Tegami Bachi: A Letter from Mother

I read Tegami Bachi, Vol. 14

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free comics)

Review: STAR WARS: LEGACY Volume 2 #5

STAR WARS: LEGACY VOLUME 2 #5
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

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

SCRIPT: Corrina Bechko and Gabriel Hardman
ART: Gabriel Hardman
COLORS: Rachelle Rosenberg
LETTERS: Michael Heisler
COVER: Dave Wilkins
EDITOR: Randy Stradley
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (July 2013)

Prisoner of the Floating World: Part Five

“Prisoner of the Floating World,” the first story arc of the recently launched Star Wars comic book series, Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2, comes to an end.  According to publisher, Dark Horse Comics, Legacy Volume 2 takes place “approximately 138 years after the events depicted in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.”  Legacy Volume 2 focuses on junk dealer Ania Solo, the great-great granddaughter of Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo.

The storyline began when Miss Solo finds a battered Imperial communications droid and a lost lightsaber.  Because of these finds, Ania ends up on the run with her friend Sauk, an ice harvester and refugee from Mon Calamari.  Later, AG-37, an ancient assassin droid, joins them.  Meanwhile, young Imperial Knight, Jao Assam, searches for the master to whom he is apprenticed, Imperial Knight Yalta Val.  The quartet becomes involved in a Sith conspiracy centered on the building of a communications array in the Carreras System.

Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2 #5 opens with Ania blaming herself for everything bad that has happened and rejecting any connections that she has to a family legacy.  Now, Ania finds herself racing between a planetoid and the space station that holds the Carreras System’s communications array, which are on a collision course.  The Sith behind this new conspiracy reveals himself as Darth Wredd, and he stands between Ania and her comrades and escape.

This final issue of Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2’s first story arc has forced me to make this clear.  Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2 is the best new Star Wars comic book series of 2013 – better even than Brian Wood and Carlos D’Anda’s new eponymous Star Wars comic book series that has been getting a lot of attention.  Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2 is the best Star Wars comic book since Marvel Comics’ Star Wars (1977 to 1986).

Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2’s creative team of Corrina Bechko and Gabriel Hardman are creating Star Wars Expanded Universe fiction that recalls George Lucas’ original Star Wars films.  I don’t know how long Bechko and Hardman will work on Legacy Volume 2, as I’m certain Marvel or DC Comics will hire them away from Dark Horse, if they have not already done so.  In the meantime, we have this great comic book series.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Review: MAGI: The Labyrinth of Magic Volume 1

MAGI, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Shinobu Ohtaka
TRANSLATION: John Werry
LETTERS: Steve Dutro
ISBN: 978-1-4215-5951-3; paperback (August 2013); Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic is a fantasy and adventure shonen manga (comics for teen boys) from creator, Shinobu Ohtaka.  The series made its debut in Japan in Weekly Shonen Jump back in June 2009.  The manga made its American debut this week.

Magi is a manga set in an alternate recreation of the ancient Old World (perhaps, ancient Persia).  About 14 years before the story begins, several magic castles (of various architectural styles) began to appear.  Full of treasures and traps, these mysterious ruins are known as “Dungeons.”  Two new friends are about to embark on a dangerous and deadly adventure into a Dungeon to find fortune and glory.

Magi, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 7) introduces Aladdin, a scruffy young boy, who travels the world.  In his possession is a metal flute, and when he blows on it, out pops a headless, muscular, behemoth named Ugo; he’s a djinn.  Aladdin meets Alibaba Saluja, a young man who seeks his destiny in a dungeon.  Together, Aladdin and Alibaba enter Dungeon No. 7: Amon, which is inside the Oasis of Qishan.  Jamil, who is Lord of the Oasis of Qishan, is also interested in that same Dungeon.

The early chapters of the Magi manga were not particularly interesting to me.  Once Aladdin meets Alibaba, the story picks up its pace and also gains a purpose – the Dungeon quest.  When the main characters reveal their goals and obstacles, the story starts to get interesting.  Magi Volume 1 also gives a glimpse the adversaries to come for Aladdin and Alibaba.

The style of the art by Magi creator Shinobu Ohtaka is similar to the art of Yuuki Iinuma, creator of the Itsuwaribito manga.  That’s where the comparisons end, as Magi lacks the edginess of Itsuwaribito.  The rating for Magi is “T for Teen,” but the tone of the story will make it more attractive to middle school and ‘tween readers and not so much older teen readers.  Magi is a straight-forward, fun to read adventure, part Prince of Persia and part Raiders of the Lost Ark.  Readers looking for treasure-hunting adventure will want to try Magi.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for August 14 2013

DC COMICS

JUN130290 ASTRO CITY #3 $3.99
JUN130210 BATGIRL #23 $2.99
JUN130199 BATMAN #23 $3.99
JUN130202 BATMAN #23 COMBO PACK $4.99
JUN130250 BATMAN ARKHAM UNHINGED #17 $3.99
JUN130279 BATMAN LIL GOTHAM #5 $2.99
JUN130162 CONSTANTINE #6 $2.99
JUN130234 DEMON KNIGHTS #23 $2.99
MAY130253 DJANGO UNCHAINED #6 (MR) $4.99
APR130222 FLASH HC VOL 02 ROGUES REVOLUTION (N52) $24.99
MAY130224 FLASH TP VOL 01 MOVE FORWARD (N52) $16.99
JUN130221 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #23 $2.99
JUN130146 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7 (TRINITY) $3.99
JUN130149 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7 COMBO PACK (TRINITY) $4.99
JUN130167 KATANA #7 $2.99
JUN130216 NIGHTWING #23 $2.99
MAY130230 NIGHTWING OLD FRIENDS NEW ENEMIES TP $14.99
MAY130262 RIGHT STATE TP (MR) $16.99
JUN130255 SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #16 $3.99
MAY130214 SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 TP VOL 02 DETECTIVE $14.99
JUN130239 SUICIDE SQUAD #23 $2.99
JUN130191 SUPERBOY #23 $2.99
JUN130229 THRESHOLD #8 $3.99
JUN130175 WORLDS FINEST #15 $2.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for August 14 2013

MARVEL COMICS

MAY130736 ALPHA TP BIG TIME $16.99
JUN130663 ASTONISHING X-MEN #65 $3.99
JUN130596 AVENGERS ARENA #13 $2.99
MAY130721 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE TP SCIENCE BROS NOW $16.99
JUN130656 DEADPOOL #14 $2.99
MAY138362 DEXTER #1 2ND PTG DEL MUNDO VAR $3.99
MAY130742 DR STRANGE AND DR DOOM TP TRIUMPH AND TORMENT $16.99
MAY130746 ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 09 $19.99
JUN130630 FANTASTIC FOUR #11 $2.99
JUN130625 FEARLESS DEFENDERS #8 $3.99
MAY130725 FEARLESS DEFENDERS TP VOL 01 DOOM MAIDENS NOW $15.99
MAY130733 FIRST X-MEN TP $19.99
JUN130572 INFINITY #1 $4.99
JUN130637 MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #17 $2.99
JUN130609 SCARLET SPIDER #20 $2.99
MAY130612 SECRET AVENGERS #7 NOW $3.99
JUN130608 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM UP #2 NOW $3.99
JUN130622 THOR GOD OF THUNDER #11 $3.99
JUN130604 ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #30 $3.99
JUN130655 UNCANNY X-FORCE #10 $3.99
JUN130642 UNCANNY X-MEN #10 $3.99
JUN130650 WOLVERINE #8 $3.99
JUN130648 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #34 $3.99
MAY130729 WOLVERINE TP VOL 01 HUNTING SEASON NOW $17.99
MAR130728 X-FORCE PREM HC PHALANX COVENANT $39.99
JUN130700 X-MEN BATTLE OF ATOM BY ARTHUR ADAMS POSTER $8.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for August 14 2013

Digital Comics: Digital new releases available from your local comic book shop are marked below. [DIG] = Digital version available. [DIG/P+] = Print-Plus digital/print combo pack available.  For more information, go to www.digitalcomicsreader.com.

IDW PUBLISHING

JUN130409 100 PENNY PRESS STAR TREK #1 $1.00
JUN130412 AMELIA COLE AND THE UNKNOWN WORLD GN $19.99
JUN130362 DOCTOR WHO VOL 3 #12 $3.99
JUN130334 DOOMSDAY.1 #4 [DIG/P+] $3.99
JUN130384 GI JOE SPECIAL MISSIONS #6 [DIG/P+] $3.99
JUN130388 GI JOE TP VOL 01 HOMEFRONT $19.99
JUN130331 HALF PAST DANGER #4 [DIG/P+] $3.99
JUN130354 KISS SOLO TP $17.99
APR130307 MARK SCHULTZ XENOZOIC TALES ARTIST ED HC PI
JUN130377 MY LITTLE PONY COVER GALLERY #1 [DIG/P+] $3.99
MAY130361 MY LITTLE PONY DIGEST TP VOL 01 $6.99
JUN130405 STAR TREK ONGOING #24 [DIG/P+] $3.99
JUN130322 THUNDER AGENTS #1 [DIG] $3.99
JUN130325 THUNDER AGENTS CLASSICS TP VOL 01 $29.99
APR130335 TRANSFORMERS 30TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION HC $49.99
JUN130394 TRANSFORMERS DARK PRELUDE TP $19.99
MAY138198 WILD BLUE YONDER #1 2ND PTG $3.99
MAY138224 X-FILES SEASON 10 #1 2ND PTG $3.99
JUN130342 X-FILES SEASON 10 #3 [DIG/P+] $3.99
APR130416 ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS DIPLOMACY PROSE SC $19.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for August 14 2013

DARK HORSE COMICS

APR130044 BPRD HELL ON EARTH TP VOL 06 RETURN O/T MASTER $19.99
JUN130037 BREATH OF BONES A TALE O/T GOLEM #3 $3.99
JUN130022 BTVS SEASON 9 FREEFALL #24 NOTO CVR $2.99
APR130050 EX SANGUINE TP $17.99
JUN130008 HALO INITIATION #1 MAIN CVR $3.99
APR130034 MIKE NORTONS BATTLEPUG HC VOL 02 $14.99
JUN130055 RESIDENT ALIEN SUICIDE BLONDE #0 $3.99
JUN130014 STAR WARS #8 2013 ONGOING $2.99
JUN130052 TRUE LIVES O/T FABULOUS KILLJOYS #3 $3.99
JUN130041 X #4 (MR) $2.99