I’ve been trying to read more manga lately.  Manga in book form is very popular at my library, so I have been working on building up our print collection. My anime club kids are always telling me about new titles. There is also a lot of manga to be read electronically. Reading scanlated manga online has been a longtime habit of many fans, regardless of the copyright issues involved, (scroll down on this page for a good definition of scanlation) but more manga is becoming available electronically either for free or for reasonable prices.  It will  be nice if this encourages more fans to pay for content and support the creators whose work they enjoy. Even if it doesn’t, it does afford more options for consuming content for people who enjoy reading on their mobile devices. Viz Media and Yen Press, are two popular publishers making manga available via mobile app.  I decided to check out how these apps work and compare and contrast their features.

Title: Viz Manga
Cost: Free App includes previews, but manga prices vary (3.99 – 8.99)
Platform: iOS (also available for Android and web browsers at VIZmanga.com)

 
To look through the available titles in the VIZ app, you can have options to view all series, or select titles by featured, new, or free options. A rotating banner at the top of the home page promotes titles as well. The first chapter (about 50 pages) of a manga series is offered as a free preview. This is enough that I felt like I could really tell if I was enjoying a series and if was interested in buying it or reading more by the end of the preview. Selections from Shonen Jump Alpha are also free through the VIZ app, which is nice because I think people will be missing the print version of Shonen Jump now that it has gone digital only.  You can zoom in the regular way by pinching and pulling.  The only thing I didn’t like about this app was that the screen alignment doesn’t change when you flip your device sideways. I like having that option because sometimes it makes things easier to read.

Some VIZ titles worth checking out:  Blue Exorcist, Dengeki Daisy and Bakuman.

Title: Yen Press
Cost: Free App includes previews, but manga prices vary (6.99 -12.99 an issue)
Platform: iOS

 
There are three different options for viewing the available titles on the Yen Press app. You can scroll through cover images horizontally, which is fun if you swip

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

Despite being occasionally hard for me to follow, Time and Again is one of my favorite series.  The art is pretty, with dramatic illustrations that compliment the action taking place on the pages.  This series is full of angst, which is probably why I enjoy it so much.  There are so many intense emotions woven into the plot.  Both Baek-On and Ho-Yeon have tragic pasts, and Ho-Yeon’s is explored in agonizing detail here.  No wonder the guy hardly ever smiles.  He did the one thing his father told him not to do, and it gives him nothing but regrets.  And, ultimately, has him crossing paths with Baek-On, which I’m not so sure is a good thing for him.

I enjoyed this volume so much because it does spend most of its focus on Ho-Yeon, instead of just following Baek-On and Ho-Yeon on exorcism cases.  Instead of  each chapter featuring a cursed,  random stranger who is usually being bothered by malignant spirits because of their own greed or short-sightedness, Ho-Yeon is front and center.  Left to support his mother and invalid sister after his father is executed, he struggles with his feelings of inadequacy.  It’s hard to keep your family fed when your father was branded a traitor, and you’re hard-pressed to find a position of any consequence because of the taint on your name.  When he’s given the opportunity to use his sword to make a name for himself, disaster and heartbreak seem to follow.

Full of melancholy and told in quiet, dreamy prose, Time and Again is a compelling series that keeps me coming back for more.

Grade: B+

Review copy provided by publisher

{The San Diego Comic Convention is this week, and I’m starting to get some press releases from the publishers in attendance.  Here’s one of the first. I’ll have to give the app a spin.  I am curious about the 22 page Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer comic; the cover cracks me up.  Have you heard any SDCC news? Comment below and share.}

YEN PRESS LAUNCHES IPHONE APP WITH FREE GOSSIP GIRL, PSYCHO KILLER DIGITAL COMIC

SAN DIEGO, CA July 23, 2011 — Friday night at San Diego Comic Con, Kurt Hassler, Publishing Director of Yen Press, announced the expansion of their Yen Press comics app to include the iPhone and iPod Touch. As a special bonus, a free promotional comic and three chapter excerpt of the hugely anticipated novel GOSSIP GIRL, PSYCHO KILLER by New York Times bestselling author Cecily von Ziegesar is available through the application for an exclusive first look.

Cecily von Ziegesar’s forthcoming GOSSIP GIRL, PSYCHO KILLER (Poppy, 10/3/2011, 978-0-316-18509-7) is a gruesome and hilarious take on her iconic novel GOSSIP GIRL wherein the infamous socialites are reimagined as serial killers. To promote the release of the novel this October, artist HyeKyung Baek — who adapted and illustrated the GOSSIP GIRL: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY manga series — has created a special 22-page digital comic book preview of the book for fans.

Kurt Hassler said: “The concept behind GOSSIP GIRL, PSYCHO KILLER is brilliant and we knew we wanted to do something special to help promote it. HyeKyung Baek’s graphic interpretation will be a thrill for fans — if you thought these girls were bitchy before, this is just taking it to a whole new level!”

This exclusive digital comic was created to celebrate the expansion of the Yen Press app on the iPhone and iPod touch. In addition, Yen Press is also holding a month-long promotion whereby most first volumes in series available for download through the app will be priced at $2.99, including fan favorites like MAXIMUM RIDE, DANIEL X and NIGHTSCHOOL.
Kurt Hassler said of the new platforms: “Expanding our storefront manga application onto the iPhone and iPod touch gives readers an easily accessible way to read their favorite manga on the go – and to keep up with what’s happening with Yen Press.”

The Yen Press app is free to download at http://itunes.com/apps/yenpress.
Yen Press is an imprint of Hachette Book Group dedicated to publishing graphic novels for adults and young readers. Yen Press’ focus is primarily on licensed manga, but also publishes across the wide spectrum of the graphic novel market, including, but not limited to: original manga publications, original American comics/graphic novels, webcomics, licensed adaptations, and children’s graphic novels.
Hachette Book Group is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre, the second largest publisher in the world. Hachette Book Group’s product lines include adult, illustrated, religious, children’s and audio books under the Little, Brown and Company, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, Grand Central Publishing, FaithWords,

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

Gosh, I’m embarrassed to admit this, but some volumes of Jack Frost go right over my head.  Only the frenzied battle scenes manage to save the read for me.  If there are lots of explosions, impossibly large firearms, bullets, and blood spattering in every direction, my baser instincts emerge and can’t help but keep turning pages at a rapid rate.  It’s like driving by an accident scene; you know you shouldn’t be gawking, but you can’t help sneaking a peek as you drive by.  I consider this to be one of my worst reading weaknesses.  As long as there is a lot of action, I can usually get caught up in pretty much any series.

Which leads to my disappointment with this volume of the weird and occasionally grotesque Jack Frost.  While there is some fighting, with the requisite gunfire, bodies, and imploding buildings, the action sequences are just not as compelling as in previous outings with the demonic Jack.  He doesn’t really get to do much here.  He’s a supporting player in Hansen’s battle with his brother.  Jack does make a few cryptic remarks about the Tailor and the Mirror Image, but his comments are more of a tease than the exchange of any real information.  Boo.

Ethan from the East District makes his big move and attempts to blackmail Noh-A into joining his side.  He does a good job of it, but the whole storyline there is predictable and not very compelling, and that’s my problem with this volume.  I didn’t get caught up in the activity playing out across the panels, which made me not care who won and who lost.  I didn’t feel any emotional connection with any of the characters this time around, unlike in earlier volumes where the characters’ backstories engaged me in the read.  This time, there are just too many characters cycling throughout the volume that I found myself getting more and more detached from their individual plotlines.

Though this volume of Jack Frost left me underwhelmed, I’m still invested enough in the series to wonder what’s going to happen next.  I am hoping that this installment is the lull before an upcoming storm of epic Jack fighting.

Grade: C+

Review copy provided by publisher

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

It’s the last week before the Labor Day holiday.  This is a time for soaking up the last of the warm summer rays before the leaves start to change colors and the colder weather of autumn begins to settle in.  This is the time for brainless, action-packed movies, and caving in to the theory that too much thinking is sometimes bad for your noggin, I picked up the second volume of Highschool of the Dead to help usher out the last of the summer. 

Where to start?  Let’s see – brainless certainly fits this series.  It is a mindless festival of gore and blood splatters.  Oh, and impossibly large breasted women, but I think I already covered that in my thoughts on the first volume.  Takashi and Rei have split away from their friends because of a falling out with Shidou.  They race off on a motorcycle, each clutching blunt-edged weapons so they can pummel the crap out of any zombies they encounter.  Ignoring for the moment the fact that motorcycles are loud, noisy machines, they make it unscathed to a gas station, where they are accosted by a nut-case intent on kidnapping Rei so he can have his wicked ways with her.  And because he needs a chick to survive. Or something like that.  During this encounter, both Rei and Takashi discover that they enjoy beating the brains out of anything that moves, including cash registers.  Go figure.

After discovering that all of the bridges in town have been closed off and our little gang is trapped on the wrong side of all of them, Rei and Takashi are reunited with their buddies from the bus.  Naked bath scenes with large breasted bimbos ensue.  Again, I wonder at the intelligence of these characters as they cavort loudly and drunkenly with hordes of the undead searching for a snack just outside of their bathroom.  Since there isn’t really a plot, whatever, we’ll just go whichever way the rubber ducky floats.

There is a rescue scene, a Hummer running over zombies scene, and even police officers firing on frantic crowds of desperate people trying to escape becoming zombie chow scene.  The bulldozer squashing everyone in its path scene only got a few measly panels, but it’s here!  Flattening anything in its path, leaving human and not-quite human pancakes in its wake!

I am not a fan of brainless horror flicks, but some people love them.  Dean will sit in front of Syfy all day long, watching Mongolian Death Worms, Mega Piranha, and Dinocroc, one right after another.  This is why I read.  I am trying to avoid having my brain cells rot during the course of a Sunday afternoon.  Still, there must be an audience for these kinds of movies, because they keep making them.  So, in theory, there must be an audience for brainless manga as well.

May Contain Spoilers

Review:

I saw a sample for Gabby & Gator online, and after seeing just a few panels, I desperately wanted to get my hands on the book.  Imagine my delight when I saw it at the library!  I immediately checked it out and counted the minutes until I could read it.

Gator is having a bad day. In fact, he is having 10 bad years of bad days after he gets flushed down the toilet at the insistence of his owner’s mother.  Alligators are dangerous!  Alligators don’t belong in the house!  Alligators will EAT you!  So bye-bye, two-dollar-and-fifty-cent gator hatchling, you are no longer welcome here!  Suffering from a harrowing journey through the sewer system, Gator then must resort to gobbling up dogs, cats, and squirrels to feed his never ending hunger.

Gabby isn’t having a wonderful life, either.  Her mom is always working, and her enthusiasm for social causes has earned her the contempt of her peers. They think that she is weird, and enjoy making fun of her.  Secure in the knowledge of who she is, Gabby isn’t ready to change herself for the sake of such judgmental people.  She just wishes she had a friend or two.  Along comes Gator, and theirs seems like a match made in heaven.  Well, except for Gator’s uncontrollable urge to eat.  Will he be able to resist snacking on his new friend?

Gabby and Gator is such a cute book!  I love both characters, and found Gabby especially easy to relate to.  She is intelligent and is driven by her sense of responsibility.  She’s very unique, and that leaves her open to teasing and bullying.  I loved when she finally stood up for herself.  That took guts because she acted outside of her comfort zone.  

This graphic novel is presented in hardback, with glossy, full-color pages. The illustrations match the tone of the book; they are adorable and full of personality.  If you are new to graphic novels, this is a good one to start exploring the world of comics with.  Gabby & Gator is a fun story about two misfits who are meant to be together.

Grade: A

Review copy obtained from my local library

Title: 13th  Boy Vol 6 Author: SangEun Lee Publisher:  Yen Press ISBN: 978-0759529991

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Sae-Bom’s birthday turns into the happiest day…of Hee-So’s life?! After Won-Jun asks her out during Sae-Bom’s birthday party, Hee-So’s on cloud nine! But is everything really all sunshine and roses? Sae-Bom has had to grow up in the span of a day, Won-Jun is secretly troubled by Sae-Bom’s obvious distress, and Whie-Young’s magical exertions have kept him out of commission. On the five-day anniversary of Hee-So’s relationship bliss (leave it to her to celebrate even the smallest milestones!), she runs into the long-absent Whie-Young en route to school and gets dragged into cutting class with him! But when they return to find Won-Jun waiting for them back at Hee-So’s, will her cheating ways (?) lead to an explosive finale for her second chance at love?!

Review:

Any book that manages to make me feel sorry for a love-struck cactus deserves props.  A CACTUS!  Little Beatrice had me sniffing back tears.  His dreams of happiness seem so unlikely, and the impossibility of his situation tugged at my heart strings.  Until this volume I thought of Beatrice as more of comic relief, but that impression went completely out the window.  He has become an important character to me, quite possibly my favorite.  He certainly seems to have more feelings and common sense than his owner, though he is clearly given to as many flights of fancy as Hee-So.

This volume of 13th Boy solidified the series for me.  While it still has an abundance of humor and comedies of error, it has also grown into a more emotional read for me.  Hee-So can be so shallow and simpleminded that I have never felt a connection to her.  She is the type of person who will bounce back from any setback, and her enthusiasm and zeal for life will see her through any situation.  I can’t say the same for Sae-Bom, Whie-Young, or Won-Jun.  The three of them keep orbiting each other’s lives, making themselves miserable because they are unable to communicate or accept how they feel about each other.  It’s only through Hee-So that they make any progress toward understanding how they feel at all.

I love the complicated relationships and the slow exploration of feelings taking place in the book.  Just when the atmosphere starts to get overwhelming, Hee-So does something selfish or harebrained, usually with amusing results.  There are some occasions when even her happy go lucky attitude fails to smooth things over, and that’s when I find myself enjoying the series best.  The first volume was a struggle for me, but as I got to know the characters, I started to appreciate the title more.  It gets better with every volume, and it has become one of my favorites.  And a cactus made me cry.  A CACTUS!

Grade: A-

Review copy provided by publisher

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

I like most of the Yen Press manga adaptations of popular novels, and Maximum Ride is no exception.  The pacing is killer fast, with Max and her flock of escaping one harrowing ordeal after another.  These guys don’t have it easy, and nobody takes it easy on them because they are kids.  They are imprisoned, tormented, and chased from one corner of the country to the next.  They get into and out of so many hair-raising predicaments that it’s kind of exhausting!  It’s lots of fun, but it stretches the limits of my credibility. Good thing for these magic manga glasses that I have, that allow the impossible to seem possible, and allow me to immerse myself into the plot.

Max discovers the hard way that there isn’t really anyone she can trust, and she is even having doubts about some of her closest friends.  Angel has got her wary, as the young girl continues to manifest incredible powers.  She can compel others to do her bidding, and it’s kind of scary to see just how easy it is for her to manipulate others.  Max is already under so much pressure to keep everyone alive and out of the evil clutches of the Erasers, and now she has to wonder just how much she can trust Angel.  This story thread has got my complete attention!

Most of this volume has the gang looking for scraps of information about themselves, before they were given up by their parents to be research subjects.  They all want to know who they really are, and who their parents are.  Most importantly, they want to know why their parents abandoned them.  A mysterious voice in Max’s head gives them guidance, and also gives her never-ending headaches.  Is the voice a friend? Or is it a foe, steering them into yet another trap?

Fast pacing, appealing characters, and attractive art ensure that I will read along a while longer. 

Grade: B

Review copy provided by publisher

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

What a fun series!  I love Daikichi and his determination to raise Rin by himself.  He has matured so much in just two volumes!  He is also getting valuable on-the-job training, learning how to take care of a little girl.  There are no instruction manuals, he’s discovered, and everything is new for him.  Even enrolling Rin in elementary school is wading into uncharted waters; for a guy with no clue about what he’s doing, Daikichi is doing a wonderful job providing a stable and emotionally supportive home to his small charge.  Tackling these unexpected tasks, which Daikichi would certainly never dreamed of having to do himself, is daunting for him, but so far he is ignoring the nay-sayers in his life and staying on course.

The more I get to know Daikichi, the more I like him.  He doesn’t understand how anyone could reject such a wonderful little girl, so he searches relentlessly for clues about Rin’s mother.  Who is she? Why isn’t she a part of her daughter’s life?  When he finally tracks her down, he is certain that he made the right decision by becoming Rin’s guardian.  Her mother is barely capable of caring for herself!  She has done everything in her power to distance herself from her daughter, despite Daikichi’s grandfather’s attempt to cox her into bonding with Rin.  I don’t think too highly of Grandpa for getting Masako pregnant in the first place, but at least he didn’t reject Rin the way Masako seems to be.

I loved the shopping sequence, when Daikichi takes Rin to buy a desk.  Her delight at getting to pick out a “big girl’s” desk is obvious, and so cute, too!  Daikichi’s only had to use a little bit of psychology to convince her to buy a work area he thought would be more suitable than the desk she decided she liked. As Rin is growing  more confident in her new surroundings, she is becoming more expressive, and so much more fun for Yumi Unita to draw.  Like with Daikichi, there has been a big change in Rin, too.  She’s starting to discover who she is, and she is starting to exert some independence.  The character growth makes Bunny Drop a touching read, and I’m looking forward to reading more about Daikichi and Rin.

Grade: B+

Review copy purchased from Amazon

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

If you enjoy soap operas and angsty teen dramas, Goong is the series for you!  I love all of the complicated interpersonal relationships, most of which are highly contentious.  Chae-Kyung has been forced into a life she never expected, and despite being a princess now, she longs to have her normal life back.  There are so many limitations placed on her, and she no longer has much control over her own activities.  She can’t even visit her grandfather, who is very ill and in the hospital, because it conflicts with her duties as a member of the royal family.  Shin, the Crown Prince and her young husband, is also making her miserable, because she is in love with him, but all they manage to do is argue with each other. 

With the press watching their every move, the adults in the palace are worried about Shin and Chae-Kyung causing more gossip, and embarrassing the royal family more than they already have.  Shin and Chae-Kyung are fodder for scandalous rumors, which is giving fuel to Yul’s mother’s ambitions for both her son and herself.  She is scheming to have Yul reinstated as the Crown Prince, and she is also plotting to have more governmental power granted to the royal family.  She is  not content to be a figurehead, and she is paving the way for big, big changes in the status quo.

With lavish art and a storyline that is growing ever more complicated and compelling, Park SoHee is crafting an entertaining, character-driven series.  Chae-Kyung and Shin both behave like what they are; two confused teenagers who have to live a very public life.  In the privacy of the palace, their interactions run a gamut of behaviors; they tease each other, they bicker with each other, they yell at each other, they laugh with each other.  In the public eye, they must always be conscious of their actions, and present a harmonious, united front.  It’s not easy for either one of them, because they are so confused about their own mixed up feelings.  What they need is some time to just be themselves and sort it out, but that isn’t going to happen with all of the meddling adults trying to control them, their obligations, and their busy schedules.

Grade: B+

Review copy purchased from Amazon

Title: Beauty and the Squat Bears by Emile Bravo

Publisher: Yen Press

It’s tough to be a bear, especially a squat bear.  The squat bears just want to be left alone in the forest, but a beautiful princess wanders into their house and disturbs their lives.  Fleeing from her evil stepmother, the princess is looking for a place to hide out, but being a princess, she refuses to help out with chores.  To get rid of the pesky freeloader, the bears decide that they need to find her a prince.  Sending one of the grumbling bears off to find one as quickly as possible, they hope he can locate a prince so they can get on with their lives.

Humorously mashing up several fairy tales, squat bear trudges through the forest in search of his prince.  Instead, he meets a blue bird claiming to be a prince, and the bear is reluctantly sent off on a quest to have the bird restored to his princely form. The book kept me amused, as the poor put upon bear meets one worthless prince after another.  The art is cartoony and whimsical, matching the tone of the bear’s quest perfectly.  The colors are bright and bold, facial expressions are overly exaggerated, and the dialog is clever and snappy.  A fun read for kids and adults alike.

In stores May 2011

{ED. – I enjoyed the first volume of Twilight, the Graphic Novel much more than I was expecting, and I have been wondering when the next volume would hit store shelves.  Yen Press has finally announced a date!}

YEN PRESS ANNOUNCES

TWILIGHT: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL, VOL. 2

WILL GO ON-SALE ON OCTOBER 11, 2011

NEW YORK, NY (xx, 2011) — Yen Press, the graphic novel imprint of Hachette Book Group, announced that it will publish the eagerly-awaited second volume in the graphic novel adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight on October 11, 2011. Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 2 will be released as an e-book and in hardcover for $19.99 ($22.99 CAN) with a first printing of 350,000 copies.

A visually arresting retelling of the story that has captured the hearts and minds of countless fans, Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 2 contains selected text from Meyer’s original novel with illustrations by the talented Korean artist Young Kim. Kim’s unique artistic style which combines Asian and Western comic techniques are showcased in this black-and-white graphic novel with color interspersed throughout. Meyer consulted throughout the artistic process and had input on every panel.

“Knowing how beautifully Young Kim rendered the Twilight universe in the first volume, I couldn’t wait for this next one,” remarked Meyer. “Her illustrations of characters and settings gorgeously capture the world and are very close to what I saw in my mind’s eye while writing Twilight.”

Kurt Hassler, Yen Press Publishing Director, commented, “The first volume of the Twilight graphic novel was an utter phenomenon in the category, and the reception by Stephenie’s fans was absolutely overwhelming. It’s an incredible testament to the collaboration between Stephenie and Young Kim, and we cannot wait to be able to put the second volume into the readers’ hands!”

Stephenie Meyer has become a worldwide publishing phenomenon. The Twilight Saga’s translation rights have been sold in nearly 50 countries and 116 million copies have been sold worldwide.

Yen Press is an imprint of Hachette Book Group dedicated to publishing graphic novels for adults and young readers. Yen Press’ focus is primarily on licensed manga, but also publishes across the wide spectrum of the graphic novel market, including, but not limited to: original manga publications, original American comics/graphic novels, webcomics, licensed adaptations, and children’s graphic novels.

Hachette Book Group is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre, the second largest publisher in the world. Hachette Book Group’s product lines include adult, illustrated, religious, children’s and audio books under the Little, Brown and Company, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, Grand Central Publishing, FaithWords, Center Street, Orbit, Yen Press and Hachette Book Group Digital Media imprints.  For more information, visit www.hbgusa.com.

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

Maximum Ride is turning out to be a surprise favorite for me.  I had zero expectations going into the series, mainly because I haven’t read anything by James Patterson.  Sure, I’ve seen his books everywhere, but I was never interested enough to do more than pick up one or two of his titles to read the synopsis on the back before putting it down again.  Now both Maximum Ride and Yen Press’s adaptation of Daniel X are two Patterson series that I am really looking forward to reading more of.  Once I started this third volume of Maximum Ride, I could not put it down until I finished it. 

I think the engaging characters is the first thing that pulled me into this series.  I love Max and her flock.  These kids have some pretty cool powers, with the ability to fly being at the top of the list.  Their search for a place to fit in, and a desire to know who their parents are is also a compelling backdrop for their story.  What kid doesn’t want to fit in?  What kid doesn’t have an overwhelming desire to know who they are and how they got to be where they are?  This question is especially urgent for Max and her flock – they have all suffered at the hands of unscrupulous scientists, and being the subject of scientific experiments has left them all with emotional scars.

This volume has the kids taking a break.  After Fang is badly injured, the FBI swoops down on them and offers a trade-off.  They’ll make sure Fang receives the best medical care available, and the kids will have a place to de-stress, but they have to come clean about themselves.  Agent Walker gives them a safe place to stay, and before they know it, everyone is forced to act like normal kids.  Only that’s not so easy for Max and her family.  They aren’t normal kids, and they have no clue how to behave around kids their age.

I enjoyed this volume, because Max and company are thrust into a “normal” situation – they are enrolled in school.  I felt that I could relate to them all even better as they each struggled to fit in and not draw unwanted attention to themselves.  What would be a mundane day of classes for me is a minefield of uncertainty for them.  They don’t know how to trust anyone, and they are so accustomed to being on the run that school, and so many other kids, are an alien concept to them. Throw in the threat of the Erasers, and it’s a wonder that they can concentrate in class at all!

This is the best volume of Maximum Ride yet, and I’m looking forward to digging into volume four. 

Grade: A-

Review copy provided by publisher

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Welcome to New York’s Upper East Side, where the claws are about to come out! S is back in town after an encounter with B’s boyfriend, N. Now B’s looking for payback with S’s new love interest, D. Looks like B’s prepared to put it all on the line this time to take down S once and for all.

Duck and cover — this might get ugly!

Review:

Well, it was bound to happen.  I finally met a Yen Press graphic novel adaption of a popular prose series that I didn’t like.  Gossip Girl is just not my cup of tea, and I had a hard time relating to any of the odious characters that populate Cecily von Ziegesar’s popular Gossip Girl series.  Ugh!  I hope that the rich and ill-mannered aren’t as unlikable as the gang collected in this book.  Ugh!

Here’s the predictable plot in a nutshell;  Beautiful Serena sleeps with Nate, ultra rich bitch Blair’s boyfriend. Blair finds out, Serena is driven out of the popular circle in shame, and after she starts dating poor, boring Dan, Blair schemes to get Dan to cheat on Serena.  Gah!  The only thing that made the read tolerable were Blair’s missteps during her campaign to humiliate her former BFF.  Karma can be a beautiful thing.

I started hoping that Blair would just throw herself off of the balcony of her penthouse suite and put us all out of our misery.  I didn’t care what happened to this awful witch, or any of the other rotten characters running around the pages of this graphic novel. How sad is that? There wasn’t even one character I felt that I could relate to.  Not one!  Are the novels like this?   Is reading about a bunch of shallow, spoiled teenagers entertaining?  Now I want to read one of the books just to see if they are as unappealing as this volume of the manga.

Grade:  C-

Review copy provided by publisher

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Everything is pretty average about Hitomi; she’s an average student, has an average brother, average looks …the only thing that makes her stand out is her weight. Weighing in at 220lbs, she’s no elegant swan. But this wasn’t always the case! When she was younger, she would take part in children’s beauty contests and bring home all sorts of prizes. It was only when her sweet tooth took over that she gained all the weight. So when Hitomi moves into her older brother’s apartment, she discovers that his neighbours are the five hottest boys at her school! And when they decide to get Hitomi back to her cute and pretty roots by helping her stay away from sweets and lose weight, it’s a recipe …for disaster!

Review:

This random collection of episodic chapters left me perplexed.  I’m not sure what to think of it, and I found the presentation bland, uninteresting, and the more I think about it, insulting.  The characters are all cookie cutouts, and they are boring, boring, boring.  Not one of them has a personality worth remembering.  Hitomi, the overweight protagonist, is as sweet as they come, but she is portrayed as an uninteresting blob.  While all of the pretty boys are drawn with precise details, Hitomi is a caricature, a round, fluffy, shapeless blob.  The other overweight character, Tooru, is also drawn as an unattractive lump. 

The more I think about this book, the more annoyed I get.  Plot? There isn’t one.  Hitomi tiptoes around school, trying her hardest not to offend anybody with her mere presence.  She’s friends with all of the pretty boys, but because she is drawn with no appeal what so ever, there’s not even a glimmer of attraction between any of them.  It’s like Hitomi is their mascot, like she’s some weird animal that everyone wants to pat on the head.

Somewhere along the way, she starts exercising, by swimming and picking up trash during cleanup duty.  She berates herself for craving sweets, and wonders why she is such a bother to everyone around her.  Everyone but her brother, that is.  He has a sister complex that I think is supposed to add some comedy to the book, but falls flat for me.

I don’t know where the series is going to go, but with the first volume, I am unimpressed with the message that I am getting.  Why does Hitomi have to change in order to be attractive to these guys.  Some of them are very shallow and aren’t worth her attentions.  Why does Hitomi have to be a big, blobby lump?  Why can’t she sparkle because of what’s inside, instead of what’s on the outside?

Grade: C-

Review copy provided by publisher

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

In The Vampire’s Assistant, Darren returns to the old-fashioned freak show where, thanks to Mr. Crepsley, he became a "half-vampire." Darren once again struggles against the urge to feed upon the human blood his health requires.

Darren Shan was born in London but at an early age he moved to Limerick, Ireland, with his parents and younger brother. He grew up watching old Dracula horror movies and reading spooky comics, which were the inspirations for this series.

Review:

I am rather indifferent to this series so far, but I can see the appeal for younger readers who crave an action packed story.  There’s just enough gore to hook those looking for a slightly scary, fast paced adventure that doesn’t require much thought. Darren’s struggle to avoid drinking human blood makes the young half-vampire a more sympathetic character, and his confused feelings for Lartan make for a suspenseful read. The freak show setting offers up the opportunity to introduce a cast of creepy and dangerous characters as well.

Darren is struggling to accept his new reality. He’s a vampire, and in order to thrive and stay alive, he has to drink human blood.  He refuses, insisting instead on consuming only animal blood.  His master, Lartan, is at a loss.  How can he convince the stubborn boy to drink human blood?  Darren refuses, even knowing that he will eventually weaken and die.  In his mind, drinking human blood will truly make him a monster.

Darren is surrounded by monsters, some menacing, some not so intimidating.  With his ability to control Madam Octa, he’s put to work for the circus.  Soon he’s battling his desire to kill Lartan. This struggle with his inner darkness was fraught with suspense.  Will he give in to the murderous longing in his heart?  Lartan is responsible for Darren’s present condition – shouldn’t he pay the price for turning him into something so vile?  These thoughts torment him, but by killing Lartan, doesn’t he descend into an abyss from which he’ll never emerge?

Despite a rather generic plot, I couldn’t put this volume of Cirque Du Freak down.  It offered up just enough thrills and excitement that I wanted to see where the story went.  Darren’s insistence on having a human friend leads to disaster, and a new menacing addition to the freak show crew promises more danger in the vampire’s future.

Grade: C+

Review copy provided by publisher

May Contain Spoilers

Review:

It took me a few volumes to get totally hooked on Goong, but I am so there right now!  I don’t have volume 6 for some reason, and neither does Amazon, so I am a little bummed that I had to order it from a 3rd party seller.  Hopefully they will ship it soon, because now I am dying to read more of the series!

Chae-Kyung is having a hard time adjusting to her new life as a princess.  I can’t blame her; the rest of the royal family certainly isn’t welcoming her with open arms.  Suddenly her life as a normal high school student is kicked out the window, and she’s expected to behave in a manner befitting a princess.  Her humble background isn’t making it easy, because the people who are supposed to be helping her the most look down on her and try to make her life miserable.  Yul’s mother is especially evil, as she plots Shin’s downfall and tries to find ways to make Chae-Kyung look like a fool.  She has split up the royal couple just as they were making progress with their relationship, effectively driving a wedge between them.

I feel so sorry for Chae-Kyung.  Being a princess isn’t fun and games for her.  Instead, it is unbearably lonely.  She doesn’t know how to act anymore, she been distanced from her family, and now even Shin has been sent to London to visit the royal family.  Shin won’t return her calls or her emails, which makes her even more miserable.  When she discovers that she was originally supposed to be Yul’s bride, a new awkwardness between them strains the only friendship she seems to have left.  That’s got to be tough, thinking that you don’t have anyone to rely on, and that everyone around you is only using you.  Ouch.

Plots are surfacing to embarrass Shin and cause him to lose his position in the royal succession.  Yul’s conniving mother is out to shame both Chae-Kyung and Shin, and it looks like she very well may succeed.  Ugh!  She is so mean and vindictive, and I can’t believe Shin’s father is so stupid as to fall for her games.  He can’t be that dumb, can he?  He’s supposed to be savvier that than!  This guy really disappoints me, in practically every volume!  He has absolutely no faith in his own son, and that is very distressing.  I find it hard to believe that he feels that much guilt about he’s brother’s death that he’s letting it drive his decisions, but maybe I’m wrong on that. 

There is so a lot going on in Goong, and like a good soap opera, little actions have sweeping consequences.  It’s a fun series about a girl caught up in something that is way, way over her head.  The good thing about Chae-Kyung?  She’s much too stubborn to ever give in, and if she goes down, this girl is going down fighting!  Go get ‘em, Chae-Kyung!  I bet the royal family will never be the same after you get through with them!

Grade: A-

Review copies provided by publisher

Title: Jack Frost Vol 4 Author: JinHo Ko Publisher: Yen Press ISBN: 978-0316126748

May Contain Spoilers

Synopsis:

Siegfried of the South District makes his move against the North, and his weapon of choice is…Jin? But despite the fact that this latest threat to her power bears the countenance of her associate, Helmina does not hesitate to unleash her terrible strength against Jin. With Siegfried successfully removed from the good doctor’s mind, Helmina plots her next strategy…Will even Jack Frost be able to counter the devils she is prepared to release?

Review:

I don’t think I understand what is going on in Jack Frost.  I don’t know if I really need to, because the explosions and wanton destruction are a lot of fun.  Ignorance is bliss, maybe?  There is a war brewing in Amityville, I get that, and the Mirror Image has set things in motion.   Helmina looks cool wielding her awesome powers, but I question the wisdom of doing battle in garters and lace panties.  Are thongs passé, or something?  I didn’t care for her granny panties, but not everyone can have the stunning sense of fashion that I possess.

Like previous volumes of Jack Frost, this one showcases heavy-duty fight scenes, both in flashbacks and in the present timeline.  Noh-A fades to the background, though, and the light shines on Hansen.  His tragic past is painfully revealed, including his guilt for not dying with his brother and the girl he loved.  When the past catches up with him, he has a hard time putting his feelings in the past, where they belong.  Instead, it looks like he’s going to repeat the mistakes he’s made in the past, without doing anything to try and change things. 

Jack is a squeaky toy most of the volume. I just know that he is conserving his energy so he can turn into a complete badass in the next installment, but still I worry about his welfare.  That big, nasty villain who is trying to squeeze the life out of him looks like he’s pretty strong.  Will Jack end up looking like a smushed banana?  I don’t think so, but it’s fun wondering how he’s going to get himself, and everyone else, out of trouble.

Grade: B

Review copy provided by publisher

May Contain Spoilers

Review:

A mundane day at school takes a turn for the gross when a zombie invasion has Takashi Komuro and a group of his classmates running for their lives!  Hungry zombies are everywhere, and it’s going to take every bit of sheath, courage, and luck to avoid being eaten. 

This is a fun read, but it doesn’t do much to set itself apart from other zombie tales that I have read.  An intrepid group of students and teachers band together to avoid the rampaging zombie horde, and body parts and blood quickly fill the panels as the undead gain the upper hand.  Tensions mount between the survivors, as egos clash amid the slaughter.  

There’s lots of non-stop action as Takashi’s group undertakes the number one activity in any zombie yarn – they start running as fast they can away from the monsters. I have developed a love for zombies, and I’m not quite sure where it came from, because I don’t usually enjoy horror stories.  The terror of being chased by things that can’t be killed appeals to me, as do the relationship dynamics among the surviving humans.  That has got to take a toll on your psyche, wondering when you are going to be chased down and eaten by a rotting, stinking zombie.  If zombies weren’t so appealing to me, Highschool of the Dead would have gotten a “meh” from me.  The female character designs have me wondering how these girls can stand upright, but that is a common point of contention for me in seinen manga.

I altered my grading scale to better reflect how I felt about this book:

Fun Factor: Summer blockbuster fun, but avoid eating popcorn while reading unless gore doesn’t dampen your appetite

Action Factor: Tons of running, hiding, and whacking zombie skulls, resulting in blood spatters everywhere

Page Flipping Factor: Fast.  Really, really fast, though dialog to skull-whacking factor is surprisingly high

Jiggle Factor: Too high.  Not sure how the women can get back up if they fall, and I worry about back strain

Review copy provided by publisher