Wednesday, August 25, 2010

I Reads You Review: PANIC X PANIC VOLUME 2

Creator: Mika Kawamura; Joshua Weeks (translation and adaptation)
Publishing Information: Del Rey Manga, paperback, 202 pages, $10.99 (US), $11.99 CAN
Ordering Numbers: ISBN: 978-0-345-51462-2 (ISBN-13)

Panic X Panic, a manga from Mika Kawamura, focuses on childhood friends and rivals, Mitsuki Kamishiro and Kakeru Kuon. Mitsuki’s family operates a shrine and Kakeru’s family runs a church across the street from the Kamishiro Shrine. The two discover that they are descended from a group called the “Holy Workers,” who banished demons back to their world and sealed them there 2000 years ago.

The demons returned, and when one attacked Mitsuki, Kakeru came to her rescue. Mitsuki realizes that they both have magical powers, but they must work together to save the world from the demon invasion, even while bickering like an old married couple.

In Panic X Panic, Vol. 2, Mitsuki and Kakeru travel back in time and discover the misunderstanding that led to their rivalry. Then, the androgynous demon, Yō Kuroha, makes a move to possess Kakeru and neutralize his power. Now, the clueless Mitsuki has to discover the conspiracy in time to stop a new demon invasion.

I liked the first volume of Panic X Panic, and I like the second volume even more. So I was disappointed to discover that this is the final volume of the series.

Although Mitsuki and Kakeru are the co-protagonists in this series, the story is told through Mitsuki’s eyes. Creator Mika Kawamura does a good job of helping the reader feel Mitsuki’s sense of wonder, her confusion and fear, and her lack of understanding about the supernatural that has suddenly come into her life. It can also be frustrating to follow a character that can be so clueless, but it is also fun rooting for her as she confronts dilemmas with pluck and imagination.

Readers who enjoy manga like St. Dragon Girl, another shojo manga about a magical girl, will also enjoy the delightful Panic X Panic. Del Rey Manga rates it as being for teens, but this series is appropriate for younger readers, who may enjoy it more.

A-

http://www.delreymanga.com/


Enter the "Skullkickers" Original Art Contest

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Follow Image Comics on Twitter for a chance to win an original page from SKULLKICKERS #1

Image Comics' new series SKULLKICKERS, written by Jim Zubkavich and illustrated by profoundly talented newcomer Edwin Huang, will hit stands in September. Now, you have the chance to own original artwork from Image Comics next hit series!

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The winner will receive a page of original artwork from the first issue of SKULLKICKERS. The contest starts Tuesday, August 24 at 12:00 p.m. PST and ends on Friday, August 27 at 12:00 p.m. PST. The winner will be announced the evening of August 27. Entrants who also follow @zubkavich are also eligible for a special bonus prize!

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SKULLKICKERS #1, a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores September 22, 2010. Readers can get a taste of Skullkickers in POPGUN, VOL. 2 (MAY082176) and POPGUN, VOL. 3 (JAN092368). Follow the Skullkickers blog at www.skullkickers.com.

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Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

Skullkickers Ad from Image Comics

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Zeroids Features 5 Incredible Robots


Zeroids #1

Story: Aaron Shaps
Art: Robert Castro
Colors: Jason Jensen
Cover A: by Chris Short,
Zombie cover: Mark Sparacio
32pgs, color, $3.99

Dangerous aliens. Flesh-eating zombies. Smokin’ hot sorority babes. These aren’t your daddy’s robots!

It’s true what they say: they just don’t make ‘em like they used to. After spending decades in space, five incredible robots, the ZEROIDS, return to Earth during humanity’s darkest hour. Their mission: to defend our world from a race of insidious alien energy vampires. Armed with extraterrestrial technology acquired among the stars, the Zeroids are all that stand between mankind and an alien-engineered zombiegeddon…but before they can help us, the Zeroids must first enlist the help of a U.S. Air Force ace and a beautiful Cornell sorority co-ed. The beloved toy series comes to life in this exciting new post-apocalyptic adventure series! Cover artist Chris Short takes a break from his NEWSWEEK gig to do a cool cover for us!

(Covers A & B available separately)

**RETAILER INCENTIVE: for every 5 copies ordered (any combination of A&B covers) you will receive one free “Color Close Up” Chris Short variant edition!**

**RETAILER INCENTIVE: for every 5 copies ordered (any combination of A&B covers), you can purchase one “Space” variant= $3.99 retail.**

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for August 25 2010

DC COMICS
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JUN100230 BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #19 $2.99

JAN100385 BLACKEST NIGHT SER 5 BLACK LANTERN BATMAN AF PI

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