Kakaku：
Image Comics
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Great Book...) 『This Ultimate Edition collects all of the Dead@17 stories up to this point. It is a huge volume. If you have been holding out, this is the book you are waiting for. This will catch you up. This is everything that leads up to the new series, "Dead@17 Afterbirth". In addition to that, you get some pretty fine pinups at the back of the book.
I have heard this story compared to Buffy. I am in the opinion that it is nothing like that. I can see where people might draw the parallel. This story does have teenagers and is of a supernatural nature. This is where the parallel ends. I will say that if you like Buffy, this book is for you. If you are a horror fan at all, this title is for you.
The story is pretty much for most ages. This is a story I would share with anyone that was 10 or older. If I had to pick a target audience for this, I would go with teens. I do think that Older people will enjoy it as well. It has a "cult classic" feel to it.
As far as the actual story goes... what can I say? I read the whole book in one sitting. I could have put it down. I just didn't want to. I have actually read it twice since I got it. This story has at least one character you will identify with. Does not hurt that the art is top notch.
The art style should appeal to most. It is equally attractive to the young for it's "animation" style, as it is to older readers for it's "pin up" quality.The art stands on it's own and is unique. It does look as though it has some influences though. I would compare it to the Batman animated series done by Bruce Timm. You know... if Batman was a supernatural thriller.
I am not going to say that this is for everyone. This is not a gory boob fest. If you are looking for excessive blood and gore this is not for you. There is also no nudity. The story has some Christian undertones that might not appeal to all.
I myself loved this book. I would reccomend it to anyone. This is an example of the best that independent comics has to offer. To read this is to become a Josh Howard fan.
Check out Josh's website for more information on his work.
[...]』
(Not Quite What I Expected) 『I thought Dead@17 was going to be a fun, Buffy-esque horror adventure yarn filled with zombie massacres and high school romance. Boy, was I wrong. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Sure, the first "series" was kinda like that, aside from the big shock (which I won't reveal, though you could probably figure it out by the title) that comes in the first five pages. By the time I finished the second series, I couldn't believe what I was reading. And I couldn't stop.
Josh Howard fills his tale of supernatural rebirth and unavoidable destiny with realistic, truthful characters, all of whom you can't help but love--even in an oddly personal way. Sure, the girls are easy on the eyes and there is a fair amount of bloodshed throughout. But what Howard has crafted is a deep, religious saga of love and sacrifice. It's a bit heady, and right now I'm waiting for my daughter to read it so I can get a good guage on how a teenage girl perceives the biblical subtext present in a story aimed, presumably, at teenagers. (Subtext, pft! This is a story that could have come right out of the old testament, updated for the cell phone age)
I'm a thirty-year-old comic reader (and avid novel reader, don't forget) who loves good stories. I've given up on getting such quality from the dregs of Hollywood and I've found that the best original visual storytelling being done today is in comics. Josh Howard is one of the true visionaries of this age. Dead@17 is a must-read for anyone, young or old, hip or square, who likes to be intrigued, shocked and, most importantly, entertained.』 『When 17-year-old Nara Kilday is murdered at the hands of a demonic cult, the quiet suburb of Darlington Hills is turned upside down. But when Nara inexplicably returns form the dead, what seems like a miracle at first may in fact spell the end for mankind! This volume collects the entire DEAD@17 saga: DEAD@17, DEAD@17: Blood of Saints, DEAD@17: Revolution, and DEAD@17: The 13th Brother.』
Kakaku：
Berkley Hardcover
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Evejane) 『Skin Trade (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 17)Ms. Hamilton returns to the style that makes her first books sell. Not all SEX, SEX, SEX. Good plot, good scene setting, good storytelling and, yes,just the right amount of sex. Readers who have not read her earlier Anita Blake may have trouble keeping up without the background, but for we fans, just enough background to keep the story moving. Can't wait to read the Meridith Gentry story.』
(Crushed) 『I had such high hopes for this book! Anita was back to being an executioner! She's on the road, so her stable of men will be smaller! Maybe there will be less of the metaphysical stuff!
And then I was so, so disappointed. If there was ever a book in need of an editor with a sharp red pen, it was this one.
The worst part of the book? The talking, talking, and more talking. Everyone had to discuss every little freakin' thing, at the most inopportune times, and ad nauseum. How many times do we need to revisit the "other people think Anita's a slut cuz she has so many boyfriends" point? Or the "Olaf the serial killer/U.S. Marshall wants Anita and he makes her really uncomfortable" point? And in the middle of a supposedly fast-paced search for a serial killer? There is just a ridiculous amount of discussion and pissing contests, for lack of a better term. The sex is toned down quite a bit, with the wildest scene actually only alluded to, but even that wasn't enough to save this book. I did enjoy the final confrontation, but it should have been about 200 pages sooner than it was. I've stuck through this series for 17 books, but I'm not sure I'll bother with #18.』
(Best Hamilton book so far) 『Hope that this is a preview of things to come with LKH returning to her roots. It was great that story had a lot to with Edward and not so much bed hopping. The police procedural was dead on and it gave the story an interesting edge. This book was worth the wait.』
(Satisfying For Fans of the Series) 『This book is like a sequel of Obsidian Butterfly, where Anita's team of Olaf, Edward and Bernardo reunite to go after a big bad in Las Vegas. The vampire serial murderer who got away in another book has taken a public stand in Sin City by beheading the local legal vampire executioner and writing a challenge to Anita on the wall with his victim's blood. This does not endear her to some of the local Las Vegas law officers, who feel Anita is somehow responsible for their problem. Anita and company have to maneuver through suspicion of collusion, and supernatural politics with local vampires and were tigers. The one big clue Anita has that may lead her to the serial killer is that the massacre he started with has were tiger written all over it. Since tigers are the local Vampire Master's animal to call, and the Master's wife is the Queen (with capital Q) of were tigers, Anita has to step delicately through a series of power plays that could land her as a brood queen of exotic were tiger breeds if she's not careful. Add to all of this Marme Noir and Belle Morte playing tag with Anita's pysche, and a revelation of what Marme Noir really wants with Anita, and we have a engaging story line that should satisfy those fans who enjoy this series and liked the books from Incubus Dreams onward. Those who hated Incubus Dreams and the latest books most likely won't be happy with anything new by LKH, and probably should find something else to read. Fans who enjoy the later books by LKH will find this a very satisfying book full of interesting new bits of information on the world created by LKH.』
(Anita Blake Series) 『I have been reading the Anita Blake books from the very beginning. This one is about in the medium range for really love it to couldn't even finish it. It's good in that it does not have never ending sex scenes with multiple and varied monsters, but, it doesn't really replace that with much in the way of action in this book. I am almost done and there really hasn't been much of the super charged action situations where Anita and the rest get maimed and torn and then heal super fast so that they can go back and do it again. It's been mostly Anita, Ed, Bernardo, and Otto going from one crime already committed scene to the next with the usual snarking between the "Regular Cops" and the US Marshalls (monster hunters). Jean Claude, Richard, and the rest of Anita's boys barely make a showing and I miss them and the interaction's between them and Anita. I am going to give this 4 stars because I am enjoying the read, but it's not the usual 5 I would normally give a Laural K. Hamilton. If your collecting LKH's first editions then you will want to buy this. If not you might be happier checking it out of the library or waiting until it comes out in PB. I guess to sum it up, Anita seems to be getting old and running out of steam in Skin Trade.』 『A proven series with a hot new look. The #1 bestselling author returns with her most anticipated novel yet.
When a vampire serial killer sends Anita Blake a grisly souvenir from Las Vegas, she has to warn Sin City’s local authorities what they’re dealing with. Only it’s worse than she thought. Ten officers and one executioner have been slain—paranormal style. Anita heads to Vegas, where’s she’s joined by three other federal marshals, including the ruthless Edward. It’s a good thing he always has her back, because when she gets close to the bodies, Anita senses “tiger” too strongly to ignore it. The weretigers are very powerful in Las Vegas, which means the odds of her rubbing someone important the wrong way just got a lot higher.』
Kakaku：
Back Bay Books
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Miracle on the 17th Green is a must for the golf lover!) 『This is an excellent book for every golf lover in your family! It is a very quick read and is available for a great price through Amazon.com. This book will have you laughing at parts and also bring a tear to your eyes in others, after all who doesn't love miracles.』
(Trite) 『While it was a light and quick read, Miracle on the 17th Green is very predictable and formulatic. Appreciate what you have or you will lose it. Don't be afraid to succeed. Beyond that, I found very few life revelations or insights. I love golf, and golf books, but I could not rate this one even in the top 10 of the golf books I have read. One item that really didn't ring true was that a course in the Chicago area is pretty unlikely to have real pins on the actual greens at Christmas. I live in MA, and our greens are always covered and blocked off by Thanksgiving at the latest. I realize that doesn't affect the essence of the story or message, but it bothered me.』
(Not James Patterson's best) 『I was disappointed with this book. I have read his books like Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas and Sam's Letters to Jennifer before. And I thought this book would be of the same quality but it wasn't. I got thru the whole book but it didn't give me the feeling that I couldn't put it down.』
(Five Stars) 『James Patterson smashes it out of the park again. Whether you are a golfer or not, this story relates to all who feel like life is crashing in around us. James Patterson does a great job of taking us on a journey through this characters struggle with forced change and how he struggles to make life's changes, make sense.
Through each round of golf becomes another hurdle cleared and the fighting effort of a man who tries to make his life make sense. I think we can all relate with feeling like our work life and our personal lives are out of control, how we relate with getting back into the drivers seat and taking control of the wheel.
This is a wonderful story that keeps you turning each page until the end, the miracle. Not too cheesy and a quick read!』
(Golf, or not) 『Even if you're not a golfer, I think you would enjoy this book and how it changed a life.』 『Travis McKinley is an ordinary man until, on Christmas day, he finds himself in the "zone"--playing golf like a pro. Later, at the PGA Senior Open, the TV audience watches as a miracle changes Travis and his family forever.』
Kakaku：
Marvel Comics
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Confused and confusing) 『With the death of Professor Xavier, and the disbanding of the X-Men, the mutant community is in chaos. The Bishop is making his own version of the X-Men, a group of separatist mutants called the Morlocks has set up their own underground city, a new mutant is organizing a Mutant Liberation Front to take the fight for mutant rights to the streets, and (as if that wasn't enough!) there's a new army of Sentinels on the hunt. Just who is working for who, and why?
Overall, I found this to be a very confused and confusing graphic novel. There are just too many storylines going on to keep everything straight. The Morlocks appear and disappear from the story, with no real role in it. There are people behind the scenes, and people behind them - who are all the players, and what are their motivations? This might be a good bridge between the book before, and the book after, but I must say that it just does not stand alone.
So, if you are reading all of the X-Men books in order, then you should like this one. But, if you just pick it up on a whim, you will be disappointed - God knows I was.』
(Nicely written, made me like a team I'm not fond of) 『I hate Bishop I hate that team they made me love the story anyway the Morlocks: perfect.
very nice revamp』
(ehhh.) 『I think Kirkman is a great writer, but this issue of x-men was weak. Graphics and writing was just ok.』
(Wow. Just wow.) 『A quick plot summary, no big spoilers: Scott disbanded the X-Men because he would rather start an actual school, leaving Bishop to make his own mutant super-team. Old characters are brought back into the spotlight like Dazzler, Angel and Pyro. The main story is that the sentinel program has been brought back online, but no one knows who is behind it.
The best part about this volume is how many questions/unresolved issues it deals with, while setting up some pretty big ones that leave you waiting in anticipation for the next volume. This is a great example of how good Ultimate X-Men can be, and I definitely can't wait for the next one.』 『The X-Men are no more. Long live the X-Men! The man from the future, Bishop, completes his own team of mutants, ready to carry on the legacy of Charles Xavier. And their first task is to stop the attacks of the deadly Sentinels against their kind. And you'll never guess who's behind the attacks... or who the new Ultimate X-Men are! Collects Ultimate X-Men #81-86.』
IPhone 3G used's review (Prepare to be Depressed) 『Chris Ware's works have been described as `unbearably obtuse', `psychologically abusive', `bleak' and `depressing'. And these are just the descriptions offered by Mr. Ware himself. Wikipedia says, "The defining characteristics of Ware's work include a pervasive sadness and nihilism, tales of disappointment, thwarted affection, and the dehumanization of the individual in a modern and mechanized world."
So get ready for a good ole' time....
Maybe not.
Chris Ware is a very interesting artist. His visuals have an extraordinarily clean/meticulous look with extensive use of primary shapes particularly circles, simple flat colors without shading and thick black bordering. They look like they came straight from a graphics design class. The light, whimsical visual contrast dramatically with Mr. Ware crushingly depressive writing. His stories tend to focus on pathologically introverted figures and main characters who tend to be chunky misfits and loners with little to no friends. The art teacher obsesses on the appearances of his young students and spends class time trying to sneak peeks at the girl's panties. After school he smokes pot in the back of his student's car. And the teachers name? Mr. Ware.
As strange as it may sound my biggest issue with Chris Ware is his tendency to print his books in odd physical dimensions. When I purchased `Quimby the Mouse' I was surprised to find that it was an unwieldy 14 by 11 which made it difficult to store. This may seem trivial but I now check the dimensions of anything I purchase by Mr. Ware. The book I'm reviewing is a much more compact 9 by 7. Another issue I have is his tendency to use absurdly small fonts. I have very good vision and I've never worn glasses or contacts but sometimes I flat out can't read the text. You really have to see it (or not see it?) to know what I'm talking about. My last beef is that his work often goes beyond bleak into the realm of sterile. His art is SO meticulous and precise that it can sometimes lose its humanity as if it were drawn by a robot. The characters tend to resemble each other in manner and appearance with Rusty Brown and Chalky White being practically interchangeable.
This particular edition focuses on Rusty Brown, a young boy in primary school who imagines himself with super powers rescuing the Supergirl doll he carries around. The only semi friend he has is Chalky White who is equally unaccepted by his peers. Since the events are part of an ongoing series there is no beginning or end to the story and nothing triumphant or uplifting occurs. Regardless of the quality of his works it's unlikely that Chris Ware will ever have mass appeal because he is so unconventional. I enjoyed the book but I'm generally one of those people who enjoys comics and movies that are out of the mainstream. On the other hand I love a good Superman story too. I recommend the Acme collection but I can understand where Mr. Ware's critics are coming from. 』
(drafting for drafting's sake.) 『Chris Ware is a fantastic draftsman. He does not create good comics however. His comics are depressing&lifeless. This might be his point, but if this is what "grown up" comics are about, we'd be better off keeping comics for kids, full of optimism&dynamism.』
(good, not great) 『Ware's Jimmy Corrigan was great, and some Acme editions are great as well, but this one is just a bit too predictable. Drawings still great, color too, but more crazy little details is what i miss in this one.』
(#17) 『I much admire C.W. work. The book is flawlessly designed. The amount of details is amazing (don't forget to check the barcode sticker with the "warning" on the back cover...
』
(Disappointed long-time fan!) 『Chris Ware says this in the small print himself -- this volume is not as good as previous volumes. And I realize now he wasn't being his usual, excessively self-deprecating self on this point. It is TRUE. This volume is thin on plot -- and even sort of tinny in tone. Mr Ware must have been stretching himself thin at the time of its creation -- he was doing live engagements and all those decidedly unfunny panels for the Sunday New York Times magazine's "Funny Pages."
I should have considered myself warned by his fine print. But I thought he was being funny.』 『
Undaunted by lukewarm Internet and blogospheric opinion (“flat,” “slow,” and “always dreary”) of his meretricious return last year to the tradition of the American comic book with the sixteenth issue of hisACME Novelty Library, cartoonist and professional sentimentalist Chris Ware returns with the seventeenth issue of this same title, and it is almost certain not to change general public opinion. Continuing with the second half of the introduction to his shamelessly meandering graphic novelRusty Brown(which began last issue at a private school in the 1970s Midwest), the six-sided crystal suggested by the exegesis of the first installment is slowly turned and examined in midmorning winter sunlight sometime between the bell of first period and the conclusion of lunch for the first through the fourth grades. Also included are more thorough examinations of many of the main characters’ cloudy motivations, personal habits, and favorite restaurants, to say nothing of the small dust mote around which they have coalesced and the complications in its life due to the acquisition of superpowers sometime the night before. Like the irritating distant family member you only have to seeonce a year, theACME Novelty Library#17 will, as was its predecessor, be published by the author in a single, limited edition only, never to be reprinted until the entire library is collected as a single volume, though it may be promptly remaindered and/or discarded.
Kakaku：
VIZ Media LLC
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Great art, great story) 『Any fans of Naruto, Dragonball Z, Yu Yu Hakusho would love Bleach. The artwork is amazing, storyline compelling, and you can't help but love or hate each of the characters. Continue Ichigo's story and pick up your copy!』
(Time is running out...) 『Tite Kubo, Bleach: Rosa Rubicundior, Lilio Candidior (ViZ, 2001)
The time of Rukia's execution draws near, most of her would-be rescuers have been caught, and the situation looks grim. It's up to Renji to save the day, but is Renji up to the task when the final battle is with Byakua Kukichi himself? Kubo keeps the tension at a fever pitch in this volume, which sets up for the big climax of this storyline. ****』
(BLEACH!) 『Very good once again, though its a lot slower than the Anime. Worth buying!!』
(Great Manga, As Always!) 『Volume 17 is great. It's the continuation of Ichigo and friends trying to save Rukia. Renji battles Byakuya Kuchiki and Zaraki continues his fight with the other two captains. This book is filled with all kinds of action. I couldn't put it down. It also begins the countdown to Rukia's execution.
This is a must read. Bleach is one of the greatest manga titles out there. I can't wait until the next one comes out!』 『The rebellion within the Soul Society grows as doubts spread about the death sentence of ex-Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki. Determined to save her, Rukia's childhood friend Renji vows to cut down the captain of his own squad, unaware of the terrifying fate that awaits him.』
Kakaku：
VIZ Media LLC
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Wow.) 『I'm surprised that with all the Naruto fans that no one has left a review yet. Well I guess since I own the manga and love it dearly I can give an overview [spoiler alert to those who have not read this manga yet]
At the end of manga 16 Jiraiya and Naruto set off to locate Tsunade and return her to the village to become the 5th Hokage. Jiraiya goes off somewhere and leaves Naruto alone in their room at the inn and two Akatsuki members show up at the room door. In the mean time, Sasuke, who has a personal vendetta to fill, rushes to find the Akatsuki members tracking Naruto, one of which happens to be Sasuke's older brother Itachi. A fight between Sasuke and Itachi [the first of few] takes up the first four chapters.
In the fifth chapter we come to find out Tsunade is a compulsive gambler and Jiraiya and Naruto are closing in on her location. In the sixth chapter Jiraiya introduces Naruto to the technique next on Naruto's to do list, The Rasengan. The seventh chapter is mainly Naruto coming up with ideas on how to pass the first part of his training. Eighth the difficulty increases for Naruto and we see his desire for a family he never had. And in the final chapter we see a plot conspiring in Orochimaru's lair. And Tsunade "the legendary loser" wins a line of sevens witch to her bodes misfortune.』 『Who is Itachi Uchiha and what does he want with Naruto and Sasuke? As Jiraiya attempts to train Naruto to push beyond his limits, secrets of the past are revealed, and a mysterious shinobi who could change everything begins to take center stage.』
Kakaku：
Vintage
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Great stories) 『I like the both novels. LUMP's my favorite.
I liked Babel-17 and Empire Star better than Dhalgren, the book I enjoyed but felt it was a little too ambitious to package the story completely. I liked them better than Nova that was entertaining but lacked a depth.
Babel-17 and Empire Star are still SciFi and primarily for entertainment, but there are a certain depth in the book as you may expect from Delany. 』
(A Very Interesting Concept - Diluted) 『The first disappointment I had with this novel was receiving it from Amazon and discovering that the cover was different from the one shown above (which, I am unashamed to admit, constituted about 30% of my interest in purchasing this book). From there, things improved as I began to read, and then slumped towards the end. Without giving any plot elements away, the ideas behind Babel-17 and the very apparent research Mr. Delany exhibits throughout are formidable and truly engaging. However, they are somewhat compromised by the campier trappings of the time period during which the book was written - Babel-17's vision of the future is complete with groovy furniture that inflates from the floor tiles - so its potential seems squandered. However, it also reflects a form of sci-fi that rarely rears its head nowadays; thought-provoking without having to be ironic, dramatic without having to be dystopian, Babel-17 is an undeniably unique and entertaining read.』
(Excellent thought-provoking sketches) 『These are incredibly entertaining and thought-provoking stories, but they're not pure entertainment. While they are not quite as abstruse as something like Philip Dick, they do require some work on the part of the reader in order to be appreciated fully. Readers who want a pure fun sci-fi adventure will likely find these somewhat disappointing, as will those who prefer a thoroughly fleshed out and minutely detailed universe. That isn't the purpose of these stories. These are short sketches, intended to investigate ideas about perception and existence. Taken for what they are, they are wonderful gems, both of them.』
(Not Free SF Reader) 『Linguistic heroine saves the day.
One of those books where the author comes up with something a bit strange and different, especially as far as the crewing of Rydra's ship goes.
A brilliant young woman's help is needed to deal with communicate with aliens, otherwise much bloodshed.
Along with this she has to deal with military politics into the bargain.
A very cool book.
4.5 out of 5』
(A Sci-fi Linguistic Trip!) 『This is not easy-reading sci-fi with gun battles and action sequences. It has all that, but the story is an amazing journey through a wild, corse world created by Delany. I found it hard to keep up with each new perspective and character he created because they were so varied and creative. The heart of the story and its true genius is language. The story gets so wrapped up in language though that without a linguistics background, the reader is going to have problems reading this and following along. But if you do, you'll love it and the possibilities. If you don't, you still have one heck of a world to explore.
This story is almost a marketing device for the power and possibility of language. After reading this, you'll at least think about things a little bit differently or want to actually take a few courses on Linguistics. You'll love the world of Delany too. The story is challenging but well worth it.』 『Author of the bestsellingDhalgrenand winner of four Nebulas and one Hugo, Samuel R. Delany is one of the most acclaimed writers of speculative fiction.
Babel-17,winner of the Nebula Award for best novel of the year, is a fascinating tale of a famous poet bent on deciphering a secret language that is the key to the enemy’s deadly force, a task that requires she travel with a splendidly improbable crew to the site of the next attack. For the first time,Babel-17is published as the author intended with the short novelEmpire Star, the tale of Comet Jo, a simple-minded teen thrust into a complex galaxy when he’s entrusted to carry a vital message to a distant world. Spellbinding and smart, both novels are testimony to Delany’s vast and singular talent.』
Kakaku：
Marvel Comics
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Well above average) 『It takes what the clone wars sort of was and reworks it into a modern day mini adventure. Works well and satisfies.』
(fabulous) 『I've collected all the Ultimate Spiderman books now and just finished getting through the Clone Saga. One thing I enjoy doing with graphic novels is to thumb through initially and see if I can guess to story from the images... I'm usually off-base and this was no exception. Like everything I've read from the Bendis/Bagley team, the story sucks you in and holds your attention and the panels are second to none. If you like Spidey and enjoy new twists on previously told stories, you have to get not only this book, but the entire series! Must admit this did not fulfill missing Gwen from the line up though...』
(Worst Book of the Series) 『I never read the original Clone Saga, but I don't think I would like that either. The story is really wacky and off the wall, and a great sci fi story, but I do not think it has a place in this series. This book easily stands out as a sore thumb. The pacing is off and is the events that transpire are just unbelievable to say the least. Although the writer makes sure the pieces fit, sometimes it's not enough that they fit but belong to the same puzzle! However, if you can suspend your belief well enough, this is probably the most exciting story in the series as Peter is faced with multitude of problems.』
(Not Bad At All) 『After being disappointed in the issue before this and the venom saga lacking i thought the clone saga would suck also but I was pleasantly surprised. If You enjoy seeing poor spidy getting his life even more screwed up You'll enjoy this one. The two reviews already posted explain it much better then i could but what I'm posting here is don't worry, they didn't screw up the clone saga to bad.』
(The best issue yet!) 『I got started reading Ultimate Spider-Man a few years back. I liked the idea of being able to jump right into the story without reading 40 years of back issues.
While I have a lot of respect for the original Spider-Man (go Stan Lee), Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley have put together an awesome retelling of the Spidey legend.
The Clone Saga is the best volume yet! The storytelling is excellent; many twists and turns, yet not too confusing to follow. Many rewarding surprises and conclusions.
And the artwork is outstanding! I get tired of comics where every guy is super-ripped, and every girl is busting out of her clothes.
Mark Bagley's characters are attractive, expressive (love the eyes), and instantly recognizable (every guy and girl doesn't look exactly the same with a different color hair and outfit).
If you've been following the Ultimate Spider-Man series, you will love this book. But if you're just getting started, you will want to read some of the back story first.』 『As Peter Parker tries to sort out his relationship with the X-Men's Kitty Pryde - and continue his friendship with Mary Jane - a mall-food-court lunch turns into a free-for-all as Peter and MJ are interrupted by the debut of... the Ultimate Scorpion! But who is the Scorpion - and what sinister conspiracy is threatening Spider-Man's very existence? The clues have been laid over the past 96 issues... and it all starts to come together here, as we begin the most shocking, most mind-blowing Spider-Man story ever published! Collects Ultimate Spider-Man #97-104.』
Kakaku：
Dark Horse Books/Digital Manga Publishing
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Something bigs' looming) 『This book starts out with Guts kidnapping Farnese, and showing her a world the likes of which she couldn't have dreamed, one that is sure to give her nightmares (and perhaps a fantasy). After fending off his night-time attackers, Guts rests while Farnese becomes striken by his strength and courage, which only adds to her personal conflictions. As a whole, there is interesting dialogue and chemistry between Guts and Farnese, but Guts is devoted to vengeance. He does, however, seem to derive joy from taunting Farnese about her religion, and how naive she's been up 'till now.
The main purpose of this book as a whole seems to be to set the stage for upcomming events. That's not to say plenty doesn't go on in the meanwhile, as it paints a desperate picture of the world at it's breaking point, one with Plague in Midland, famon in the Holy Lands, sinister evil masquerading as the word of God, dreams of a white hawk amongst the people, and prophecies of it's return.
Couple all that with an appearence from Zodd and the Skeleton Knight, the course is set for something big looming on the horizon. Guts has a terrifying dream about Casca being burned for heresy, and awakes to see Casca's Demon child in the shadows, who warns him of the dream's truth. He now has a new mission, and visits Godo's house in the mountains to find Casca's been missing for a month. He takes a break to get his equipment repaired at the hands of an older Rickert who is taking up the blacksmithing trade as Godo is in bad sorts at his age, but is still cognizent enough to give Guts advice to move on with his life after he finds Casca and give up his quest for revenge. While resting in the cave away from the spirits that torment him, he begins to reflect on the past, and recieves a visit from the Beast within him again, but shrugs the encounter off to my joy as he appears to resist being swayed by it -for now. With his equipment repaired, he sets off to find Casca.
Casca is being cared for by a group of prostitutes in the Holy See, who are wise enough to protect the fragile and aloof Casca by wrapping her face in bandages and keeping the men at bay with misgivings of Syphilis. But it's in the Holy See that we are introduced to Mozgus, the inquisitor. We find out that Mozgus is a madman who kills a ton of people in grusome ways under the misguiding that he's doing it for god, and the people are very upset at him for it. He also travels with a group of servants to help torture and kill, who, as a group, would make for a tough fight even for the Black Swordsman.
All the players are in place, the stage is set for Griffith's return, and Guts is still looking for Casca who might be in danger. As you can see, there's a ton going on in this book, alot of plot development, alot of character development, it's a little light on swordplay though. On the upside to action junkies, there's decent gore, but this book is crucial to the forthcomming plot and acts accordingly. But it's an intersting read anyway, I highly recommend it as you will miss out in later books not knowing the set-up this book provided.』
(Awesome as usual) 『This series is the still the greatest. There is not as much action in this volume as others but it moves the plot forward.
There are still some kickass fights though. 』
(Farnese is awakened to the spirit world...) 『...and Guts realizes that while he's been on his quest for vengence, he's left someone near and dear to him to suffer on alone.
This volume starts us off with Guts being held captive by Farnese, Serpico and the Knights of the Holy Chain... the so-called elite order of the Papacy which is filled with sons of nobility. Of course, they're nowhere near as resourceful as Guts, who has his own elf to help him whenever he's in a jam. One kidnapping later and Guts has Farnese hostage with Serpico in hot pursuit... but darkness falls and the demons come out to play. Later, Guts makes a return trip to Godo's smithy for rest and repair only to find Casca is missing.
The mundane world of men is certainly given a dark slant as the corrupt council of cardinals is only interested in politics and money when Farnese is forced to report her failure in capturing the Dark Hawk, the inquisition is in full force killing any of the accused as witches and heretics, and the world is certainly going to pot with Midland being overrun by the Kushan army and plague everywhere. On top of that, though no actual apostles of the Godhand are seen, the spirit world is also in motion as the deformed ghostchild that haunts Guts and Casca appears to warn our vengeful hero.
It is a time between battles as old characters are relagated to supporting roles and new characters are given depth... and new villains are introduced. It is good to see several familiar faces have brief scenes to give a wider view of the darkness that is infecting the land and show that while the world is turning around the axis of a few select characters we know and love/hate, the ripples of effect are wide and far reaching.
The art is standard Miura love with an equal amount of time and detail put into everyone from the high and mighty grand inquistor, to the lowly peasants who dare to challenge him. Be warned, though, in typical Miura style, nudity is NOT taboo... particularly in a scene between Guts and Farnese that would drive a Freudian to fits.
All in all, book 17 is a great volume of character development the fleshes out both the individual motives of many of our characters and gives a greater sense of the politics of the powers that be.
A solid buy recommend, with the caveat that this is NOT a kids book.』
(Another bloody romp in Miura's epic fantasy world) 『Berserk's 17th volume is a fantastic addition to the epic storyline already in motion. The story picks up exactly where the 16th volume leaves off, with no introspection or backstory to get in the way. Guts must free himself from the Holy Iron Chain knights and attempt to reunite with old friends and allies. The plot quickly progresses, and by the end of this volume you are definitely wanting to see what happens next.
If you're this far into the series, you know what to expect in terms of content, and this volume definitely doesn't disappoint. Blood, guts, and nudity are standard issue, as is the series' dark humor and wicked violence levels.
If you are still reading this, just stop. Seriously. I'm done here. Buy this as fast as you possibly can. You'll definitely enjoy it.』
(More BERSERK please!) 『Berserk, Volume 17 (thankfully) picks up where Volume 16 left off (thank God for no more background stories). Guts kidnaps the leader of the Holy Iron Chain Knights to escape from their camp, while fighting the darkness. There is more character development, as we see Guts' rage stemming from his past experiences with the God Hand, which allows the reader to understand Guts' hatred towards them. **SEMI-SPOILER ALERT** Also it seems that Griffith will be reincarnated into the human-realm, which is exciting! Near the end of the Volume 17, we are introduced to even crazier characters. This is definitely NOT kid's stuff! And I'm glad that there's a graphic novel that is both smart and entertaining, and happens to be for the "older" crowd. My only quip is that these Volumes tend to take a long time to come out!』 『Warrior supreme Guts, the Black Swordsman, has seen better days - and more popular - in the kingdom of Midland, a land he once defended as captain of the Band of the Hawk. But the Hawks were betrayed and slaughtered, and now the hyolier-than-thou Holy Iron Chain Knights have captured Guts and plan to whip some repentance into him - literally. But Guts isn't so easily held at bay, at when he manages to escape with the Holy Knights' leader, Farnese, as his hostage, the demons that are drawn to Guts' Brand of Sacrifice are all too willing to show her the teeming darkness in her own soul!』
大満足！北国のホタテ・いくら・ボタンエビがぎっしり！
