Review: YU-GI-OH! ZEXAL Volume 2

YU-GI-OH! ZEXAL, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CREATOR: Kazuki Takahashi
WRITER: Shin Yoshida
CARTOONIST: Naohito Miyoshi
TRANSLATION & ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Taylor Engel & Ian Reid, HC Language Solutions
LETTERS: John Hunt
ISBN: 978-1-4215-4980-4; paperback; Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

In the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal follows Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s. The manga made its debut in the Japanese manga magazine, V Jump (February 2011). Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal the anime debuted in April 2011 in Japan and in North American half-a-year later.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal is set in futuristic Heartland City. The series focuses on Yuma Tsukumo, a hot-bloodied young fellow who wants to become Duel Champion. He is accompanied by Astral, a mysterious spirit that only Yuma can see. Together they search for Numbers, special cards that hold Astral’s memories and are also highly sought after.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal, Vol. 2 (The Numbers Hunter!!) welcomes the Numbers Hunters, duelists looking for the 100 Numbers cards. Welcome Kaita! In order to return his brother, Haruto, to normal, Kaita must find all 100 cards in order to appease Dr. Faker. Faker uses Haruto’s powers to assault Astral World, in addition to his other plots and machinations with partner, Mr. Heartland.

Meanwhile, Yuma’s pals: Kotori Mizuki, Tetsuo Takeda, Cathy, Takashi Todoraki, and Tokunosuke Hyori, form the Numbers Club to help Yuma find Numbers. Their first mission takes them to the amusement park, Heartland, where Yuma has a date with the duelist, Captain Corn.

[This volume includes a Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card.]

Of the few Yu-Gi-Oh! manga that I’ve read, this is most kid-oriented. The Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal manga is about a kid with questionable talents who struggles to learn to get better. The manga is like that – a youngster struggling to get better. It has the elements of being a high-quality manga, but right now, it has a lot of characters and too many dangling plotlines. Perhaps things will come together over the course of the series, but right now, young Yu-Gi-Oh! readers will like it.

B-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

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I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics).

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I Reads You Review: LOVE AND ROCKETS: New Stories #4

LOVE AND ROCKETS: NEW STORIES #4
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS

WRITERS: Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez
ARTISTS: Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez
COVER: Gilbert Hernandez
ISBN: 978-1-60699-490-0; paperback (2011)
104pp, B&W, $14.99 U.S.

Love and Rockets: New Stories is the third incarnation of the comic book series, Love and Rockets, which is the creation of Los. Bros, the brothers Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez (with brother Mario occasionally contributing). Published by Fantagraphics Books, New Stories is a reboot of Love and Rockets as an annual, graphic novel-length package, resembling both a comic book and a literary magazine (designed with bookstores in mind). For me, Love and Rockets is the best American comic book series published to date.

Originally published in 2011, Love and Rockets: New Stories #4 offers six stories: two by Gilbert and four by Jaime, all under a cover by Gilbert. Jaime concludes “The Love Bunglers,” with Parts Three, Four, and Five. Maggie fidgets with Ray Dominquez’s art and wonders why he doesn’t return her phone calls. She is vexed by Vivian (“Frogmouth”), who is hooking up with Reno. Maggie’s niece, Linda, joins Ray in helping Maggie open a new business with classic Mechanics character, Walter a.k.a Yax. Maggie struggles with Angel’s departure for college, and Calvin’s action leads to a surprising turn in the lives of two of the characters. Hopey and Maggie reunite. “Return for Me,” a sequel of sorts to “Browntown” returns Maggie to Hoppers for a new life, as narrated by Letty.

The cover story is Gilbert’s 35-page “King Vampire.” The B-movie, meta-fiction-like story focuses on two teenagers, Cecil and Trini, who want to join a local vampire club. When real vampires show up, things take a deadly turn, and Cecil meets a vampire queen (who looks like Luba). In Gilbert’s “And Then Reality Kicks In,” Fritz reunites with an old beau for their own version of Before Sunrise.

I have not read Love and Rockets for the entirety of its 30 years of existence. I think that I started reading it in the middle of 1985. Since reading my first L&R, I’ve rarely been disappointed, but I have often been stunned and/or surprised, which I am after reading Love and Rockets: New Stories #4. It is possible that this series keeps getting better, and New Stories #4 makes a case for that. The primary reason, at least I think so, is Jaime’s work in New Stories #4.

Over the years, Love and Rockets fans and readers (including myself) have believed that Gilbert is the great writer of the two brothers and Jaime the great artist. New Stories is gradually debunking that, on Jaime’s side. Since the third issue of New Stories, Jaime has delved deeper into his characters, using autobiography, character drama, and analysis to unveil new and hidden aspects of his characters. He engages emotions and psychology as never before. New Stories has found Jaime at the peak of his storytelling powers.

Meanwhile, Gilbert impresses with his mastery of dialogue writing for comic books. From the self-possessed banter of “And Then Reality Kicks In” to the witty and precise chit-chat of “King Vampire,” Gilbert divulges interior motives and exterior conflict. In “King Vampire,” the art is not merely black and white; it offers the interplay of black and white as both contrast and balance. The match of light and dark and of cold and warm gives this story layers, shifts in genre and tone.

I was never sure. Is “King Vampire comic horror, as in a B-movie? Or is this surreal terror, as in a bloody, gothic tale of monster/human relationships played out to its inevitable (tragic?) conclusion. This is some of Gilbert’s most complex writing.

Love and Rockets: New Stories #4 is one of 2011’s very best comic books. Plus, it has an all-star, all-cartoonists letters column, including letters and notes to Los Bros. from Steven Weissman, Adrian Tomine, and Zak Sally, among others.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

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The Earl and the Fairy: Final Volume

I read The Earl and The Fairy, Vol. 4

I posted a review at ComicBookBin.

Albert Avilla Reviews: Batgirl #13

Batgirl # 13
DC Comics

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

Writer: Gail Simone
Pencils/Inks: Ed Benes

A Blade of Memory (Spoilers!)
The story kicks off with our heroine down and out for the count. She's been stabbed by the vile Nightfall. Batgirl brings herself back from the brink to stop Nightfall.

During a break in the action, we get Nightfall's origin. We learn that she is the daughter of a corrupt businessman. After her family is brutally murdered by her boyfriend, Trevor, Charise Carnes takes the blame and allows herself to be sent to Arkham to learn her craft from the inmates. What degree program is that? After that fine education, she goes on the noble path of fixing Gotham City by torturing and murdering criminals.

Once Batgirl lets Nightfall know that she's leaving with the criminal that Nightfall has been torturing and Trevor, the fight renews. Just as Batgirl reaches her limit, she gets help from the thug she is trying to save and is able to defeat Nightfall. Then, Batwoman comes in to save Batgirl. Barbra's mother is being threatened by thugs in clown masks. A group of super-villains are being gathered to kill Batgirl.

DC has a creative team on Batgirl that has the ability to make the book A-list. The potential for greatness is awesome. Upcoming stories seem to be interesting. Nightfall is a good archenemy for Batgirl, as their different philosophies clash with each other. Nightfall has challenged Batgirl by threatening to control the cyberworld, making Batgirl want to rise to the challenge. Batgirl is better when she is part of the action, but it would benefit her to develop her skills as a computer hacker. With covert and overt enemies to face, Batgirl has a challenging future to face.

I give props to Benes; he hasn't drawn a story where the art didn't accentuate the story. This is an all-around, good-looking book. He was even able to keep Batwoman in her own unique look.

I rate Batgirl # 13 Buy Your Own Copy. #2 (of 5) on the Al-O-Meter Ranking

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I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.