I Killed Adolf Hitler by Jason

Today is the anniversary of Adolf Hitler's suicide. 

Over the years science fiction has speculated on what today's world would look like had Nazi Germany won World War 2.  Many others have wondered how the world would have changed if Adolf Hitler had been assassinated. 

Jason has written a slim, sinister, syrupy dark and  humorous graphic novel titled "I Killed Adolf Hitler".  An assassin has sent back in time to kill Hitler but the dictator overpowers his assailant and travels to the present.  That's all I will say about the plot for fear of ruining plot twists...and yeah the characters are anthropomorphic furries. 

You will either love or hate this graphic novel.  And at 50 pages why not give it a try. 

Review of "Saga" Volume

 

 Saga is a new comic series written by Brian K. Vaughan; the acclaimed writer of Y the Last Man and illustrated by the sublime Fiona Staples.

The story centers around a young couple who have just had their first child.  They are on the run and wanted as traitors by warring galactic factions who chose their forbidden love over loyalty to the opposing war machines. Romeo and Juliet with laser beams, aliens, and magic.

The art is in turns sexy, horrifying, and otherworldly.  Clothing, character designs, and landscapes all look believable and realistic within the coordinates of this mesmerizing mash up of fantasy and sci-fi.  In many ways the realism of the characters contrasted with a unbelievable world structured in a believable way may remind you of China Mieville's novel Perdido Street Station.

JLA: Villain's Journey

The Justice League of America is DC Comics premier super hero team.  Personally I always thought the JLA could take Marvel's Avengers in a fight!  You've got Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, and a whole slew of iconic characters in the same book.   Its a lot of fun to see these characters interact and play off of one another.  Geoff Johns, the author of this volume, is an expert at telling stories about superheros that showcases their epic superpowers while maintaining their "relatability" to the reader.  I'm not sure that "relatability" is a word, but it is now!

This story shows how even the actions of heroes can have unintended consequences and how that their lives may give rise to villains.  Its like totally metaphysical man.  Beware!  If you gaze into the abyss the abyss will gaze back at you.  The road to hell is paved with good intentions.  Can the Justice League survive...the road?  I wont be hired to come up with one liners for film trailers anytime soon.







I'de give this a C+.  It's a popcorn movie in comic book form.  Nothing shameful in that, but nothing gripping or refreshing either.

What is Josei Manga

Paradise Kiss

 Josei Manga is manga that is intended for women.  The name translates to "ladies'" comic.  Most josei manga are written by women and target a readership of young women.



The stories usually focus on the everyday lives of women in Japan.  The style also tends to be more restrained than shonen or shojo manga.


Josei comics often portray romance in a realistic way, as opposed to the idealized romance found in other types of manga.. Josei tends to be both more sexually explicit and contain more mature storytelling.  It is also not unusual for storylines dealing with rape and infidelity  to occur in josei manga.   target specifically towards more mature audiences. Some popular josei series include Yun Kouga's Loveless and Ai Yazawa's Paradise Kiss.

What is Shoujo Manga?

Fruits Basket

Shoujo manga is a type of manga that is generally geared towards young women. 

Some popular examples of shoujo manga are Sailor Moon, Vampire Knight, Fruits Basket, and Cardcaptor Sakura.
Shoujo Manga focus around a a young female or a group of young female characters and their adventures.  The setting may be sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, contemporary, etc.  The emphasis is on the friendships, romances, and rivalries of the characters.

Although the stories are plot and character driven shoujo manga may also have action story elements.

Sailor Moon

Vampire Knight

Maid Sama

What is Shonen Manga?

There are many different types of manga out there.  The dominant and most popular kind of manga is shonen manga.

In Japanese shonen manga means "comics for boys".  Shonen manga makes up almost one half of all the manga consumed in Japan.  Shonen Jump is the best selling weekly manga publication in Japan, selling 3 million copies per week.

Shonen manga are usually full of high action and violence. Comraderie and rivalries are very important to the mostly male cast members.  Bromances abound, as do betrayals, and ever stronger foes and allies appear as the plot moves forward.  Many of the main characters are motivated by drive to become the best at something--the strongest warrior, the top ranked boxer, the king of the seven seas etc. 

Some of the most popular shonen manga are Dragon Ball Z, Bleach, Naruto, One Piece, and Hunter X Hunter, and Slam Dunk. 

Dragon Ball Z http://find.minlib.net/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2452986
Bleach http://find.minlib.net/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2306634
Naruto http://find.minlib.net/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2236912
One Piece http://find.minlib.net/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2268940
Hunter X Hunter http://find.minlib.net/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2317070
Slam Dunk http://find.minlib.net/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2932692

Hickman's Fantastic Four

Usually I try to review a specific graphic novel so that a reader can get a snapshot of one guy's opinion of one particular story.  Not this time.  I am just going to recommend the entirety of Jonothan Hickman's run on the Fantastic Four straight up.  

Hickman's Fantastic Four has to be enjoyed as a whole work in order to be fully appreciated because the story builds on itself over dozens of issues.  The story is set variously in New York, alien worlds, Atlantis and a variety of other distinct and colorful locations.  The bookboasts the best ensemble cast in mainstream comics-Dr. Doom, Spider-Man, Black Bolt and the Inhumans, Namor.  A true nerd will notice that these characters are staples of Kirby and Stan Lee's best work.  Hickman has lovingly utilized these characters

These stories portray the Fantastic Four not as a super-team but as a super-family.  The relationships are just as important as the cosmic adventures they go on.  Mr Fantastic and the Invisible Woman's children play an active part in the story and are well written and believable characters who contribute to the plot and have distinct personalities.  This is rare for super hero stories where children are typically either window dressing or used as a plot device (murder/kidnapping) to spur a hero into a revenge fantasy.  The Thing and the Human Torch have the best bro-mance going in comics.

The most lovable and believable child characters in comics.

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