Book Description

World War I. In the battle between good and evil, evil just got creative: The Germans are developing a mysterious weapon to break through the trenches. American pilot Jack Shannon and Archie Caldwell, Britain's greatest stage magician, are sent behind enemy lines, into the heart of the supernatural vortex that is the Black Forest. There, in a remote castle, they match wits with evil occultist Avery Dye, who aims to use Frankenstein's Monster as a template to create an army of unstoppable re-animated dead! In order to thwart the forces of evil, Jack and Archie will be forced to battle Nosferatu, werewolves, a sorcerer, and Frankenstein's Monster himself! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Planning on going to see "Van Helsing" this week?
Then save your 10 bucks and immediately buy this awsome graphic novel. This is the great homage to old monster movies that the aforementioned turkey so miserably failed to be. In a medium filled with endless parades of angst-driven nutcases and thonged Barbie dolls wading through body, boob and profanity counts (arrested development disguised as mature content) it's refreshing to read a comic book that's just plain fun. It's refreshingly appropriate for monster and heroic adventure fans of any age. Livingston and Tinnell's story is briskly paced and exciting. Vokes' B/W art is pure eye candy. Often times attempts at period pieces fall flat either from well intentionened but akward attempts to evoke the flavor of the times or worse yet, when ridiculous anachronistic elements (as in "Van Hesling")are inserted to grab today's audiences. This is not one of those times. Look at it this way. If in the rare chance that there is something seriously wrong with your brain and you don't dig this book, you can always sell it to your local comic shop and make some of your dough back. You'll at least have the pleasure of knowing that you've supported some very worthy independent creators. A splendid time is guaranteed for all!

A Fine Tribute to the Monster Mashes of Yore
THE BLACK FOREST is that rarest of modern comics, a good old-fashioned action romp devoid of excess violence, sex, and foul language (though there are plenty of racy elements here that the Comics Code would not approve, including the presence of vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures). If you are looking for 50 severed heads, a liberal sprinkling of gargantuan bare breasts, and enough variations of the F word to make the cast of DEADWOOD blush, this ain't the book for you. If you believe comics aren't any good unless the heroes are tortured or insane loners who offer no inspiration for others, you should stick to some of the lesser Batman and X-Men ink-wasters.

THE BLACK FOREST is the kind of comic that, with a few minor changes, would have thrilled fanboys in the Golden Age. Neil Volkes' stylized art is a matter of taste, yet it nicely captures the gee-whiz fun of old-school funnybooks. The liberal use of shadows and darkness properly convey the late Gothic mood, and the ladies Ilsa and Isabella are properly fetching. The script by Livingston and Tinnell is lively, spooky, and fun without descending into the camp and over the top action set pieces that nearly derailed VAN HELSING, a film to which this graphic novel must, inevitably, be compared. With nice homages to NOSFERATU, FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN, THE BLACK CAT, and a thousand other old horror flicks, THE BLACK FOREST is the perfect gift for that eccentric uncle of yours who sports a "Zacherle for President" button and boasts about his complete set of CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN magazines.

Excellent mixture of horror and adventure
I have been anxiously awaiting the release of "The Black Forest" for several months now, ever since I first saw preview images from the project. Having waited so long, with growing excitement, I feared the graphic novel couldn't possibly live up to my expectations.

I was entirely wrong; this project met all of my expectations and, in some ways, exceeded them.

The artwork is a bit more "stylized" than I normally care for, but it is first rate work regardless. The black and white art did a fabulous job of appropriating the feel of the old Universal horror films of the 30s and 40s.

The trinity of Univeral horror monsters -- Frankenstein's creation, werewolf, and vampire (although Dracula, here, is replaced by an even older cinematic vamp, Graf Orlock) -- are treated with dignity. The entire project is mercifully free of camp and irony. The creatures here are spooky and creepy in that wonderful way that no modern films seem able to match.

The plot is fun and engrossing, and quite brisk. In fact, my only complaint about "The Black Forest" is that it felt a bit rushed. There were scenes and concepts that could have benefited greatly by being expanded upon. The project could have supported quite a few more pages without being stretched too thin.

"The Black Forest" is simply one of the best graphic novels I have read.

Monster fans rejoice!
BLACK FOREST is clearly a labor of love on the part of all of its
creators, and if there's any justice in the world, it will be
recognized and embraced by monster fans everywhere with an
equally fervent love. The sources of inspiration are obvious and
undisguised--classic black and white horror movies, from Murnau's
NOSFERATU up through Universal's HOUSE OF monster rallies. With such
materials as these, BLACK FOREST achieves a rare alchemy of synthesis
and transcendence. It's been described as the Universal movie that
was never made, and I would go further to say it is the Universal
movie we wished for and never got. The increasingly bitter
disappointments that culminated in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET
FRANKENSTEIN are more than made up for in BLACK FOREST, which seems
to channel the collective dream of fans for a monster mash that
really, truly rocks.

This is one of those rare cases where a cover doesn't promise more
than the book delivers. The cover by Michael Avon Oeming and Tom
Smith is accurately evocative, well-composed, and hopefully alluring
enough to make people pick up the book, but the real treats lie
within.

How many comics make you sit up and take notice of the credits? The
inside cover accomplishes that with an outstanding movie poster
design. Kudos to the people who came up with that idea and designed
the page. It looks fantastic. The image of the Frankenstein monster
reflected in-the lens of a gas mask that has been crushed into the
mud succeeds on so many levels that I'll just say you have to see it
for yourself.

Vokes's art, so I've heard, has in the past been criticized
as "cartoony," which he answers by saying he prefers to call
it "stylized." Well, the jury is in, and the decision goes
to Vokes. The stylization has emerged as one of his greatest
strengths, a recognizable signature touch that suffuses
everything he draws, and that gives the worlds he creates a
consistency and reality all their own. A sustained visual tour de
force like PARLIAMENT OF JUSTICE could hardly be considered a fluke
or a one-off, but in case there were any doubts, Vokes does it again
in BLACK FOREST, and even better this time. Jack Shannon and Archie
Caldwell are drawn in such a way as to invite immediate
identification. The amazing things they encounter--the monsters, the
castles--are effectively presented for maximum power, and resonate as
icons the moment we lay eyes on them. I must admit that when I first
saw the designs for the women characters, I thought they looked a
bit . . . well, cartoony. Oh me of little faith! Vokes brings them to
life in the book, and does a great job of marking the changes that
they undergo.

As for the writing by Livingston and Tinnell, I would say they've
damn near hit the Platonic ideal of the kind of story they were
aiming to tell. Normally, a project like this can capture and convey
all the fantasies it promises only by forcing them into the creakiest
of plots. Here we have a story that zings and gives us everything we
want along the way.

I have only one complaint. At one point, a romping, stomping battle
between the Frankenstein monster and a pack of werewolves is joined
by Graf Orlock and his legions of nosferatu. To my mind, the wheels
should have come completely off, the story should have stopped dead,
and absolute chaos and carnage should have ensued for a few panels if
not pages. Here was an opportunity for the monster mashing set piece
to end all monster mashing set pieces. I would gladly have paid
an extra $2.95 or whatever to see that kind of ultimate delivery on
the promise of monster vs. monster action. An extended cat-fight
between the ladies would have been most welcome, too. In fact, more
generally, despite Vokes's expansion of the page length beyond what
was originally planned, this project still felt very close to the
bone in its presentation of all that it had going on. It could easily
have accommodated another five or eight pages with no noticeable
slackening of pace, and more like ten or twelve would have given all
the wonderful elements just about the right amount of room to
breathe. I hope the creators will take it more as a compliment than a
criticism that I wished to stay longer in the Black Forest they
brought so vividly to life.

Closing out the book is a pinup gallery. All of the contributions
shine, but Tommy Castillo's is the stunner of the bunch. My God, it's
just that good!

Many thanks to Livingston, Tinnell, and Vokes for BLACK FOREST.
Gentlemen, you've made an instant classic. If it receives half the
recognition it is due, it will take its place in the tradition--of
course, that tradition also calls for sequels! ;-) ... Read more

Book Description

Yugi, Jonouchi, and Anzu have survived Kaiba's deadly theme park, but now they're faced with the two Kaiba brothers, heirs of the biggest game empire in Japan. Seto Kaiba has spent years and millions of dollars building the greatest "Duel Monsters" deck ever. Armed only with his grandfather's hand-me-down deck, Yugi fights Seto Kaiba for his grandfather, for his friends, and most of all, for revenge. But will faith, and good card playing, be enough? ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Another good Yugioh book....... undubbed is better.........
I really like this book. Well, I'm a big fan of Yugioh, so duh! This is the book in which we first see the Duel Monsters cards and meet the young CEO (though at the time we don't know he is one) Seto Kaiba and the mysterious Shadi.

Beware though, Seto, who usually looks all hot and sexy, doesn't look too spectacular. I'm not sure why, but some of the images of him look rather awkward, so if you are used to watching the anime, this is the manga, note the change. It's not like it matters to anyone but me anyway. (I'm an absessive Seto fangirl).

Also, if you are some silly little kid who's under ten and "thinks" he/she likes Yugioh, back away before I get angry. Don't even READ this if you're under 12.

I'm fourteen, and when I see f'ggin FIVE YEAR OLDS saying they like Yugioh I get real pissed...... So, if you are some baby, this book is too sophisticated for you. It is rated TEEN, whatever it says up there, and includes a lot of (minor) swears and violence and drugs and alcohol andmore mature stuff.

Joey and Yugi and Honda (Tristen, to all you unknowing twerps) are known to pull perverted pranks. Once, they watched a movie that mentioned "censoured" girls and Joey trying to see through the censoring....O.O...... but that wasn't in this book, so don't worry about Yugi wanting to watch digitized porn.

Yugioh as a whole is awsome. It's my favorite anime for many reasons. It includes hot guys (SETO KAIBA!!! & Malik, Bakura, Yami), Millenium magic, dueling action (I love action/violence,I don't know why) and everyone else that makes it so unique and awsome.

Buy, or at least READ this book, (if you like Yugioh) because it is NOT some cheesy kid's book like the dubbed TV show has become. Now I'm going to get angry at 4kids and the dubbers..... *throws computer at dubbers, they scream and run, I follow them laughing like Yami Marik swinging the Millenium Rod DAGGER!!! (which, to all you unknowing dub-following YGO babies, DOES exist.... but any true Yugioh fan knows that, right?)*

Great!
From the title of the item, I would have to say that this is the new Yu-Gi-Oh! manga, Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duelist. The Duelist series is supposed to be based on what American viewers saw, Duelist Kingdom, Battle City, those things, without the annoyance of fillers like Noa's Arc and DOOM. This manga shows the first introduction of Pegasus, how Yugi-tachi got to the island, and the introduction of Mai and Insector Haga (Weevil Underwood for the American fans.) This is a lot more violent, though, as such, you should obey the "Teen" rating on the series.
Other than that, great book, great series, and help in the cause of getting pictures of the thing onto the Amazon.com site, so people will stop giving reviews for manga 2 and 5!

Pretty Good
I like this book. It's an improvement over the first volume. It has better stories andwe see more of the Character's past and how their relationships affect the plot.

remember seto kaiba?
cards with teeth meet seto kaiba master of the worlds most dangerous collectible card game. when kaiba discovers that yugis grandfather owns the incredible rare blue eyes white dragon card he will stop at nothing to get it even if he has to duel with yugis dark alter- ego yu-gi-oh! then an egypian museum exhibit brings with it an unwelcome visitor. shadi the mystical keeper of the millennium items, whose bloodline has guarded the tombs of egypt for 3000 years. recognizing yugi as his rival, he puts him to the test to see who is the true king of games. great book its rated t for teen but i think 11 and older can read this has nasty stuff violence and and some bad language.

i love it
yeah i just finished reading the 5 grapic novels it was so awesome im a girl and im 11 yes this book has violence in it yami is funny with is evilness heh heh anyways i just got these books and finished them up i think 10 and older can read this it has nasty things in it bad words and violence anyways this book is about yugi jonouchi and anzu have made it to the top of kaibas death-t the theme park of death designed to kill anyone who enters! now standing between them and escape are the two kaiba brothers, heirs of the biggest game empire in japan! insanely determined to beat yugi, seto kaiba has spent years and millions of dollars building the greatest duel monsters deck ever with the three rarest cardson earth the legendary blue eyes white dragon! armed with is grandfathers hand me down deck yugi fights for his grandfather his friends and most of all for revenge but will faith and good cardplayng be enough. the name for tea is anzu mazaki joey katsuya jonouchi tristain hiroto honda yugi kaiba mokuba are the same and grampa modou sugoroku moguo well i hope this review is helpful all that want to buy the graphic novels. oh and i can believe kazuki takahashi put a nasty baby thats not even 2 that can talk i felt like kicking its ass if not i hope hiroto would do it or yugi its sick thats why i mark this book half a star now its 4 and half star book but its still good so get it its truly better then the animated series i didn`t think so but now that i read it yes ... Read more

Book Description

Japanese-American track-and-field star Mizuki is transferring to a high school in Japan...but not just any high school! To be close to her idol, high jumper Izumi Sano, she's going to an all-guys' high school...and disguising herself as a boy! But as fate would have it, they're more than classmates...they're roommates! Now, Mizuki must keep her secret in the classroom, the locker room, and her own bedroom. And her classmates, and the weird school nurse, must react to the new transfer student who looks like a very pretty boy... ... Read more

Reviews (13)

This is an absolute must if you love manga.
I love this series a long with Pyschic Academy, I.N.V.U, Othello, and PhD:Phantasy Degree.

This book is great. The first two basically deal with the beginning of people finiding out that Mizuki is a girl. Having her brother, Shizuki, sen her that dress didn't help her at all, and when her brother came in the 2nd book, it didn't help her much over all. before you totally hate Shizuki, he juat tries to do what he thinks is best for his little sister.

Izumi Sano is getting back into high jumping with Mizuki cheering him on.

The funny parts are where Nakatsu {sp?) questions if he is gay, but he isn't.....I think. The cold blood Nakao is actually gay and Nakao and Mizuki become good friends all of a sudden in the second book after she finsds out he likes Nanba. You have to love the doctor and how he and Shizuki fight. Just don't panic like Muzuki when he starts to strip.

Sweet and Adorable
Hana-Kimi is one of my favorite manga, because when true love called, our heroine Mizuki answered the call.She's strong and determined, and also very intelligent.It's refreshing to see a love story in which the characters are well defined, and you won't be asking "Who's he again?" or "Where did he come from?"I bought this book by accident, on a manga-buying-spree, and thought I might as well read it before giving it to a friend.However, after the first chapter, I decided to keep it.I highly recommend this to any reader.

OMYGOD OMG OMG OMG OMG!!! OH MY GOD!!!
THIS IS LIKE THE BEST (well, first) MANGA SERIES IVE READ!!!!! OH MY GODDY GOD GOD!!! I LOVE IT!! IT IS SO GOOD!! IVE READ VOL. 1 - 6 AND CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT (7TH) TO COME OUT!! IM SO EXCITED!! THE 6TH HAD A CLIFF HANGER ENDING AND I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL JUNE TO GET THE NEXT!! JUNE!! CAN YOU BELEIVE IT?? JUNE!!

ok, enough of my babbling:
this book is about (as youve probably read above) that a girl named mizuki sees a high jumper athlete and falls in LOVE with him. so she travels across the world from california to japan. so when they finally meet its a bit different then you might think. shes in drag. its not what your thinking. you see, sano (the athlete) goes to an all guys school and the only way (mizuki thinks) to be by sano's side is to hide her true gender.

so with many surprises and unforgettable characters you will not be able to put this book down!! hopefully you will be able to stop reading it in the middle of class, unlike me!

hopefully i will be able to live another (:'( cry) 2 (:'( cry) months until the next one comes out!!

It sure as hell got me hooked
I was never much into manga a few months ago.One fateful afternoon, though, I was bored in class and lo and behold, a casual friend of mine let me read one of his mangas.It happened to be the one I'm reviewing.And the addiction begins.Right after school I rushed and picked up a copy of this.

I used to be one of the people who'd kind of look down on manga - the expressions were funny, the dialogue was kind of hokey.My entire perspective of it changed once I started reading "Hana Kimi."The plotline is gold - a girl tries to hide her sex while attending an all boys school and swooning over her high jumping hero.The characters are eclectic and their personalities are strong, making you soon love and hate certain characters right at their introduction.The art is brilliant too; in a later volume, Mizuki's expression when she discovers accidently crawling into bed with Sano is CLASSIC.

This is a great beginning to a great series.There are currently only 4 volumes out in English, so you can catch up quickly.The plotlines don't weaken, I promise.It only gets better as the story continues!

Read this book!
I started this book because one of my friends had it. She let me borrow it and volume two. Now I am hooked! Mizuki's cross dressing creates hilarious situations that will entice many types of reader. Once you get the hang of reading it "backwards", it can bring much hilarity to your evening. The doctor is just great, Sano is awesome(every time he rips down a paper I cheer!), Nanba is wonderful eye-candy, and Nakatsu's mixed emotions make for a wonderful time reading this. ... Read more

Book Description

The Call of Chaos is a packed collection of the best comic strips reflecting the never-ending war against the Dark Powers.From the revenge driven Empire soldiers thrust into the cauldron of battle, to the brave citizens of a beleaguered hamlet facing something from beyond their wildest nightmares, the central theme of all these stories is man's defiance in the face of the utmost evil ... Read more

Book Description

Naoto Saki is a typical young boy. He gets average grades in school, and nothing about him really stands out. His favorite thing to do is sleep - which doesn't exactly endear him to his teachers when he dozes off in class. Whenever he falls asleep, Naoto dreams of the same fantasy world. Then one day, Naoto gets magically summoned into the very world he had once only seen in dreams! All at once, he's caught up in a battle between the powerful beings called Elphis, and a group of human-like beings called the Sand Dusts. For Naoto, this desert world of Orgos is no longer a dream-he can feel pain here, and possibly even die. He decides he'd rather not risk his life, and would like nothing more than to return home. But the pretty sorceress who summoned him in the first place has other plans for him ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Baron the Cat Baron
This is the third volume in a somewhat-related series of acclaimed manga by Hiiragi Aoi, starting with"Mimi o Sumaseba" (English title: "Whispers of the Heart"), followed by "Shiawase na Jikan" (English title: "Happy Time) and now "Neko no Danshaku, Baron" (Literal translation "Baron the Cat Baron.")Whereas the first two books tell the coming-of-age love story between two Jr. High School students, Shizuku and Seiji, this third book makes a radical departure to a fantasy world, the home of Baron the Cat Baron, who is no more than a doll (although an important one!) in the first volumes.

In this story, a shy young girl named Haru ("Spring") is having a rough day; late to school, stepping in puddles and embarrassing herself in front of the boy she has a crush on. After this wretched day, she saves a cat from being hit by a car, using her lacrosse racket, which is broken in the rescue. Much to her shock and surprise, the earring-wearing cat then stands up, bows, and thanks her for her assistance.A sequence of cat-related incidents follow, until finally Haru follows the massively fat kitty Muta (returning from "Whispers of the Heat") into the home of Baron, a suave, adventuring cat of sophistication and style.

Baron's house leads to a Cat World, where Haru is quickly kidnapped to become the bride of the Cat Prince whom she saved.However, for this to work Haru must be transformed into a cat herself, a proposition which she does not like at all.Appealing to the Baron and Muta, Haru attempts to escape the Cat World and find her way back home.

"Baron: The Cat Returns" is a charming story in the Alice in Wonderland mode, with Haru very much the stranger in a strange land.Baron is a dashing character, a tuxedo-wearing swordfighter who is always willing to help a lady in distress.Muta is a perfect sidekick, rough and ready to scrap with anyone. A great comic for kids, it is a straight-forward fantasy adventure with enough surprises and delights to keep entertaining.

Two of Hiiragi Aoi's manga in this series, "Whispers of the Heart" and "The Cat Returns," were adapted into animated films by Japan's most renowned animators at Studio Ghibli. Although "Baron: The Cat Returns" is the third in the series, due to its nature it can be read alone without any previous knowledge of the preceding books. ... Read more

Book Description

It's armored action at its best as Iron Man faces Ultimo; the Mandarin; the Titanium Man, the ever-popular communist menace; and more! Guest-starring S.H.I.E.L.D., the Sub-Mariner and the Hulk! Includes the first run of Iron Man's solo series! Collecting Tales of Suspense #73-99, Tales to Astonish #82, Iron Man & Sub-Mariner #1 and Iron Man #1-11. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Classic Iron Man....'nuff Said!
While some people may knock the Essentials series for many things, including lack of color and cheap paper, I find that the compact form and cheap price far outweighs any of those points. In fact, the stories in these comics and the portable, read anywhere, form of this book are excellent for us folks who just want to read (or re-read) the tales of our beloved Marvel Heroes. The stories in this book begin simple, but evolve quickly, forming the psyche of the tormented Tony Stark and, eventually, Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan. Without a doubt a classic character, this is the perfect way (apart from tracking down the original comics) to enjoy Iron Man!

Iron Man, Iron Man, Does it All in an Iron Can!
Marvel Comics in the 60s managed to distinguish itself from the rest of the comics pack with topical stories drenched in pathos. No Superman in the Marvel Bullpen---the Marvel superheroes always had a touch of human frailty to them.

Iron Man is a good example of this. Tony Stark was a weapons inventor who was mortally wounded in Vietnam. When forced to use his last dying days preparing a weapon for his Vietcong captors, Stark turns the tables on his foes by creating a powerful suit of armor, equal parts life support system for his wounded heart and weapon against evil.

The ensuing tales capture that ol' time Marvel magic and introduce unforgettable characters which still resonate today: the Crimson Dynamo, Titanium Man, the Mandarin. Marvel in this early period had a number of WWII and Korea vets among its writing staff unafraid to take sides in the Cold War---if you have a Che Guevara poster in your bedroom, you're unlikely to enjoy these stories. Those of us on the victorious side of this conflict, however, will relish them.

Secure your copy of this terrific collection today.

inaugural appearance of Iron Man; collectible; in cheap B&W
"Essential Iron man vol. 1" TP are written & drawn by Stan Lee & Don Heck respectively. This B&W newsprint, 528 page tome comprises of primordial comic issues originally culled from Tales of Suspense # 39-72. This earliest issues mostly compose of 13-page story, sometimes l8 pages. During that era, Stan Lee had a whirlwind of a hectic workload, he had no other alternative but had to relegate the scripting chores to his auxiliary, Robert Berstein. Mr.Berstein scripted virtually all issues from #39-46, issue #39 was scripted by Larry Lieber, Stan Lee's brother. Stan Lee however, continued his plotting in those issues. He presided, writing & plotting both, starting with issue # 47 onward to forth.

In 1962, Stan Lee, the eminent creator & writer of virtually all Marvel superheroes, conceived Iron man as a new breed of hero. There was a discernible void for rich, businessman & socialite type of a character donning the ensemble of a superhero. In lieu of his theory, Stan Lee single-mindedly molded his stories heavily political in flavor. Political as in akin to the lead ways of life, the people encircling him, & his set of cohorts & adversaries analogous to Iron man proper yarns. Therefore,Iron Man was born into this world, as well as his alter-ego Tony Stark.

As stated, the hub of these stories are sheer political in nature. Akin to political, as stories here are rife with spys, counter spys, spy rings, communist & communism, socialist, reds & chineses, POWs, sabotage, contractual supplying of modern armaments to federal government, government factions & VIPs. Secondarily but just as important, these stories were in conjunction to business/commerce setting, & they were pertinent to Tony's work-- his factory, his contractual weaponry business , with himself as being a consequential personage to federal government officials & other VIPs, & with himself being an inventor & innovator of advanced armaments & paraphernalias. These compilations are generally above average in qualities, although a minimal few are weaker than it sould be. The ensuings are my viewpoints.

Tales of suspense #39. A historical milestone. It featured the maiden appearance & as well chronicling the authoritative origin story of both Tony Stark & Iron man. Also notable, was the introduction of his forerunner Iron man armour & Professor Yinsen, a significant character in Iron man annals.

Tales of suspense #45. First appearances of both Pepper Potts & Happy Hogan, two of the most invaluable supporting characters to Iron man saga.

Issue # 46 & 52. The introduction of Crimson Dynamo. The Reds sent Crimson Dynamo by sabotaging & derailing Tony's factory operation. They deduced Tony was the main culprit why they lagging behind in arm race to America.Both their earliest confrontations were memorable & classical. Crimson Dynamo, through the years, duly became acknowledge as the antithesis to Iron Man technology & his harness.

Issue #48. Unfurled Iron man's "Silver Age", famous V-shaped facial plate mask for the first time. This prototypic armor was very popular with readers during those era, as well as for today's generations. To specify his armour made-over throughout,issue #39, the inaugural of Iron man & his silver-colored & massive armor. In issue #40, he re-colored from silver to gold-colored to be less daunting & be more receptive to people, as was he said.Then in issue #54, he further modified his V-shaped face mask to be more contemporary-looking, more like the present.

To run-down other memorable stories. Issue # 50, featuring the inauguration of Iron man's perennial nemesis, the Mandarin.This issue also marked a new Pepper Potts metamorphosing to a more gorgeous-looking appearance. Issue #52, momentously launched the first appearance of the Black Widow. Issue #57 bowed to the public for the first time as well--Hawkeye. Issue #58 featured a one-on-one match between Iron man & Capt. America. Beginning issue #69-71, this 3-part arc introduced us to the Titanium man. This impressive storyarc was the book best story & the highest point. The communist Titanium man challenged Iron man to a mano-o-mano, in front of the people. The story, in no time,jumpstarted to a cumulations of exciting moments, rapid-fire actions, high suspense & tension & drama.

Anthony "Tony" Stark, alias Iron Man is a rich, handsome, glamorous playboy & a sophisticate. What wooed Tony Stark to the readers,us, despite his upscale status, is his character. Tony is an extremely down-to-earth person. He easily relate well with all kinds of people without hindrances. This statement can be substantiated, without a doubt, moreso truer, pertaining to his close friendship with both Pepper Potts & Happy Hogan, two of the integral supporting characters complementing by interposing with Tony Stark, the honcho of this title.

Readers also easily symphatize with Tony because of his apparent frailties & foibles. Tony by neccesity, entailed him to endlessly don a harness like an interior clothe in his lifetime, as a device to keep his heart beating normally & to allay his shrapnel-pierced heart. Because of his plight, he frequently, more than a few fleeting turns, saw & escaped demise both in & out of his armour. Just for once,to negligently amiss to re-charge his synthetic life-saving suit with electricity can cause him to lose his dear life. None are moreso truer, when Tony as Iron Man in action suddenly feel the need to re-charge but failed to realize, because he still in the thick of incendiary. This is another reason why Tony refrains committing amorous relationship with girls, because he is widely-concious he is living his life in a borrowed time.

Overall, these precursory of stories are all memorable, cherished, invaluable & historically significant. Stan Lee & Don Heck should be accorded with proper commendation & plaudit for their endeavor with this title, that shall transcend beyond the space of time for generation to generation to come. Long-time readers like me, can still joyfully evoke memories once again, with these legendary stories presented in this title, as well a good recommendation book for forthcoming readers alike, who will for the first time try to unravel who-is-the-iron man mythic.

An astounding book to buy & add to your collections.

Highly recommendation !

Books like this make children stupid
Iron Man keeps talking about his 'transistor-powered' armor. Transistors are not a power source!

The whole thing is silly. Tony Stark makes a living designing missiles for the United States government. Then he goes off as Iron Man and encounters villains who use things like time-travel and sorcery. Wouldn't it occur to him that with these sorts of villains running around, missiles are somewhat obsolete?

Billionaire Tony Stark first becomes the Invincible Iron Man
When the Marvel universe exploded and there were suddenly multiple Spider-Man titles and countless comic books devoted to mutants of one sort or the other, I gave up reading dozens of Marvel comic books each month and just kept up with two titles: "Daredevil" and "Iron Man." The latter selection was pretty ironic because I had ignored Iron Man for years. Outside of the story of his origin, I never read very many of these early stories from "Tales of Suspense," issues #39-72, collected in "The Essential Iron Man, Volume 1." In fact, if I picked up an issue of "Tales of Suspense" in the Sixties, it was to see what Captain America, the other half of the title before each was given its own title, was up to.

My problem was never with the character. I thought the idea of inventor Tony Stark coming up with and continually upgrading and specializing his Iron Man armor was a pretty good premise. The whole rich playboy bit was nothing special (the tradition goes back to Bruce Wayne/Batman and Britt Reid/The Green Hornet), and it was not until Stark became an alcoholic that his normal side became really interesting. I also though the weak heart bit was rather unnecessary, except that it provided an unnecessary rationale for why Stark did not let some healthier and heavily insured younger guy do the death defying heroics.

My problem was that I never really liked Don Heck as an artist. He was competent enough, but when the competition is Jack Kirby, Gene Colan, John Romita, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, it is hard to hold up to artistic comparisons month after month. Heck does most of the pencils in these "Tales of Suspense" stories, although Kirby does several issues as does Steve Ditko (with Heck usually doing the inking in those instances). For that matter, Stan Lee often does just the plot for these comics, leaving the actually scripting to others (including younger brother Larry Leiber).

A lot of these early stories put Iron Man in a Cold War context, which made him rather unique as a Marvel superhero. Iron Man first appears after Tony Stark is captured in Vietnam and his early villains include the Red Barbarian, a top Red general, the Crimson Dynamo, his Soviet counterpart, and the Mandarin, who is apolitical but lives in Red China. But you will also find American villains, such as the Melter (an obvious threat to a guy in armor) and even an early villain called Dr. Strange, who is not to be confused with the Master of the Mystic Arts. Meanwhile, Tony Stark, his best friend and loyal associate Happy Hogan, and the beautiful Virginia "Pepper" Potts, are getting more and more entangled in their own little unrequited love triangle.

Another thing I did not like about these early comics has to do with the 10-page stories we had to put up with for Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk, the Sub-Mariner, Ant-Man, Dr. Strange, and Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., during the Sixties. Actually, until issue #58, we were getting 13-page stories or longer for Iron Man until Captain America showed up for good (the two actually fight each other in that issue before sharing the magazine officially in the next issue). It is not surprising that the early, longer stories are better. But it was not until Happy and Pepper married and got out of the picture, the major subplots had to do with the business problems of Stark International, and Iron Man got his own comic book, that this title reached its heyday. Hopefully we will get beyond a Volume 2 with "Iron Man" so you can see this is indeed the case. ... Read more

Book Description

After a night of gambling, Kenshin and Sanosuke return with an unexpected prize - a woman. Beautiful and mysterious, Takani Megumi, the daughter of a famous family of physicians, has unwittingly been participating in the production of a super-powerful, super-profitable form of opium. Hot on her trail is shady industrialist Kanryu, and Sanosuke may not be her best protector after the death of one of his friends from an opium overdose. But Kenshin has looked into her eyes and seen her sadness. He knows he must act - but will he be able to save her from the wrath of Kanryu, or for that matter, from Sanosuke? ... Read more

Reviews (36)

The greatest story ever!
Rurouni Kenshin is great a series that really grows over time and becomes incredible in a few more volumes. I've read all 28 of the fan translated volumes and can't wait to buy the rest of the volumes as they're released by Viz. I have to wait for so long!! Vol 1-6 = Tokyo Arc, this is where the introductions of main characters are made. It sets the stage for a much bigger picture. Vol 7-17 = Kyoto Arc, the arc that made the anime series so popular. It's a great arc with an amazing story and great fights, and you just can't put it down. It also has much character development, and you love Kenshin and his group all the better. The saga is so well planned out that it's perfect. Vol 18-28 (end) = Jinchu(Revenge arc, human judgement) arc, just when you think Kenshin will settle down, the story gets better! We finally learn about Kenshin's famous scar and his past. People from Kenshin's past are back to haunt him and carry out their long-awaited revenge. This saga is the best of the series and was unfortunately never animated except in an OVA, which only showed how Kenshin got his scar. In the manga this is the end of vol. 19, all of 20, and the first few chapters of 21. Kenshin's past is a true tragedy, but he finally finds his answers in this arc. I can't believe that they left this incredible story unanimated. The TV series had nothing to do with the manga story after episode 62, and the OVA is dramatically different from the manga also.
Anyway, Kenshin really grows in art and storytelling throughout the series and never gets weak nor drags like the TV series after the legend of Kyoto.
It's the best series ever! You have to read it to experience all the humor, drama, fighting, and romance. It just grows on you!

The world of manga just got better!
Manga is a thing that never ceases to amaze me. There are dozens of truly wonderful books out there just waiting for a future obsessed fan to find them! I've read tons and tons of manga, but Rurouni Kenshen really is a breath of fresh air.
The story of the traveling swordsman always interested me. They always would talk about kenshin in my magazine, shonen jump, so I figured that would be the new manga they were going to add in. I was SOO mad when I found out that they had chose hikaru no go instead of kenshin. Why they did a stupid thing like that, I'll never know. What's inportant tho is that I read Rurouni kenshin today, and it was to DIE for!!!
Now, I've never seen the anime myself, but i know it never could have lived up to the manga. It's amazing that it was so good in the very first novel, most of the time the first of something is just kinda good and gets better from there, but kenshin is soo good!!
The story is really interesting. Finally there's a hero with a secret that you actually know about, none of that "mysterious" crap, which is good sometimes but mostly is just plain frustrating! You just totally fall in love with Kenshin on the first page. He's a true walking contradiction in every way. He's a swordsman who is polite, gentle, and just plain clueless at times! Not to mention he practically looks like a teenager when in fact he's 28 years old. His little quirks are delightfull from his cute facial expressions to his adorable little "oro?". I just love absolutly everything about Kenshin!!
It's soo great to see that even after all the series I've read from practically every genre, there are still awesome series out there like Rurouni Kenshin. Tho I think it's pretty obvious that there IS no series quite like Kenshin, it's great in every single way!!

Impossible to resist!
Seriously, how can anyone not like Rurouni Kenshin? I mean, it's got something for everyone-romance, comedy, action, history-what's not to like? The plot of these books is extremaly interesting, you never get bored and I am DYING to get the next one as soon as it comes out!
This series is about the swordsman Himura Kenshin, formerly known as Hitokiri Battosai (Battosai the Manslayer) As a hired assasin, he helped bring about the Meiji age and end the Bakumastu. Now, however, he uses no sword but a sakabatou (reverse blade) that can't kill anyone. He took to living as a rurouni (wanderer) but all that changed as he was confronted one day by Kamiya Kaoru, female instructor of Kamiya Kashin-ryu. Want to know what happens? You'll need a lot of commitment and a lot of money to find out, because the only downside to this series is that the whole story totals into a whopping 28 books! But if you're going to get into manga at all, this is definately a series worth buying!

Impossible to put down!
Seriously, how can anyone not like Rurouni Kenshin? I mean, it's got something for everyone-romance, comedy, action, history- what's not to like? The plot of these books is extremaly interesting, you never get bored and I am DYING to get the next one as soon as it comes out. Totally addictible and kicks the butt of second-rate action manga like Yu-gi-oh, Dragonball, and Yu-yu-hakusho!

GREAT BOOK!!!!!!!!!
This is one of my favorite graphic novels. This book starts off when Kaoru meets Kenshin, thinking he had murdered at will, considering that he has a sword. So, the story goes on introducing the rest of the gang. This is a great book for anyone who is intrested in Japanese history(note:this book is based on a true event that had happened in Japan, even the character Kenshin is based on a real man that had lived!!). Even though it might have some words that are unknown here in this country, most of them are in the mini glossery in the back of this book. So buy this book, you'll regret it!
C U SOON!^-^ ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Some nice art, mediocre stories
The artwork is an improvement on the earlier volumes. The stories are action/plot oriented; some character development. A standout scene occurs near the end of "Dracula," which shows intensity that is lacking in some of the other stories, acting like a point of culmination, when tension is pushed to near breaking.

The stories are not as complex and well-developed as vol. 3, in my opinion. But unlike the popular vote around here, I did actually enjoy the premise of "Dark Horse," not for the plot or character interaction, but merely for the concept of bloodlines and acquired traits and the twist at the end. It's not particularly noteworthy otherwise, but it's clever. (Only because I study genetics and biology do I find it interesting.)

I've enjoyed the other volumes (1-3), and 4 has its moments, but the stories lack the greater depth and complexity found in 1-3. Worth the price if you're wanting to collect the entire series. But it might be worth waiting for a revised edition without the typos found in this edition.

Count D rules!
I love Petshop of Horrors. But compared to the previous 3, this book is kind of feels like an intermission rather than a continuation of the story. "Digital" was a little sad, but not as tragic as "Delicious"; "Flowers and the Detective Pt.1" was a wonderful interlude that gives proof that Count D has precognitive powers; "Dark Horse" was kinda lackluster, but its not as bad as people say. I thought Count D and Leon were hilarious at the race track (escpecially how Count D does a "Yoink!" on Leon's ticket from his jacket!); "Flowers and the Detective Pt.2" was one wierd acid trip on Leon's part, too bad we didn't get to see his "next morning" reaction as Count D hinted. I loved the part where Leon was feeding Pon-chan (D's tanuki/magic raccoon)! ; "Dracula" was great, especially when the vampire first shows up and molests Count D and Leon walks in on them ^_^ And their next encounter was funny too!
On a final note, I hate it when people call D a crossdresser. Fact: Formal cheongsam for men are long-sleeved while the ones for women are either short-sleeved or no sleeves at all. But Count D prefers flowery prints-type of fabrics instead of the more solid colors of traditinal male chengsam, so I guess D is "fruity," but crossdresser? Nah. And oh, "Dark Horse" might make Count D seem like he dabbles in "bestiality" (I.e. getting googly eyed about a horse's perfect rump), but in truth, he just really likes pretty things in contrast to Leon's more "sexual" attractions.

There are other volumes that stand out in my mind...
This is PSoH, so I can't say that I *didn't* like this book.
But I can't say I really liked it either.

It's unfortunate that this volume was such a let down. After being positively thrilled by volume 3, I was anxious to see what would happen next. Unfortunately I was treated to some rather empty and--heaven forbid--boring stories. "Dracula" was probably the best, and the "Flowers & The Detective Pt.1" was mildly entertaining. All the stories seemed rather underdeveloped or rushed, and really didn't do much for the continuity of the story.
Another nag I had with this volume was the constant punctuation mistakes in the sub-texts (and since there's lots of subtext, this is very noticiable). Hopefully TokyoPop will reissue this volume later with corrections.

If you're new to PSoH, pleeease don't base your opinion of the series on this book. Check out one of the previous volumes and come back to this one when you simply need more of Leon and Count D ~_^.

Count D/Leon forever!
Dracula was pretty cool, but Dark Horse seemed pointless. I couldn't really care any LESS about bloodlines (no offense to those who do)...

I really didn't get the point of the second plant one (though the first one was alright. I suppose we see that Count D has a huge effect on Leon).

Digital was great, especially when Leon...nevermind. =D But when Leon uses the line "What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?", I was laughing my butt off ranting how "Leon and Count D belong together". The people sharing my hotel room stayed far away from me.

All-in-all, I'm glad it's in my collection, but I'll never read Dark Horse and the 2nd plant chapter again.

a few bobbles, but overall very enjoyable
I agree with chiisuchi that the Dark Horse episode was a bit of a puzzler, but I found it fun nevertheless. I was far more confused by "Flowers and the Detective Part 2." I also had some issues with some of the translation, but I've come to expect that with anything Tokyopop does. Nevertheless, I had been waiting for this volume for months, and I enjoyed every second of reading it. D and Leon continue to have a wonderfully suggestive relationship, and the whole thing is tons of heebiejeebie-inducing fun. I think this manga (and the too-brief anime series) is really underappreciated. Tokyopop says there shouldn't be such a long wait for volume 5 -- thank goodness!! ... Read more

Book Description

When Peruvian terrorists abduct Count D and Detective Orcot, they find themselves bound, gagged and held at gunpoint deep in the jungles of South America. With one chance at survival, Leon has no choice but to put his faith in Count D-- and as usual, Count D and his exotic pets have a way of changing a person's life for better or worse. Whether it's a boy's pet that delivers a Christmas surprise or a pet that provides a struggling musician with some off-key inspiration, you can be sure that the count's magic comes with a price. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Pretty good manga
I have now read both books. It wasn't so clear in the first book thought, but this series main theme is certainly the nature. I think it's rather strange that every comment and review I have read classifies this title as a horror manga.

Art wasn't my favorite and stories would have been little bit deeper, but this manga is still very enjoyable to read. Characters are very loveable and it's good to see a manga with a theme like this sometimes. ^^

It has captured me and refuses to let go...
Not that I want to be let go of course :) This manga drew me in from the very start of the first volume and has only continued to do so in this one as well. Covering the fascinating stories of Dragon, Dice, Delicious, and Destruction, this manga is one you'll have a hard time putting it down till you read it from cover to cover and even then it will pull you back for more (I've already read it at least twice).
I'll admit this manga does have some bloody portions as well as creepy parts (it does have the word horror in its title for a reason), but even if you are the overly sensitive type you should have no problem overlooking these. The story and the art are the main focus here, and Matsuri Akino has a wonderfully beautiful, yet mysterious way, of portraying both. You can't help but tingle in dreaded excitement as some of the more unlucky owners' fates unfold. The tales are sometimes heartwarming (such as in Dice), and yet sometimes there is a illfated case where you feel as if some type of justice has been served (such as in Delicious). It's hard to boil the stories down like this, as they are all such a wonderful mix. There's even some comedy thrown in (such as the conversations between Leon and Count D).
Plus where else can you see so many mythical creatures being interwoven into a story so smoothly? :) All in all it's a must read.

Terribly exciting!
My little sis kept bribing me to read some trigun and that sort, but I read about one small manga and thought, 'this has no real story plot'... i am known to be a biased person, and yesterday i was in florida with my friend on spring break and we went to the mall. well, it was quite early because we had to catch a flight that afternoon and wed never been there before. nothing was open but the bookstore. well, we went in and i was looking through the graphic novels for my little sister and i found these PSoH books that grabbed my attention. being an old good charlotte fan, i thought that the instant that i picked up this books that the man on the cover, soon discovered to be the notorious 'count d' looked alot like good charlotte bass player billy martin, who i have been nuts over for as long as i can remember... so beautiful, but off topic. so, i read the back and bought it out of sheer curiosity to read on the plane and give to my little sister later. so we went to the airport and got to our terminal a lot earlier than expected and i decided to pull out the book, ten minutes till flight. well, i finished PSoH before my flight and was so excited about telling my little sister to get more! instead of ever giving my little sis a chance to read it, i read it over and over and over, all day yesterday and tonight, i went to the local Borders and bought all the ones i could find to read! so these books are A++++ and i reccomend them to anyone, fun-filled, gory, and beautiful artwork. keep up the good work!

A wonderfully diverse manga
I can say that I'm biased from the get-go because PSoH is my second-favorite manga of all time. BUT, this is not without foundation. PSoH is the *only* manga that I've found that can suck in anybody of all ages (not that manga isn't appealing to all ages), including the most difficult subject of all: my mother.
That said, there is something about the characters, the emotions, and the mysterious storyline that makes PSoH one of those manga you simply must buy. Each story, while possible to stand on its own, is also part of a much larger plotline and all have little hidden clues within that merit multiple reads. This particular volume I have read about four times, and it doesn't get old. The art, in my opinion, is exquisite, and as said in one of the other reviews, it only gets better as the series progresses. This is true in any manga you find (Oh My Goddess! comes to mind). If only they would print the forepages in color as they were originally in the digest run!

This issue in particular is very very well-written and entertaining. Worth the cover price and more. ^_^

my favorite of all the volumes so far.
Okay, first a disclaimer: I'm not a die-hard manga or anime fan. I own a few volumes of CLAMP stuff, but I've never really gotten into the whole genre. So I'm no expert.

Having said that, I am absolutely crazy about this series. It's true that the art isn't the best -- yet. It improves drastically as the series goes on, and by volume 10 (not yet released in English) it just blows me away. But as of volume 2 it's still pretty darn good, so don't let that deter you.

The real reason to buy this manga, as far as I'm concerned, is the characters. Where else are you going to run across a character like Count D? Where else are you going to find such a great foil for him as Leon Orcot? The chemistry between them is beautiful, and this particular volume contains two of my very favorite episodes in the whole manga: "Dragon," at the beginning, and the eco-conscious "Destruction" at the end. Wonderful stuff. My highest recommendation. I can't wait until volume 5's release! ... Read more

Book Description

The school year is coming to a close, and that means one thing: final exams! Ai is pretty confident about the academic part, but as for the psychic tests, let's just say his head is spinning. And to make matters worse, some of the envious students are setting out to make sure Ai's first year at the Psychic Academy is his last. Attendance is definitely required for this next volume of Psychic Academy. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Miroku
I recommend this book very highly, it is hilarious and has a good storyline!

phychic academy
This book is funny and dramatic I would recomend it to teens ... Read more

Book Description

When Sara¹s classmate, Ruri, received a computer disk from a strange man, Setsuna shows up to whisk her away from him. After lecturing Ruri about talking to weirdos, Setsuna comments she¹s much cuter without glasses, which she dropped in the confusion. Unfortunately, neither of them have been watching the news which reports of mysterious deaths occurring in connection with the CD-ROM "Digital Angels." The disk Ruri received is this same "Digital Angels" disk, and without knowing the danger, Setsuna lets her keep it. As soon as Ruri uses the program, her personality starts to change, and strange things begin to happen as Evils and angels seek the Setsuna¹s soul for their own mysterious motives.... ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Stunning
Yes, this book is for mature audiences (incest, sex, death) but it is without question one of the best manga that I have ever read. No joke.

Words are not enough.
Kaori Yuki is the greatest storyteller in the world.

My friend once exclaimed, 'She's like Shakespeare with pictures!'

Angel Sanctuary is arguably her masterwork. There are so many fine points of its beauty that I cannot possibly expound on them here. Every nuance, every symbol, every character in it serves a purpose. The opening and ending of every existing arc is run through with a thread of incalculable poetry.

That said, the delicate-minded and morally-bound should stay far away. Kaori is not afraid of anything - themes explored in her stories include incest, pedophilia, necrophilia, rape, ressurection, multiple personalities, child abuse, suicide, forbidden love, prostitution, serial murders, the nature of sin, the nature of God, and the nature of humanity. Angel Sanctuary boasts lustful angels, androgynous demons, a psychotic God, and an aborted baby with tentacles who resides in a stuffed bunny rabbit. [No, I am not kidding.] And yet, somehow, it all works.

As for everyone with an open mind - run, do not walk, to the closest bookstore and stuff your pockets with volumes of this comic. You can thank me later.

THE most meaningful manga I've read to date
I remember being completely awstruck and speechless after finishing the end of this series at volume 20. No detail is irrelevant to kaori yuki as she manages to draw on all the loose strings to tie together a well supported argument which isn't completely unveiled until volume 20. Following in her trend of using biblical references (her previous work Count Cain revolved around many interesting biblical images), Angel Sanctuary takes it another step to actually make a statement on not only our current society, but the modern (or perhaps not so modern) take on morality as well. If you're in search for manga that's actually intellectually stimulating, I would definitely recommend Angel Sanctuary. It reads like a well-written novel with the additional plus of gorgeous artwork/character design (although necessarily bloody at parts <--- no, it's not just random gore, those scenes do exist for certain reasons that go towards her overall purpose) I would even recommend it if you're simply looking for a interesting storyline. After volume 4 or so, I found myself completely addicted to the complexity of the storyline to the point of being completely stunned. Although I didn't feel a particularly strong attachment to either main character, I did grow to love most of the side characters (kira is quite a bish ^_-). Also, many parts of the storyline made me emotional to the point of tears due to the poignant method in which she reveals certain plot sequences. There is no manga I would recomment more than Angel Sanctuary!!

Warning: Extremely addicting!
I was just looking for some new manga series to read and I happened to pick up Angel Sanctuary.I was hooked immeditely.Normally, the story line would only be mediocre for me but Kaori Yuki somehow makes this manga impossible to put down.Among some of the characters are:

Setsuna Mundo, our hero, who is not exactly an average teenager.He often picks fights and says whatever is on his mind at the moment.For some reason, the sight of blood makes him drowsy and dizzy as a proctection against killing anyone.He happens to be in love with his younger sister.

Sayuki Kira (personally my favorite character because volumes 2 and 3), a delinquet who acts as an older brother character to Setsuna.There's something very strange about him.

Sara Mundo, Setsuna's younger sister who has a thing for her older brother.

Ruri, Sara's classmate who is pulled into an evil scheme concerning the Setsuna and an angel.

Lord Rosiel, the highest ranking angel in heaven who has gone slightly mad after being locked away for years by his older twin sister after they fought a battle years and years ago.He wishes to awaken his sister to kill her once and for all but he has other motivates which are somewhat unclear at first.

Alexiel, Rosiel's twin sister of whom Setsuna is a reincarnation of.She refuses to be rewoken very easily.

Kurai, a PRINCESS (I thought she was male at first) of hell, who seeks to reawaken Alexiel because Alexiel saved her life many years ago.

Arachne, a transvestite, who is Kurai's cousin and flirty sidekick.(He is another one of my favorite characters.)

The story revolves around Setsuna who is visted by the two evils (Kurai and Arachne) and told that he is Alexiel.He is, of course, more concerned with his sister and trying to stop loving her, but soon events start happening that are out of his control.

I've only read up to number three so far but I can't wait to get the next one.This has already become my favorite manga in a matter of days (it has just beat FAKE).But be warned, once you start reading, you won't be able to stop.

Devils, Angels and humans...
Setsuma is mixed up.He wants to be noble, but he gets into fights, refuses to respect authority, and has incestuous feelings for his sister.Could it be he holds the soul of a Angel who once fought heaven?Will he end up the target of both the Demons and Angels as his past life and his present sins catch up with him?
Good artwork, twisted plot, adult themes.Very much for older teens. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

W Juliet is Hilarious!
I love this series.
Although I would like to note that the above description of the item, released by the publsiher, was mistakenly attached to W JUliet, that description is for Cheeky Angel.
W Juliet is about two martial artists, a boy and a girl, who often cross dress. One because she looks like a boy and the other because he wants to be an actor and his father struck a deal with him. If he could pass for a girl and not be discovered until after graduation in high school then He could go on to be an actor and his sisters can be the ones to inherit the dojo. ... Read more

Book Description

Ryoma Echizen just joined the Seishun Gakuen Middle School tennis team, which is known for being one of the most competitive teams in Japan. Ryoma has proven his skills by winning four straight American junior tournament titles. With his skills, Ryoma challenges a rule of Seishun Gakuen that freshmen don't represent the team to play in tournaments until summer. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Addicted!
I have just come home and read the Prince of Tennis and am still on a high from the story. I skirted around getting it for awhile before my curiosity got to me. Ryoma is a great character, perhaps reminding me a tinsy bit of Akito Hayama fromm Kodocha but with more spunk, fight, and occasional humor. Fairly serious, unresponsive, and blunt nature but with so much more to him. I find him an endearing main character and enjoy every match he wins. I just love characters that beat the odds.

The couple of other 7th graders that pal around a bit with Ryomo in the club are enjoyable side characters, and I'm quite intrigued by the team of the highest players of the school. This book humored me so much and got me helplessly addicted to the story. Another anime you might compare to this could be Princess 9(though I haven't yet watched it). I highly recommend this series! I think if you like series such as One Piece and Naruto, even though they're very different, you would like this.

Tennis anyone? ... Read more