Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Call Them Madness

I finished reading Madness Volume 1

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin. This is supposed to be a boys' love or yaoi manga series, but this first volume focuses on action violence a medieval type world.


Monday, December 28, 2009

Devil's Due Publishing Announces New Digital Comics Offerings


From Devil's Due Publishing:
Devil's Due Brings Mahfood, Seeley, Beranek to Digital Comics

GRRL Scouts, Colt Noble, Loaded Bible, Dracula vs. King Arthur for Sale on iTunes

Devil's Due is adding more titles to its quickly growing line-up of digital comics for the iPhone and iPod Touch. This marks the first announcement of the company making available for sale comics it did not originally publish in print, but the titles are from the library of various creators who each have a natural relationship with the company.

Beginning in December and running through January, the first wave of the digital comics will become available via iTunes, and eventually other digital platforms, including comiXology and iVerse, most retailing for 99¢. Grrl Scouts: Work Sucks is already available at comiXology on the iTunes App store.

The following comics are currently in production, slated for re-release:

- Colt Noble and the Megalords: one-shot special
- Loaded Bible #1
- Loaded Bible #2
- Loaded Bible #3
- Dracula vs. King Arthur
- Carl: The Cat That Makes Peanut Butter Sandwiches
- Grrl Scouts: Work Sucks #1
- Grrl Scouts: Work Sucks #2
- Grrl Scouts: Work Sucks #3
- Grrl Scouts: Work Sucks #4

About Devil's Due Publishing
Proliferators of ComiCulture, Devil's Due Publishing is one of the largest and most established comic book publishers in North America, carrying a diverse line-up of original, creator-owned and licensed properties. Known for launching trends in the industry, from the 1980's retro explosion to unique political satire and collaborations with some of Hollywood's finest, Devil's Due is more than just a publisher - it exists to achieve success through the proliferation of ComiCulture in all areas. DDP's titles include Hack/Slash, Drafted, Sheena, Mercy Sparx, Voltron, and CBS's Jericho. The company currently has over a dozen projects in development with Hollywood studios and producers with a presence in both Chicago and Los Angeles. [END]

DMP to Publish Second Volume of Vampire's Portrait


From Digital Manga Publishing:

Vampire’s Portrait Volume 2 (Yaoi)
ISBN: 1569701334
ISBN13: 9781569701331
Publisher: Digital Manga Publishing
Imprint Name: June
Price USD: $12.95
Writer: Hiroki Kusumoto
Artist: Hiroki Kusumoto
Release Date: December 2, 2009

Size: 6 x 8.25”
Format: Softcover; Page Count: 200pp
Series Volumes: 2 of 2
Recommended Age: Mature 18+
Genre: Yaoi, Fantasy, Romance

Summary:
“I have no intention of forgiving you…” That’s what Sein tells his brother, Verloren, after Verloren wounds him deeply.and this sibling rivalry is what touches off the war between brothers… Sein’s artist client and lover, Lou, steps in to help Sein, but the relationship between Adam, Verloren and Sein is goes so deep that Lou may not be able to step between them…

Other works by creator:
Wild Butterfly (DMP: 9781569705629) [END]

Maybe this is the Health Care Bill the President Wanted...

This Truthout Joe Conason op-ed focuses its ire on Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Connecticut) and his obstructionist activities concerning the Health Care overhaul. What Conason should ask - is a health care bill stripped of most of its progressive measures what President Obama really wanted?

Make a Wish If You Dare

I finished reading Only One Wish

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin.


Sunday, December 27, 2009

I Reads You Review: DEATH NOTE, VOL. 1


Creators: Story by Tsugumi Ohba; art by Takeshi Obata
Publishing Information: VIZ Media, paperback, 200 pages, $7.99 (US), $9.99 CAN, £5.99 UK
Ordering Numbers: ISBN: 978-1-4215-0168-0 (ISBN-13); 1-4215-0168-6 (ISBN-10)

The shonen manga Death Note, by writer Tsugumi Ohba and artist Takeshi Obata, remains popular long after its conclusion not just because of any infamy or controversy the series has gained, but also because of the generally thoughtful approach to the storytelling and the series’ philosophical matters.

Death Note, Vol. 1 introduces the primary players and central concepts. Light Yagami is a high school student with great prospects for the future, but in spite of his academic achievements, he is bored. Ryuk is a shinigami – a death god, and he is bored out of his mind with the sorry state of affairs in the Realm of the Shinigami. To have some fun, Ryuk drops his Death Note into the human world. The Death Note is a notebook, and any human whose name is written on a page within the notebook will die.

Light finds the Death Note and learns of its use via instructions included inside, so he decides to use it to rid the world of evil – especially of the vilest criminals. After criminals start dropping dead in large numbers, Interpol assigns the legendary detective, L, to track down the killer of these criminals, a killer they name “Kira.” With L seemingly getting closer to discovering his activities, Light engages in a game of cat and mouse with the detective, while trying to stay true to his noble goal.

The seven chapters that comprise this first volume of Death Note serve to introduce the story, settings, and characters to readers, which they do with some detail and quite a bit of efficiency. Ohba not only moves quickly to establish the hook – how Light Yagami uses the Death Note – but the author also begins to dig into the why of Light’s activities. Ohba presents Light as a very intelligent, thoughtful, and well-meaning young man, but a young man who is also conniving, manipulative, and dangerous. In these early chapters, Ohba does make one wonder to what extent the Death Note has affected Light’s personality. Has this supernatural notebook changed Light or merely brought out his true nature?

The graphic storytelling and art by Takeshi Obata is excellent. Obata establishes Death Note’s suspenseful mood, and balances the narrative’s supernatural and real world aspects. With his drawings, Obata peers into Light’s soul, allowing the reader to investigate the character. Obata also creates an impenetrable aura of mystery around the detective L that makes this excellent series all the better.

A

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Saturday, December 26, 2009

Making a New (Book of) Friends

I finished reading Natsume's Book of Friends, Vol. 1

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin. This is book is due in bookstores early next year. If you like yokai and the spirits of Japanese folklore, you may like this.