Press Release: Seven Narutos for Seven Days

VIZ MANGA DEBUTS SEVEN VOLUMES OF NARUTO IN SEVEN DAYS

Release Promotion Culminates in NARUTO Volume 52 Debuting Same Day As Print Counterpart on September 6th

VIZ Media starts off September with a special NARUTO release promotion through VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App for the Apple iPad™, iPhone™ and iPod™ touch. NARUTO Vol. 46 is available now, Vol. 47 launches today, and a new volume of NARUTO (volumes 48-51) will be available each day thereafter. On Tuesday, September 6th, NARUTO Volume 52 will debut DAY-AND-DATE with its print counterpart!

Created by Masashi Kishimoto in 1999, NARUTO (rated ‘T’ for Teens) quickly became Japan’s most popular ninja manga targeting tweens and teens and has sold more than 85 million copies to-date. NARUTO is also one of the most popular anime/manga properties in North America. The NARUTO manga and animated series depict the adventures of a young boy named Uzumaki Naruto who trains to become a ninja. Naruto, cursed with the spirit of the nine-tailed fox demon sealed within his body, is forced to live a bullied life discriminated against by his fellow villagers. But Naruto is resilient and undaunted and his determination often inspires those around him. Through the adventures, the young ninja learns the importance of friendship, teamwork, loyalty, hard work, creativity, ingenuity and right vs. wrong. More information on NARUTO is available at http://www.naruto.com/.

NARUTO Vol. 52 sees a Cell Seven reunion as Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto finally meet and the former classmates' complicated past gives way to a violent and unsure future. Naruto realizes he must eventually battle Sasuke one-on-one...to the death! But with Sasuke and his dark allies bent on complete destruction, and political intrigue in the villages, will the powerful Allied Shinobi Forces allow the two "friends" to meet in battle?!

September 5th also sees new additions to 11 other VIZ Media manga series, including:

BLACK BIRD Vol. 10 – available a day earlier than the print counterpart!
DENGEKI DIASY Vol. 4
DRAGON BALL Z Vol. 25
GRAND GUIGNOL ORCHESTRA Vol. 3
I’LL GIVE MY ALL TOMORROW Vol. 3
KEKKAISHI Vol. 12
OISHINBO Vol. 2
ONE PIECE Vol. 42
OURON HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB Vol. 10
ROSARIO + VAMPIRE II Vol. 4
RUROUNI KENSHIN Vol. 21

VIZ Media's digital manga platform continues to expand access for fans in North America to the world's best manga. Starting with the VIZ Manga app (the #1 app for reading manga on the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch) in 2010, the recently launched VIZManga.com is now a leading online destination for reading manga on desktop/laptop computers and on Android-powered devices with built-in web browsers. With one account, registered users can select from nearly 400 volumes across 40+ series and then enjoy their purchases through even more devices than ever.

For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.

Toriko Ten-Fold

I read Toriko, Vol. 6

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps).

Leroy Douresseaux on STAR WARS: JEDI – The Dark Side #4

STAR WARS: JEDI – THE DARK SIDE #4
DARK HORSE BOOKS

["Star Wars Central" review page is here.]

SCRIPT: Scott Allie
ARTIST: Mahmud Asrar
COLORS: Paul Mounts
LETTERS: Michael Heisler
COVER: Stéphane Roux
32pp, Color, $2.99

The only reason that I’ve become a regular reader of the Star Wars comic books that Dark Horse Comics publishes is because Dark Horse sends me advance review copies in PDF form. Since I don’t make regular (or even semi-regular) trips to the comic book shops that are closest to me (and they’re not that close), I avoid getting into series that require me to buy consecutive issues. If I were a regular comic book guy, I’d probably buy these Star Wars comic books. They’re quite good.

Star Wars: Jedi – The Dark Side is a Star Wars comic book set during “The Rise of the Empire” era, the thousand-year period before the original Star Wars film. This particular storyline takes place two decades before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

The Jedi Council has sent Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, his headstrong Padawan Xanatos, the beautiful Jedi Master Tahl, and the Padawan Orykan Tamarik (whose master is deceased) to the planet Telos IV. Their assignment is to quell the unrest caused by the mysterious death and possible assassination of High Priestess Liora.

As Star Wars: Jedi – The Dark Side #4 opens, Qui-Gon and the Jedi deal with the aftermath of the attack on Lord Crion, the ruler of Telos IV and father of Xanatos. The attack resulted in a shocking death, which Crion uses to his political advantage. Meanwhile, Qui-Gon must do without one his companions, and he must also deal with the fact that the Jedi are being used for political purposes. And still the true villain behind the murder of the High Priestess remains unknown.

Writer Scott Allie has turned in a Star Wars comic book story that is part palace drama and part conspiracy thriller, in addition to having the usual Star Wars elements. Plus, in this issue, there is plenty of hot light saber action, courtesy of Qui-Gon. Speaking of the master, Allie has generally presented a richly characterized version of Qui-Gon in the series. With this issue, however, he is vapid, although I think the character is supposed to come across as perplexed? Anyway, this series is steadily moving towards a conclusion that I hope can live up to the build up.

B+

Will You Remember the I Reads You of September

Welcome to I Reads You, my blog about the things I read (mostly comic books, comics, and related books) and about the things I come across worth reading (mostly about comic books, politics, and entertainment). Sometimes I’ll comment on “real” books and the mass media.

Don't forget to visit http://www.negromancer.com/. I also write for the Comic Book Bin (which has smart phones apps).

All images and text appearing on this blog are copyright © and/or trademark their respective owners.

The Comic Book Bin on DC Comics' New 52

Beth Davies-Stofka rounded up some Bin writers, including yours (un)truly, to discuss the core of certain comic book characters.  The impetus of this was DC Comics' relaunch of its universe, which begins today with Justice League #1.  I chose Batman.  Go here to read.

Black Bird: Return of the Father

I read Black Bird, Vol. 10

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps).

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for August 31 2011

DC COMICS

DEC100325 BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE STATUE DAVID FINCH $80.00

MAY110240 BATMAN MAD LOVE AND OTHER STORIES TP $17.99

JUN110178 FLASHPOINT #5 (OF 5) $3.99

JUL110187 JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 $3.99

JUL110189 JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 COMBO PACK $4.99

FEB110282 LITTLE ENDLESS PORTFOLIO SET $29.99

APR110205 NEW TEEN TITANS OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 $75.00

MAY110297 SANDMAN TP VOL 06 FABLES AND REFLECTIONS NEW ED (MR) $19.99

APR110208 STEVE DITKO OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 STARRING SHADE $59.99