Reviews (4)

Great Read
This volume is the best in the series so far, because it shows the true diversity of the concept.

In the first story a horrible murder is committed in an art museum. At first the culprit seems clear, but Conan finds some visual clues that help turn the case on its ear.

I enjoyed it because it was a very "play fair" mystery. All of the elements needed to solve the crime were right there on panel. Yet so cleverly done that I immediately went back and read the story to see the clues for myself after the big revelation.

The second story finds Conan having to race against time to find a bomb on a passenger train. Seeing Conan have to put together what pieces of conversations he heard meant, as well as struggle with the restraints of everyone treating him like a kid. Added a lot of tension, that had me on the edge of my seat to see how he would save the day.

The third story has Conan teaming with his current classmates, to solve a coded treasure map. Seeing the difference in attitudes and expectations between Conan and his fellow students have make the differences between youth and adulthood clear.

The kids see it all as a big adventure and have grand plans for the treasure they want to find. Conan knows the danger they can find themselves in, and his pragmatic response of "putting the money in savings" brings him very down to Earth.

Seeing how varied the stories could be make me feel better about facing the huge number of future volumes to come from the series. Its ability to balance both humor and serious subjects in entertaining and at times thought provoking ways has me very excited to see future volumes.

Sherlock ain't got nothing on Jimmy.
Jimmy Kudo, a 2nd year high school student, is best known for his deductive skill, enough so, he's even called the best detective in all of East Japan.

After Rachel, Jimmy's childhood friend and daughter of the retired Detective Richard Moore, scores well in the Karate Tournament, he takes her to Tropical Land to celebrate, unbeknownst of the trouble that awaits.

After solving a case, with no toruble whatsoever, Jimmy tails a couple of suspicious men in black. He watches over an illegal transaction and is soon knocked out and slipped a secret poison, which turns him small. Jimmy creates the alias "Conan Edogawa" and stays with Rachel and Richard, in hopes of finding information on the drug and men that shrunk him.

Will Conan turn back to his original form? Do Rachel and Richard know about this change? How will he go about solving cases as a 1st grader? Who exactly were these men in black and why do they have a drug with the ability to shrink one's body? All this and more answered in the mystery novel, Case Closed.

Calling all Wannabee detectives . . .
Of course there is a lot of comedy and a lot of romance and back story but the part that I find really interesting are the cases.This is about 16/17 year old Jimmy Kudo one of the greatest detectives you can think of.You can not beleive the cases he can solve!After witnessing a crime these men in black give him a poison that should kill him but it shrinks his body into that of a 6 year old.Until he can find the men in black that shrunk him, he (taking on the alias of "Conan" since if the men find out his real idenity they will kill him and the ones around him,) solves these ridiculusly hard cases.If Sherlock Holmes was alive he would struggle to solve them!Conan is put under the care of Jimmy's wannabe girlfriend and her 'stupid', 'not perceptive' detective father and Conan/Jimmy solves the cases for him.In the first volume the cases he solves are hard but relativly simple, but later on they have these cases that even if the pulprit walked around with a sign saying he did it, you couldn't sove them. One word, Amazing!

Calling all Wannabee detectives . . .
Of course there is a lot of comedy and a lot of romance and back story but the part that I find really interesting are the cases.This is about 16/17 year old Jimmy Kudo one of the greatest detectives you can think of.You can not beleive the cases he can solve!After witnessing a crime these men in black give him a poison that should kill him but it shrinks his body into that of a 6 year old.Until he can find the men in black that shrunk him, he (taking on the alias of "Conan" since if the men find out his real idenity they will kill him and the ones around him,) solves these ridiculusly hard cases.If Sherlock Holmes was alive he would struggle to solve them!Conan is put under the care of Jimmy's wannabe girlfriend and her 'stupid', 'not perceptive' detective father and Conan/Jimmy solves the cases for him.In the first volume the cases he solves are hard but relativly simple, but later on they have these cases that even if the pulprit walked around with a sign saying he did it, you couldn't sove them. One word, Amazing! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Very Touching Volume in an Excellent Series
The fifth collected-edition of "Fables" is a much more subdued affair than "March of the Wooden Soldiers".It contains several smaller stories that advance further many of the overall plot lines lingering about Fabletown.

First, we learn of Cinderella's more devious nature in "Cinderella Libertine".The less said about this story, the better, simply because its impact lies in its ending.No point spoiling it.

Next, we get a couple of "War Stories", as we follow Bigby Wolf into his past as a spy for the Allies during World War II, on a mission that never officially happened, as Bigby leads a squad of American troops to a castle behind enemy lines.

Finally is "The Mean Seasons" proper, as King Cole discovers he was perhaps not as popular as a mayor as he thought, and his successor, Prince Charming, learns actually governing a city requires a lot more than charm.His new administration, including Beauty and the Beast, also find the elaborate system that Snow White and Bigby have in place to keep the city running smoothly.

Meanwhile, Snow White gives birth to Bigby's litter, moves to the Farm (where the "nonhuman" looking Fables must stay) and meets her father-in-law.Others leave Fabletown for various reasons, including Bigby, who is not allowed on the Farm.And some invisible creature is killing various residents of Fabletown.

While "March of the Wooden Soldiers" was and is my favorite storyline, I have to say that I found "Mean Seasons" to have quite the emotional impact.Writer Bill Willingham, after carefully building the status quo of the series for three years, has swept it away, while paying attention to the logical consequences of those changes. The result is a very touching volume in this excellent series.

DC has wisely fast-tracked this series for trade-paperback format.That's a good thing, since it's an excellent series.I anticipate future volumes. ... Read more

Book Description

The evil Count uses his dark powers to transform a defeated guard captain into an inhuman horror to combat Guts, the Black Swordsman. Puck, Guts' pint-sized fairy sidekick, is captured when he attempts to stop an old doctor's execution, and he is given as a gift to the count's daughter, a sweet girl in a gilded cage, imprisoned by her father in her own room. Guts, determined to make mincemeat of the Count, assaults the castle and carves a swath of blood-soaked destruction through the Count's minions. Face-to-face with the Black Swordsman at last, the Count reveals his true form, and even Guts' super-sized sword may not be big enough to contend with this demonic monstrosity! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A must read for any fan of manga
If you have seen the Berserk anime released by Media Blasters then you have only scratched the surface of this story. The anime only covers about a third of the manga (which is currently 27 volumes and growing). I do not recomend this manga for those faint of heart, or those that felt the anime was too violent. The manga is much, much more graphic than its anime counterpart.

Aside from a few very minor editing/spelling mistakes (In the first volume there is a minor spelling mistake in reference to a castle) I have no problem with Dark Horse's translation of Kentaro Miriua's Berserk.

Highly Recommended

GUTS - nuff said.
Wow. I LOVE this series. As we delve deeper into Guts' journey, the characterization is superb: Guts the Master Swordsman who's raw fury and power comes at the cost of his humanity(?). Plus, Puck the Elf is hilarious and never fails to get a laugh. He is a great balance to Guts' demeanor. Kenturo Miura's artwork is so effective in creating this chaotic world that you'd almost swear something moved in the background :) This continues to be a dark tale and I don't expect it to lighten up anytime soon - which is a good thing! The only bad thing was the cliffhanger ending....I want more BERSERK!!! PLUS, we haven't even gotten into where the anime took place.

If you've seen this anime, get the manga...you won't regret it. For those who haven't, read if you dare...the Behelit awaits.... ... Read more

Book Description

In this prequel story to George R. R. Martin's Award winning, New York Times Best Selling novel series A Song of Ice and Fire, Night falls over the life of one noble knight and brings the dawn of his squire's knighthood. Dubbing himself "Ser Duncan the Tall," the Hedge Knight sets forth to the tourney at Ashford Meadow in search of fame, glory, and the honor of upholding his oath as a knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Unfortunately for him, the world isn't ready for a knight who keeps his oaths, and his chivalrous methods could be the very cause of his demise. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Wonderful art work enhances the story.
This is the first graphic novel that I've read and I was thoroughly impressed.Martin's short story of Dunk the hedge knight and his first tournament experience is well told and fun to read.The art in this book is really great and gives the story a more intimate feel by allowing the reader a visualization of the events as they unfold.The story is definitely enhanced by the detailed art work and makes for a very enjoyable read.I look forward to reading some of the other stories from Legends in this graphic format.

A very enjoyable one/two day read and worth the price.
Highly recommended.

Sampler
This is basically more, or should I say a lot less, "A Song of Ice and Fire".

The rare perfect adaptation
There are few adaptations that are absolutely true to their source material. This is definitely the exception as opposed to the rule.
The stunning artwork is a perfect compliment to George R.R. Martin's already exquisite short story. It seems as though nothing is left out and the graphic novel medium seems a perfect fit for the story.
This title is equally accessible to first time reader's of Dunk's exploits as it is to those who have already read and loved the story.
The second edition, however, offers little in terms of new content. Some additional pieces of artwork at the end of the book and new cover art are all that is really offered. If, however, you are new to The Hedge Knight in the graphic novel format, this is defintely the edition to go with.

It's a Graphic Novel & It's Awesome
When I first saw this listed I thought Martin had done the same thing Jordan had done with "New Spring", in other words I thought he had taken the awesome short story from "Legends" and expanded it into a longer novel forcing me to spend extra money even though I had already shelled out for "Legends".

Thanks to reading a couple of the reviews I learned I was horribly mistaken and had kept myself from enjoying an awesome story in comic form.

It is the exact same story from the short story "The Hedge Knight" but as every reader knows the change of mediums from prose to comic gives the reader a new experience. I would never say that one or the other is better, that is up to the reader, but I would definitely say it is a real treat to be able to switch between the two. The artwork is beatiful and true to story, and I didn't feel that anything was left out that had been in the short story.

My only disappointment is knowing they can't do the entire series in this form also.

If you already have the first edition of this, the only difference other than the cover is some new artwork in the back of all the individual characters. If you are a first time buyer and have the choice between the first and second edition buy the second but if you already own the first you don't need the second unless you're a collector. ... Read more

Book Description

Trapped in a dungeon while the fate of the Valley is decided by two raging armies, Thorn is haunted by the dangerous and mysterious object of power known as the Crown of Horns. Guarded by dragons, the Crown of Horns is the only thing that can stop the Locust and end the war... but how, and at what price? Fone Bone believes he knows the answer, and he must decide where his heart truly lies... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The last of a great series...
The Bone books are, to put it bluntly, really, really good. The art is beautiful, especially the forest scenes. The characters are funny, and imaginative, and the plot is very original, intriging, and all together, well, good. I can not think of a better comic than this. This comic rates up there with Tolkien, and I love Tolkien books. It is to bad that the series has to come to an end... other than that though, this is an excellent series, you are an idiot if you pass up reading these. Anyone who loves these books as much as me is my friend. ... Read more

Book Description

Created by Kenturo Miura, Berserk is manga mayhem to the extreme - violent, horrifying, and mercilessly funny - and the wellspring for the internationally popular anime series. Not for the squeamish or the easily offended, Berserk asks for no quarter - and offers none! His name is Guts, the Black Swordsman, a feared warrior spoken of only in whispers. Bearer of a gigantic sword, an iron hand, and the scars of countless battles and tortures, his flesh is also indelibly marked with The Brand, an unholy symbol that draws the forces of darkness to him and dooms him as their sacrifice. But Guts won't take his fate lying down; he'll cut a crimson swath of carnage through the ranks of the damned - and anyone else foolish enough to oppose him! Accompanied by Puck the Elf, more an annoyance than a companion, Guts relentlessly follows a dark, bloodstained path that leads only to death...or vengeance. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Best Manga series EVER!
After recently finishing the anime series I went and baught the manga. And man does the manga kick ass. It's ten times better then the anime. PLus it's more violent too. This manga is slightly different then the series such as the Fairy Puck who never showed up in the anime.

Over all this is one of those mangas were you'll be like "aww man what next what next!!". I personaly love the manga...alot.S

Sadly When I asked the person at the comic/manga store about when volumes 13-ect ect would come out in the US...I asked him this cause I really wanted to know what happend after episode 25 of the anime. Sadly he told me it would be about 4 to 5 years by the time volumes 14 through on and on would come out here. Sadly There are only Volumes 1-3 out.
But luckily I got to go to AnimeExpo 2004 and they had all the volumes and they were only 5 BUCKS!! So I baught a few of em' even though they were in japanes but hey I know japanes so I don't need to worry about it. And from going to Volume 13 I can def tell you this manga is for MATURE AUDIENCES especcially how Caskas rape is much more graphic in the manga then the anime.

But thats Not the point here. Overall Volume 1 of berserk is (excuse me for this) F-d up big time and awesome too. This series is just Brilliant and very very cool especially the plot with a new Behiret. The manga is a def must buy for Berserk fans.

I am on voume 14 of the manga right now and alot of things have happend.

For one I can tell you is that Caska is now insain (literally)
Caska gives birth to a demon child! If you see something grotesque on the floor in volume 1 when Guts is in that prison thats Caska's child if You Didn't know. And that's all I can tell you. And in volumes 13 you finally see how Guts and Caska escaped that "Hell" they were in.

So far this is shaping up to be the BestManga series ever.
Once you finish volume 1 go and immediatly buy voulme 2. 2 is sooooo much more better and more action too. And Guts fights that giant worm that rickert saw in the anime and that Pipin got cut in half with in the Manga.

Put simply this series ROCKS

GET IT! NOW!!!

Later

Unaltered Perfection
Berserk finally comes to America and it is almost completely unaltered (except for the English translation of course). I was fearing that the Berserk manga would have its sound effects translated but, thankfully, that is not the case. I, personally, hate the sound effects being translated. Unfortunately, from reading the other reviews, I am not in the majority. The biggest problem with translating sound effects is that you have to erase part of the picture. Just flip through a copy of GTO by TOKYOPOP to see what I am talking about. In order to erase the Japanese characters, they erase huge chunks of the picture. This is my biggest gripe with the GTO manga and I feel as if I am not getting the most orignal form of the manga as possible. Not translating the dialogue also cuts costs, as another reviewer noted. I am also waiting for anime companies to realize fans want the most unaltered forms of their favorite anime and stop wasting time and money creating English dubbed language tracks that inflate the price of anime videos. I think the perfect solution is for readers of manga to learn the measley 46 Katakana characters that make up the majority of Japanese sound effects. Another solution is to write the English translation for the soundeffects within the Japanese sound effects when they are big, which is also found in GTO. For smaller sound effects, put them around the Japanese sound effects or outside the panel. Whatever the solution, keep the original artwork and sound effects untouched!

Berserk kick @$$ series
Ordered this book last week, after hearing about it. I own the box set of the first 6 dvds and had to have more. I have yet to read this book, and will post an update when I do so. The one thing I do want to comment on is the condition I got the book in. I am still tempted to send it back, it arrived today with a huge bend right down the middle. I for one like my collections in mint condition.

On a side not, the box set is a must own. I know I won't be let down by the books.

Just about the best manga series I've ever read...
The detail of the drawings is magnificient. The story is well thought out and fascinating. The characters are complex and thoroughly developed. And, there's true suspense--bad things happen to good people and good things happen too--in this extra dark story you never really know where it's going till after it gets there.

Most mangas I read for 'fun'--the story is predictable & the characters are 2-D but it's cute or pretty, entertainment popcorn if you will. This one, I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the next chapter in the story and I truly care about the characters. In a vast manga collection, this one is a standout.

Berserk isn't for everyone. The violence quotient is off the scale and all of it is depicted in full detail--the squeamish should avoid this title like the plague. It's also not a manga for the impatient. It's nearly three volumes in before the story proper starts to unfold. It is all eventually tied together so that the plot and character decisions make sense--but readers have to spend a good long time wandering about in the dark before that happens.

If you're tired of boyscout heroes and you're always looking for something new and different, Berserk is a must read. Words can not describe the brilliance that is this manga. Best just read it yourself, or watch the anime, which is very similar--it just moves along a lot faster at the expense of some of the details found in the comic.

FYI: Berserk is up to 25 volumes in Japanese and the story is still on going. Many of the major plotlines are still unresolved, so the series could still go off track in the later chapters--but through volume 25 it's very good.

Dark Horse's edition had perfectly decent translations. Not translating the sound effects was a little cheap, but I don't think it made much difference. Most of the sounds you could guess from context anyway.

Great comic, but some problems with the production
Like most of the previous reviewers, I picked this book up after having seen the anime, so my overall positive impression was of course pre-shaped to some degree. On other sites I've read a few semi-negative reviews by people who HAVEN'T seen the anime--these reviewers complained that the main character Guts is never fleshed out as a character sufficiently for the reader to feel like rooting for him, but rather is presented as little more than a self-centered thug who hunts the monstrous "apostles" for reasons which remain impenetrable. Based solely on this first volume, I can see what they mean--in fact, this was very much my own response to the first episode of the anime. However, I would strongly recommend that readers entirely new to the material stick with it for at least another volume or two before passing judgement, as the story becomes infinitely more complex and nuanced as the backstory is filled in and you get why things are the way they are (and Guts is the way he is) as the book begins.

A couple of other things to be aware of if ordering this book sight-unseen: Dark Horse has printed Berserk in the original Japanese format, with the pages reading right-to-left and back-to-front. While some readers do find this annoying, I had no problem adjusting to it, and ultimately I found I actually preferred it for various reasons. What I DID find annoying, however, was that they translated the text but not the sound effects. I understand this is a cost-cutting measure--normally the sound effects must be laboriously redrawn in English, and this costs $$ in production. However, in many cases the sound effects are an integral part of the storytelling--some sequences don't entirely make sense without them (such as the opening sequence of Berserk). So while I'm happy this is a cheaper-than-average graphic novel as it is, I'd personally be willing to pay a few extra dollars per volume if it meant having a more complete translation. A high-quality book like this really deserves the full treatment. ... Read more

Book Description

In 1932, American showman Carl Denham returned from a mysterious, hidden island with a priceless treasure-the island's barbaric god, a monstrous anthropoid called "Kong." The savage giant escaped and wreaked havoc through the concrete jungle of Manhattan, but within hours of the beast's death plummet from the peak of the Empire State Building, his body-and Carl Denham-disappeared. Twenty-five years later, the son of Carl Denham makes a shocking discovery that leads him back to the site of his father's greatest adventure and to answers that will unlock the secrets surrounding nature's greatest miracle and history's greatest mystery.Authorized by the estate of King Kong's creator, Merian C. Cooper, Kong: King of Skull Island is a lavishly illustrated novel that acts as both prequel and sequel to Cooper's original novel. Created by acclaimed illustrator Joe DeVito, co-writer alongside top fantasy and science-fiction writer Brad Strickland (with John Michlig), Kong: King of Skull Island utilizes innovative layout and design to make for a unique, interactive storytelling experience, remaining true to the classic Kong legend while illuminating new discoveries that will deepen the original story. Introduction by film special-effects master Ray Harryhausen (The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad) is included. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One might think that the climax of the 10-volume Sandman series would come in the last book, or even the second to last. But indeed the heart and soul of Neil Gaiman's magnum opus lies here in Brief Lives. It could be because one of the most central mysteries--that of the Sandman's missing brother--is revealed here (in fact, the plot of this volume is the search for this member of the Endless). It could be because everything that comes after this volume, however surprising or unexpected, is inevitable. But it's more because this is a story about mortality and loss, the difficulty of change, the purpose of remembering, the purpose of forgetting, and the importance of humanity. If you have wanted to find out what all the good buzz on this great comic book series is about and haven't read any Gaiman before, don't be turned off by this volume's pivotal position in the larger story of the Sandman series. This book might actually operate better as a stand-alone story, in that its depth and compassion are more condensed, pure, and brief. --Jim Pascoe ... Read more

Reviews (28)

The Best of the Sandman
The only reason I gave this story 5 stars is because there wasn't six, or ten, or a hundred available as choices.

Simply put, the Sandman is one of the greatest, most involving, most touching, (even for a hard to touch person such as myself) work of literature (yes, despite being a mere comic book it is literature, or as Peter Stuab says, nothing is) in the past century, perhaps in the past several centuries.

And Brief Lives is the best volume in the Sandman series, hands down.

The story, plot wise, is about a quest to find a missing brother.

The story is really about so many things more; about death, fate, redemption, mercy, terrible kindness, the meddling of gods and endless in human affairs, what happens to a family when the person that is its glue leaves, what it means to have a conscience, pride, honor, and much more.

Brief Lives is, even more than the other Sandman volumes, rich with beauty, imagery, imagination, and scenes that fire the imagination and touch the heart. Who cannot be moved by the anguish of Delirium and Despair, who is not awestruck by the scenes in the garden of Destiny or the conversation with Destruction, who is not genuinely saddened by the death of Orpheus and at Dream's terrible grief after the act, and who cannot be uplifted by the ending and the bond of love between Orpheus and his servant.

As an aspiring writer, I can honestly say that Brief Lives is both an inspiration and a goal; I hope that I may be able to write a single work that compares to it.

I will admit to being initially reluctant to pick up Brief Lives, perhaps because I sensed where Gaiman would take the Sandman in the last four issues, the inevitable turn to tragedy. Brief Lives is like the last warm day before winter or the last flash of light and color at sunset. The course of the Sandman was always destined to be a tragic one, and Brief Lives is the beginning of the end, the movement from dreamy stories to true tragedy, and watching it happen to an incredible character like Dream only makes it that much more affecting. Towards the end of the story, Desire, foretelling the future, says that Dream was wreck waiting to happen, and that has been true. Dream has been a wreck waiting to happen since he escaped his captivity, or maybe since Orpheus went down to Hades, or maybe before that. Up till now, though, there was always the chance that things would go another way, that there was a way around that destiny, but after Brief Lives, that is no longer the case. There is only one possible outcome, and it is only a matter of time.

That knowledge, heart wrenching as it is, is what makes this the best of all the Sandman series, and the best story, of any type or genre that I've read in quite some time.

THE BEST SANDMAN
This is the best Sandman story, without a doubt. I have read each of the ten volumes many times, and have come safely to this conclusion. Brief Lives has more meaning, heart and humanity than any comic book ever produced. This is It. This is the Big One. There are no substitutes. There is no comic book better than this; there is no comic book that means this much. This is also the volume of the series in which all the various past threads begin to converge, forming one tight whole, leading into the last three volumes, World's End, The Kindly Ones and finally, The Wake. If this book doesn't move you, you have problems.

This is definitely one of the best of the Sandman series...
I am steadily working my way through the entire series, in rough chronlogical order, and I must say that I am most impressed with 'Brief Lives'.

The artwork is varied, humourous and colourful, yet unintrusive. The oddly charming character of Delirum is truly fascinating and Dream is finally revealed to have somewhat of a soft side. Additionally, it has the coherance the earlier volumes lack.

'Brief Lives' returns to or introduces a staggering amount of characters. One must admire the manner in which Gaiman introduces 'brief lives' of new characters, and later disposes of them, yet tells us just enough to build our affections. This is particularly evident in this member of the series. For example, the character of Isatar is meerly alluded to, and yet her wisdom, dance sequence (and the change in the artwork) is delightful. As is the devoted cynicism of Destruction's dog.

While it may not be the best introduction to Sandman, it is certainly one to look forward to while reading the earlier editions.

Enriching the Sandman's world
I'm a late-comer to the Sandman, and I don't read the collections in proper narrative order. "Brief Lives" is among the first of the Sandman books I've read, and it gives me a much better appreciation of the mythology behind this series.

The artwork is what usually attracts me first. This volume's artwork carries the story in a very capable way. It's consistent enough for continuity but varied enough to express the dreaminess that pervades the series. I like the art in this volume, but it's the story that dominates.

How does an immortal quit his job? I won't tell, but it's hard on the mortals who become involved - those are the "brief lives." This book also makes an interesting point: an infinite life may have a definite beginning, then go on eternally. Likewise, an infinite life with an infinite past may have a definite end.

I'm not sure what to make of a main character in this book, Delirium. Her former role (not depicted here) was Desire. That clue helps me distinguish Delirium from madness, and Despair has clearly different character. Perhaps, as I work my way through the series, I'll learn more. For now, I'll just enjoy the character's ambiguity. This title certainly gives me reason to read the rest of the seies.

Gaiman raises the bar yet again
A rather simple premise: for all her muddled state, Dream's younger sister, Delirium, demonstrates a surprising amount of constancy in determining to find her errant brother, Destruction. Although Dream had agreed to help her find Destruction (after Delirium has been rejected by two of her other siblings, Desire and Despair), he initially lacks much of Delirium's resolve. The narrative that ensues takes a surprising amount of twists and turns before it settles on an ending in tune with the tenor of the book.

Not surprisingly, this collection is generally esteemed as the best of all the Sandman books: not only are the central characters (Delirium, Destruction- who is possibly the most likeable and paradoxical of the Endless) exceptionally well constructed here, Gaiman reaches a high point in his abilities as a storyteller where each of the stories fit perfectly well within the book as a whole. Without revealing too much, Gaiman resolves several important questions in this collection that had been previously lingering. There are no 'filler' pages or plotlines here: each of the stories contribute to the book's meditations on change (note Gaiman's pun on the various meanings of 'change' throughout) and death, including the frailty and brevity of life. While Gaiman's at his most philosophic and raises some particularly thought-provoking questions (is having all knowledge a burden; need we continue with our responsibilities once we realize our roles in life are replaceable?), never does he sacrifice the quality of the stories by soapboxing. Peter Straub's Afterword is well written and ably discusses the various themes of Brief Lives.

I'm not a big fan of Jill Thompson's artwork; I didn't like her sparse style in Fables and Reflections and I generally don't like it here, either. However, because there is only one artist in Brief Lives, there is a continuity that lacked in some of the previous Sandman titles that often had four or five artists. Thompson does have her moments, though: I enjoyed the change in inking style she employed in Chapter 5 when the events of the story shift to a strip club (yes, Gaiman's quirky imagination runs the full gamut).

One can see with Brief Lives that Gaiman is starting to wind the series up and this is rather bittersweet. While Gaiman is clearly reaching his zenith as a writer, one realizes that the ride that created the greatest graphic novel series ever will be over soon. Nonetheless, I'll take such mixed emotions anytime. Well done, Neil. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Inadequate
I love Elfquest, and have been a long-time fan of Wendy Pini's moving stories and delicate, sensitive artwork.That said, these "pocket-sized" versions of Elfquest are a travesty.In the early ones the art is so small you can barely tell what's going on, and in the later books, such as this one, it appears that they have attempted to reorganize the art -- splitting what was originally one page into 2.This has resulted in the art being big enough to see, but the layouts of the pages appearing haphazard.Also, because these books are often grayscaled reproductions of what was originally color art, the art looks muddy.Even later editions have that problem.

I'd recommend that both long-time fans and newbies avoid these editions like the plague, and do the best you can to get ahold of the original issues, or at least the older, full-sized graphic novels that Warp produced in the 90's. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Sandman's uneven tour of history
One of many things that separated Neil Gaiman's Sandman from other comic book characters is that the foreboding but likable king of dreams has existed since the beginning of time and is supposed to be an archetype common to all cultures. Gaiman was free to visit any time and place he wanted to. However, he set all of Sandman's long story arches in the present. Tales from ancient Rome or Elizabethan England were limited to single issue stories bordering bigger epics. Fables and Reflections, placed sixth in the Sandman library, collects most of these.

Another thing that separates Fables from other Sandman volumes is that it is a hodgepodge. These stories are from different points in the series' development and are collected here only because there is no other place for them. Due to this, Fables and Reflections is hit-or-miss. It contains some of Sandman's best moments and some of its worst.

The collection starts off on a high note "Three Septembers and a January." The story shows the role of Sandman's family in the life of Joshua Norton, a San Francisco man who declared himself emporer of the United States in 1859. The story features terribly underdeveloped versions of Sandman's family (Despair talks like some Spiderman villain) but Gaiman's treatment of Norton (a real life person) is funny, heartfelt and wholly entertaining.

In the next story, "Thermidor," Sandman hires Johanna Constantine, an ancestor of John Constantine of the DC series Hellblazer, for a rescue mission during Revolution-era France. Sandman's occasional overlapping into other DC series is usually awkward and this is no exception.

After that is "The Hunt," in which an old man annoys his teenage granddaughter (and readers) with a banal fairy tale about a savage who finds one of Sandman's lost books.

Next is "August," in which Sandman instructs the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, to spend a day disguised as a beggar. This story does not have the depth Gaiman obviously intended for it.

The duds keep coming with "Soft Places," in which explorer Marco Polo finds a desert oasis where space, time and reality loose their meanings. The tale crumples into postmodern mush.

Fables picks up again with "Song of Orpheus," which positions the Sandman mythos in ancient Greece for a haunting retelling of the myth of Orpheus.

Fables' sole present day story, "Parliament of Rooks," is another winner. The tale sheds light of three denizens of Sandman's realm: the sadistic Cain, the stuttering Abel and the reclusive Eve, all of whom may or may not be the actual Biblical figures (as the story says, "the mystery endures, not the explanation"). Each character in the dream realm is half deeply symbolic specter and half twisted Disney character. In this story, Gaiman maximizes both their poignancy and their comedic value.

The last story is "Ramadan," in which a king of ancient Baghdad becomes bored with riches, sex and opulence and considers making a deal with Sandman. This issue is justly considered one of the series' best. Gaiman's ability to assimilate the story-telling traditions of other cultures is always amazing and the illustrator's cities and castles are gorgeous. Add in lush computerized coloring and you have an extraordinary comic book.

Because of its inconsistency, Fables and Reflections is a low point in the Sandman library (most volumes are wholly excellent). Yet some of these tales represent Sandman at its best so, for true aficionados, Fables and Reflections is a reluctant must.

More wonderful stories
Collected from a number of non-sequential issues of the Sandman comic, Fables and Reflections does a wonderful job showing the reader the variety of story telling styles Gaiman undertakes in this wonderful series. Using real figures and events from history (The Emperor of the United States, Augustus, The French Revolution, Marco Polo) Gaiman shows the reader the effects of dreams on their lives and what shape history took because of these dreams. It also contains the story of Dream's son and the consequences of that story's ending have long term effects on the series and its eventual close. The art and subject matter are perfectly matched each time, and a better representitive of a graphic short story collection would be very difficult to find.

More views, and different views
What I like about the Sandman is the way it has room for so many different stories to open up. This volume is about the Sandman myth, of course, but connects to other myths from the Arabian, Greek, and Old Testament worlds.

The art is varied and enjoyable - P. Craig Russell is reliable as an artist and a visual storyteller. The other artwork complements and contrasts with his delicate style. Some is stark, almost geometric; use of color ranges from subtle to shattering.

It's good, varied material. I like the stories, I like the art, and that's enough for me. I'm relatively new to the Sandman, but I'll keep coming back for more.

Why doesn't anyone like this book?
'Fables and Reflections' is Book 6 of the SANDMAN series of horror/myth/fantasy all-sorts-of-stuff-but-really-great comic books by Neil Gaiman.
Now, SANDMAN is really the first series of comic books I've read, so you can say I have bad taste and that's why I like 'F & R', because no one else seems to. But I really like it. And guess what, "The Hunt" is one of my favorite stories.
You must definitely read "Ramadan", and on this I actually have popular opinion behind me.
The point of this muddled review is that, yes, "F & R" is not widely considered to be the best SANDMAN book. But you are reading something by one brave soul who liked it, so just give it a chance.

Good, bad, who knows
Clearly, I expected a little too much from this particular Sandman graphic novel. Flicking through and considering the wildly beautiful artwork for stories like 'Ramadan', I imagined 'Fables and Reflections' to be the serie's finest point.

The notion of the work is an excellent one. Nine stories, each completed by different artists and each portraying a historical event with a little Sandman twist.

However, the execution of the work leaves a little to be desired. For the most part, the stories are anti-climatic, slow and irrelevent. Perhaps the only pieces that can stand alone are the whimisical 'The Hunt' and the tale of lost love, 'Orpheus'. Elsewhere, there is little of Gaiman's usual originality to be found.

'Fables and Reflections' is clearly not a great starting point for delving into The Sandman. I would, however, recommend 'Seasons of Mist', 'Brief lives' and 'The Kindly ones.' ... Read more

Book Description

Witness classic cosmic clashes between the God of Thunder and his evil stepbrother Loki, the Absorbing Man, the Destroyer, and more of his most fearsome foes! Plus: Thor's first journey into the Black Galaxy and a reporter's firsthand account of Asgard! Guest-starring the Avengers and featuring the first appearance of Hercules! Collects Journey Into Mystery #113-125, Thor #126-136 and Annual #1-2. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Lee and Kirby take a while to get the god of thunder right
Volume 1 of "The Essential Thor" provides the stories of the Thunder God that appeared in "Journey Into Mystery" #83-112, including the five-page "Tales of Asgard" that started appearing in issue #97.In the Sixties I did not start reading Thor until the comic had taken on his name, so this was the first time I had read most of these stories, although I did pick up the "Tales of Asgard" collection that Marvel put out way back when.In retrospect it is hard to ignore that the original conception of this particular superhero was rather lame.However, once Stan Lee, Larry Leiber and Jack Kirby began to take the Norse mythology aspects of the character more seriously, the dynamic of these stories changed considerably.

The initial story is that Dr. Don Blake, an American physician vactioning in Europe, is fleeing from Stone Men from Saturn who have landed in their spaceship when he stumbles into a cave and discovers an ancient cane.When he strikes the cane against an immoveable boulder it transforms into a hammer and Blake becomes the legendary god of Thunder.The hammer has an inscription, in English no less, proclaiming "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of...THOR (yes, the inscription even includes the elipses).

Don Blake, with his bum leg, and his secret affection for his pretty young nurse, Jane Nelson, is set up in the mold of mild mannered Clark Kent and bookworm Peter Parker, where he is two-thirds of a love triangle all by himself (and his alter-ego).On the one hand the first couple of issues clearly give Thor the powers of the Norse thunder god--he not only calls forth rain and thunderstorms, but makes a volcano erupts--but the stories do not deal explicitly with whether he is indeed a deity.However, all of that begins to change in the third story when Loki, god of mischief, shows up and starts living up to his name.

Loki's arrival is crucial in Thor's transformation, not only because it is the beginning of taking the Norse mythology angle seriously (and the Thor comics would provide a scholarly fidelity to the subject), but also because the god of mischief became Thor's major foe.The opposition was ideal because unlike Thor's human opponents, such as the Cobra and Mr. Hyde, Loki could keep coming back for more issue after issue, either directly or through a proxy.Loki only arrived on earth after sneaking by Heimdall, the warder of the rainbow bridge called Bifrost, and once that door was open Odin, Balder and the rest of the Norse gods and goddesses were close behind.

Unfortunately the Tales of Asgard fillers are uniformly superior to the main adventures in "Journey of Mystery."Part of it is that they were written by Lee and drawn by Kirby, unlike the other stories (Lee and Kirby actually do less than half of the actual writing and drawing in this collection), and part of it was that they stuck to the ancient Norse legends about the gods.The other flaw was that they stuck with Don Blake and his romance with Nurse Jane, even while Odin went off on his "no son of mine is going to marry a mortal" rant.Eventually we will get around to the Lady Sif, but that is still a long ways off.For now, the more these early issues focus on Thor, Loki and the rest of the Asgardians, the better the stories.The rest require us to believe mere mortals and various meta-humans have a chance against an actual thunder god.But we still are not up to the glory days of the charcter, which is why the next volume of "The Essential Thor" is way past due.

The Beginnings Of A Classic Comic Book
Although some of the comics in the middle of this essential tome miss the mark, it's the bookend collaborative efforts of Lee & Kirby that make this collection a must for any comics library.

Now, if they'd only get around to publishing ESSENTIAL THOR VOL. 2; that's where things really get interesting...!

"He lived at home until he was thirty, worked for his father
...and his mother thought he was god!"

In Spiderman, Marvel played with the idea of the hero as everyman. To bring the Superhero down to earth. In "the Mighty Thor" they elevated the superhero as mythological figure. In so doing they exploited the vulnerabilities, the "fatal flaws" of pagan heroes. In a sense "Thor" is an extrapolation on the question posed by George Carlin: "Does Superman have 'super-anxieties' as well as super-powers?" With Thor the answer is a resounding "YES"!

We see the gradual evolution of the comic, moving from one-shot adventures--rather formulaically ending with Nurse Jane Foster, asking why Don Blake can't be more like Thor, and Blake replyingsome variation of "we can't all be heroes"--and moving away from somewhat contrived situations (How many times can Thor/Blake thoughtlessly drop his hammer/cane?) towards more 2 and three part adventures with the love triangle (quartet?) between Jane, Don/Thor, and Odin the driving theme. We see Thor gradually adopt the *faux* Elizabethan idiom we've come to know and love: from just in discourse with Odin, to when he in Asgard,
until it's all the time.

While Thor will develope a gallery of stock villians (most of them stereo-typic "mad scientists"), Thor's great advesaries will be other gods, and his own internal torment. But that will come later. Interestingly enough the idea of a double is used quite frequently in the early issues. Does this reflect the tentativeness of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby over who/what Thor was supposed to be?

The romance with Jane Foster is interesting is itself interesting. In issue 84 she's calle Jane *Nelson*, much later when she's mentioned she's become Foster. He relationship with Don Blake is distinctly maternal, doting over him as though he were a helpless child. Her early fantasies of Thor are likewise domestic, thinking how she would give him a haircut, press his cape, and polish his hammer (!!!!!!!!) Is it a coincidence that Jane is a *nurse* and her last name is *foster*? Or that Odin should insist of coming between them! ("Paging, Dr. Wertham, we need a Freudian on aisle 5!")

These are the first 30 issues of Thor's appearance in "Journey into Mystery", by the end of the book the comic is "journey into mystery with THE MIGHTY THOR" and well on its way to becoming just simply THE MIGHTY THOR. Can't wait for Vol II!

Essential Thor Vol 1
After the first couple of pages, you don't even notice it's in black and white.The artwork is fantastic. Thor is illustrated with more realistic athletic proportions as was typical of the earlier comics.I guess it wasn't until the eighties or so that they started drawing the characters with muscles bulging down to the pinky level.The stories are very imaginative and top of the line. Of course, you'd expect that with Stan Lee at the wheel.Share it with your kids, or read it yourself to bring back those comic book memories.After reading the "Frog Thor" series (Thor 363 - 366) to my six year old son (who laughed hysterically when the frog lifted the hammer), he's requested that one Thor adventure be read each night.With over 500 pages, this comic should last about a month for the littlest comic book junkie in the family.
P.S.Don't buy a six year old a Thor hammer.Ouch,even those plastic ones really smart!!! Just kidding. Thanks, Stan.

Essential Thor worthwhile but just a prelude...
Essential Thor Vol. I is worth having if for no other reason than it shows what this classic Lee/Kirby character was up to before he really built up a head of steam.Like the very first Fantastic Fours, this series started out sort of mediocre and then later developed into one of the best series of comics of all time.The Tales of Asgard secondary stories are probably the best thing about this volume - they started off strong, relying on minimalist dialogue and true Kirby power right off the bat.Looking forward to Volume II. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Grand events seen from insignificant people
The theme in this volume seems to be how 'lowly workers' percieve the 'grand events'. There is a fascinating character study of Beatrice Wechsler (formerly waitress in Lucifer's piano bar) who just tried to stay out of harm's way so far.
The fallen Cherub Spera has a great line about picking up the slack when a serious flaw in Lucifer's creation becomes apparent.

But my personal favorite is the story of the evil puppet theatre that fist plunges the audience into depression before going for the kill. The size of the Teatro Crepusculo depends on the mood of the audience so when Gaudium defeats it by radiating joy (as is his original nature), it can be swatted like a nasty bug. Besides being a masterful use of the artistic possibilities of the grahic novel this says something quite deep about the human mind, feeling good and feeling bad.

And then Gaudium has a great line about reverting back to his old shape and what he expects when everybody else starts realizing what the absence of God really means.

Therefore still five stars for this volume, although some stuff about time travel and immortal beings producing offspring is hard to swallow from a logical point of view.

A little uneven but still worthwhile
As a first note, if you haven't read the previous books in this series this is not the place to jump in.The focus of the stories in this book is present more on the supporting characters and provide more in the way of atmosphere to the series than they do to advance the plotline.That said, the stories are well done and enjoyable.You could probably skip this installment completely without losing much plot continuity but I wouldn't recommend it.Particularly as one of the main threads involves ridding Lucifer's domain of any immortals, there are a number of interesting oneshot characters that are presented with the final pages introducing a new major character. ... Read more

Book Description

*A TOKYOPOP Top 10 title on BookScan!*English Version by Sarah Dyer, creator of Action Girl Newsletter*The hit shojo series that started the anime favorite*One of Kadokawa's Top Ten Best-Selling titles!

Daisuke has the hots for Riku but doesn't have the guts to tell her. His whole family follows him into the forests where they watch Daisuke and Riku on their little date. Everyone is tired of waiting for this young man to make his move. Will he finally tell her? ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Its good.
Ok this manga is for those who like a good thriller. I myself loved the images the artist put into this book. The characters are a mystery that keeps you guessing and behind every corner theirs something you'd never have expected. If you're the battle scenes action type you might not like this as much as the suspence people would. ... Read more

Book Description

Marlo has a problem. On the night of the full moon, this half-werewolf, half-vampire undergoes a mysterious and terrifying transformation: He turns into a girl. Desperate for a cure, his parents call on Doctor Vincent, a long time family friend. But Marlo wants to keep his condition secret from Vincent's son, the vampire playboy David.Unfortunately, the secret gets out, and a new problem surfaces: David is interested in Marlo's female form! If a remedy can't be found, their parents believe the next best solution is marriage - a marriage between Marlo and David! ... Read more

Book Description

It's the year 12090, a dark time for the world. After being dominated for 300 years by a race of Vampires known as "the Nobility," humanity is beginning to fight back. Yet as the humans struggle against the Vampires, they also struggle against themselves - cities lie in ruin, and nations are fragmented into small villages and fiefdoms. Every village must have a Hunter, a warrior that eradicates the Nobility and their genetically manufactured demons one vile night stalker at a time. But some of the Hunters are dangerous to more than just the Vampires. Some of them are not friends of humanity at all. Previously unavailable in the United States, Vampire Hunter D combines gripping narration and beautiful interior art by one of Japan's most renowned artists to bring forth a fright-filled futuristic thrill ride. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

THE BEST YET
THIS IS THE BEST MANGA I HAVE READ I COULDNT PUT IT DOWN I BOUGHT ALL 7 VOLUMES AND EVERY ONE OF THEM GOT SO SO EMOTIONAL SOSO I DONT KNOW I CANT PUT IT IN WORD IM DESPERATE FOR VOLUME 8 TO COME OUT I CANT WAIT. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS MANGA BELIVE ME YOU WONT BE DISAPOINTED AND THATS SAYING SOMETHING CAUSE IM A WOMAN OF 36 YEARS AND MY DAUGTHER IS 16 I WE FOUGHT TO READ THIS SENSUAL PHRASE MANGA ITS LIKED I SAID BEFORE THE BOMB. I ALSO RECOMMEND: ALICE 19TH,IMADOKI,HANA-KIMI,W JULIET,SNOW DROP AMONGS OTHER THAT I CANT WRITE HERE CAUSE I HAVE NO MORE SPACE. ... Read more