it to anyone else who’s a fan…however if you’re not, it really makes no sense at all, as it spends no time explaining the backstory and that’s where it falls short.

It's available as 3 out of print separate issues or collected into a TPB or HC edition which is worth purchasing for Nathan Fillion's entertaining foreward.

3 BIG DAMN blue hands out of 5


Nutted by cuckoo