Eensy Weensy Monster and the Little Devil

I read Eensy Weensy Monster Volume 2

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

I Reads You Review: EENSY WEENSY MONSTER, VOL. 1

Creator: Masami Tsuda with Clint Bickham (English adaptation) and Noi Sasaki (translation)

Publishing Information: TOKYOPOP, B&W, paperback, 208 pages, $10.99 (US), $13.99 CAN

Ordering Numbers: ISBN: 978-1-4278-1651-1

Comedy/Romance; Rated “T” for “Older Teen 13+”

High school student Nanoha Satsuki is a plain Jane. She happily lives in the shadow of her two pals, blonde bombshell Nobara Ryuzaki and brilliant student Renge Mido. The one thing that irritates Nanoha is the new student, a guy named Hazuki Tokiwa. Known as “Prince,” Hazuki has a snobbish, arrogant demeanor that infuriates Nanoha. The little monster that lives in all of us lives in Nanoha, and it wants her to attack Hazuki.

In Eensy Weensy Monster, Vol. 1, Nanoha unleashes a mini-tirade at Hazuki, and it makes him a changed man. Now, the Prince just wants to be pals with Nanoha. Maybe Nanoha’s tantrum also made her a changed young woman, but Prince’s many admirers don’t like change and plan on doing something about it.

Eensy Weensy Monster is strange, not in its concept. After all, this is the umpteenth shojo manga about boy and girl high school students who despise each other before falling in and out and in and out of love. What is strange is how interior this story is. So much of the narrative and dialogue happens behind Nanoha and Hazuki’s expressive eyes. Creator Masami Tsuda presents a surprising reading experience in which the reader is constantly sharing the leads’ innermost thoughts. Quite frankly, it is a delight to see how close Nanoha and Hazuki are to each other, yet also how far apart they are.

I would say that this intimate look at the leads, however, comes at the expense of a supporting cast with a lot of potential. Hopefully, we get more of them, but in the meantime, shojo fans should try this beautifully drawn comic drama of the minds.

A-

Ash and Pikachu vs. Arceus

I read Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of LIfe

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

VIZ Media Joins Global Effort to Help Japan

VIZ MEDIA DONATES TO JAPANESE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI AID AND RECOVERY EFFORTS

Manga publisher VIZ Media has joined global relief efforts following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan with a substantial corporate donation to aid the recovery. The company will donate the funds to three prominent organizations – Save the Children, AmeriCares and Architecture for Humanity – working to provide immediate aid and assistance in the affected regions of Sendai and Fukushima. In addition, VIZ Media is planning additional fundraising efforts with other San Francisco Bay Area companies and businesses, which will benefit Artists Help Japan (in partnership with Give2Asia).

The 9.0 earthquake displaced more than 100,000 children from their homes and more than 380,000 people have been evacuated across the country. Many tsunami-affected areas are still cut off from relief and Japan remains on high alert for the three nuclear reactors in Fukushima. More than 465 roads, 43 railways and seven bridges have been completely washed away.

“We were all shocked and saddened by the terrible events of March 11th, but we’re heartened and inspired by resilience of the Japanese people and the tremendous outpouring of physical aid, money, and global good will that has followed so quickly,” says Hidemi Fukuhara, President and CEO of VIZ Media. “Save the Children, AmeriCares, Architecture for Humanity and Artists Help Japan will provide critical support and aid for the youngest victims of the disaster, arrange for medical care and social services for all survivors, as well as help begin rebuilding efforts. We’re honored to contribute to Japan’s recovery, and encourage our fans to do the same.”

Save the Children is the world's leading independent organization for children. The organization’s vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. The mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. More information on Save the Children’s Japan recovery efforts is available at: http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6621121/k.3D08/Japan_Earthquake_Tsunami_Relief.htm.

AmeriCares is a nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization which provides immediate response to emergency medical needs – and supports long-term humanitarian assistance programs – for all people around the world, irrespective of race, creed or political persuasion. More information on AmeriCares’ Japan recovery efforts is available at: http://www.americares.org/whatwedo/emergency/japan/japan-earthquake-tsunami.html.

Architecture for Humanity is a nonprofit design services firm founded in 1999. The organization seeks to build a more sustainable future through the power of professional design. By tapping a network of more than 40,000 professionals willing to lend time and expertise to help those who would not otherwise be able to afford their services, Architecture for Humanity brings design, construction and development services where they are most critically needed. More information on Architecture for Humanity’s Japan recovery efforts is available at: http://architectureforhumanity.org/updates/2011-03-12-sendai-quake-supporting-reconstruction.

Artists Help Japan is a San Francisco Bay Area-based charity movement, gathering the force of communities of artists and creative minds around the world. The project founder was also behind the 2008 Totoro Forest Project in Japan. The fund is responding to the immediate needs of survivors, as well as short to long- term recovery projects undertaken by the affected communities. Artists Help Japan is partnering with Give2Asia, which has a local team based in Tokyo to assess the current situation and to obtain information on the needs of survivors. More information on Artists Help Japan and Give2Asia’s recovery efforts is available at: http://give2asia.org/artistshelp.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including the popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; and website at http://www.viz.com/.

Leroy Douresseaux on UPTIGHT #4

UPTIGHT #4

FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS

CARTOONIST: Jordan Crane
36pp, B&W, $3.95

If the author of Uptight was named Neil Gaiman, this comic book series would be a multiple Eisner Award-winner. Indeed, the Eisner committee might even come up with new categories specifically to give Gaiman and Uptight more trophies.

After the first issue was released, Uptight would have been optioned by Hollywood, to be butchered into a stop-motion animated film or poorly conceived 3D animated film. If Vertigo were Uptight’s publisher, the Eisner-winning, comics “news” site, Comic Book Resources, would cover every issue’s release as if that were a big event.

Neil Gaiman is not the author of Uptight; cartoonist Jordan Crane is. Uptight has not received any Eisner Awards. Hollywood has not called on it. Fantagraphics Books and not Vertigo is the publisher, so the Eisner committee and CBR ignore it on principle.

Still, the comic book series Uptight is a showcase for creator, cartoonist Jordan Crane. With each issue, Crane displays his mastery of both edgy adult drama and imaginative all-ages adventure.

Uptight #4 opens with “Chapter 2: Trash Night,” the ongoing saga of Leonard “Leo” and Delores “Dee’s” troubled relationship. Upsetting dreams and a suspicious mind have Leo trying to catch Dee cheating, and the situation reaches a boiling point thanks to a raccoon.

Also, the Simon & Jack (from Crane’s The Clouds Above) fun continues in “Dark Day.” Simon’s classmate, Rosalyn Devareaux and Jack (Simon’s talking cat) find themselves trapped in the office of Principal Pernicious Codswollop, who has diabolical plans for them. Meanwhile, school custodian, Mr. Cook, enters the bowels of the school to find Simon.

I like that Jordan Crane had decided not to play the victim of infidelity/villainous partner dynamic with the story of Leo and Dee. He has stripped them bare, which forces the reader to make his or her own decisions. Of course, the readers cannot do this through a passive reading experience. Being forced to engage isn’t a bad thing, because what we are engaging is a lush graphic narrative told in beautiful greytone art.

Believing that Crane is equally good with character drama and kids’ comics may be difficult to accept, but the rollicking Simon & Jack will not only make you a believer, but also an acolyte of Crane. This is an all-ages tale because its sense of wonder and imagination will captivate all ages, and it is not too early to declare Uptight #4 one of the year’s best comics.

A

First Look at Adrianne Palicki as NBC's New Wonder Woman

EW.COM EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: Adrianne Palicki as Wonder Woman in NBC’s new fall pilot, exec produced by David E. Kelley

Link to FULL story and FIRST PHOTOS on EW.com: http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/18/wonder-woman-adrianne-palicki-photo/

Leroy Douresseaux on UPTIGHT #3

UPTIGHT #3

FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS

CARTOONIST: Jordan Crane

20pp, B&W, $2.75 U.S.

In his comic book series, Uptight, cartoonist Jordan Crane offers surprising variety. Each issue has a short story or two and in early issues, Crane serialized his imaginative, sprawling graphic novel, Keeping Two. In Uptight #3, Crane turns to other things.

First is Chapter One of Crane new serialized tale of infidelity, “Vicissitude,” which focuses on mechanic and night school student Leo. Leo’s wife Delores is cheating on him. The second half of the comic book features the return of the boy Simon and his large talking cat, Jack, the stars of Crane’s graphic novel, The Clouds Above. Along with Simon’s classmate, Rosalyn, Simon and Jack discover something big, hairy, and hungry in the school lunchroom freezer.

Crane’s work is highly emotionally charged, but in a quiet way. Illustrated in a lush, enveloping greytone, Vicissitude has a Film-Noir quality that adds an air of mystery to this story of melancholy and rotting love. It is so engaging and enthralling that its ending is jarring. “Freeze Out,” the Simon and Jack tale, is fantastic. It is all-ages comic book magic. Reading it made me feel like a kid again, reading stories of adventure, fantasy, and magic for the first time on my own.

Uptight #3 is a guarantee that you’ll want to read Uptight #4.

A+