Graphic Friday: The Stuff of Legend Book 1: The Dark

Title:  The Stuff of Legend Book 1: The Dark

Author:  Mike Raicht and Brian Smith

Illustrator:  Charles Paul Wilson III

Summary:  The year is 1944.  As Allied forces fight the enemy on Europe's war-torn beaches, another battle begins in a child's bedroom in Brooklyn.  When the nightmarish Boogeyman snatches a boy and takes him to the realm of hte Dark, the child's playthings, led by the toy soldier known as the Colonel, band together to stage a daring rescue.  On their perilous mission they will confront the boy's bitter and forgotten toys, as well as betrayal in their own ranks.  Can they save the boy from the forces of evil, or will they all perish in the process?

The Dish: When I first saw the cover, I was curious by what a walking teddy bear would be doing in an adult graphic novel.  Like most people who enjoy graphic novels, I would believe a teddy bear (especially one that can move about) would be in a juvenile or children's graphic novel.  So automatically, I wanted to know more about the storyline.  Max, the teddy bear, is one of many toys owned by a boy in 1944 Brooklyn.  It is at night that dark tendrils come out of the boy's closet, snatching and pulling him inside.  We later learn that the tendrils belong to none other than the Boogeyman himself.  Why he wanted this particular boy is not explained, but I'm confident there will be much more to that story when Book 2 comes out.  

It is when a group of eight toys and the boy's dog, Scout, led by the boy's current favorite toy only known as the Colonel enter the Dark that readers see the transformation of the toys into more realistic forms.  Max becomes the size of a grizzly bear, the Colonel, the Indian Princess, the Jester within the Jack-in-the-box, and the dancing doll Harmony all appear human-sized with human bodies, Percy the piggy bank is changed into a real pig wearing pants, and Quakers a wooden duck becomes a real duck.  It is my guess that this is either a show of the Boogeyman's power or the power of the realm of Dark itself.

Also, I thought it interesting that Wilson chose to keep all of the pages in sepia tones rather than full color.  Perhaps it is reminiscent of wartime in which so many things were considered too precious to be used so freely, or maybe it establishes the time period in a sense that most printed material was only available in these tones.  No matter what the means, I believe it does show the grave situation that the small group of toys are in and reflects the seriousness of what is transcribed in the story.  

This kind of story is definitely not an average children's tale even though it involves a child's toys and possessions.  It makes me remember when I and my friends would play out whole stories with our toys, even battles and fights just as this Brooklyn boy did.  The Stuff of Legend will make you think again about those stories and battles involving children's toys and imagination.  I eagerly await the release of The Stuff of Legend: Book 2.

What toys or books do you remember as being your favorites to play with or read as a child?

Graphic Friday: Beasts of Burden

Title:  Beasts of Burden Animal Rites

Author:  Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson

Summary:  Welcome to Burden Hill--a peaceful suburb like any other with white picket fences and vibrant green grass--home to an unlikely team of paranormal investigators.  Black magic, demonic frogs, and zombie roadkill are just a few of the problems plaguing this seemingly sleepy little town.  With the human residents unaware of the danger, it's up to a determined crew of dogs (and one cat) to keep their community safe.

The Dish:  I came across Beasts of Burden when doing a random search on Amazon for a different graphic novel title for my library's collection.  Being a doglover and a catlover, the cover immediately caught my attention with the six members of the Burden Hill section of paranormal investigators, particularly their leading figure of Ace, the Siberian husky.  When the title was on our next collection development list, I immediately requested it for the collection.  The book itself is told through stories, or rather events, revolving around supernatural beings that the group of six encouter.  Although the stories are connected overall, I actually favor the episodic format which allows for readers to pause easily, and with this type of material, sometimes readers need to pause.  If you are an animal lover, particularly of the dog and cat variety, some of the stories will tug at your heart. 

What really drew me into the story were the main characters: Ace-the brave Siberian Husky, Rex-the Doberman Pincher with a bark worse than his bite, Pugsley-the sarcastic Pug, Whitey-the eager Jack Russell Terrier, Jack-the stand-up Beagle, and Orphan (AKA the Orphan)-the Ginger Tabby and sole ownerless member of the group.  Each character has their own unique personality that makes them stand off from the others, though I will admit I sometimes got Whitey and Jack confused by their similar coloring.  The introductory story revolves around Jack's doghouse being haunted by the restless spirit of a dog, and it is here that readers also meet the Wise Dog, one of a society that practices and trains in means of dealing with the occult.  It isn't until a later story that the Wise Dog offers to train the group into becoming other Wise Dogs (and a Wise Cat, in Orphan's case).  And apparently their home of Burden Hill is ripe with paranormal activity, thus the Wise Dog's interest in bringing the group within the society.  

I was a little puzzled by the lack of human interaction with the group especially with their owners.  In fact, we do not even see the human owners at all throughout the book.  The only humans that are shown are those usually involved in a case that the Burden Hill group is investigating.  True, the focus is on Ace and the others as they are doing this all to protect their neighborhood, but I am curious to see who they are protecting aside from the neighborhood animal inhabitants.  Hopefully, their owners will be shown further into the story, and I am looking forward to the next book of Beasts of Burden.

Edit: Who knew Gene Ambaum of Unshelved fame would review the same title on the same day? :)

Graphic Friday: Natsume's Book of Friends

Title:  Natsume's Book of Friends, Volume 1

Author:  Yuki Midorikawa

The Dish:  Natsume is not like other boys.  All of his life he's been able to see spirits and demons...and they're usually chasing him.  But this isn't his fault since the demons believe he is his grandmother, Reiko, from whom he inherited his spiritual gifts.  When she was alive, Reiko had taken the names of many different demons after spiritual battles, thus forming her "Book of Friends".  After releasing a demon he calls "Nyanko-sensei", due to the demon being trapped in the form of a lucky cat, Natsume finds the "Book of Friends" and vows to return the names to their proper owners.  Nyanko-sensei has promised to assist Natsume in this task on the condition that should the boy die while on his quest, the demon shall receive the "Book of Friends".

I was introduced to this series by a friend of mine, though it was the anime, not the manga.  Oddly enough I didn't watch an entire episode despite my curiosity.  Then, when I saw the manga available here, I just had to really see what the story was about.  The overall story of Natsume's Book of Friends is that Natsume is basically wanting to undo what his grandmother did years ago in taking the names from the demons listed in the book.  What I really love is the episodic stories involving Natsume with the various demons he encounters such as when he first meets Nyanko-sensei, or Madara as he is called by other demons.  The most endearing story to me involves the "Dew God", a spirit that was treated as a god many decades prior.  However, with only one believer remaining and growing older, his stature had been reduced to a tiny spirit easily held in one's hand. 

The banter between Natsume and Nyanko-sensei/Madara is quite humorous, especially with Nyanko-sensei always taking into account that he could always just eat Natsume to gain the Book of Friends.  In fact, it was Nyanko-sensei/Madara that made me very interested in this series simply because his true demon form has the appearance like that of a wolf.  It is rare to see wolves along the side of the protagonist in manga.  In the Dew God's story, there was a prediction made that involved Nyanko-sensei/Madara that makes me very curious to read more volumes.  Overall, I can't wait to continue collecting more volumes and I'd like to revisit the anime when it comes to America. 

When reading a graphic novel series, do you prefer more episodic stories or the overarching storyline and why do you prefer that type of story?

(Belated) Graphic Friday: Yakitate!! Japan

Title:  Yakitate!! Japan

Author:  Hashiguchi, Takashi

The Dish:  Battling...brawling...baking?  At the tender age of 6, Azuma Kazuma was introduced to the art of bread-making by a local baker with a dream to create a signature bread associated with Japan.  The French have a bread, the Germans have a bread, many countries have a bread associated in their country of origin.  And thus, Azuma's dream of creating such a bread for Japan, or Ja-Pan, was born.  

Why should people read this manga series?  Because it's a manga about a bread competition.  How many shonen series can boast this type of competition?  In most action manga, the competition is a battle royale in the sparring ring between two (or more) brutal warriors, as with Dragonball Z, YuYu Hakusho, and so forth.  With Yakitate!! Japan, it's still a battle...the ring just happens to be in the kitchen using an oven.  

This is one crazy manga starting off with Azuma competing for a position at Pantasia, the most prestigious of breadmaking brands in Japan.  While in the competition, Azuma meets formidable opponants in Ken Suwabara, a breadmaker with the heart of a samurai, and Kyousuke Kawachi, a young breadmaker with a secret past.  But Azuma has one advantage on his side in this bread competition...his "hands-of-the-sun", or palms that are warmer than normal temperature.  Azuma fairs well in the competition, but due to some scheming in part of some of the competition, he does not win the position at Pantasia's main branch.  Instead, he and Kawachi have both caught the eyes of Tsukino Azusagawa, owner of the the smaller south Pantasia branch.  How will Azuma fair working in a bakery that is in competition not only with other local bakeries but also with Pantasia's major rival, St. Pierre?  

Overall, I have enjoyed this manga simply because of the unique theme even if it does revolve around a competition.  It has the heart of the hero's journey as Azuma strives to achieve the perfect Ja-pan, or Japanese bread.  The side characters involved in the manga are what really make the story great, although I believe we dwell too much on Kawachi's "hair issues" later in the series.  Although I haven't been able to finish the manga yet, I'm looking forward to seeing the outcome of the final bread competition. 

What competition-based manga series capture your attention?

Graphic Friday: Lone Wolf and Cub

Title:  Lone Wolf and Cub, Volumes 1-14

Author:  Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima (artist)

The Dish:  Honor, betrayal, disgrace, vengeance…Lone Wolf and Cub chronicles the story of Ogami Itto, the Shogun's executioner who uses a dotanuki battle sword. Disgraced by false accusations from the Yagyu clan,he is forced to take the path of the assassin. Along with his three-year-old son, Daigorō, they seek revenge on the Yagyu clan and are known as "Lone Wolf and Cub".

I was started down the path of Ogami Itto and his son, Daigoro, by one who thought I would appreciate the merits and the journey of this father and son seeking vengeance and justice within Japan.  After reading the first 14 volumes, I would have to say he was right simply because although Ogami and Daigoro are the protagonists within the story, it is rather hard to state their story is a 'hero's journey'.  Because of what Ogami does (which at times involves Daigoro in the grand scheme) as an assasin, one cannot really call them "heroes" though in many cases, Ogami has managed to save side characters we meet within their long quest even if saving them often at times means releasing them from pain/dishonor/distress.  Their story is more of a quest to clear the honorable name of Itto and to punish those who had betrayed them. 

What I also admire about the writing of Lone Wolf and Cub are the notes written regarding the time period.  Koike helps set the story in a more historical sense in allowing the reader to see more through the eyes of the characters and understand a different culture's manners and behaviors.  He also supplies a glossary of main terms used throughout the volumes (some with additional terms) in the index area of the books while words used less frequently are explained within the text itself.  Kojima's art style is definitely unique and recognizable among other Japanese graphic novels.  Although at times disturbing, I believe it helps set the mood for the times, giving a more realistic view of how things appeared and were dealt with in this era of Japan.  I would almost liken it to Rurouni Kenshin only more gritty, violent, and rough through and through rather than just the edges. 

What graphic novels grab you?

Graphic Friday: Magic Knight Rayearth

 

Title:  Magic Knight Rayearth

Author:  CLAMP

The Dish:  When the world as we know it is falling apart, when those sworn to lead it have turned against the realm, who will rise up and stand against the enemy?  Three teenagers from Japan.  Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu are three girls visiting Tokyo Tower on school trips when the floor opens up beneath them, sucking all three into Cephiro, a world that is shaped and molded by the strongest of wills.  Once there they meet Guru Clef who informs the girls that they must save Cephiro and rescue its Pillar, Emeraude, from the once loyal priest, Zagato.  At first hesitant, each girl must find her own inner strength to draw out the power of her guardian beast, Selece for Umi, Windam for Fuu, and Rayearth for Hikaru. 

Magic Knight Rayearth is one of the older manga series and also one of the first series I read when I became interested in manga.  There is something remarkable about this series despite its familiar and perhaps clichéd plot.  Let me start off by saying this: CLAMP = Beautiful.  There is no doubt when one reads a CLAMP novel that the artwork will be gorgeous, sometimes too much so.  The detail the artists put into creating not only the characters but their very world is impressive, and it is one feature I love about Magic Knight Rayearth.  That detail is also shown in the personalities of the girls.  Granted, it is a tried and true plot device to bring together people possessing different skills in order to accomplish a task.  This doesn’t take away from the story, instead adding greater warmth to it as readers travel with Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu.  Each of the main characters has something favorable, and one cannot help but like the girls and hope for the best end result. 

Another great point of this series is meeting all of the side characters, which isn’t a large amount.  In some series there are so many side characters, a reader would need to keep a list of each one for characters who appear once and then again farther into the story.  Within Rayearth, every character that the girls meet on their quest has a reason to be there whether it’s to test Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu in some means, or to befriend and assist them; sometimes both are done in the process.  However, it is the final test that will make the girls look back on their journey and ponder the “what if?”

Overall, Magic Knight Rayearth is one manga series that I could read over and again.  With a great story, likeable characters, and beautiful art, it is one series I intend to keep in my collection. 

What manga/graphic novels do you remember from your past?