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.
COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
AUG131140 3 GUNS #3 [DIG] $3.99
JUN131280 A1 #5 $3.99
AUG131119 ADVENTURE TIME CANDY CAPERS #4 $3.99
JUL130792 AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE #1 REG CVR [DIG/P+] $2.99
MAY130948 ALIENS VS PARKER #1 EMERALD CITY COMIC CON CVR (MR) $9.99
AUG131476 ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #14 PULLBOX WALSH $3.99
AUG131475 ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #14 REG EVANS $3.99
JUN130762 ART OF ARCHIE COVERS HC $29.99
AUG131327 BATTLING BOY GN VOL 01 $15.99
AUG131328 BATTLING BOY HC GN $24.99
AUG138057 BLACK BAT #5 2ND PTG $3.99
AUG131543 BOMBING NAZI GERMANY GN $19.99
JUL131169 BUCK ROGERS IN 25TH CENTURY #2 CHAYKIN CVR $3.99
AUG131521 CASE CLOSED GN VOL 48 $9.99
JUL130751 CAVEWOMAN PRIMAL BUDD ROOT SP ED PI
JUN131281 CHRONOS COMMANDOS DAWN PATROL #4 $3.99
AUG138058 CODENAME ACTION #1 2ND PTG $3.99
JUN131135 COMPLETE PEANUTS HC BOX SET 1987-1990 $49.99
JUN131134 COMPLETE PEANUTS HC VOL 20 1989-1990 $29.99
JUL130862 CROSSED BADLANDS #38 (MR) $3.99
JUL130864 CROSSED BADLANDS #38 TORTURE CVR (MR) $3.99
JUL130863 CROSSED BADLANDS #38 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
AUG131163 CRYPTOZOIC MAN #1 $3.99
MAY131070 DAMSELS #10 $3.99
JUN131282 DEATH SENTENCE #1 $3.99
JUL130940 DEATHMATCH #10 [DIG] $3.99
MAY131119 DF EAST OF WEST #1 CGC 9.8 $89.99
AUG131483 ETERNAL WARRIOR #2 REG JG JONES $3.99
JUL130742 FUBAR BY THE SWORD #2 (MR) $2.99
AUG131063 GEORGE RR MARTIN SKIN TRADE #3 (MR) $3.99
AUG131065 GEORGE RR MARTIN SKIN TRADE #3 GRISLY CVR (MR) $3.99
AUG131064 GEORGE RR MARTIN SKIN TRADE #3 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
JUL131409 GFT HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 2013 A CVR REYES (MR) $5.99
JUL131410 GFT HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 2013 B CVR WASHINGTON (MR) $5.99
JUL131411 GFT HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 2013 C CVR PEKAR (MR) $5.99
JUL131394 GFT HUNTERS SHADOWLANDS #5 A CVR SIQUEIRA $2.99
JUL131395 GFT HUNTERS SHADOWLANDS #5 B CVR MALSUNI $2.99
JUL131396 GFT HUNTERS SHADOWLANDS #5 C CVR PANTALENA $2.99
JUL138252 GFT OZ #1 2ND PTG $2.99
JUL131375 GFT OZ #3 A CVR LASHLEY $2.99
JUL131376 GFT OZ #3 B CVR ORTIZ $2.99
JUL131377 GFT OZ #3 C CVR SPAY $2.99
AUG131573 GFT VAMPIRES AND WEREWOLVES TP $15.99
JUL131400 GFT WONDERLAND TTLG #1 A CVR ORTIZ (MR) $3.99
JUL131401 GFT WONDERLAND TTLG #1 B CVR NUNES (MR) $3.99
JUL131402 GFT WONDERLAND TTLG #1 C CVR KING (MR) $3.99
AUG131544 GRANT VS LEE GRAPHIC HIST OF CIVIL WARS GREATEST RIVALS GN $19.99
JUL131418 GRIMM FAIRY TALES TP VOL 14 $15.99
AUG131502 GYO GN VOL 01 2ND ED (MR) $9.99
AUG131503 GYO GN VOL 02 2ND ED (MR) $9.99
AUG131113 HEROBEAR & THE KID INHERITANCE #3 [DIG] $3.99
AUG130909 INDIE COMICS MAGAZINE (MR) $6.49
JUN131284 IT CAME #3 $3.99
JUN130798 JIRNI #5 DIRECT MARKET CVR A [DIG] $3.99
JUN130799 JIRNI #5 DIRECT MARKET CVR B $3.99
JUL131274 JOHN CARPENTERS ASYLUM #3 (MR) $3.99
JUL130743 JOHNNY THE HOMICIDAL MANIAC #1 NEW PTG $3.50
JUN131417 JURASSIC STRIKE FORCE 5 TP (RES) $9.99
JUL130804 KEVIN KELLER #11 REG CVR [DIG/P+] $2.99
AUG131176 LORDS OF MARS #3 ROSS CVR (MR) $3.99
AUG131511 MAGI GN VOL 02 $9.99
MAY130760 MOLLY DANGER HC BOOK 01 $19.95
JUN130713 NIGHT OF THE 80S UNDEAD #2 (MR) [DIG] $2.99
AUG131223 OWL #4 $3.99
JUN131065 PALOOKAVILLE HC VOL 21 (MR) $21.95
APR131073 PATHFINDER #9 $3.99
JUL131175 PERCY JACKSON & OLYMPIANS SC VOL 03 TITANS CURSE $12.99
JUL130733 RACHEL RISING #20 $3.99
JUL131137 RAY AND JOE HC MAN AND HIS DEAD FRIEND $29.99
AUG131172 RED SONJA #4 DOYLE CVR $3.99
AUG131171 RED SONJA #4 FRISON CVR $3.99
JUL131171 SCRATCH 9 #2 CAT TAILS $3.99
AUG131553 SCREWED #5 A CVR KIRKHAM (MR) $2.99
AUG131554 SCREWED #5 B CVR MILLER (MR) $2.99
AUG131555 SCREWED #5 C CVR ORACLE (MR) $2.99
AUG131143 SONS OF ANARCHY #2 (MR) [DIG] $3.99
AUG131108 SPONGEBOB COMICS #25 $2.99
AUG131447 TABLEAU NUMERO 20 GN (MR) $12.99
AUG131519 TIGER & BUNNY BEGINNING GN VOL 01 SIDE A $9.99
AUG131520 TIGER & BUNNY BEGINNING GN VOL 02 SIDE B $9.99
AUG131518 TIGER & BUNNY GN VOL 03 $9.99
APR131130 TREASURY OF MINI COMICS HC $29.99
MAY131075 TRITON OF THE SEA GN VOL 01 $19.95
MAY131076 TYRANT FALLS IN LOVE GN VOL 08 (RES) (MR) $12.95
AUG130915 VAMPLETS NIGHTMARE NURSERY HC $15.99
JUL131327 WALLY WOOD STRANGE WORLDS OF SCIENCE FICTION HC NEW PTG (O/A) $39.95
JUL131328 WALLY WOOD STRANGE WORLDS OF SCIENCE FICTION TP NEW PTG (O/A) $24.95
DEC121018 WARLORD OF MARS #28 (MR) $3.99
AUG131385 WATSON AND HOLMES #4 $2.99
MAY131077 WILD HONEY GN (RES) (MR) $12.95
JUN131279 WIZARD OF ID HC DAILIES & SUNDAYS 1973 $19.95
AUG131405 XENOGLYPHS #5 $3.99
JUN131270 ZOMBIE ANNIHILATION ONE SHOT $1.50
JUN130714 ZOMBIE TRAMP TP (NEW PTG) (MR) [DIG] $14.99
JUN131273 ZOMBIES VS CHEERLEADERS VOL 2 #3 (MR) $3.99
MAGAZINES
MAY131420 COMIC HEROES BOOKAZINE #1 (MR) $20.00
AUG131706 COMIC SHOP NEWS #1373 PI
AUG131713 FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #270 $9.99
AUG131699 HI FRUCTOSE MAGAZINE QUARTERLY #29 $7.95
MAY131477 ONCE UPON A TIME AN INSIDERS GUIDE SPECIAL $16.99
BOOKS
AUG131637 101 WAYS KILL A ZOMBIE HC $14.95
JUL131460 DC SUPER HEROES SUPERMAN YR TP BIZARRO IS BORN $4.95
AUG131632 HOW TO DRAW & PAINT PIN UPS GLAMOUR GIRLS SC $19.95
AUG131610 HOW TO DRAW GRIMMS DARK TALES SC $19.95
MAY131188 JAMES O BARR UNCOFFINED SKETCH ED $125.00
AUG131661 MAKING OF STAR WARS EPISODE VI RETURN OF JEDI HC $85.00
JUL131452 MARVEL COMICS THE UNTOLD STORY SC $15.99
AUG131583 MY LITTLE PONY MINI PONY COLLECTORS GUIDE $19.00
JUL131139 NAUGHTY HC NOVEL $35.00
AUG131613 NICOLAIDES NATURAL WAY TO DRAW SC NEW PTG $16.95
AUG131333 OVERSTREET GUIDE TO COLLECTING VOL 02 COMIC & ANIMATION ART $12.95
AUG131653 RAY HARRYHAUSEN AN ANIMATED LIFE SC $33.00
AUG131654 RAY HARRYHAUSENS FANTASY SCRAPBOOK HC $55.00
AUG131266 ROOKIE YEARBOOK TWO SC $29.95
JUL131431 SIRENS PIN-UP ART OF DAVID WRIGHT HC $34.95
JUL131455 SUPERHEROES CAPES COWLS CREATION COMIC BOOK CULTURE HC $40.00
JUL131456 THOR ORIGIN STORY YR HC NEW ED $8.99
JUL131463 TINKERBELL EVOLUTION HC $40.00
JUL131514 WALKING DEAD MMPB VOL 01 RISE OF GOVERNOR $7.99
JUL131515 WALKING DEAD NOVEL HC VOL 03 FALL OF GOVERNOR $24.99
JUL131513 WORLD OF WARCRAFT ULTIMATE VISUAL GUIDE HC $30.00
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
Review: SILVER #2 – Sledge
DARK PLANET COMICS
CARTOONIST/CREATOR: Stephan Franck – @stephan_franck
COVER: Stephan Franck with Alan Bodner
32pp, B&W, $3.50 U.S.
I’m always looking for a comic book that reminds me of why I love comic books so much. When I find one, as a comic book reviewer, I want to convince other readers to try it, hoping that they will like it – even if they don’t like it as much as I do.
Silver is a new 12-issue miniseries created by writer, director, and animator, Stephan Franck, and published by Dark Planet Comics. Silver extends the fictional world of writer Bram Stoker, the author of the novel, Dracula (1897), into the 1930s. The series focuses on a con man who plans to steal silver from the living-dead and his mission to assemble a crew that can help him pull off the biggest heist of the last ten centuries.
The story opened in New York City, 1931 at the Harker Foundation, a creation of the recently deceased Jonathan Harker and his late wife, Wilhelmina “Mina” (Murray) Harker. There, con man and thief extraordinaire, James Finnigan, crashes an auction of rare silver pieces from the Harkers’ private collection. Finnigan accidentally stumbles into a crypt where he finds an ancient bar of silver.
As Silver #2 (entitled “Sledge”) opens, Finnigan learns that he did not make quite the clean getaway from the Harker Foundation that he thought he did. He left something behind, and now his partners, Mullins and Brantley, are none too happy about it. Finnigan, however, is always a man with a new plan – a bigger and bolder plan... or so he thinks. Now, he must find a young woman named Rosalynd Sledge, but wait until he learns what her line of work is.
Like The Black Beetle (Dark Horse Comics), Silver is a great new comic book series that harkens back to the classic past of comic books. Silver’s Stephan Franck and The Black Beetle’s Francesco Francavilla remind me of writer/artists and cartoonists such as Steve Ditko, Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman and others who mastered the graphic storytelling sensibilities possible with comics.
Whether it is flashy page layouts or weird and imaginative compositions of splash pages or within panels, the masters of the Golden and Silver Ages of comic books made the narrative of sequential art an eye-popping, mind-bending experience. But the art was not just pretty illustrations, but it was also story, and it conceived, heightened, and embellished the story, character, and setting.
This is Silver, the visual and graphical elements of comics unleashed as a gripping narrative. Franck’s black and white art might also remind people of Frank Miller’s work in his Sin City comic books. I hope readers embrace Silver the way they did Sin City. Silver is the antidote for our comic book reading complacency.
A+
Readers can purchase Silver #2 here or http://www.darkplanetcomics.com/store
Readers can purchase Silver #1 on ComiXology: http://www.comixology.com/Silver/comics-series/10508
www.darkplanetcomics.com
www.facebook.com/DarkPlanetComics
www.darkplanetcomics.tumblr.com
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux
The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Bleach: The Fire
I read Bleach, Vol. 58
I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics - which you can buy).
I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics - which you can buy).
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Review: Advs. of Superman: José Luis García-López
DC COMICS – @DCComics
WRITER: Gerry Conway, Elliot S. Maggin, David Michelinie, Denny O’Neil, Martin Pasko, Len Wein
PENCILS: José Luis García-López
INKS: José Luis García-López with Dan Adkins, Vince Colletta, Joe Giella, Dick Giordano, Steve Mitchell, Bob Oksner, Frank Springer
COLORS: Jerry Serpe, Adrienne Roy, Glynis Wein
LETTERS: Ben Oda, Clem Robins, Gaspar Saladino, Milt Snapinn
COVER: José Luis García-López and Dan Adkins
ISBN: 978-1-4012-3856-8; hardcover (April 2013)
360pp, Color, $39.99 U.S., $47.00 CAN
Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
In Superman #347 (May 1980), Superman takes on an alien phantom whose antics are placing Metropolis and the surrounding region in danger of a nuclear disaster. It is a nice story with a sad ending, but what is more memorable about this particular Superman comic book is the art for the story, penciled and inked by José Luis García-López.
On Pages 4 and 5 (of the story), García-López depicts Superman having dinner with Lois Lane at a rooftop restaurant. As usual, García-López shows off his knowledge of human anatomy in the physique of Superman and in the lithe, athletic figure of Lois Lane. However, on those two pages, García-López’s compositions conceive Metropolis Towers Restaurant’s settings, interiors, and backdrops with elegance and flair. This comic book art looks like pages that could be from an architectural or interior design magazine. It is simply a testament to García-López’s skill, and such an artist deserves a special showcase.
Earlier this year, DC Comics published Adventures of Superman: José Luis García-López. This book is part of a line of hardcover, full-color books that collect the work of influential comic book artists on iconic DC Comics characters, in particular Superman and Batman. Previous books in the series include Legends of the Dark Knight: Jim Aparo and Adventures of Superman: Gil Kane.
José Luis García-López was born in Spain in 1948 and eventually immigrated to Argentina with his parents. He began his comic book career there at the age of 13 and also studied at Escuela Panamericana de Arte. He broke into American comic books in the late 1960s with Charlton Comics and worked for the publisher into the early 1970s. After moving to New York City in 1974, García-López met DC Comics editor Joe Orlando, and his first work for DC Comics began appearing in 1975.
Adventures of Superman: José Luis García-López reprints García-López’s work on the character for which he is arguably most associated, Superman. Apparently, at one time, García-López’s Superman was used on all DC Comics merchandising. Adventures of Superman: José Luis García-López reprints Superman stories from the following Superman publications: Superman #294, 301-302, 307-309, 347; DC Comics Presents #1-4, 17, 20, 24, 31; and All-New Collector’s Edition #C-54 (Superman vs. Wonder Woman.)
The first time I really paid attention to José Luis García-López was when I found an issue of Amazing Heroes (the former Fantagraphics Books magazine that published news, features, and interviews about superhero comic books) that focused on him. The article talked about his work on the comic book series, Atari Force (1984), and his then upcoming work on the hit 1980s New Teen Titans (Vol. 2, #7-11; 1985). The article included images of García-López’s pencil art before it was inked. I learned from the article that García-López was a master of figure drawing in comic books.
That is indeed true. For the last 25 years, many comic book artists have presented the human figure by over-delineating musculature with cross-hatching and detailed line work. That yields either unimaginative photo-realistic art or characters (especially male characters) in which every muscle is squeezed and pumped until the characters look like freakish bodybuilders. García-López mastered the human figure through cartooning, expression, and abstraction. The result is dynamic figure drawing that best captures the magic and wonder evoked by comic book characters, especially superheroes.
In splash and half-splash pages and with big panels, modern comic book artists can show off intricate pencils, detailed backgrounds, and figure drawing that catches every nook and cranny of the human form. In this book, José Luis García-López, the master, shows off the proficiency of his ability to cartoon the human figure in even the smallest panels just as well as he can in double-page spreads, splash pages, and assorted big panels.
In the first six stories reprinted herein, García-López blends the page design style of Neal Adams with the aesthetics of Steve Ditko to create stylish page design cramped and dotted with panels. Still, the physicality of Superman and guest-stars, such as Supergirl and Solomon Grundy, shines through everything. Superman’s muscular form takes on the traits of dancer’s lithe body, as the Man of Steel flexes, fights, and flies from one panel to another. Because García-López can pull this off, he creates a sense of movement in his pages, connecting not just each panel to another, but also each page to another. Looking at the art, I thought I was watching a tiny Superman literally flying through the story and acting as the storytelling vehicle.
The masterstroke of Adventures of Superman: José Luis García-López is its reprint of All-New Collector’s Edition #C-54, a 1978, oversized comic book that pitted Superman and Wonder Woman against each other, before finally uniting to fight Axis evil. The clean inks by Dan Adkins give García-López’s pencils a Neo-Classical quality, but retains the “New York slick” style that fits this World War II era story.
This book will also afford readers an opportunity to read stories written by a number of good comic book writers, especially the now underappreciated Gerry Conway. His “Superman vs. Wonder Woman” tale is spectacular. The feud between the two heroes and their eventual resolution makes sense within the context of the story and also corresponds with real world issues that still vex us today.
Somehow, my Bin boss was able to talk DC Comics into giving me a copy of Adventures of Superman: José Luis García-López. I don’t owe them a good review for giving me this book, but I’m going to give them one anyway. This archival presentation is the kind of book that a great comic book artist like José Luis García-López not only deserves, but has also earned. It is also indicative of the usual high quality of DC Comics’ hardcover reprint books.
A+
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux
The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Review: THE STAR WARS #2
THE STAR WARS #2
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics
["Star Wars Central" review page is here.]
SCRIPT: J.W. Rinzler
ART: Mike Mayhew
COLORS: Rain Beredo
LETTERS: Michael Heisler
COVER: Nick Runge
VARIANT COVERS: Ralph McQuarrie
EDITOR: Randy Stradley
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (October 2013)
It’s official. There are too many Star Wars comic book series. I think the one that puts the franchise over the top is The Star Wars, a new miniseries from Dark Horse Comics. It is the comic book adaptation of George Lucas’ 1974 screenplay, entitled The Star Wars. Lucas, of course, would rewrite that screenplay until it would become the script for the Oscar-winning 1977 film, Star Wars, which would also earn a “Best Picture” nomination.
The Star Wars the comic book is written by J.W. Rinzler and drawn by Mike Mayhew. The comic book opens after the recent “Great Rebellion,” in which the Empire becomes the “New Galactic Empire.” On the fourth moon of Utapau, Jedi Kane Starkiller lives with his two sons, Annikin and Deak. After Deak is killed, Kane and Annikin return to their homeworld, Aquilae. There, Kane convinces his old friend, Jedi General Luke Skywalker, to take Annikin as his apprentice, but the reunion is interrupted by a possible menace to Aquilae.
As The Star Wars #2 (“The Empire Strikes”) opens, General Skywalker moves to protect Aquilae, but the Senate is reluctant to give him the authority to start a war. Meanwhile, Annikin begins his training and goes on his first mission for Skywalker.
The first issue of The Star Wars comic book relied on the revelation of the unknown or, at least, the largely unseen, to be exciting. This comic book visualization of Star Wars, early and in the raw, has a lot of appeal, but the novelty has worn off for me. With this second issue, it is time for the series to deliver on plot, character, and setting.
The plot is convoluted, at least as it is squeezed into 22 pages this second issue. I think Brian Michael Bendis could have taken just the events depicted in this one issue and turned it into at least a six issue miniseries, and the story would be the better for that. The characters lack personality; really, they’re just players with little in the way of what one can call character. Also, there is such an emphasis on action that the story never really examines the exotic and far-flung settings.
Mike Mayhew’s art and especially Rain Beredo’s colors remain good reasons to keep reading. But for how long...
C+
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux
The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Review: HAPPY MARRIAGE?! Volume 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia
CARTOONIST: Maki Enjoji
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
EDITOR/ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Nancy Thislethwaite
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
ISBN: 978-1-4215-5935-3; paperback (October 2013); Rated “M” for “Mature”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK
After debuting with Fu•Junai (Wicked Pure Love), manga creator Maki Enjoji created four more series. That fourth series is Happy Marriage?!.
Happy Marriage?! focuses on 22-year-old Chiwa Takanashi. In order to get her father out of debt, Chiwa enters into a marriage. Her husband is 28-year-old Hokuto Mamiya, the President and CEO of Mamiya Commerce. The two live a secret life together, with only Hokuto’s personal assistant, Taeko Soma, knowing of the marriage. To complicate things, Chiwa works in the same office as her husband.
As Happy Marriage?!, Vol. 2 opens, Chiwa worries that Hokuto is cheating on her. She shares her concerns with the company’s hot new recruit, Yu Yamagi, but tells the young man that she is seeking advice for a friend. Meanwhile, paparazzi catch Hokuto in the company of hot actress, Yukana Kishi.
Chiwa gets a little closer to Yu than she expected, which captures Hokuto’s attention. Then, Chiwa is reunited with an old college friend, 26-year-old Shingo Sakuraba, the director of small startup business. Is this another sign that the terms of the marriage contract are the only things keeping Chiwa and Hokuto together?
Early in my reading, I grew bored with the Happy Marriage?! manga. Chiwa Takanashi’s fretting and doubting just became repetitive – real fast. However, I started to notice that one of Happy Marriage?!’s hooks is the clever way creator Maki Enjoji gives her characters a penchant for misunderstanding everything and everyone.
This series is like a comedy of errors in which the characters are just self-centered, self-absorbed, and clueless enough to spite themselves. A little effort and a little honesty would bring them closer to what they want, if not outright get it for them. Pretty soon, I found myself laughing and enjoying Happy Marriage?! It is not a great work, but it is an effective romantic comedy and drama about misunderstanding and misdirection. Sometimes, it’s just fun to watch the characters clown themselves.
B+
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux
The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Review: VOICE OVER! Seiyu Academy, Volume 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia
CARTOONIST: Maki Minami
TRANSLATION/ENGLISH ADAPTATION: John Werry
LETTERS: Sabrina Heep
ISBN: 978-1-4215-5970-4; paperback (October 2013); Rated “T” for “Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN
After debuting in 2001 with Kanata no Ao (Faraway Blue), Maki Minami created many other manga series, including S•A. VIZ Media publishes her recent series, Seiyu Ka!, in North America as Voice Over! Seiyu Academy.
The series is set at Holly Academy High School, which offers general education, sports, acting, music, and visual arts like many other high schools. However, it is famous in the world of voice acting for its voice acting department. Fifteen-year-old Hime Kino is the newest student. This first year student’s dream is to be a voice actress with a cute voice – the princess type. However, Hime’s gruff voice earns her the ire of teachers and students alike, but she isn’t about to give up.
As Voice Over! Seiyu Academy, Vol. 1 opens, Hime is spending her first day at Holly Academy. She recalls the moment that started her dream of being a voice actor. It was an encounter with voice acting legend, Sakura Aoyama, former star of the anime, Magic Warriors: Lovely ♥ Blazers. Aoyama’s son, Senri Kudo, just happens to be a second year student at Holly Academy, but after her first encounter with the teen, Hime finds his attitude about more than a few things to be potty.
Her time in the Year One Voice Group quickly turns sour as she finds herself in the Voice Acting Department “stragglers,” the failing students. But a school acting performance will change Hime’s future... hopefully for the best.
As a narrative set at a school for voice actors, the Voice Over! Seiyu Academy manga seems to have a problem. In theory, it is a story that would work best as an audio drama or as a television series. A manga certainly does not come with sound, and audio would also be the best way to hear the characters’ voices, especially Hime’s.
Creator Maki Minami focuses not so much on voice, but on overall characters. All the characters in Voice Over! Seiyu Academy are familiar types, even stereotypes, from shojo manga. Minami gives each a twist, something surprising, shocking, or unusual about each character type that makes him or her interesting to the audience. In fact, that has made me very interested in Voice Over! Seiyu Academy. I like this manga and want more – shojo loving guy that I am.
A-
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux
The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
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