I Reads You: manga

Showing posts with label manga. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

#IReadsYou Review: COSMIC CENSORSHIP Volume 1

COSMIC CENSORSHIP VOL. 1

TITAN COMICS/Titan Manga

WRITER-ARTIST: Ryu-ichi Sadamatsu

TRANSLATION: Molly Rabbitt

LETTERS: Tom Williams

DESIGN: David Colderley

EDITOR: Louis Yamani

ISBN: 978-1787745704; paperback (July 1, 2025)

256pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $16.99 CAN, £9.99 UK

Rating: Age 15+

Uchuu Kenetsukan is a five-volume sci-fi, mecha, and action manga written and drawn by Ryu-ichi Sadamatsu. It was serialized over 39 chapters in the online platform, LINE Manga, from 2020 to 2023. Titan Manga is publishing an English-language edition of Uchuu Kenetsukan as a paperback graphic novel series under the title, Cosmic Censorship. The first volume debuted July 1, 2025.

Cosmic Censorship Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 8, and “Intermission”) opens in the year 2019. It introduces Maki Makino, a high school student and former track and field club member. She was once a track star in middle school, but a horrible leg injury ended that.

One day, Maki meets a mysterious man wearing sunglasses on her way to school. He saves her life, but he starts acting like a stalker. His name may be “Roger Penrose,” or is that the name Maki gave him? He is apparently a part-time janitor at her high school... and something called a “cosmic censor” – whatever that is! What Maki does not know is that this encounter connects to her past and future. Maki is going to die soon.. or is she? The future cannot be changed! Or can it? And now, Maki has to learn to navigate new powers...

THE LOWDOWN: Since October 2023, Titan Manga has provided me with print and PDF copies of their manga publications for review. One of the latest is Cosmic Censorship Volume 1.

I came across a description of Cosmic Censorship as being in the same vein as the classic mecha Japanese media franchise, Neon Genesis Evangelion. I have to admit that I have never watched the anime, but I did read several volumes of the manga. I suggest the Neon Genesis Evangelion 3-in-1 Edition Volume 1 as a good way to start on the manga version.

Cosmic Censorship Graphic Novel Volume 1 does indeed offer some mecha fun and alien monsters, but this first volume is more fight comic than anything else. That is not a bad thing. The duels and battles here had me flipping through the pages to see more. That is because the beautiful it yields bracing, fast-paced, engaging storytelling.

For all its kinetic energy, however, this series is lightly humorous and teases a “boy meets girls” relationship, with a macabre spin, of course. Maki and Roger have the potential to be a couple that really captures the reader's interest because she is so inquisitive and he is so determined to protect her from the disasters that her nature may bring.

Cosmic Censorship's sense of mystery also draws me deeper into the series. I am already curious about the next volume, and I am ready to see what befalls Maki and Roger next.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of mecha manga and of science fiction-action manga will want to try Cosmic Censorship.

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

COSMIC CENSORSHIP VOL. 1 is available in print and digital editions from booksellers, including from Amazon.

SAMPLE PAGES FROM VOLUME 1:

https://titan-comics.com/

https://x.com/ComicsTitan

https://www.instagram.com/titancomics/

https://www.facebook.com/ComicsTitan

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Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

#IReadsYou Review: YAN VOLUME 1

YAN VOL. 1

TITAN COMICS/Titan Manga

WRITER-ARTIST: Chang Sheng

TRANSLATION: Vanessa Liu

LETTERS: Tom Williams

DESIGN: David Colderley

EDITOR: Louis Yamani

ISBN: 978-1787744424; paperback with French flaps (June 24, 2025)

352pp, B&W, $24.99 U.S., $33.99 CAN, £19.99 UK

Yan Tieh Hua is a Taiwanese manga (manhua) created by writer-artist Chang Sheng. It was originally published in Taiwan in three volumes 2020. Titan Manga is publishing an English-language paperback edition under the title, Yan. Each volume will have “French flaps,” which are extended sections of a paperback book's cover that fold inward, similar to a dust jacket on a hardcover book.

Yan, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 9, plus an “Epilogue”) opens with a viral video starring Yan Tieh Hua... and her intended victim – the Counselor's son. Who is Yan Tieh Hua?

Once upon a time, Tieh Hua was a member of “Yan's Opera Troupe,” know for its “Peking Opera” performances. However, 30 years ago, all the members of the troupe were found murdered – except 15-year-old Tieh Hua, who was blamed, convicted, and sent to prison for these crimes. Twenty years later, Tieh Hua allegedly died in prison.

So how is it that 10 years later, Yan Tieh Hua is back in Taipei, Taiwan? As she carves a bloody path toward vengeance, she has also reignited an investigation into the decades-old massacre of her family. Detective Lei Ming Zhi, who investigated the original case, has been coerced into coming out of retirement. It doesn't take him long to discover that he has as many questions about the place where Yan was imprisoned as he does about Yan. When Lei finds Yan, he learns that she is a young woman like no other he has ever seen. Add in Higa Miku, the missing young Go prodigy with the uncanny gift of precognition, and you have a hard to unravel mystery. It is all presented as a tale of stylish brutality with that unique Taiwanese swagger.

THE LOWDOWN: Since October 2023, Titan Manga has provided me with print and PDF copies of their manga publications for review. One of the latest is Yan Volume 1.

By any name: manga, manhua, or Taiwanese comics, Yan Graphic Novel Volume 1 is an incredible work of book design and construction and also a breathtaking read that will blow minds just about every page. Yan Vol. 1 is like the first John Wick film, except that with Yan, the reader can enjoy each panel of an fight sequence by examining the lovely art. I don't think that watching John Wick even in slow motion would allow the viewer to appreciate the beauty of simulated motion of a fight that well choreographed in manga graphics.

Before I go to far into this review, I want to say that the cover, with its French flaps, looks so sharp that I was reluctant to touch it – at first. This book's 7.13 x 10.24 inches trim size perfectly captures the operatic and balletic aesthetic that defines Chang Sheng's breathless graphical storytelling with its grand elegance and depictions of swift lethal moves.

Readers will find that the nine chapters that comprise Yan Vol. 1 recalls unusual tales of vengeance, for instance director Park Chan-wook's Oldboy. Stylistically, Sheng's spectacular action and fight scenes resembles (to one extent or another) films like The Crow (1994) and The Matrix (1999). Most of all, the larger publication format gives the story a cinematic feel that is similar to that in which Katsuhiro Otomo infused his seminal manga, Akira.

For all that the flashy art seems to fly off the page, I think what Chang Sheng uses to drive this narrative is the depiction of the characters. Yan Tieh Hua, Detective Lei, and Higa Miku are all engaging and intriguing, and they are always surprising in the things that they do and say. Yan Vol. 1 seems to delight in making me make assumptions about what the characters will do only for me to realize how wrong I am. My assumptions might be close to the truth, but there are twists and turns that always keep me on edge. The characters are about more than a story of ultra-violence and vengeance. They are about what lies beneath their choices and their actions, even their violence or the assumptions of their violent act.

Dear readers, I had a blast reading Yan Vol. 1, and I couldn't put this first volume down until I finished it. I can't wait for more because this is the most fun I have had in reading manga in at least half a decade or so.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of manga from Taiwan and of manga that blends science fiction, action and intrigue will want to try Yan.

A+

10 out of 10

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

YAN VOLUME 1 is available for purchase at Amazon.

PAGE SAMPLES FROM YAN VOLUME 1:

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https://titan-comics.com/

https://x.com/ComicsTitan

https://www.instagram.com/titancomics/

https://www.facebook.com/ComicsTitan

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Thursday, July 24, 2025

#IReadsYou Review: OUTSIDERS VOLUME 1

OUTSIDERS VOL. 1

TITAN COMICS/Titan Manga

WRITER-ARTIST: Akira Kanou

TRANSLATION: Molly Rabbit

LETTERS: Bendidi Ayoub

DESIGN: Matt Bookman

EDITOR: Louis Yamani

ISBN: 978-1787745711; paperback (June 17, 2025)

176pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $16.99 CAN, £9.99 UK

Age: 12+

Outsiders is a manga created by writer-artist Akira Kanou. It was originally published in France by French manga publisher, Ki-oon, in 2021. Titan Manga, the British manga imprint of Titan Publishing, is publishing an English-language edition under the series title, Outsiders, beginning June 2025.

Outsiders, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 4, plus a “Prologue”) opens nearly two decades ago in West Germany near the French border where an important battle between “demihumans” comes to a close. The threads of that incident carry over to present day Tokyo, Japan.

Meet 16-year-old Ema Asano, a high school student who is about to discover that her older sister, Yuko, is involved in something both dangerous and fantastic. She discovers that her sister's boss, Tamaki Utsunomiya, CEO and chief designer of the interior design firm, Topos, is a 300-year-old vampire or “Aeternitas,” as they prefer to be called. One of his employees, 33-year-old Taiga Wakaki, is a craftsman for Topos... and also a werewolf.

Now, Ema, who is a curious and brave girl, has found herself in a side of Tokyo that she did not know existed. She has stepped into the city's shadows where she has started to uncover the secrets behind the ancient feud between Aeternitas and werewolf. Full of energy and determination, Ema will navigate this dark fantasy world, a perilous path that will challenge her beliefs and reshape her destiny. In the meantime, Ema has informed Tamaki and Taiga that she will keep them from killing each other, even if it might lead to her demise...

THE LOWDOWN: Since October 2023, Titan Manga started providing me with print and PDF copies of their manga publications for review. One of the latest is Outsiders Volume 1.

Outsiders Graphic Novel Volume 1 is deep inside my wheelhouse. I am a huge fan the 2003 vampire vs. werewolf film, Underworld, and its sequels (although most of the sequels are inferior to the original film). Whereas Underworld features a gun-wielding assassin, Outsiders' female protagonist, Ema Asano, is a plucky, determined girl right out of shojo manga. So, Outsiders is probably closer to the much more popular vampire-werewolf film coupling that began with 2008's surprise hit film, Twilight, and that was adapted from Twilight, the 2005 novel that was the first of Stephenie Meyer's blockbuster series of novels.

As for Outsiders, readers can pour themselves into Ema and follow her into the world of the supernatural. Like her, the readers will find themselves caught between the arrogant Tamaki and the sullen Taiga, whom I believe is the one of the two males leads to whom Ema is most attracted. I find myself drawn to this dynamic, a kind of awkward love triangle that will both take us into a world that I love – the world of vampires and werewolves – and into the realm of young romance.

Akira Kanou's art is slightly more impressionistic than it is representational, but it is pitch perfect for depicting the world he is creating – a world beyond the natural where conflict and chaos reign in the shadows of Tokyo. Kanou's storytelling moves along quickly, with flourishes of comedy and violence, centered around a heroine ready to do battle, to save lives, and to do right by everyone. This first taste of Outsiders has me wanting to be on the inside of this dark fantasy manga. After all, I believe that many readers will want to experience this eclectic take on the creatures of the night.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of vampire comics and of shojo manga will want to try Outsiders.

A-

★★★½ out of 4 stars

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

OUTSIDERS VOLUME 1 is available at Amazon.

SAMPLE PAGES FROM OUTSIDERS VOL. 1:

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https://titan-comics.com/

https://x.com/ComicsTitan

https://www.instagram.com/titancomics/

https://www.facebook.com/ComicsTitan

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Wednesday, June 25, 2025

#IReadsYou Review: AKIRA VOLUME 1

AKIRA, VOL. 1

KODANSHA COMICS

MANGAKA: Katsuhiro Otomo

TRANSLATION & ADAPTATION: Yoko Umezawa; Linda M. York; Jo Duffy

LETTERS: David Shmit/Digibox, Editions Glenat, Digital Chameleon, Dark Horse Comics

EDITORS: Koichi Yuri (original); Naoto Yasunaga; Takeshi Katsurada

ISBN: 978-1-935-42900-5; paperback (October 13, 2009)

368pp, B&W with some color, $24.99 U.S., $29.99 CAN

Rating “OT Ages 16+”

First published in Japan in Young Magazine (December 1982 to June 1990), the manga Akira, created by Katsuhiro Otomo, is not unfamiliar to American audiences. Many are probably familiar with the animated film adaptation of Akira, co-written and directed by Otomo. After a short theatrical release beginning in 1988, the Akira anime has been available on VHS, DVD, and later Blu-ray.

Marvel Comics, under its Epic Comics imprint, first published the Akira manga in English as a 38-issue, full-color comic book series, and later reprinted those issues in 10 trade paperbacks and also in six hardback volumes. Dark Horse Comics would later publish a new translation of Akira in six volumes (2000-2002), similar to the Japanese six-volume tankoubon (book collection of manga) series.

Kodansha Comics, the American subsidiary of Japanese publisher, Kodansha, the original Japanese publisher of Akira, is bringing the series back to North American readers. Akira, Vol. 1 once again welcomes readers to Neo-Tokyo, the new city built upon the ashes of Tokyo, which was destroyed by the massive blast that would start World War III.

Akira Volume 1 opens 38 years after the blast (2030 A.D.). The lives of two juvenile delinquents, friends Shotaro Kaneda and Tetsuo Shima, are about to change forever when paranormal abilities begin to awaken in Tetsuo following a motorcycle accident. After a shadowy agency snatches Tetsuo, Kaneda is plunged into a shadowy world of terrorists and soldiers, and the young leader of a motorcycle gang is forced to go on the run from the law. Kaneda meets a young terrorist resistance fighter named Kei, and he becomes the target of The Colonel, the head of a secret organization conducting research on psychic test subjects. Kaneda’s fiercest battle may be his face off with Tetsuo and his monstrous new powers.

THE LOWDOWN: Akira was not only one of the most important manga of the 1980s; it was also one of the most surprising comic books of that decade. Although American readers had already been exposed to visionary science fiction comics in the form of Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg!, Akira was something so much larger, both in terms of the story and visuals. Akira was a lengthy serial narrative, and the structure of the story line not only supported a large cast of characters and numerous sub-plots (which American Flagg! had), but also extended action sequences.

Katsuhiro Otomo was able to take battle, chase, and fight scenes and extend them over several pages and even shift the scenes in which they take place from one setting or environment to another. For instance, there is a chase of Kaneda by The Colonel’s forces that begins on an above ground staging area and moves into a series of tunnels; then a cavernous area, before going back above ground. This all takes place over nearly 30 pages. Although manga is told through a series of connected static (or still) images, Akira’s decompressed, graphical storytelling mimics the sense of movement of film or animation. Readers may also experience the heightened sense of emotions and excited feelings that film can evoke.

Akira’s art also suggests the intense emotions, sensations, and passions of the characters. These can pass onto the reader, which makes reading Akira feel like a wild ride – the kind of ride advertisements for action movies promise audiences. Welcome back, Akira.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of Akira and of great manga will want to find Kodansha's 2009-2011, six-volume paperback editions of Akira

A+

10 of 10

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

AKIRA VOLUME 1 is currently available in a paperback edition and also can be preordered in a hardcover edition, which arrives August 2025, via Amazon.

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Thursday, March 20, 2025

#IReadsYou Manga Review: "TOMIE Complete Deluxe Edition"

TOMIE COMPLETE DELUXE EDITION

VIZ MEDIA

CARTOONIST: Junji Ito

TRANSLATION: Naomi Kokubo

LETTERS: Eric Erbes

EDITOR: Masumi Washington

ISBN: 978-1-4215-9056-1; hardcover (December 2016); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”

400pp, B&W, $34.99 U.S., $46.99 CAN, £25.00 UK

Tomie is a horror manga written and drawn by Junji Ito (the creator of the the acclaimed dark fantasy and horror manga, Uzumaki). Tomie was Ito's first published work and was published in Monthly Halloween (where it was originally submitted) and later in Nemuki from 1987 to 2000. The manga centers on the titular character, a beautiful, but supernaturally dangerous young woman named Tomie.

Dark Horse Comics last published Tomie in English a decade ago as Museum of Terror. Now, VIZ Media has returned Tomie to print in Tomie: Complete Deluxe Edition. This special, over-sized manga (5.7 x 8.4) hardcover was released under the VIZ Signature imprint December 20, 2016. It has a suggested reader rating of ‘T+’ for Older Teens and a print MSRP of $34.99 U.S. / $46.99 CAN.

In Tomie, Junji Ito introduces Tomie Kawakami, who seems to be of high school age. She is a femme fatale with long black hair and a beauty mark just under her left eye. Tomie can seduce nearly any man, and after she has them in her thrall, she drives these men to murder, even though the victim is often Tomie herself. The story is always the same; while one lover seeks to keep Tomie for himself, another lover grows terrified of this seemingly immortal succubus-like female. Soon, all her lovers come to realize that no matter how many times they kill her, the world will never be free of Tomie.

THE LOWDOWN: As far as I am concerned, dear reader, Junji Ito is an undisputed master of horror comics and not just of horror manga. He truly deserves to be called a visionary as he has continually pushed the horror genre in provocative directions with works such as Uzumaki and Gyo also with the fantastic phantasms that are the short stories found in the collections known as Fragments of Horror.

The Tomie manga is highly effective, shockingly so when one considers that it was the debut long form work of Ito. I think that readers will be delighted by the thoroughly mesmerizing Tomie and her unsettling, but engrossing reign of fright. I think that readers will be happy that this classic horror manga is collected in a high quality hardcover. If nothing else, you can use it to bash in Tomie's head, although you know the bitch will be back.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Anyone who has ever read and enjoyed work by Junji Ito or who love horror manga will find joy in Tomie Complete Deluxe Edition.

A+

10 out of 10

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

EDITED: Wednesday, March 19, 2025

https://www.viz.com/

https://x.com/VIZMedia

https://www.instagram.com/vizmedia/

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialVIZMedia

https://www.snapchat.com/add/vizmedia

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Monday, June 17, 2024

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for June 19, 2024

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

DEC231682 2000 AD PROG PACK (FEBRUARY 2024 SHIPPING) (MR) $22.99

NOV231655 2000 AD PROG PACK (JANUARY 2024 SHIPPING) (MR) $28.99

APR242043 A KINGDOM OF QUARTZ GN VOL 02 $13.99

MAR242018 A SINNER OF DEEP SEA GN VOL 01 $15.00

MAR242043 ADACHI AND SHIMAMURA GN VOL 05 $13.00

MAR242026 ADULTS PICTURE BOOK GN VOL 02 $15.00

MAR242028 AKO & BAMBI GN VOL 02 $15.00

MAR241243 AL CAPONE VAMPIRE #0 CVR A SNYDER III (MR) $6.99

MAR241244 AL CAPONE VAMPIRE #0 CVR B FRAIMS (MR) $6.99

MAR241245 AL CAPONE VAMPIRE #0 CVR C GONZALES (MR) $6.99

MAR241599 ALL MY BICYCLES TP $19.99

MAR241619 AMERICAN NATURE PRESENTS #1 $6.00

MAR242022 APOCALYPSE BRINGER MYNOGHRA GN VOL 01 $13.00

APR242088 APPLE BLACK ORIGINS VOL 01 SPECTRUM & SPECTRE $13.99

APR241013 ARCHIE COMICS JUDGMENT DAY #2 (OF 3) CVR A MEGAN HUTCHISON $4.99

APR241014 ARCHIE COMICS JUDGMENT DAY #2 (OF 3) CVR B FRANCAVILLA $4.99

APR241015 ARCHIE COMICS JUDGMENT DAY #2 (OF 3) CVR C INHYUK LEE $4.99

APR241016 ARCHIE COMICS JUDGMENT DAY #2 (OF 3) CVR D REIKO MURAKAMI $4.99

SEP238963 ART OF MARVELS SPIDERMAN 2 DLX ED HC $99.99

SEP238964 ART OF MARVELS SPIDERMAN 2 HC $49.99

MAR242044 ASSORTED ENTANGLEMENTS GN VOL 05 $13.00

DEC231361 BEARS TOOTH GN VOL 06 SILBERVOGEL $16.95

APR241021 BETTY & VERONICA JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #325 $9.99

AUG221107 BEWARE WITCHES SHADOW FANGS FOR MEMORIES #1 CVR A CALZADA (M $3.99

AUG221108 BEWARE WITCHES SHADOW FANGS FOR MEMORIES #1 CVR B PARSONS (M $3.99

AUG221109 BEWARE WITCHES SHADOW FANGS FOR MEMORIES #1 CVR C RISQUE (MR $9.99

MAR248358 BEWARE WITCHES SHADOW FANGS FOR MEMORIES #1 CVR D RACY (MR) $9.99

MAR242059 BLACK BUTLER GN VOL 33 $13.00

MAR242027 BLACK SUMMONER GN VOL 02 $13.00

APR241450 BLASFAMOUS #3 CVR A ANDOLFO (MR) $8.99

APR241451 BLASFAMOUS #3 CVR B ANDOLFO (MR) $8.99

MAR248184 BLASFAMOUS #3 CVR F BOO (MR) $8.99

MAR242031 BLOODY SWEET GN VOL 03 $20.00

MAR242032 BRIDE OF THE BARRIER MASTER GN VOL 02 $13.00

APR241847 BROWNSTONE GN $18.99

APR241848 BROWNSTONE HC GN $26.99

DEC231362 BUCK DANNY CLASSICS GN VOL 05 OPERATION IRON CURTAIN $12.95

MAR242034 BUNGO STRAY DOGS DEAD APPLE GN VOL 04 $13.00

MAR241064 BUTCHERS BOY #2 $4.99

MAR241728 CANINE DETECTIVE CHRIS GN VOL 03 $8.99

FEB241002 CANTO HC VOL 01 $29.99

APR242102 CHASING SPICA GN (MR) $14.99

MAR242033 CHEERFUL AMNESIA GN VOL 03 $13.00

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FEB241755 COMIC BOOK IMPLOSION EXPANDED ED SC $26.95

APR241658 COMICS REVUE PRESENTS JUNE 2024 $19.95

NOV231008 CREEPY ARCHIVES TP VOL 06 $24.99

FEB241005 CRITICAL ROLE MIGHTY NEIN ORIGINS CADUCEUS CLAY HC $17.99

APR241586 CRYING BOY #3 CVR A HERNAN GONZALEZ $5.99

APR241587 CRYING BOY #3 CVR B GARY O`DONNELL $5.99

APR241588 CRYING BOY #3 CVR C PAOLO MASSAGALI $5.99

APR241589 CRYING BOY #3 CVR D ROB MORAN $5.99

APR241590 CRYING BOY #3 CVR E HERNAN GONZALEZ VIRGIN HOLOFOIL $19.99

APR241574 CYN GN $19.99

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MAR242052 DARK HISTORY OF REINCARNATED VILLAINESS GN VOL 10 $13.00

MAR242085 DARK MOON THE BLOOD ALTAR GN VOL 03 $20.00

APR241162 DARK SPACES HOLLYWOOD SPECIAL TP (MR) $17.99

OCT232056 DEE SNIDER HES NOT GONNA TAKE IT (MR) $24.99

APR241615 DEFENDERS OF THE EARTH TP $9.99

MAR241451 DELIVER US FROM EVIL #1 CVR A STEFANO CARDOSELLI (MR) $4.99

MAR241452 DELIVER US FROM EVIL #1 CVR B MATTIA DOGHINI (MR) $4.99

MAR241453 DELIVER US FROM EVIL #1 CVR C MIRANDA M (MR) $4.99

MAR242048 DETECTIVE IS ALREADY DEAD GN VOL 05 $13.00

MAR242057 DEVIL IS PART TIMER GN VOL 21 $13.00

APR241480 DF DEADPOOL #1 HAESER SGN & REMARKED LADY DEADPOOL SKETCH (C $91.00

DEC231626 DOCTOR WHO TP THE WHITE DRAGON $29.99

MAR241073 DUDLEY DATSON #3 CVR A IGLE $4.99

MAR241074 DUDLEY DATSON #3 CVR B FOIL IGLE $4.99

APR241193 FAITH RETURNS #2 (OF 2) CVR A BALDO $4.99

APR241194 FAITH RETURNS #2 (OF 2) CVR B VIDAL $4.99

APR241195 FAITH RETURNS #2 (OF 2) CVR C BALDO VIRGIN $4.99

APR241196 FAITH RETURNS #2 (OF 2) CVR D VIDAL VIRGIN $4.99

APR241913 FOOL NIGHT GN VOL 01 $14.99

APR241627 GALAXY OF MADNESS #1 (OF 10) CVR A MICHAEL OEMING $4.99

APR241628 GALAXY OF MADNESS #1 (OF 10) CVR B PAULINA GANUCHEAU $4.99

OCT231036 GET SCHOOLED GN VOL 02 (MR) $19.99

APR242196 GIRL I LIKE FORGOT HER GLASSES GN VOL 10 $12.99

APR241926 GOKURAKUGAI GN VOL 02 $11.99

FEB241183 GOLD DIGGER TP GOLD BRICK XII $59.99

JAN241199 GRENDEL OMNIBUS TP (2ND ED) VOL 05 GRENDEL TALES $29.99

APR240334 GUN HONEY COLLISION COURSE #2 CVR A LIM (MR) $3.99

APR240335 GUN HONEY COLLISION COURSE #2 CVR B PARRILLO (MR) $3.99

APR240336 GUN HONEY COLLISION COURSE #2 CVR C COSPLAY (MR) $3.99

APR240337 GUN HONEY COLLISION COURSE #2 CVR D KHENG (MR) $3.99

APR240338 GUN HONEY COLLISION COURSE #2 CVR E ROBECK NUDE BAGGED (MR) $10.00

APR240339 GUN HONEY COLLISION COURSE #2 CVR F ROBECK CLOTHED (MR) $3.99

MAR248127 GUN HONEY COLLISION COURSE #2 FOC CARANFA NUDE BAGGED (MR) $10.00

MAR248128 GUN HONEY COLLISION COURSE #2 FOC LIM B&W INK VIRGIN (MR) $3.99

FEB240967 HELEN OF WYNDHORN #3 CVR A EVELY $4.99

FEB240968 HELEN OF WYNDHORN #3 CVR B FOIL EVELY $4.99

APR241807 HERE COMES CALICO THE ULTIMATE DEFENDER OF ANIMALS GN VOL 03 $7.99

MAR242046 HETEROGENIA LINGUISTICO GN VOL 05 $15.00

MAR242040 I WANT TO BE A RECEPTIONIST IN MAGICAL WORLD GN VOL 04 $13.00

MAR242036 I WANT TO BE A WALL GN VOL 03 $15.00

APR242041 I WAS REINCARNATED AS 7TH PRINCE GN VOL 12 $12.99

OCT222059 IBARAKI & FRIENDS HC $11.99

OCT232058 ILLENIUM PRESENTS STARFALL HC (MR) $29.99

MAR242038 IM A WITCH MY CRUSH WANTS LOVE POTION GN VOL 04 $13.00

MAR242053 IM NOT POPULAR GN VOL 23 $13.00

MAR242037 IMITATION GN VOL 03 $20.00

APR241591 IMMORTAL ULTRAVIOLENT #1 CVR A ROB NIKOLAKAKIS $5.99

APR241592 IMMORTAL ULTRAVIOLENT #1 CVR B SEAN BECK $5.99

APR241593 IMMORTAL ULTRAVIOLENT #1 CVR C ROB POTCHAK $5.99

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Wednesday, January 24, 2024

#IReadsYou Manga Review: WITCH OF THISTLE CASTLE Volume 1

WITCH OF THISTLE CASTLE VOL. 1

TITAN COMICS/Titan Manga

MANGAKA: John Tarachine

TRANSLATION: Motoko Tamamuro and Jonathan Clements

LETTERS: Jessica Burton and Cale Ward

EDITOR: Phoebe Hedges

ISBN: 978-1787741416; paperback (October 31, 2023)

176pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $16.99 CAN, £9.99 UK

Azami no Shiro no Majo is a fantasy manga from writer-artist John Tarachine. It began serialization in the Japanese magazine, Comic Tatan, in 2019. Titan Manga is publishing an English-language edition of the manga under the title, Witch of Thistle Castle.

Witch of Thistle Castle, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 5) opens in Edinburgh, Scotland. Spirits and magic are everywhere in this city's streets – if only you dare to see it. Marie Blackwood is the last in a long line of Witches of the Black Wood, and she is also known as “the Black Witch of Albion.” However, Marie Blackwood lives a quiet life in Edinburgh – away from the scrutiny of the Church of London, which oversees magic.

Then, the Church thrusts 13-year-old Theo Edison into her hands for safekeeping. Marie suddenly gains the responsibility not only of taking care of a teenager, but also of protecting the world, and Theo himself, from the amazing power that lives inside of him. It is the power known as “the Blood of Righteous Anger.” Is Theo Marie's apprentice or burden … or more?

THE LOWDOWN: Beginning last month (October 2023), Titan Comics started providing me with print copies of their manga publications for review. Witch of Thistle Castle 01 is the second. The Witch of Thistle Castle manga is also the first title created by John Tarachine that I have read.

Witch of Thistle Castle Graphic Novel Volume 1 is intriguing simply because of the way that author John Tarachine presents magic. In this world, magic works by negotiating with spirits that humans can't see, and even magic users need special means by which to see these spirits. The narrative is at once playful, but there is always an air of menace about it. Tarachine seems to use the sense of mystery and of the unknown as a lure to ensnare readers, which if fine by me. Like me, I think readers will want to know more, much more about the world of this series.

Witch of Thistle Castle presents some of the most beautiful drawn manga art that I have seen in a while. The figure drawing is a combination of sexy angles and playful elegance. The detailed backgrounds are lavish and imaginative, and they serve to transport readers to this world with its unique and eccentric methods of magic and madness

My second experience with Titan Manga is also a win. I hope to keep reading Witch of Thistle Castle. I highly recommend this magical girl manga that is like no other.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of magical girl manga will want to try Titan Manga's Witch of Thistle Castle.

★★★★ out of 4 stars

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

https://titan-comics.com/

https://twitter.com/ComicsTitan

https://www.instagram.com/titancomics/

https://www.facebook.com/ComicsTitan

-------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Buy Witch of Thistle Castle Vol. 1 at AMAZON.

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

#IReadsYou Manga Review: ALPI - THE SOUL SENDER Volume 1

ALPI – THE SOUL SENDER VOL. 1

TITAN COMICS/Titan Manga

MANGAKA: Rona

TRANSLATION: Motoko Tamamuro and Jonathan Clements

LETTERS: Jonathan Stevenson

EDITOR: Phoebe Hedges

COVER: Rona

ISBN: 978-1787741300; paperback (October 10, 2023)

176pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $16.99 CAN, £9.99 UK

Soukon no Shoujo to Sourei no Tabi is a manga from writer-artist Rona. It was serialized by Japan's Web Comic Zenyon from 2018 to 2022. Titan Manga is publishing an English-language edition of the manga under the title, Alpi – The Soul Sender.

Alpi – The Soul Sender, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 5) is set on a magical version of Earth where divine spirits are the source of all life. These spirits are the incarnation of the Sun God's blessed power, and they take the form of animals. However, when a spirit's life ends, a terrible curse drives them to evil.

Enter the “Soul Senders.” They perform a “valediction” that sends the malignant spirits to the afterlife. Alpi is a Soul Sender, a very talented one despite her young age. She travels the land with her familiar, an older man named Perenai.

THE LOWDOWN: Beginning this month October 2023, Titan Comics started providing me with print copies of their manga publications for review. Alpi – The Soul Sender 01 is the first. Alpi – The Soul Sender manga is also the first title created by Rona that I have read.

Alpi – The Soul Sender Graphic Novel Volume 1 belongs to the “magical girl” manga genre. Rona, the series creator, tells the stories of Alpi and her adventures in a episodic form. In this first volume, the five chapters yield four episodes. Rona deftly uses these early chapters to shape Alpi's character and personality and also to establish the bonds between Alpi and Perenai.

In true magical girl fashion, Alpi is likable and plucky, but her demeanor belies a subtle iron will and steady determination that makes us believe that she can overcome the serious obstacles before her. When a spirit goes foul, it is a hot, dangerous mess. Alpi is always up to the challenge, and I think that makes the readers want to put themselves in her place.

Rona's detailed graphical and drawing style serve the narrative well when it comes to depicting the rich and varied environments in which these episodes are set – from a lush lake town to town that is a series of iron works. Motoko Tamamuro and Jonathan Clements' translation captures Alpi's winning personality and the seriousness of her mission and vocation; it's also an enjoyable read.

My first experience with Titan Manga is a win. I hope to keep reading Alpi – The Soul Sender.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of magical girl manga will want to try Titan Manga's Alpi – The Soul Sender.

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

https://titan-comics.com/

https://twitter.com/ComicsTitan

https://www.instagram.com/titancomics/

https://www.facebook.com/ComicsTitan

PREVIEW of Page 127 (top) and Page 6 (bottom):

----------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Buy Alpi - The Soul Sender Volume 1 at AMAZON.

I Reads You

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

#IReadsYou Review: COSMIC CENSORSHIP Volume 1

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

#IReadsYou Review: YAN VOLUME 1

Thursday, July 24, 2025

#IReadsYou Review: OUTSIDERS VOLUME 1

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

#IReadsYou Review: AKIRA VOLUME 1

Thursday, March 20, 2025

#IReadsYou Manga Review: "TOMIE Complete Deluxe Edition"

Monday, June 17, 2024

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for June 19, 2024

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

#IReadsYou Manga Review: WITCH OF THISTLE CASTLE Volume 1

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

#IReadsYou Manga Review: ALPI - THE SOUL SENDER Volume 1

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