Friday, April 7, 2017

Review: BORUTO: Naruto Next Generations Volume 1

BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

CREATOR/SUPERVISOR: Masashi Kishimoto
ART: Mikio Ikemoto
SCRIPT: Ukyo Kodachi
TRANSLATION: Mari Morimoto
LETTERS: Snir Aharon
EDITOR: Alexis Kirsch
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9211-4; paperback (April 2017); Rated “T” for “Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

The long-running manga series, Naruto, was the story of Uzumaki Naruto, a young shinobi (ninja) who lived in the shinobi Village of Konohagakure.  Naruto had an incorrigible knack for mischief and was the biggest troublemaker at the Ninja Academy.  However, Naruto was serious about his quest to become the world’s greatest ninja and the Hokage, leader of his village.

Under the supervision of Naruto creator, Masashi Kishimoto, artist Mikio Ikemoto and script writer Ukyo Kodachi present Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.  This is the sequel to Naruto and focuses on Naruto's son, Uzumaki Boruto.  Naruto did achieve his dream and his face sits atop the Hokage monument, but this is not Naruto's story.  A new generation of ninja wants to take the stage, including Boruto, who wants to topple his father's face from the Hokage monument.

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Vol. 1 (entitled Uzumaki Boruto!! – Chapters 1 to 3) finds young Boruto making his way through the life of a ninja-in-training.  He lacks patience and wants to be powerful now, so he is just like his father once was.  The Chunin Exams are coming up, and Boruto sees this as his chance to shine... even if has to take help from the Scientific Ninja Tool Corps.

[This volume includes the bonus story, “NARUTO: The Path Lit by the Full Moon.”]

As a Shonen Jump manga reader, I am glad to be back in the world of my favorite Shonen Jump title, Naruto.  I have been waiting for the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations manga, and while it is not the manga that Naruto was, Boruto is off to a good start.

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Volume 1 contains three chapters (and an extra story starring a big-time Naruto villain), and those three chapters quickly go about the job of establishing this next generation of shinobi.  Although Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto is no longer the lead writer and artist on Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, he is supervising a creative team, artist Mikio Ikemoto and script writer Ukyo Kodachi, that is thus far hitting all the familiar Naruto notes, while adding some beats of their own by defining new personalities.

The truth is Boruto is a good Naruto substitute.  It may also end up being a good manga all on its own.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Thursday, April 6, 2017

Review: THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: Legendary Edition - Majora's Mask/A Link to the Past

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: LEGENDARY EDITION (VOL. 3) – MAJORA'S MASK/A LINK TO THE PAST
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Akira Himekawa
TRANSLATION: John Werry, Honyaku Center, Inc.
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Steve “Stan!” Brown
LETTERS: John Hunt
EDITORS: Mike Montesa; Joel Enos
ISBN: 978-1-4215-8961-2; paperback (March 2017); Rated “A” for “All Ages”
402pp, B&W with some color, $17.99 U.S., $24.99 CAN, £12.99 U.K.

The Legend of Zelda is a high-fantasy themed action-adventure video game series published by Nintendo.  Since 1986, Nintendo has published over 20 Zelda games and spin-offs.  For two decades, Nintendo has also officially endorsed and commissioned manga adaptations of The Legend of Zelda.  The Legend of Zelda revolves around Link, a brave knight/warrior, and Princess Zelda of Hyrule, who guides, encourages, instructs, and summons Link to battle evil.

Mangaka Akira Himekawa has produced several multi-chapter manga serials based on particular Legend of Zelda video games.  VIZ Media is reprinting these Himekawa manga under the title, The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition.  The third release in this series is The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition – Majora's Mask/A Link to the PastMajora's Mask is a 2000 video game in the Zelda series.  Himekawa's  manga based on the 1991 game, A Link to the Past, was originally titled Triforce of the Gods, but is entitled A Link to the Past for its new English-language release.

In Majora's Mask,  Link is a famous swordsman.  He stops to give lessons at the school of an old friend before continuing his search for his missing friend, Navi the fairy.  On his journey, Link is transported to the land of Termina, where he is accosted by someone named “Skull Kid.”  This character wears the cursed Majora's Mask, and he also imprisons Link's face inside a mask.  Now, Link must not only unravel the mysteries of the masks, but he must also solve the troubles that besiege Termina and stop Skull Kid from dragging the moon down so that it will crash into the Termina village of Clock Town.

In A Link to the Past, Link is an apple farmer in Hyrule, and he grows apples so good that they can heal the body.  With his Uncle's help, Link is ready to make his farm the best apple orchard in Hyrule.  However, one night, Link hears a mysterious female voice calling him.  The voice belongs to Zelda, Princess of Hyrule, and she is being held captive by the traitorous royal adviser, Agahnim.  He wants the legendary Triforce, and the only way Link can stop him and rescue Zelda is to find the legendary “Master Sword.”  With the help of the female bandit, Ghanti, Link goes on a journey that takes him to many lands and that may also answer questions about Link's past.

In the last year, VIZ Media has sent me several volumes of The Legend of Zelda manga so that I might review them.  I have discovered that these manga are better reads than I ever imagined – not that I took much time to think about Zelda manga.

The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition – Majora's Mask/A Link to the Past manga is not as awesome a volume of the previous volume of the Legendary Edition series, The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition – Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages, but it is still quite good.

Majora's Mask is a quest fantasy that has nothing to do with Link rescuing or serving Princess Zelda, at least in the manga.  Majora's Mask, as a narrative, has a weak opening, but the story picks up strength and momentum when Link starts looking for the “four giants.”  Majora's Mask definitely finishes better than it started.

A Link to the Past is a strong, exciting story from beginning to end, and I have to admit that I was disappointed that it had to end.  It is a pure Link-rescues-Zelda story.  Both Majora's Mask and A Link to the Past are well served by the clean drawing style of the art, which makes for clear storytelling.  Akira Himekawa presents his Legend of Zelda manga in a graphic style that makes the story attractive to readers young and young-at-heart.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Review: CHAOS CAMPUS: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #21

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES No. 21
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ARTIST: Bernard Gita
COLORS: Russell Vincent Yu
LETTERS: Elisa M. Coletti
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
COVER: Kevin Wallace
24pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (2015)

“Smart Zombies” Part One of Two

Rated “Teen 13+”

Created by B. Alex Thompson, Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is a comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Chaos Campus is a horror comedy that follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY).  They are ass-kickin’ Jaime Lynn Schaeffer, brainy Paige Helena Patton, and easy-on-the-eyes slash sex-kitten Brittany Ann Miller.

On the night of the volleyball tournament between EAZY and its partner, Alpha Zeta Zeta, zombies invade the EAZY sorority house.  Jamie, Paige, and Brittany escape only to discover that zombies have taken over The City.  This buxom trio is probably humanity’s only hope of ending this zombie apocalypse.  Since their escape from the sorority, the girls have been on series of crazy adventures that sometimes resemble classic horror movie scenarios.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #21 opens in the aftermath of the events depicted in “Attack of the Blondes.”  Now, that our heroic trio is deep into the city, they need to find supplies, survivors, and the strategic higher ground.  They find some of what they need in an imposing black tower of a building.  What they discover inside will shock, anger, and outage them... and titillate some of them.

It has been several years since I read an issue of the main Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies series.  I think the last regular issue I read was #11.  At that point, just about each issue of Chaos Campus was in some way a parody or spoof of or referenced popular American films and American pop culture.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #21 is thoroughly invested in the serial narrative.  It gives the sense that writer/creator B. Alex Thompson has found or is finding the sweet spot of his post-apocalyptic creation.  It seems as if Chaos Campus is really going somewhere, and is not just a comic riff on genre.

Still, I must say that Thompson is quite good at comic horror, which is not easy.  Horror comedy is a trap for storytellers because they sometimes create something that is neither scary nor funny.  In Chaos Campus, the threat of the zombies is real and the girls of Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY) just wanna have fun.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


www.ApprobationComics.com
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com

The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

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Monday, April 3, 2017

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 5, 2017

DC COMICS

FEB170179    AQUAMAN #20    $2.99
FEB170180    AQUAMAN #20 VAR ED    $2.99
JAN170377    BATGIRL & THE BIRDS OF PREY TP VOL 01 WHO IS ORACLE (REBIRTH    $16.99
FEB170191    BATMAN #20    $2.99
FEB170192    BATMAN #20 VAR ED    $2.99
JAN170389    BATMAN SUPERMAN HC VOL 06 UNIVERSES FINEST    $29.99
JAN170388    BATMAN SUPERMAN TP VOL 05 TRUTH HURTS    $16.99
FEB170197    CYBORG #11    $3.99
FEB170198    CYBORG #11 VAR ED    $3.99
FEB170262    DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS #25    $4.99
SEP160381    DC DESIGNER SER STARFIRE BY AMANDA CONNER STATUE    $130.00
OCT160345    DC ICONS CYBORG DELUXE AF (RES)    $45.00
OCT160344    DC ICONS DEATHSTROKE AF (RES)    $28.00
OCT160341    DC ICONS STATIC MILESTONE ACTION FIGURE (RES)    $28.00
OCT160342    DC ICONS SWAMP THING AF (RES)    $28.00
OCT160343    DC ICONS WONDER WOMAN AF (RES)    $28.00
FEB170199    DEATHSTROKE #16    $2.99
FEB170200    DEATHSTROKE #16 VAR ED    $2.99
JAN170391    EARTH 2 SOCIETY TP VOL 03 A WHOLE NEW WORLD    $16.99
FEB170332    EVERAFTER FROM THE PAGES OF FABLES #8 (MR)    $3.99
FEB170263    FALL AND RISE OF CAPTAIN ATOM #4 (OF 6)    $2.99
FEB170266    FLINTSTONES #10    $3.99
FEB170267    FLINTSTONES #10 VAR ED    $3.99
FEB170207    GREEN ARROW #20    $2.99
FEB170208    GREEN ARROW #20 VAR ED    $2.99
JAN170378    GREEN ARROW TP VOL 02 ISLAND OF SCARS (REBIRTH)    $16.99
FEB170211    GREEN LANTERNS #20    $2.99
FEB170212    GREEN LANTERNS #20 VAR ED    $2.99
FEB170219    HARLEY QUINN #17    $2.99
FEB170220    HARLEY QUINN #17 VAR ED    $2.99
FEB170264    INJUSTICE GROUND ZERO #9    $2.99
FEB170229    JUSTICE LEAGUE #18    $2.99
FEB170230    JUSTICE LEAGUE #18 VAR ED    $2.99
FEB170225    NIGHTWING #18    $2.99
FEB170226    NIGHTWING #18 VAR ED    $2.99
FEB170331    SAVAGE THINGS #2 (OF 8) (MR)    $3.99
FEB170279    SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #80    $2.99
FEB170290    SHADE THE CHANGING GIRL #7 (MR)    $3.99
FEB170291    SHADE THE CHANGING GIRL #7 VAR ED (MR)    $3.99
FEB170164    SUPERMAN #20    $2.99
FEB170165    SUPERMAN #20 VAR ED    $2.99
JAN170383    SUPERMAN TP VOL 02 TRIALS OF THE SUPER SON (REBIRTH)    $16.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 5, 2017

MARVEL COMICS

FEB170786    ALL NEW WOLVERINE #19    $3.99
DEC168680    ALL NEW WOLVERINE #19 TORQUE VAR    $3.99
FEB170865    AMERICA #2    $3.99
FEB170823    AVENGERS #6    $3.99
JAN178780    BLACK BOLT #1 POSTCARDS (BUNDLE OF 100)    $5.00
FEB170875    BULLSEYE #3 (OF 5)    $3.99
JAN171123    CAPTAIN AMERICA EPIC COLLECTION TP JUSTICE IS SERVED    $39.99
FEB170830    CAPTAIN AMERICA STEVE ROGERS #15    $3.99
FEB170821    CHAMPIONS #7    $3.99
JAN171102    COLOR YOUR OWN GUARDIANS OF GALAXY TP    $9.99
OCT160997    DAREDEVIL BY BRUBAKER AND LARK OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 NEW PTG    $100.00
JAN171097    GUARDIANS OF GALAXY COLLECT THEM ALL PROSE NOVEL HC    $24.99
JAN171104    GUARDIANS OF GALAXY TP VOL 02 ROAD TO ANNIHILATION    $34.99
OCT161004    GUIDEBOOK TO MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE HC VOL 01    $34.99
FEB170864    HAWKEYE #5    $3.99
FEB170869    IRON FIST #2    $3.99
JAN178781    JEAN GREY #1 POSTCARDS (BUNDLE OF 100)    $5.00
FEB170871    JESSICA JONES #7    $3.99
FEB170872    JESSICA JONES #7 KLEIN VAR    $3.99
FEB170947    MARVEL UNIVERSE ULT SPIDER-MAN VS SINISTER SIX #9    $2.99
DEC161095    MARVELS GUARDIANS OF GALAXY PRELUDE TP VOL 02    $17.99
JAN171130    MIGHTY AVENGERS BY BENDIS TP COMPLETE COLLECTION    $39.99
FEB170911    NOVA #5    $3.99
FEB170803    ROYALS #1    $3.99
FEB170901    SLAPSTICK #5    $3.99
FEB170846    SPIDER-MAN #15    $3.99
FEB170921    SPIDER-MAN DEADPOOL #16    $3.99
FEB170854    SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING PRELUDE #2 (OF 2)    $3.99
FEB170955    STAR WARS #30    $3.99
OCT161000    STAR WARS BOX SET SLIPCASE HC    $350.00
FEB170948    STAR WARS ROGUE ONE ADAPTATION #1 (OF 6)    $4.99
JAN171100    STAR WARS SPECIAL EDITION HC NEW HOPE    $24.99
FEB170936    TRUE BELIEVERS GIANT-SIZE X-MEN #1    $1.00
FEB170935    TRUE BELIEVERS X-MEN #1    $1.00
FEB170843    UNCANNY AVENGERS #22    $3.99
OCT160998    WAR OF KINGS PRELUDE HC ROAD TO WAR OF KINGS OMNIBUS    $125.00
FEB170777    X-MEN GOLD #1    $4.99
DEC168886    X-MEN GOLD #1 LIM PARTY VAR    $4.99
DEC168889    X-MEN GOLD #1 LITHOS (BUNDLE OF 20)    $6.00
DEC168888    X-MEN GOLD #1 SYAF PREM VAR    $4.99
OCT161003    X-MEN LEGACY LEGION OMNIBUS HC    $75.00

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for April 5, 2017

IDW PUBLISHING

FEB170510    ANGRY BIRDS FLIGHT SCHOOL #2    $3.99
FEB170511    ANGRY BIRDS FLIGHT SCHOOL #2 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
FEB170459    ANIMAL NOIR #3 (OF 4)    $3.99
FEB170460    ANIMAL NOIR #3 (OF 4) SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
FEB170452    BOX OFFICE POISON COLOR COMICS #4    $3.99
FEB170474    BRUTAL NATURE CONCRETE FURY #2 (OF 5)    $3.99
FEB170475    BRUTAL NATURE CONCRETE FURY #2 (OF 5) SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
FEB170476    DARKNESS VISIBLE #3    $3.99
FEB170477    DARKNESS VISIBLE #3 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
FEB170519    DONALD DUCK #19    $3.99
FEB170520    DONALD DUCK #19 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
JAN170469    DUNGEONS & DRAGONS LEGEND OF DRIZZT TP VOL 06 HALFINGS GEM    $19.99
JAN170571    ELECTRIC SUBLIME TP    $17.99
JAN170588    JEM & THE HOLOGRAMS #25    $3.99
JAN170589    JEM & THE HOLOGRAMS #25 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
JAN170560    KILL SHAKESPEARE PAST IS PROLOGUE JULIET #1 (OF 4)    $3.99
JAN170561    KILL SHAKESPEARE PAST IS PROLOGUE JULIET #1 (OF 4) SUB VAR    $3.99
FEB170495    MICHAEL RECYCLE #2 (OF 4)    $3.99
FEB170516    MICKEY MOUSE #19    $3.99
FEB170517    MICKEY MOUSE #19 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
DEC160478    REVOLUTION AW YEAH #1    $3.99
DEC160479    REVOLUTION AW YEAH #1 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
FEB170488    STARSTRUCK OLD PROLDIERS NEVER DIE #3 (OF 6)    $4.99
FEB170513    UNCLE SCROOGE #25    $3.99
FEB170514    UNCLE SCROOGE #25 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 5, 2017

DARK HORSE COMICS

NOV160104    ASTRO BOY OMNIBUS TP VOL 07    $19.99
FEB170043    BALTIMORE THE RED KINGDOM #3    $3.99
DEC160125    BLADE OF IMMORTAL OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 (MR)    $19.99
OCT160075    HATSUNE MIKU RIN-CHAN NOW TP VOL 01    $10.99
DEC160122    I AM A HERO OMNIBUS TP VOL 03    $19.99
DEC160115    SECRET SNEYD UNPUBLISHED CARTOONS OF DOUG SNEYD HC    $14.99
DEC160086    SLAYER REPENTLESS #2 (OF 3)    $4.99
NOV160113    WITCHER PINT GLASS SET GERALT & CIRI    $19.99
NOV160114    WITCHER PINT GLASS SET GERALT & TRISS YENNEFER    $19.99