Book Description

The explosive finale to one of graphic fiction's greatest achievements is here! The mad psychic colossus Tetsuo, the world's military, and the remaining psychics of The Project face off -- with the child psychic god, Akira, the wild card -- in what may not only decide the fate of mankind, but may determine the next step in human evolution! This long-awaited volume -- a staggering 440 pages -- features the impossible-to-find final chapters of Akira, never before collected in the U.S., presented as they were intended to be seen in their original, stunning black and white! Featuring a revised translation and top-quality art reproduction, this is the final edition of one of comics' definitive works, a six-volume epic of over two thousand pages. Katsuhiro Otomo's entire masterpiece is finally available -- only from Dark Horse! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The end of THE epic!
Wow! Akira has finally ended. Some twenty years after Otomo got the Akira project started, it still remains as one of the greatest tales of our time.
From the beginning of this 400+ page book to its end it is well written, drawn, and presented. We learn what is to come of Tsteuo, Noe-Tokyo, and the universe. The ending is very unclear and ambiguous, but it really shows the status of the entire story.
Otomo has given us a beautiful masterpiece that needs not to be forgotten. Long live AKIRA!

Wow...
The only other Akira book I have read is Book 2 (though I am attempting to rectify this situation) so when I came to this book, although I knew the basic storyline and the characters, I still had quite a few gaps. It didn't matter. This book was dramatic, powerful and eerie. The drawings are excellent and it's an amazing finale to the story.
Part of the reason I was so impressed with this was that although the story is sci-fi/apocalyptic, Otomo has not (unlike quite a few others writing in this genre) neglected character development and complexity. I don't want to give away the story, but I'll just say a lot of this book made me cry - and not a lot of things do that.
The ending is...ambiguous, and pretty poignant - something about Tokyo rising from the ruins still gives me a lump in my throat. I disagree with those who say it's a cop-out, or too weird - it suited the book, and it was such a contrast to all that had happened.
The only reason I took a star off is that sometimes there's too much violence for my taste, and also I found the expulsion of the soldiers at the end sort of weird. But this may simply be due to my lack of knowledge of the other books.
Overall, I would recommend this book HIGHLY, but do read the others first. It can only enhance your enjoyment of this one.

Compelling
All in all, the book is a satisfying read. It leaves some of the mysteries open, like whatever happens to that mega-psychic boy Akira, and what's with Kaneda, Kei, and their motorbike gang with the ruined Tokyo.
It is both satisfying and saddening to see a good story ends, yet I would rather see it end there than be dragged on and on as in the case of many other comic books.

Non-Stop action!
Akira Volume 6 brings the story to a shattering conclusion, as all of the surviving characters converge to attempt to stop the mad Tetsuo. And what will they do with the Godlike child Akira..?

The great thing about epics, in any medium, is the amount of time they have to develop their characters. I can't imagine the Akira movie being as satisfying as the books. (I'll see soon enough- I loved the books so much I ordered the Akira DVD.) Considering that the final chapter is 400+ pages of non-stop action, it's a good thing Otomo built his characters up heavily in the previous 5 chapters. The art is sensational, and the writing is top-notch; Otomo manages to deliver a satisfying (If somewhat head-scratching...) ending. Maybe the highest compliment I can give is that I was sorry to see it end.

Climax, Conclusion...and Beginning...
Allow me to reiterate:

Amidst the flotsam and jetsam of former pop-culture sensations, there are a few items of media that, through sheer visceral creative force, transcend the 'cool one moment, cliché the next' element of disposable entertainment. The Japanese manga/movie _Akira_ is among these rare and dignified. Although the movie version is cluttered and convoluted, an epic mess--and what can one expect from the effort of reducing 2000 pages into two hours?--there still remains a power and presence to it that is at once unnerving and captivating.

I "got" Akira upon my first viewing, but like many others found the movie unsatisfying on a basic level. Characters and concepts popped up out of nowhere, seemingly important to the overall arc, yet remaining undeveloped. It felt as if an enormous amount of back-story was left untold. Thankfully, Dark Horse has decided to give the manga version of _Akira_ the definitive publishing it deserves, to fill in the gaps and give us a deeper and far more gratifying glimpse into Katsuhiro Otomo's astonishing vision of dystopia.

And now, finally, volume six is here, containing story and art never before seen on these shores. Here Otomo takes the hints and fragments presented by the film--Tetsuo's metamorphosis, the fate of Neo-Tokyo, the showdown of primal force between Akira and his prodigy companions--and ties them together in a way that, as an end result, far overshadows the 16mm attempt. I have to agree with a fellow reviewer who claims that the movie and manga compliment each other...but while the former is interesting and challenging, the latter is far more essential in terms of scope and overall achievement.

The art is, as usual, clean and crisp and amazingly complex; one can simply contemplate the detail of various panels for hours on end. But the story is paced at such an ongoing peak (especially considering the cliffhanger ending to vol. 5) that upon first reading you may do what I did: breeze through the pages, totally involved in the build-up/release of conflict, while using the art as merely a visual representation for the ongoing story. Thus, Akira vol. 1-6 contains immense re-read potential: firstly to glean Otomo's philosophical ponderings on energy and consciousness, secondly to appreciate the amazing artwork.

And the ending...in true Japanese form, the very ambiguity of it hints at a far larger story in progression; the end is the beginning, apparently. Those with concrete story-structure paradigms may find it unsatisfactory, but I personally loved the surreal suggestions.

Truly an epic, in all sense of the word. Five stars. ... Read more

Book Description

Daredevil found new life under the pen and pencil of Frank Miller, and his vision of the Man Without Fear is highlighted in this third volume, collecting the complete run.In this collection, Daredevil once more takes on New York City's criminal underworld, angered over the prevalence of drugs in the schools.Along the way, he has to first compete against and then fight the Punisher, who has a deadlier method for dealing with pushers.

Daredevil also finds himself foiling the Kingpin of crime's latest machinations while precariously handling a crumbling relationship with Heather Glenn.

When the dangerous Hand return from Japan, Daredevil needs help but his last ally against them, Elektra, is dead.Coming to his aid is the Black Widow, an old lover, who only further complicates Daredevil's emotions. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Brilliant
This first collected edition of Frank Miller's (The Dark Knight Returns) brilliant run on Daredevil features some of the best storytelling to come out of Marvel in years, and the best Daredevil storyline to ever be published. Collecting all the classic issues that let readers read their favorite blind vigilante tangling with his arch nemesis the Kingpin of crime, the insane assassin Bullseye, and the mysterious group known as The Hand. But Miller's run was most notable for the introduction of Elektra: the beautiful assassin who was the love of Matt Murdock's life, and the tragic enemy of Daredevil. Miller's writing gave the Daredevil/Matt Murdock character more depth than he had ever had before, and the fact that when a new character is introduced (Elektra) and dispatched not long after and the reader actually cares, that in itself is a milestone in the comic biz, especially Marvel Comics. The showdown between Elektra and Bullseye gives me chills to this day when I read his dialog; I'm still surprised the comic was printed way back when considering the comic code. The art may turn off some readers, but it manages to grow on you (just like Miller's art on Dark Knight Returns). All these years later and all the writers and artists that have come and gone like Brian Michael Bendis, David Mack, Kevin Smith, Joe Quesada, John Romita Jr., and others (regardless of how great work they all did on the character), it is Frank Miller's which still remains the best. The mega budget feature film which starred Ben Affleck was mainly based off the events from these issues, and if you enjoyed the film than you should definitely pick this up.

Daredevil Becomes Great
During Frank Miller's first nine issues on Daredevil, numbers 158-161 and 163-167, the stories were written by Roger McKenzie with Miller supplying pencils. (Number 162 was a non-McKenzie/Miller fill-in issue.) It was only with number 168 - the first issue in this collection - that Miller was handed the writing chores as well. That's when Daredevil, since its inception in 1964 one of Marvel's second tier books, truly hit its stride.

In his very first outing, Miller slammed a home run when he created Elektra Natchios, ninja assassin and Matt Murdock's (Daredevil's) old college girlfriend. Miller has since admitted the basic plot skeleton was lifted from Will Eisner's famous old Spirit story containing the first appearance of Denny Colt's ex-girlfriend Sand Saref, including the idea of the hero's old flame becoming in the present his criminal enemy, that she was turned evil by her father's violent death, the final kiss on the docks, etc. That doesn't change the fact DD #168 is an incredibly powerful piece of comics storytelling - just not as blindingly original as some people like to believe.

Frank Miller was hardly comic books' first writer/artist. Jack Cole with Plastic Man; Neal Adams with Deadman; Steve Ditko with The Question, Mr. A, The Creeper, E-Man, etc.; Jim Starlin with Warlock; Dave Sim with Cerebus; all predated Miller. But he did weigh-in as an outstanding member of a group that's never been large.

Not to come across like I'm downgrading Miller's accomplishments here - I'm not - but it's worth noting that, for a first time big league comic book writer and neophyte penciller, he had a powerful support team. Marvel Comics' then-Editor-In-Chief, Jim Shooter, one of the greatest writers of comics' Silver Age, and even then penning some of Marvel's best stories (he STILL had it, and in spades), took an early interest in Miller's Daredevil and, as Miller put it, "proceeded to kibitz ferociously." Klaus Janson, a seasoned comics pro, had inked Miller since his start on Daredevil, and (another Miller quote), "had to sand down many a rough edge, and rescue many a panel outright." McKenzie and Miller had spent countless hours discussing the character before Miller ever soloed. So the kid had just a wee little bit of help.

None of which changes the fact that under Miller's tenure as writer/artist, Daredevil began to absolutely kick butt. McKenzie, long before Frank Miller showed up, had already begun the metamorphosis of DD from a second rate Spider-Man, instead casting him as a second rate Batman. Grim 'n' gritty, doncha know. Miller, combining his love of hyper-violent Japanese manga like Lone Wolf and Cub with a penchant for hard-boiled crime writers like Jim Thompson, took that basic idea and ran with it. Under his aegis, Matt Murdock's world became a battleground against street thugs, gangsters, hitmen, secret societies of assassins. Demonstrating an artistic sensibility heavily influenced by Eisner, rooms became chiaroscuro landscapes cut by light and shadow. The Kingpin, a laughable Spider-Man foe, was elevated by Miller to the pantheon of Marvel villains, a grotesque giant ruling New York's underworld with an iron fist inside an iron glove. Bullseye, a minor DD baddie for years, became then and forevermore Daredevil's Joker, his arch-nemesis. In these stories we find love betrayed, murder, revenge, psychosis. Our hero was driven by violence and loss to the very edge of insanity - and maybe just a tiny bit beyond.

All heady stuff, the likes of which comic books had never seen. It was a time, and a comic, where you almost literally couldn't wait 30 days for the next issue. I was there, and I loved it. For those of you who weren't there, or, like me, already own these issues but just want the stories in this square bound, paperback, heavy slick paper format as well - so you can hand the book to Frank Miller Daredevil virgins, showing them how great these stories are without cracking the seal on your mylar encased, backing boarded, mint condition originals - you NEED this book. Daredevil Visionaries: Frank Miller Volume 2 collects some of the greatest super-hero comics ever.

Excellent, an absolute must have
The highlight of Frank Miller's legendary run on Daredevil, Visionaries Volume 2 collects issues 168-182; introducing Elektra and beginning the classic saga which would lead to her death. In this collected volume, DD tangles with Turk, Sewer King, the Kingpin, and the deranged assassin Bullseye; culminating in the classic battle between Bullseye and Elektra which left her dead. Miller's cinematic style artwork and superb storytelling perfectly control the pace of the story, something that is nearly impossible to do in comics. However, while this is an essential book and all, the dialogue can be a bit cheesy and grating at times, but if you can look past that, you'll find one of the greatest stories ever to be written in comic history. If you're new to Daredevil and like this, pick up Miller's Born Again which manages to be even better than this.

Still fresh after 20+ years
I haven't read the issues collected in this trade paperback but when I read it, my respect for Frank Miller has gone up off the scale. Even though it was written in the early 80s, the plot, the pacing and the way he told the story is still compelling, fresh and exciting unlike similar Marvel Visionaries collection. Frank Miller's run has not only defined Daredevil. It has defined comics as well.

From Humble Beginnings--Comic History Was Made!
Five stars for this collection of very decent Daredevil stories is more a tip of the hat to an historic moment in comic history than it is to the actual contents. Without the work of Frank Miller represented in this exact book, you would never have seen a Daredevil movie, guaranteed! For a few years before Miller took over the art chores of the Daredevil comic back in the very late 70's, it was a second tier (maybe third) Marvel title and was on the verge of imminent cancellation. The stories and villains had been so lame for so long that the book was on sale bi-monthly and was ready for the ax. That is, until Marvel gave a promising young artist named Frank Miller a shot at the title and it quickly turned into the (STILL) heavyweight champion of comics. It simply doesn't get much better than Frank Miller's work on Daredevil.
This collection features Miller as an artist rather than a writer as his own stories don't appear until Visionaries Volume 2. And what an artist. Back in the day, the gritty realism and innovative design work accentuated by the inking of Klaus Janson rocked all of us young comic geeks to our collective bones. Quickly evolving from standard comic fare to eye popping visuals, Miller began establishing himself as a cornerstone of modern comic creators.
While Miller's amazing art style dominated the page and quickly won him a shot at writing the title, the scribe of the stories in this volume was the current DD writer of the day Roger McKenzie. When Miller turned up the art a few thousand notches, McKenzie answered back with some great writing of his own. McKenzie gets lost in the shuffle and often gets no credit, but as these stories attest, it was he who was a key figure in establishing a number of things Miller used so well in his run on the series. In these stories, Bullseye becomes the front-runner for making DD's archenemy list, the mob captures a major portion of Daredevil's attention, DD and the Black Widow finally end their long-standing on-again-off-again relationship, reporter Ben Urich becomes a major player in DD's life, Turk and Grotto begin their unfortunate association with old Hornhead, and the Gladiator becomes a tragic rather than a ruthless bad guy. McKenzie also worked with Miller on a duo of stories that made the Punisher a major comic player, but these tales appear in a later volume due to the Comics Code Authority's stand on drugs back in the early 80's. Although Miller had a hand in some of the stuff that went on here, you can't neglect giving McKenzie his due for getting the ball rolling in high fashion. Daredevil #164 which is re-printed here and written by McKenzie is one of the top ten Daredevil stories of all time and possibly the best Daredevil origin story ever.
Miller is and always has been an innovator. While many of his generation have spent much of the past decade churning out the same old thing, he has continued to evolve and experiment and blow the socks off of the comic world (sans the Dark Knight 2 fiasco which simply seemed to be a very fat paycheck). This volume is where Miller really began the ride (he did some earlier and mostly forgettable work for Marvel re-printed in The Complete Frank Miller Spider-Man if you are a completist). The stories presented here aren't the best around, as Miller got very adept very quickly with his own writing, but they are still better than most comics of their day to this one. Daredevil #163 which is re-printed in this volume speaks to Miller's absolute tenacity. Although written by McKenzie, the concept was his--"What if Daredevil had to fight the Hulk?" When this was posed to his editor, comic apocrypha claims that the editor laughed and said, "So what happens in the second panel?" Needless to say the story runs for the full 18 pages. Daredevil fights the Hulk. So what happens in the second panel? How does a blind lawyer with moderate super abilities go one-on-one with the jade giant and survive? Well, you'll just have to buy this work and let Roger and Frank tell you themselves. ... Read more

Book Description

Jason Fox rules . . . his computer code, at calc and trig, and in whatever fantasy he happens to be headlining at the moment. Just because the rest of the Fox family-from older brother Peter and sister Paige to parents Roger and Andy-haven't quite accepted his Dominion Over All isn't cause for concern. Math geeks, Jason is convinced, will govern the earth, and he will lead the way. FoxTrotius Maximus: A FoxTrot Treasury, picks up on Jason's megalomania and runs with it . . . and it doesn't stop until readers are out of breath from laughing so hard.FoxTrotius Maximus combines the works Your Momma Thinks Square Roots Are Vegetables, Who's Up for Some Bonding, and Am I a Mutant or What? That means longtime FoxTrot readers and new fans alike are treated to Jason and his friend Marcus's never-ending antics, Andy's ongoing allergy fun, Peter's latest hot haircut, and a host of pop-culture trends and topics including music piracy, video games, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Timely, topical, and terribly funny!This latest FoxTrot treasury represents the ninth anthology of Amend's wildly successful comic strip, based upon the cartoonist's 17 previous books and his daily and Sunday syndicated appearances in more than 1,000 newspapers worldwide. FoxTrot truly is one of America's all-time favorite comics, and combined sales of nearly three million copies show that Amend knows how to capture and keep his audience's humor-loving attention. All hail, FoxTrotius Maximus! ... Read more

Book Description

"I understand the design, but I can't figure out the actually how to portray my character in the costume." Many have likely experienced this dilemma when trying to develop a character's costume and reached for a book on fashion as a reference. In this volume, manga characters appear as models, and the book illustrates aspects that serve as fashion points showing the characters in various poses and angles. This volume boasts more than 4,000 images. With this as reference, the reader should be able to design an original costume with ease by combining the collars, sleeves, cuffs, and other dress details provided. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good stuff
I thought this book was very helpful even though most of the clothes were for women. This is a must have if you are interested in drawing anime and manga!

Good for girls cloths
This book is good, the only thing missing is the male fashons. All of the cloths are women's, even though some could be altered to be men's cloths. There is a small section about drawing men in women's cloths, but that's it.

If You're Serious About Drawing Manga, Get This Already!
Just about every "how-to" book on drawing manga (and also "mainstream" comics) advises aspiring artists to gather reference material from "real-life" in order to draw realistic buildings, animals, trees, and so on. But when it comes to researching costumes and fashions for designing characters, the artists is confronted not only with the potentially confusing details of a particular item of clothing, but also the countless changes in fashion that have developed over history. And just how do you correctly draw that leg-of-mutton sleeve for your heroine's wedding dress?

I can't recommend this first volume of the "Costume Encylopedia" (Everyday Clothing) highly enough. There are more than a dozen different styles each of sleeves, skirts, coats, footwear, and other items of clothing, that are catalogued, diagrammed, and described for easy reference.

Don't know the difference between a tiered skirt and a sarong (you can raise your hand if you don't)? They're both in the book. The book is prefaced with several drawings of costumes created from the various styles featured in the encyclopedia. And for those of you interested in how clothes are constructed, the back of the book explains how basic articles of clothing are pattered and assembled.

This is not only perfect for creating costumes for your manga characters, but also for interpreting outfits featured in fashion magazines, history books, and on film and TV (be sure to observe what folks are wearing on the street,too). Students in fashion design courses also use guides similar to this one, but those texts are easily 2 to 3 times more expensive than the Encyclopedia (If you can afford it, I highly recommend "Fashion Sketchbook" by Bina Abling).

I would've liked to have seen more instruction on how to properly draw the clothing items upon a human figure, but much of this information can be obtained from other art instruction books, including other volumes in the "How to..." series.

I recommend this book for everyone, including non-manga comic artists, and I look forward to the two upcoming volumes (Yes!) in the Costume Encyclopedia.

This is a great book -- the pages are packed.
I hoped to see a good number of illustrations and styles, but I am actually overwhelmed by the sheer number of variations and illustrations in this book. This is a fantastic resource. I definitely recommend it. The only drawback is that the illustrations are generally done in the over-simplified style of this series, but what the illustrations lack in tones and shading is more than compensated for by volume and diversity.

There's still no substitute for a good from-life reference, but this book makes it easy to pull from a whole universe of styles. Great stuff. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Writer Mark Waid, coming from his popular work on Flash and Impulse, and artist Alex Ross, who broke new ground with the beautifully painted Marvels, join together for this explosive book that takes place in a dark alternate future of the DC Superhero Universe. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and almost every other character from DC Comics must choose sides in what could be the final battle of them all. ... Read more

Reviews (155)

This is fine graphic literature.
Kingdom Come is judged by many (including myself) to be one of the best comic books ever written. There's simply no words for the magnifigence conveyed in this book. The sublime text and awe-inspiring pictures meld perfectly. There are also touching human moments, through the human character of Norman McCay. The plot, which is wonderful in itself, goes like this: in an unspecified future, that atually looks pretty much like today, superheroes (or "metahumans") have run amok. The superheros of yesteryear has been replaced with innumerable others that are more cold, ruthless, irresponsible, and have less regard for human life. A preacher, Norman McCay, starts to visions about Armaggedon, which is apparently coming pretty soon. Norman is selected by The Specter, an agent of a higher power, to "judge". He is then taken to see the events that will lead up to the coming battle. He watches as Superman, long gone, comes out of retirement to start a new Justice League to combat the newer breed of mankind's "protecters". The characterizations in this book are extremely powerful. All the major superheroes return, including Batman, Wonder Woman, and of course Superman. We get to go inside of these characters and see who they really are and why they are doing things. It shows everybody in a surprisingly human light, where nobody is entirely good or evil. The art is nothing short of earth-shattering. The beautiful fully painted illustrations can convey human emotion as well as the incredible power of superheroes. The central issues of the comic book are very interesting. As Norman McCay walks down a street filled with superheroes fighting another battle, he wonders if humanity gave up it's drive and ambition by allowing superheroes to solve all our problems for us. The climax, the best combination of pictures and text I've ever seen, hits you like a punch in the gut. The conclusion is one of the most inspiring moments in comics. Unless you read this, you are missing something.

A clever combination of the sacred and the secular!
"Incredible" is the best word to describe "Kingdom Come", a deft blend of DC mythology and Christianity. While fundamentalists might scoff at the inclusion of Biblical text in what is essentially a "comic book", Mark Waid's story line doesn't rely heavily on the text; it just serves as a background for the events that unfold within the book's pages.

Ross's artwork is exemplary, actually surpassing anything from the "Golden Era of Comics".

Unlike another reviewer, I found Superman, Wonder Woman, and Bruce Wayne to be well-developed characters, showing new sides of their respective personalities while exhibiting the traits that fans have come to expect from them.

The major players in the history of DC Comics appear in some form or fashion in this beautifully illustrated work. Because so many make "cameos", the book becomes a bit crowded, at times coming across like a "Where's Waldo?" as one searches for the recognizable. Thus, it loses a star on account of overkill.

Great Hero Book
I am helping my son Billy (7) write this comment. I am torn between feeding him reading material that drives his desire to read and interesting stuff that is too old for him .... But here is his review -- "Kingdom Come is different than the other books. It is good because you get to see future versions of heroes. The star is Norman McCay and Superman at once."

incredible story and artwork
I love Alex Ross' artwork. It is the reason I decided to read this book. The story is incredible, with the grand battle of ideals as well as heroes. A lot of reviews of this book say you need to be real familiar with the DC universe, but I disagree. While I had seen a few tv shows and cartoons, I never read any comics. I knew only a basic idea of the major characters and their powers, and the story was perfectly clear to me. I think what the people who say you need to know the characters well to understand this book see is that there seems to be a lot of inside details that you will appreciate if you know the DC world well, but they are mostly not crucial to appreciating the book.

somewhat confusing
its no surprise to most comic fans that this is a must have book. and over the years its grown into a true classic. but when it was initially released i found some problems that i couldnt get over. the book does spend a lot of time focusing on the feelings of the main characters but in the end never really shows us where they stand. the story was written as a backlash to the ultra violent comic books of the 90's and tried to show why violence never wins. its odd though since this comic has one of the most memorably violent battle sequences ever written. and in the end violence is used to solve itself. but at the story's end we're not given any clear view into the hero's mind. and its hard to figure out why they find it ok to use violence to solve the problem of violence. i guess if it was left to us to decide that would be nice but why write it if you have no definite point to make. after all the build up why leave it to the reader to contemplate. it seemed a bit odd and they kind of lost me on this point. still, the book is well written and gives our most beloved characters some real emotion and depth. truly worth reading. ... Read more

Book Description

The comic book publishing event of 2000 is coming to your bookstore.

Ultimate Spider-Man received extensive press coverage and was the highest selling comics launch of the year. It is the reinterpretation of Spider-Man's origin, updated for today's tweens and teens. Starting over at the beginning, the story of how a tortured teen is imbued with startling powers, has been completely re-imagined to appeal to the hi-tech, media savvy youth of today.

In the process, great steps were taken to make the unfolding saga reader-friendly to the non-comics reader. "Our characters have been around for almost 40 years," explained Bill Jemas, Marvel`s President of Publishing and New Media, explaining the reasoning behind Ultimate Spider-Man. "It's great that our comics are so rich that storylines run forever, but we want the Ultimate books to be accessible to the first-time reader. Someone will be able to pick up an issue of Ultimate Spider-Man and have enough information to understand and appreciate it."

An outsider even amongst his own peers, high school student Peter Parker is a young man at the crossroads of destiny. Orphaned as a youth and raised by his Uncle Ben and Aunt May, Peter finds himself the target of a constant barrage of pranks perpetrated by school jock Flash Thompson and his burly bud, nicknamed Kong. After Peter is bitten by an experimental spider from the laboratory of Osborn Industries, industrialist Norman Osborn takes a deadly interest in this development. Will Peter be able to avoid a violent case of corporate downsizing? When backed into a corner, will our hero learn that with great power there must come great responsibility? ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Comics for Everyone
Hats off to Marvel for making comics accessible again. Ultimate Spider-Man is a great comic that anyone can read and relate to. It tells the story of a nerdy high school sophomore who suddenly finds himself in possession of fantastic powers. It's an old story, with a hero that will be familiar to almost anyone. After all, Spider-Man is one of the most recognizable characters in entertainment history.

But what's this "Ultimate" about? Spider-Man is a character who was created in the sixties, and since then he's been dragging forty years of continutity and backstory. Ultimate Spider-Man approaches the character from the ground up, with a contemporary voice and pop culture references that place the book squarely in the 21st century. This Peter Parker isn't married and successful yet; he's barely coming to grips with his powers. The origin is updated, the villains look different, and nothing about the hero's future is set.

Longtime Spider-Man fans may still be more comfortable with the original character that they've grown up with. (The "classic" Spider-Man is still thriving and his ongoing series is currently enjoying the excellent writing of Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski.) But for those who lost interest in comics years ago, or those who are approaching the medium for the first time, this book is absolutely perfect.

The writing, by comics wunderkind Brian Michael Bendis, is awesome. Dialogue is sharp and sparkling with very authentic voices. The art is attractive and expressive. The stories are easy to follow, even for a first time comics reader. It's a comic that anyone can enjoy, and one which I strongly recommend. I loved it, my girlfriend loved it, and I'm sure that you'll love it.

Spider-Man Revisited
Writer Brian Michael Bendis set out to reinvent and reinvigorate Marvel's hallowed Spider-Man franchise in this landmark series. Judging from the critical acclaim and market success it's had, I'd say he met his goal.

Spider-Man was originally created in 1963 and while his origin story is a comic book classic, let's just say some of the elements within the story have become somewhat dated. Bendis' rehash of Spidey's origin sets him in modern times, with the look of a modern 15-year-old, and the characters speaking in...you guessed it...modern dialogue.

Bendis has done a fine job of updating the character and doesn't give in to the temptation to pace the story too quickly. He takes his time, building up the characters and the story of how Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider and subsequently given super powers.

Mark Bagley competently, though not spectacularly, illustrates the story. Bagley's artistic storytelling skills are excellent, but I think Marvel might have been better served had they gone with a less traditional artistic style on this book.

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN: POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY is a great new beginning for Spider-Man and appeals to fans of all ages.

Ultimate spider-man is the best!
I have read spider-man comics for years and this series is definitley one of the best! the writing, the art, the inking, and the charecters all work perfectley together!
This series gets you very involved in the stories, it gets you attached to the charecters with great charecter development through out the issues.I would certainly recommend this series to any comic book fan!

Great Start to a Great New Comic Book Series!
After 42 years of stories, Spider-Man, like many other Marvel titles, has become bogged down in its own complex continuities. Many comics have gotten to the point where those who haven't been reading since way back have trouble understanding the plots. It is for this reason that the creation of the Ultimate series is such a smart move on Marvel's part. Now, on to comic being reviewed. Gone are the futile attempts by Lee and Ditko (Spidey's original creators) to come up with good villains and story lines every month (many old fans may look back not-so-fondly on such abysmal creations as the Terrible Tinkerer, or A Guy Named Joe). Since Spider-Man is already established as a great series, Bendis had more time to flesh out the characters, and elaborate on classic story arcs, without struggling to come up with new ideas every month. To make it more appealing to younger readers, Bendis put a more modern spin on Ultimate Spider-Man. This means that the characters act/talk like they're living in the year 2000, not 1963. Many long-time fans will notice several major changes in the continuity and characters. For one, Peter Parker starts out dating MJ Watson, bypassing his relationships with Betty Brant and Gwen Stacy (although they both make cameo appearences in a couple of stories). In addition, rather than being an insane-workaholic-costume-wearing-Spidey-foe, ultimate Green Goblin is an insane-workaholic-mutated-drug-addicted-Spidey-foe. Since it is known from the beginning that Norman Osbourn is the Green Goblin, his origin is told in a different manner, in a much shorter time (which is a change for the better, IMO). Finally, the event of Uncle Ben's murder is pretty similar to the original comic, except for the fact that Peter lets the crook go when he robs a deli, rather than a wrestling manager. Oh, and Aunt May is much younger, so Peter doesn't have to worry about her health (at least for the time being). That about covers all the MAJOR CHANGES in the first story arc, which are necessary for a better retelling of the exploits of the web-head. As for the artwork, Bagley does an excellent job providing the right atmosphere for the stories. In my opinion, his use of detail is top notch, and his style is great. Bagley can only get better as he continues his career. Overall, Power and Responsability is a great start to a promising new Spider-Man series.

This one's the best.... but still far from "Ultimate"
The first storyarc in the rather poor Ultimate Spider-man series is the enevitable origin storyarc. Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically altered spider. Eventually, he soon dons the guise of Spider-man to cash in on fame and fortune. But when a horrible tragedy strikes..... You've read it before, and you're going to read it again. Yes, it has, "mondern," stuff like the internet, but still, it has "R-I-P-O-F-F," written all over it. At least the story is slightly touched upon a bit more between Peter's relationships with Aunt May and Uncle Ben(who, dare I say it, has been redesigned into a hippy. Deny it all you want, its true) before the uncle has the fateful encounter with the burglar, leading to Spider-man's true birth as a superhero. But other than that, it's best to just browse. The entire battle with the Green Goblin afterwards is pointless and doesn't serve much purpose to the story afterwards. Something tells me another 40 years from now, Bendis will most likely have been forgotten from the other Spider-man authors, simply because of the unoriginality his stories contain. Still, if you simply must pick up an "Ultimate" book, this one is probably your best bet. ... Read more

Book Description

Not since the days of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the trailblazers of the Marvel Universe, had someone so perfectly captured the intense mood, cosmic style and classic sense of adventure of Marvel's first family of super heroes. Writer/artist John Byrne launched the Fantastic Four into realms where few creators before had dared to go. Now, the collection of his classic run continues! Featuring the trial of Reed Richards - and introducing the newest member of the Fantastic Four! Plus, Reed and Sue place the fate of their unborn child in the arms of...Doctor Octopus?! ... Read more

Book Description

A perfect blend of humor and drama, Y: THE LAST MAN – ONE SMALL STEP is a fascinating tale of catastrophe and consequences. After a mysterious occurrence instantaneously killed every male human on Earth, twenty-something escape artist Yorick Brown suddenly found himself as the last man alive on a planet inhabited solely by females. But when Yorick and his secret service bodyguard learn of a Russian spaceship with two healthy males on board, they quickly journey to its projected landing site in Kansas to see if the rumor is true. Now as Yorick and Agent 355 wait to see if the cosmonauts will survive their return to Earth’s atmosphere, a zealous faction of the Israeli military attempt to kidnap the last man for their own nefarious purposes. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

No drop-off in quality from the first two volumes
"One Small Step," the third volume of Y: The Last Man loses no momentum from the previous two volumes, "Unmanned" and "Cycles." In fact, I'd say it picks up steam. Now that I've become accustomed to the characters, I care more about them and find their perilous adventures more gripping than ever.

"One Small Step" contains two stories, the primary one being the title story. Yorick, Agent 355 and Dr. Mann travel through Missouri to Kansas and seek to help two more potential male survivors of the plaque to arrive safely on Earth from orbit. All males of all species on Earth died in the plague, but it didn't extend to those males OFF the planet. The International Space Station houses two male and one female astronaut, all of whom are dangerously close to suffocating in the failing life support of the station. They have to evacuate the station and find out whether they can survive now that several months have gone by since the plague.

Thrown into the mix are the Israeli soldiers, led by their stoic Colonel, whose motives have been unclear until this story. Suffice it to say that old scores die hard.

Brian Vaughn builds the tension slowly with several events threatening to collide explosively. The violent colonel, an endangered Yorick, and the fate of the astronauts all hangs in the balance. I found myself flying through the climactic pages of this story, eager to find out what was going to happen.

You really have to read the first two volumes before you move on to this one. There's too much back story you'll miss. But it's worth the time. This is one of the best comics to come out in the past several years and is not to be missed!

Absolutely stunning!
After reading the first two "Y the Last Man" books I was eagerly awaiting the release of this one. I was not dissapointed! The first 6 chapters of this book wrap up the storyline of the male astronauts introduced at the end of book 2 and the final two chapers provide a hilarious interlude from the main story of the book. Everything overall is great! The art is detailed and clear. The coloring and inking is also excellent. If you have never read a graphic novel before read "Y the Last Man" books 1 and 2 first, then be sure to read this one! ... Read more

Amazon.com

As the New York Times writes of Edward Gorey, "His satires (often of tawdry Victorian mysteries) are not mere commentaries on the manners and mores of a distant age; they are inventive narratives about evil adults, mischievous children, illicit lovers and improbable beasts." Or, in the case of The Curious Sofa, improbable furniture. As Gorey tells us on the cover, this is "a pornographic work" (pornographic horror, in fact) with a picture on every page. And yet there's nary a nipple (nor a drop of blood) in sight. (For those who want some extras to pass around there's a 10-copy assortment with The GashlycrumbTinies.) ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Delightfully Wicked
The first Gorey book I've ever bought, and it's left me panting for more.

Subtitled "a pornographic work," The Curious Sofa it is indeed, but for what it leaves out. Readers won't find sex or violence on these pages, merely the titillation of the unseen.

Umm... mouth watering!

The best dirty book I've ever read
The Curious Sofa is the best dirty book I've ever looked at or read. It is the tale of a sexual adventure gone wildly out of control. Ogdred Weary's prose reads rather like an erotic, almost-picaresque retelling of Gosford Park. It's astonishing, just how proper a fetishistic, sadomasochistic kink session can be when populated by upper-class folk (and a Old English Sheepdog).

The book is made even better by the artwork of Edward Gorey, which has more in common with the direction of Alfred Hitchcock than the in-your-face pictorials of Larry Flynt. But if you're a fan of Gorey, you know that already.

Gerald did a terrible thing to Elsie with a saucepan....
Though definitely not for everyone, this is probably the creepiest little thing I've read in a LONG time, this being accomplished entirely by subtle insinuation and suggestion than anything concrete.

Pornographic work? Not exactly, if you are expecting the sort of thing all those spam e-mails promise. This is surrealism, enigmatic and dreamlike... the graphic imagery is limited to bizarrely posed and leering maybe-unclothed/maybe-not cartoon figures tastefully obscured behind monstrously large ornamental urns, twisted naked tree limbs, and imposing bamboo screens, with such captions as "That evening in the library Scylla, one of the guests who had certain anatomical peculiarities, demonstrated the 'Lithuanian Typewriter', assisted by Ronald and Rupert, two remarkably well-set-up young men from the village." Over and again through the "story" my reaction was "What the heck is THAT supposed to mean???" while taken together they imply something hideously and repugnantly barbaric and freakishly obscene, with the only possible conclusions (when they can be made at all) not matching the reactions of the characters, until the shocking conclusion where at last the characters react appropriately to an eerie situation that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever... making the entire experience that much more disconcerting.

This is the beauty of Edward Gory's surrealism. Though, as I said earlier, it is not for everyone- the horror is too enigmatic and the humor a bit too strange for the taste of most people I know... as one negative review said: "Make sure you want to buy this sort of book... it is not what I was expecting." (What was she expecting? She never said... the statement would make a lovely caption for a Gory cartoon, though, unrelated to the panels directly preceding and following it: [A woman in a fur coat and a pair of sinister tennis shoes marking a calendar, while a strange and ambiguous animal watches:] "I would fancy a cup of tea, but only on alternating Tuesdays."/ [The ambiguous animal stands in a bookstore, frowning doubtfully as a distraught young woman points fearfully at a nondescript and dusty book on the bottom shelf of an antique bookcase, telling the woman in tennis shoes:] "Make sure you want to buy this sort of book... it is not what I was expecting."/ [The distraught-looking woman asks the woman in sneakers while looking out the shop window:] "Is it my imagination, or has that building moved since last I saw it?" [The doubtful animal replies:] "NO.")

And I think I should also mention that Gory's little cartoons are probably not a good idea for children. Although, I believe that at 9, 10, or 11 I would have been fascinated by the intricately detailed and strange little creepy drawings and their bizarre captions and though any vaguely "adult" elements would have gone way over my head, the cartoons would nonetheless have sparked my imagination... seeing them again as an adult would have been that much more chilling.

And, in closing, yes, this book is tiny, and very short. I'd suggest first of all trying out "Amphigory"- a collection of Gory's weird cartoons which includes "The Curious Sofa: A Pornographic Work by Ogdred Weary", and if you especially like that story to get the little book, or to buy it as a gift for friends with a twisted sense of humor. In fact I would recommend that anyone suspecting they might have a taste for surrealism, dream-like and brutal satire of stiff and stuffy Edwardian and Victorian mannerisms art and customs, subtle gothic horror and twisted humor get hold of as many of the Amphigory books as they can.

Anyone up for a game of Thumbfumble?
Hardly pornographic at all, this small and simple book is filled with insinuations of events that could quite possibly be indecent or tawdry, but remain veiled, allowing the reader to reach their own conclusions.

While The Curious Sofa is amusing in its naive and capricious way, it is not a "bust out laughing" piece of entertainment, and made me smile but not laugh. I'm not entirely sure that is worth the $9.00 price. It would be more recommendable if it was half the price and marketed more as a novelty or gift item.

When looking at purchasing this item, take note of the small size of the book and the number of pages. The book is little enough to be a stocking stuffer at Christmas time, and the page count says 64, but it is actually only 32, because the printing is one-sided, so there is only one picture per page turn, opposite pages are all blank.

The drawings, while indeed whimsical, were not particularly special, and the only one who could possibly label anything in this book "pornographic" would be Mother Goose. We never do get to see this Curious Sofa either, and I found that to be the difference between feeling titillated with the unseen, and feeling cheated out of something that could have been special.

Overall, it would be a nice gift item if the price were lower, but at $9.00 for 32 pages with no real conclusion to the tale, leave it on the shelf.

Um. Well, it's different.
That's about all I can say. I was expecting a bit more than this. it's very small and very thin and implies more than it says. It's sort of mocking. The sofa isn't curious in the sense that it want s to know things, it's curious in the sense that there's something different about it.

Definitely rated whatever you would rate your own mind, since most of the dirty stuff IS all in the implications and has little to do with the words or images. Little kids would read it and just not get it, but adults might see it a bit different.

Not for kids. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

good book for people who have experience on drawing manga
this book is great even if it does have nudity but theres a purpose for it so the artist can see how the clothes fit on your female character it shows the different angles of different views you can draw your character there are a good amount of poses. and how to do eyes, legs of different lengths and size, hands, feet and for those who like to draw there characters in water it explains how the water drops flow on the body. So in other words this book is good.it doesn't earn its fifth cause there are some poses half done meaning they don't show the head and face so if you are trying to draw that pose you have to assume how the heads shape is suppose to be buy the book anyways because it has help me a lot so it could do some good for you ^-^

A good reference for intermediate artists
This book is helpful if you want to improve your manga-style female figures, but is not a good place to start to learn basics about drawing or manga-style techniques. As another reviewer suggested, the first book in this series is the best to start with. Also, although this book spends a great deal of time on in-depth coverage of drawing the body, it doesn't cover drawing faces, eyes, and hair nearly enough. Even with this problems, I still recommend this book as a great help to improve and refine manga-style figure proportions.

Far from the Best
I got this book when i got into drawing and was disgusted to find it did'nt really help me at all. I only gave it two stars because it gives you a few examples to look at if you really need them. and if your gonna draw something more for an ADULT kind of cartoon. There was more on how to draw breasts in diffrent postions and how it'd look with diffrent hands holding it then how to draw legs and arms. combined. it's alright if your deperate. but don't waiste your money otherwise.

Excellant!
If you are new to attempting to draw manga, this is a decent place to start, at least with drawing limbs and...um...other anatomy parts. But you have to at least know beforehand how to draw the eyes cuz it dosn't go into much detail about that part.

It's good for those that know how to draw.
I give this book 4 stars because the tutorials are good,but they arent really the best for beginners. I recommend this book to any manga artist. This book has some nudity in it,but it's censored to keep it appropriate for teen artists. ... Read more

Book Description

Homer Simpson is a man's man, an Average Joe, a loving father and husband, and a devoted beer drinker. But do you know the "real" Homer? Find out what's on Homer's mind, discover the mysteries of Homer's fridge, hang out in Homer's haunts; meet his friends and enemies; and spend a typical day with the lovable lout who will lift you out of your D'oh-ldrums. ... Read more

Book Description

The European country of Slorenia is dead. Every man, woman, and child eliminated with the cold precision of a machine. And out of the flaming remnants of this tiny Baltic state comes a message from its murderer: Mankind's days are numbered because Ultron has returned! He - or it - is one of the Avengers' oldest, most implacable foes, menacing humanity countless times. But never before has Ultron been this dangerous, this deadly. Now, he stands on the brink of committing global genocide, and rebuilding Earth in his own robotic images. Our only hope is a desperate U.N. strike on Slorenia, led by the Avengers themselves. But will it be in time? Will the strength and courage of Earth's Mightiest Heroes be enough in the face of such overwhelming evil? For the sake of the world, it will have to be! Plus: When you're an Avenger, you're one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes - the first line of defense against the dangers no conventional foe could halt, the threats no ordinary man could withstand. Threats including Dominex, Lord Templar, Pagan, and the Thunderbolts! Collects Avengers #12-22, #0 and Annual 1999. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A worthy sequel to a fascinating graphic novel
As with the first "Y: The Last Man" book, both the art and storyline continue to be very good in "Cycles." The plot is extremely engaging with lots of interesting characters who continue to be developed as the series is progressing. Because the story hinges on a number of mysteries being revealed in the course of the book, I won't go into any spoilers here. Suffice to say, if you liked the first book, you won't be disappointed with the sequel. The dialogue is very clever and natural sounding - no stilted phrasing here. The book's action-packed pacing continues and remains riveting, with no dull moments in the book. Pia Guerra's artwork is extremely good, and I'd almost recommend the book solely on the art, if the storyline itself wasn't so engaging.

I really get the feeling that there's a much larger story that has yet to be revealed and I can't wait to see how things turn out. "Y: The Last Man" has an extremely thought-provoking plot that really makes you wonder how society/civilization would restructure itself (if it even could) if almost all the males of the species died.

I've just purchased the third graphic novel in the series because I liked this one so much.. The second book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and I can't wait to see how it's resolved - and obviously, I can't wait to discover what the cause of the whole catastrophe was.

This is a man's world
"Y the Last Man" is consistently an excellent comic, and I think that along with 100 Bullets, it's Vertigo Comics' next big thing. The setting of "Cycles" is the world after a disease has killed all male mammals from the unborn to grown humans and animals. The only known surviving males are Yorick brown, struggling escape artist, and his pet monkey Ampersand.

"Cycles" goes on to show more reactions to a world without men and how society restructures itself. At the start; we find that pretty much all pilots are dead now and our protagonists are trying to barter their way onto a train to get to California. This sets up Brian Vaughan's clever, charming dialogue. For the most part, the dialogue is all perfect, it is often funny, when that's what Vaughan wants; or it can show a more serious side.

Pia Guerra's art is very good, it reminds me of the artwork in "Preacher". Not to say that Y the Last Man is as objectionable as Preacher is to some, but the style and facial detail reminds of Steve Dillon's work in "Preacher". Also, "Cycles" comes with like 8 pages of Guerra's sketches in the back, which are nice. My favorites are early pencil drawings of Yorick's bodyguard Agent 355, it's interesting to see how different the final product is.

I reccomend "Cycles" highly based on the great story as well as the spiffy artwork, It's short, although the next trade paperback "One Small Step" is supposed to come out very soon which means we can all get our fix of Y the Last Man.

Best of the series so far
Y The Last Man has been a great look at a post-apocalyptic world with no men. Vaughan's cute, down-to-earth dialogue and easy-to-follow pacing combined with Guerra's clean-cut art make it very digestable while still having depth. The series hit a real high-point in this collection, with new characters entering, a new mystery and an explosive climax. And there's also the gigantic ending...

The journey begins
In this, the second volume of Y: The Last Man, Yorick, Dr. Mann and 355 begin to make their way across the U.S. to reach California and a research facility that may have clues about the plague. They're sidetracked after they're forced to "disembark" a train in the midwest.

What follows is a little more "Twilight Zone" than "Omega Man" and that's a good thing. Writer Brian Vaughan shows us he can switch gears and tell a different type of story without derailing the main plotline. The town of Marrisville, Ohio has a secret and Yorick and his motley crew are unwittingly caught up in it when the denizens of the town help them out. Marrisville's residents have a dark past which has been partially exorcised by the plague that killed all men...or has it?

Yorick's sister, Hero, and her Amazon sisters aren't far behind, another plotline that comes to a head in this installment of Y.

This story's not as strong as "Y: The Last Man--Unmanned," but it does a good job of continuing the story presented in the first installment and clarifying some of the themes that will apparently dominate this series.

Yorick is very much an "innocent abroad," not just a sole survivor but also an outcast, a pariah, and maybe an unlikely savior. "Cycles" was entertaining and thought provoking and I look forward to the next volume in the series, "One Small Step," due out in March 2004. The title should give you some clue as to what the story's about. Hmm. What goes up, orbits the Earth and must eventually come down?

The plot thickens ...
This is the second story arc in the adventures of Yorick. He is literally the last man on Earth - all other men died in a second of mysterious causes. The story, which seems to be the ultimate male fantasy, is really a thriller boarding on horror. It's not a dream - it's a nightmare!
There are women, who consider the death of men to be the will of Mother Earth, and so they'll do anything to get the planet rid of the last one, then there are Israeli commandos, and ... oh, no, I won't spoil it for you!
Considering the premise, the tone of the story itself is surprisingly realistic, and the dialogue is superb.
This story is better in the collected form - this is the way to read Y, and not to read a chapter once a mounth.
Compaired to the first story arc, this one is less dramatic, but mostly because it deals with a smaller cast and scale.
There are talks of "Y - The Last Man" movie. I, personally, think it's too early to make a movie, 'cause the series has just started. And it shouldn't be a movie - a series of movies, or better a TV series. ... Read more

Book Description

Ever since Tohru Honda discovered the Zodiac secret of the Sohma clan, her eyes have been opened to a world of magic and wonder. But with such a great secret comes great responsibility. When her best friends Hana-chan and Uo-chan come to the Sohma house for a sleepover, Tohru has her work cut out for her keeping the "Cat" in the bag and the "Dog" on a leash. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Truly amazing. Needent I say more. :P
Fruits Basket (or Furuba as it's known to many fans) is a truly amazing manga.

From the title of it, you would expect it to be very hentai-ish, but it's not. In my opinion it has to be the cleanest manga that one can possibly stand. (IE it's not so clean and happy go lucky as Hamtaro *shudders* Hamataro is evil, pure evil). Well I got off track. This review has spoilers abound so beware if you haven't read the manga (or seen the anime).

Fruits Basket is about a girl name Tohru Honda a girl with a heart of gold and truly a wonderful person, whoes father died when she was very young. She is now 16, her mother had just died in a car wreck, and she went to live with her grandpa on her fathers side. (Because her mother and she were not exactly on speaking terms with her mothers side of the family). Her grandfather has to get his house remoldeld for some distant relatives on his side of the family so Tohru has to move out for a while. He told her to find some friends to stay with.

Not wanting to be a burden to any of her friends Tohru decides to rough it, and she finds a tent and campsout for about a week, on the Sohma familys property (not knowing of course). One day while walking to school she comes across the Sohma family household. She looks around in it for a while and comes across some stones with the Chinese Zodiac on it. Than she run's into Shigura (who is the year of the dog) and Yuki (her high-schools "Prince" He is the year of the rat) Later on in the story we are introduced to Kyou (the year of the cat, who is not in the zodiac because he was betrayed by rat). And this is where the trouble starts.

The Sohma family is cursed and therefore whenever they are touced or huged by a member of the opiset sex of someone NOT in there family, they turn into the animal that they are the year of. Tohru finds out this secret, and therefore she might have to have her memories erased from her. What will become of our poor Tohru? Find out when you read the manga! And belive me, you will. It is a must read.

Now I odviously left out a lot of details from this manga, but I didn't want to give away the whole storyline, that would be quite dumb wouldn't it?

Also this manga is printed in the original left to right reading format, therfore preserving the original artwork and sound-effects. It makes it even more enjoyable. All in all this manga is a must read. It's kinda of a comedy/romance, kind of. And it's shojo, so it's more or less going to be apealing to the femail gender a little bit more. That's not to say that a guy wouldn't like it. It has quite a bit of action in it (not like Trigun action) more martial arts action. But it is a must read. And I really hope my review helped. Do you believe it was written by a 16 year old? The reveiw I mean.

Just thought I'd mention this
I was depressed for several days, then I went to Border's and bought some manga, one of them Fruits Basket #3. I swear, I felt so... happy afterwards! I'm serious, every time I read Fruits Basket, it just puts me in such a good mood... it's full of hope and compassion without seeming forced or sappy. Natsuki Takaya really has a talent for this! In this volume, after Momiji was talking about "The Most Foolish Traveler in the World" story in the "funny" stories book, and how he related it to Tohru, I actually cried, and I rarely cry over manga! XD Most of my favorite mangas are the more serious or sinister kind for older audiences, such as Confidential Confessions, Petshop of Horrors, Uzumaki, etc. and I'd never thought I'd enjoy a series like this. But I love it and it's one of my favorites... even though it sounds a little rediculous in its description (turning into animals when hugging the opposite sex ^^;) when you actually read it, it's really enjoyable, touching, and funny, and the characters all have deep personalities. I highly reccommend Fruits Basket!!

Great!!!!!!
I love this manga!!!!

Clean and sweet, without being sappy, Fruits Basket is a really cute story about a sixteen year old orphan named Honda Tohru. One day when walking through the woods, she discovers a strange house. Under further investigation, she finds that the house happens to be the home of none other than the prince of her school, Sohma Yuki. When Yuki and his cousin Shigure find out that Tohru had been living in a tent, they immediately take her in. However, Tohru soon discovers their family secret. The Sohmas are the bearers of the "juunishi" (zodiac) curse. When their bodies grow weak, or when they are embraced by a member of the opposite sex, they transform into their designated animal of the Chinese zodiac, or in Kyo's case the outcast aka the cat.

I have only read two volumes of the manga, but I own all four anime dvds and love them. It starts out sweet and gentle, but the end, of the anime at least, is dark, depressing and to use a word I hate a real "tear-jerker." I cried. A lot. Even so, it was wonderful. Don't not buy it now because you think it to be dark and full of pain and misery. It's not. Every {good} story needs some dark pasts, mental scars, and evils. Otherwise, how did the villian become a villian, why is the good guy good? There would be no motivation. GO buy the manga. NOW.

Fruits Basket
Fruits Basket in general is a touching series that really makes you look at yourself--when you see what these people go through, and see that they can still smile, you'll wonder if crying was/is ever worth it in the first place.(But of course, we all don't have a cute little bordering house-maid to give us the wisdom we need in those times.)

Anyways.

The book can be described in a few words; really sweet. In this book we meet a new character, Hatsuharu Sohma(though you may have seen a little of him in number 2), who has a 2 sided personality. That's all I know--I have yet to buy the book.

But if *I* like it so much without even having seen it, then who says YOU won't like it either?

Fruits Basket just have something special about it. It's like a parasite--it weasels into you and embeds itself into your heart. I think everyone can find something they like about it, even male otakus(otaku=anime fans, though not all are pale-faced doughballs)...

Now. Go. Now. Grab all the money you have and waste it(heh) on Furuba(Fruits Basket) stuff. OR YOU SHALL DIE WITH THE HAUNTING KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU MISSED OUT ON SOMETHING GREAT. Heh-heh-heh. Bye. ^^;

fRUITS bASKET
The book starts out with a young girl,Tohru, who with the death of her mother is living alone in a tent. She then meets the Sohma family who is suprised to hear that she lives near by, because all the land in the area is owned by them.
She goes to school with her new found friend Yuki who is the popular handsome guy of the school. Later you find that for some reason Yuki hates cats as they walk together. Yuki and Tohru go their seperate ways, but later that night Yuki finds Tohru living in a tent and he takes her in because she dosn't look well.
In return Tohru cleans the house to earn her keep. Then a boy named kyo challenges Yuki to a fight. As they fight Tohru falls and keeps her balance by hugging Kyo. Kyo then transforms into a cat.
Thoru freaks out and then everyone else in the family transforms into a different animal.
They explain that their family is cursed wwith the spirts of the Chinese Zodiac. Each family member is possesed by a different animal spirit and when under great stress or embraced by a member of the oppisit sex they transform.
This first book takes you through the events of the first 5 episodes of the anime.
This first book is awsome and is followed up by more just as good! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the mildly entertaining memoir Cad: Confessions of a Toxic Bachelor, former New York Times reporter and pop-culture critic Rick Marin chronicles the years of marathon dating and shallow living that followed in the wake of his failed "starter marriage." Marin moves through a series of urbane exploits and short-lived affairs, perfecting his trademark move of whipping off his horn-rims midconversation in a "myopic gaze," holding court with his wingman Tad over the hot buffet at Billy's Topless, and regurgitating wisdom gleaned from The Godfather. Like the similarly self-indulgent How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, Cad has its memorablemoments--Marin comparing his wedding video to the Zapruder film and hitting on actress Moira Kelly when she was still an ingénue living with her mom on Long Island--but the book's swinging, ring-a-ding-ding Rat Pack attitude feels noticeably forced and uninspired, leaving a flat aftertaste to the whole affair. --Brad Thomas Parsons ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Entertaining, but not 'literature'
Coming out of an early marriage to a somewhat lost young woman, Rick Marin decides to embrace a "love 'em and leave 'em" single life. Readers who enjoy "Bridget Jones" type books or Cosmopolitan magazine will enjoy this male perspective on the NYC dating scene.

For much of the book, the writer works freelance, including writing articles for fashion and beauty magazines such as Allure and Mademoiselle. Although his work may address things naive women can do when 'he' doesn't call, the writer is more cavalier in his own life--he doesn't call because he never had any intention of calling you and doesn't care. Many of the female characters in the book are self involved, insecure, or just flighty, offering some amusement in the cavalier treatment they receive from the cad. The vulnerability of some of these women sheds some unflattering light on the writer at times.

Consistent with other stories of this genre, the writer grows into an adult during the course of the book. Treatment of a family tragedy is conveyed well and with empathy, without being overly sentimental. However, the final pieces where the writer finds true love aren't consistent with the rest of the novel and feel like they don't quite fit.

Overall, a novel with some literary pretensions that manages to entertain most of the time.

A Jolly Ride.
First off, the title for the book is potentially misleading. Mr. Marin is not a cad as he is neither unprincipled nor ungentlemanly throughout the majority of his interactions. At one point a woman he works with wants to set him up on a blind date and he says "I have a girlfriend. I can't take her number." This is not the response of a cad. In the eyes of this reviewer, it appears that Mr. Marin is well within the range of average behavior for a man or woman in America throughout the 284 pages in which he describes himself. He is not a saint or a demon. At one point he even recites the motto of all anti-cads by saying that "sex is not enough."
Marin's is a story with great universality. His work will resonate with many unmarried straight people and there is much truth in it. His observation that "I'd spent so much time 'pouring my heart and soul into being insincere,' I'd forgotten how to act with a girl I actually liked" is an unhappy predicament that affects countless single adults. Re-igniting lost idealism and optimism is a highly daunting task and a foremost reason as to why finding love later in life is such a struggle. Those of us in our thirties all have emotional baggage and it invariably means that sometimes one has been brutalized in the past and can now be brutalizing in the future. This is true regardless of one's sex as we inflict pain but also have it inflicted upon us. Mr. Marin is far from an exception to this rule.
Much of Marin's status seeking in the memoir can be attributed to the old Orson Welles quote about men making civilization to impress their girlfriends but the narrator amends the saying it by changing it "to get girlfriends." He spends tremendous mental capital in the pursuit of making his career as a journalist a success but often finds that he needs monthly subsidies from his parents just to get by. Work is as chancy a venture as love is for Mr. Marin. It seems that his internal makeup and character are nearly insurmountable obstacles to Marin getting what he wants and needs out of life as he lacks the quality of 'decisiveness', which is one of the wor