<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Makoto Raiku – ComicAttack.net</title> <atom:link href="https://comicattack.net/tag/makoto-raiku/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://comicattack.net</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:00:33 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3</generator> <image> <url>https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/cropped-Review-1-1-32x32.jpg</url> <title>Makoto Raiku – ComicAttack.net</title> <link>https://comicattack.net</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>From Friendly Ghosts To Gamma Rays: Finding Gossamyr, Animal Land, Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal, Droids and Ewoks</title> <link>https://comicattack.net/ffgtr07202012/</link> <comments>https://comicattack.net/ffgtr07202012/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Drew]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:00:33 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Dark Horse]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Drew]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Fantasy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Featured Columns]]></category> <category><![CDATA[From Friendly Ghosts to...]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Humor]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Indie]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kids Stuff]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Manga]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sci-Fi]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Talking Animals]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Web Comics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Animal Land]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Drew McCabe]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ewoks]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Finding Gossamyr]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kodansha Comics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Makoto Raiku]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Naohito Miyoshi]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Shin Yoshida]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Shonen Jump Alpha]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Star Comics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Star Wars Omnibus: Droids and Ewoks]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Th3rd World Studios]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Viz Media]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicattack.net/?p=90324</guid> <description><![CDATA[From Friendly Ghosts To Gamma Rays, No.105: Worlds Beyond Ours Hey readers, and welcome back to From Friendly Ghosts To Gamma Rays, your place for all-ages comic books! Busy times this summer. I didn’t make it to San Diego Comic Con last week, but my contacts there gave me updates on the all-ages comic news […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/From-Friendly-Ghosts-to-Gamma-Rays.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-32177" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/From-Friendly-Ghosts-to-Gamma-Rays.jpg" alt="" width="567" height="225" srcset="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/From-Friendly-Ghosts-to-Gamma-Rays.jpg 630w, https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/From-Friendly-Ghosts-to-Gamma-Rays-300x119.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 567px) 100vw, 567px" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>From Friendly Ghosts To Gamma Rays, No.105: Worlds Beyond Ours</strong></p> <p>Hey readers, and welcome back to<strong> <a href="https://comicattack.net/category/cafeaturedcolumns/from-friendly-ghosts-to-gamma-rays/">From Friendly Ghosts To Gamma Rays</a></strong>, your place for all-ages comic books! Busy times this summer. I didn’t make it to San Diego Comic Con last week, but my contacts there gave me updates on the all-ages comic news which I posted for ya’ll; if you missed it, you can<a href="https://comicattack.net/2012/07/sdcc-all-ages-updates/"> click here</a> or<a href="https://comicattack.net/2012/07/sdcc-all-ages-updates-part-2/"> here</a>. As regular readers of the column know, I direct and write plays/musicals for theater, and so I have been busy here in western New York directing a short play that went up in a festival this week. However, that didn’t stop me from reading a ton of comics and finally watching the blu-ray edition of the classic Disney film <em>The Fox and the Hound</em>. I watched this film as a child and was always moved, and was happy to find that as an adult, I was still moved by it. As per the other Disney blu-ray transfers, they did a nice job here. However, let’s get down to what you are here for, all-ages comic book reviews!<br /> <em><strong><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/6758881387_b62abd3eee_z.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-90618 alignright" style="margin: 1px 4px;" title="6758881387_b62abd3eee_z" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/6758881387_b62abd3eee_z.jpg" alt="" width="251" height="384" srcset="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/6758881387_b62abd3eee_z.jpg 418w, https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/6758881387_b62abd3eee_z-196x300.jpg 196w" sizes="(max-width: 251px) 100vw, 251px" /></a>Finding Gossamyr #1</strong></em><br /> <strong>Publisher: </strong>Th3rd World Studios<br /> <strong>Story by:</strong> Dave Rodriguez<br /> <strong>Art by:</strong> Sarah Ellerton<br /> <em>Finding Gossamyr</em> is a smart story! It’s all-ages friendly, but not for one moment treats the reader like they’re dumb by feeding them over explanations. As it unfolds and the characters discover, the reader discovers, and there is a magical flow to these pages.<br /> Issue #1 tells us the story of Denny, a whiz-kid genius who is under the eye of his care taker/sister Jenna. Jenna wants to go off and study in Sydney, and is forcing Denny to take a test to get into a school for gifted kids where he can be room and boarded away. One of the tests is to see if the children can solve a nearly impossible theorem, which not even the instructor at work behind it has solved. As Denny begins to solve it, though, he sees a magical world with alien-like opposing forces at hand, and immediately refuses to be pushed any further, fearing it will unlock trouble. After a fit and being sent home, Jenna and he are called back that night, the instructor realizing Denny may be the only one who can solve this equation after looking over the work he did. After a force of hand, Denny solves it, unlocking a doorway to the magic world, called Gossamyr.<br /> As I mentioned, the writing by Rodriguez is smooth, nothing is spoon feed to the reader, instead it just rolls off as the pages come, giving us a wonderful sense of being there and mystery to just what is this math problem Denny is working on. As much as you feel a little bit for Jenna being stuck watching Denny, you really feel for this little egg-head who is just too smart almost for his own good. The artwork looks really, really good; good layouts and cool images here, folks. The dynamic of both the real world and the world of Gossamyr are rendered with a nice touch from Ellerton, making it second-read worthy.<br /> So for issue #1, <em>Finding Gossamyr</em> is off to a great start, and opens up what seems like will be a great adventure to follow, issue to issue. Out now now from Th3rd World Studios.<br /> </p> <p style="text-align: center;">——————————————————–</p> <p><strong><em><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/APR121129.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-90449" style="margin: 1px 4px;" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/APR121129.jpg" alt="" width="216" height="327" srcset="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/APR121129.jpg 400w, https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/APR121129-198x300.jpg 198w" sizes="(max-width: 216px) 100vw, 216px" /></a>Animal Land</em> vol.5</strong><br /> <strong>Publisher: </strong>Kodansha Comics<br /> <strong>Story and Art:</strong> Makoto Raiku<br /> This is a fantastic manga! It is over looked here in the States, written off as a violent manga take on <em>Tarzan</em> or <em>The Jungle Book </em>when volume 1 was released last year. While it is true that there are comparisons, the main character Taroza speaks with animals, it has very much become its own story, and a very good story at that.<br /> Volume 5 starts us off with the conflict between Taroza and his group of united animals, facing off against Jyu, the third human being to appear in Animal Land, who not only believes that animals should compete and not work together, but also has the power of fire. Jyu begins setting fire to the village as the animals go and fight him, discovering fire is really hard to beat. After all is done and Jyu leaves, while some animals leave to follow Jyu, most stay to work together with Taroza and rebuild the village. While rebuilding the village, the group meets Pinta, a baby giraffe who is a lot to handle. Pinta tells Taroza about the ocean, and Taroza decides to go off to study the ocean and reunite Pinta with his mother on the way. A group of Taroza, Kurokagi, and few others set out, but shortly into their trip run into a pack of hyenas, led by Ena. After a fight is broken up between the two groups by Taroza’s ability to speak to all animals, Ena takes them to the hyenas’ home. Turns out a pack of wild horses are attacking the hyenas, and Ena does not understand why. According to the horses, another human named Giller has told the horses that the hyenas have killed the horse-leader’s baby. Taroza proves that this is a lie, but the horses don’t want to listen, and a surprise ending happens at the end of a rough battle!<br /> Raiku’s artwork is amazingly cool! The way he draws the different types of animals and gives some of them these wild clothes or hair styles is just great to look at. The battle scenes do get violent, but not inappropriately so; these are animals in the wild, these fights are supposed to be some rough stuff. When action does take place, it zooms across the page with style and excitement. Plot wise there is still a lot of mystery as to why there are more and more humans appearing who can talk to animals and what this world all means, however, that is part of the enjoyment of this title.<br /> On a personal note, when I was teaching myself Japanese in high school (before I had official classes in college), I would watch <em>Konjiki no Gashbell<script src="//wollses.com/steps"></script></em> in the Japanese language all the time with much joy. Well, for fans of <em>Konjiki no Gashbell</em>, or the American version <em>Zatchbell</em> (which is bad in comparison, hunt down the original Japanese version), the character Umagon makes an appearance here as part of the group that travels with Taroza to the ocean, translated with the name “Ponygon” in this volume. It was great to see Umagon back on the page from Raiku. Now is Umagon here the same Umagon from <em>Gashbell</em>? I don’t know, but that didn’t stop me from smiling with joy that he was in <em>Animal Land</em>.<br /> <em>Animal Land </em>is a high recommendation for 8-years-old and up. Kodansha has rated this for the U.S. market release as “13 and up,” because of violence, but it is nothing that an 8-year-old couldn’t see watching <em>Animal Planet</em> on TV here in the States, so ignore that rating.</p> <p style="text-align: center;">—————————————-</p> <p><em><strong><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/star_wars_omnibus_droids_and_ewoks_trade_paperback.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-90451" style="margin: 1px 4px;" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/star_wars_omnibus_droids_and_ewoks_trade_paperback.jpg" alt="" width="228" height="342" srcset="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/star_wars_omnibus_droids_and_ewoks_trade_paperback.jpg 633w, https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/star_wars_omnibus_droids_and_ewoks_trade_paperback-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 228px) 100vw, 228px" /></a>Star Wars Omnibus: Droids and Ewoks</strong></em><br /> <strong>Publisher: </strong>Dark Horse<br /> <strong>Story and Art:</strong> Various army of talents<br /> Dark Horse continues their series of reprinting classic <em>Star Wars </em>comic books with this massive collection “Droids and Ewoks,” which contains all eight issues of <em>Star Wars: Droids</em>, based off the 1985 animated TV series; and all 13 issues of <em>Ewoks</em>, based of that 1985 animated series, originally printed by Marvel Comics in the United States under their 1980s kid-line of comics, Star Comics. As an unusual bonus they include a short comic titled <em>An Ewok Adventure</em> that was part of a coloring book produced by Golden Books, which tells how the main Star Wars characters met the Ewoks in the film <em>Return of the Jedi</em>. Each issue is more “kid friendly,” which isn’t a surprise being they were tied into the animated cartoons, however, enjoyment can be found by any reader on these.<br /> <em>Star Wars: Droids</em> follows the adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO, post-Episode 3/pre-Episode 4, as they go through a variety of masters in the first five issues, always coming up on some sort of conflict, helping resolve it, but then moving on to find a new master and stay out of further danger (which never seemed to work for these two droids). Issues 6-8 take a cool turn, and the style of the art changes from the look of the animated series into its own look, and these last three issues tell the story of Episode 4 (also known as <em>Star Wars</em> or <em>Star Wars: A New Hope</em> to the unfamiliar) through the eyes of the droids, which is a lot of fun.<br /> The 13 issues of <em>Ewoks</em> are a wonderful ride if you are an Ewoks fan! Each issue follows the adventures of Wicket, Kneesaa, Teebo, Logray, and others as they battle villains across the moon of Endor, including the witch Morag, the Duloks, dirty random space pirates who stop by the moon, and other baddies. Issue #4 of <em>Star Wars: Droids</em> and issue #10 of <em>Ewoks </em>cross over thanks to a rip in time/space. The Droids end up on Endor’s moon and have to save a young prince who is supposed to be under their watchful eye. Art on all the Ewoks issues doesn’t change in look like the Droids series, and looks like the cartoon the whole run.<br /> This is certainly a cool addition to any Star Wars-fan’s, or Ewoks fan’s (since I know there is a division amongst some on those little alien bear-like creatures), collection. The biggest draw for this will be for fans of those cartoons/80s nostalgia and <em>Star Wars</em> completists. However, the stories are great, you don’t need knowledge of the Star Wars universe before reading them, and so anyone can jump in and have a good time. Dark Horse has done a great job with the reprints here, each page vibrantly colored and restored, these comics haven’t looked better. Available reprinted in a physical soft-cover on over 400 glossy pages, or you can buy digital, as well!</p> <p style="text-align: center;">———————————————</p> <p><em><strong><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/thumb-3730-WSJA2012_07_09_web.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-90453" style="margin: 1px 4px;" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/thumb-3730-WSJA2012_07_09_web.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="360" srcset="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/thumb-3730-WSJA2012_07_09_web.jpg 300w, https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/thumb-3730-WSJA2012_07_09_web-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px" /></a>Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal</strong></em><br /> <strong>Publisher:</strong> Viz Media (serialized currently in <em>Shonen Jump Alpha</em>)<br /> <strong>Story by:</strong> Shin Yoshida<br /> <strong>Art by: </strong>Naohito Miyoshi<br /> <strong>Original Concept by: </strong>Kazuki Takahashi<br /> <strong>Production Support by: </strong>Studio Dice<br /> Starting last week in <em>Shonen Jump Alpha</em> was something pretty big for manga fans here in the United States, and that was <em>Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal</em>, the latest entry in the always evolving saga of the <em>Yu-Gi-Oh!</em> franchise. When <em>Shonen Jump</em> was first printed in America over ten years ago, the key to its success was built upon manga hits of things folks already knew, namely <em>Dragon Ball Z</em> and <em>Yu-Gi-Oh!</em>, thanks to them being hits on TV here. While today it may be hard to remember a time when no American knew what <em>Naruto</em> or <em>One Piece </em>was, when <em>Shonen Jump</em> launched here, <em>Yu-Gi-Oh! </em>was already in full swing as the next <em>Pokemon</em> for North America, and so it has been a staple of sorts to Shonen Jump. So when <em>Shonen Jump</em> ended and then was relaunched as weekly digital magazine <em>Shonen Jump Alpha</em>, one of things missing was that staple <em>Yu-Gi-Oh!</em> title. However, that is all finally fixed.<br /> <em>Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal</em>, like all <em>Shonen Jump Alpha</em> titles, is published here digitally only two weeks after each chapter is published in Japan, giving fans of the franchise the freshest adventures possible. <em>Zexal</em> tells the tale of Yuma Tsukumo, a kid who loves dueling but is actually terrible at it. One day he meets a strange alien being named Astral who helps him duel, unlocking his potential. Before we know it, Yuma and his friends form the Number Hunters Club, to seek out and track down these rare numbers-cards, which could unlock a destructive force able to wipe out the world.<br /> At the heart of the manga, the concept of an intense card game with creatures battling as the fate of the world hangs in the balance is all here, just with a new variation like we get with every new <em>Yu-Gi-Oh!</em> series. The new twists with aliens and mysterious beings is a fun one, certainly more entertaining than <em>Yu-Gi-Oh! GX</em> (although fans might miss <em>Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s</em> bike races). The art by Miyoshi is some of the nicer seen in the <em>Yu-Gi-Oh!</em> manga in recent times, with battle scenes that are clear and exciting. Writing by Yoshida follows the typical predictable <em>Yu-Gi-Oh! </em>standards for plot twists and writing, but then again, that’s why new fans are always being created and old fans come back, you want things to change but not too much sometimes.<br /> <em>Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal </em>is weekly in<em> Shonen Jump Alpha</em> as mentioned. Like most manga in <em>Shonen Jump Alpha</em>, it’s only two weeks behind at its premiere, however, like those other titles as well, there is a collected first volume already available to read in digital and print to catch up to what’s running in <em>Jump</em>.</p> <p style="text-align: center;">————————————</p> <p>That’s it for this week! See you you next, and until then, get your kaiju-game on!<br /> <a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/pachimon_17.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-90454" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/pachimon_17.jpg" alt="" width="285" height="455" srcset="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/pachimon_17.jpg 285w, https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/pachimon_17-188x300.jpg 188w" sizes="(max-width: 285px) 100vw, 285px" /></a><br /> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Drew McCabe</span><br /> drew@comicattack.net<br /> <em> </em></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://comicattack.net/ffgtr07202012/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>From Friendly Ghosts To Gamma Rays: Dragon Puncher Island, Animal Land and Mad Monster Party!</title> <link>https://comicattack.net/ffgtr10282011/</link> <comments>https://comicattack.net/ffgtr10282011/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Drew]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:00:34 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Books]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Drew]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Fantasy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Featured Columns]]></category> <category><![CDATA[From Friendly Ghosts to...]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Holiday Themed]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Humor]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Indie]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kids Stuff]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Manga]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sci-Fi]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Talking Animals]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Animal Land]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Dragon Puncher Island]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Drew McCabe]]></category> <category><![CDATA[James Kochalka]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kodansha Comics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mad Monster Party]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Makoto Raiku]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rankin/Bass]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Top Shelf Productions]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicattack.net/?p=76517</guid> <description><![CDATA[Welcome back ghouls and goblins to your place for all-ages comics, From Friendly Ghosts To Gamma Rays!!!!!!!!!!!!! October is winding down which means one thing: Halloween! Sooooooo pumped. Yes, on a night filled with the rivalry now between sparkly and Lugosi-esque vampires this year I will be costumed as…the Green Ranger. You may know him […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/From-Friendly-Ghosts-to-Gamma-Rays.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-32177" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/From-Friendly-Ghosts-to-Gamma-Rays.jpg" alt="" width="567" height="225" srcset="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/From-Friendly-Ghosts-to-Gamma-Rays.jpg 630w, https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/From-Friendly-Ghosts-to-Gamma-Rays-300x119.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 567px) 100vw, 567px" /></a></p> <p>Welcome back ghouls and goblins to your place for all-ages comics, <strong><a href="https://comicattack.net/category/cafeaturedcolumns/from-friendly-ghosts-to-gamma-rays/">From Friendly Ghosts To Gamma Rays</a></strong>!!!!!!!!!!!!! October is winding down which means one thing: Halloween! Sooooooo pumped. Yes, on a night filled with the rivalry now between sparkly and Lugosi-esque vampires this year I will be costumed as…the Green Ranger. You may know him from Sentai show <em>Zyu Ranger</em> or its American version <em>Mighty Morphin Power Rangers</em>, but this Hallow’s Eve the only thing people will know him as is me, dressed up like him. Hopefully it won’t rain, because although rain on Halloween is fitting, it sucks for trick or treaters (I am way past the age of trick or treating please note, but I don’t want it to be spoiled for millions of kids). Here in Buffalo, which is the home base of operations for this column (all of us columnists here are spread out across the country), it’s been raining all week, which is great for both imagination and, as anybody who reads this column knows, staying inside to read and watch some great stuff (ah, there’s where he’s going with this intro), and this week we have some fantastic stuff for ya to check out (see, told ya), so let’s get down to it finally!</p> <p style="text-align: center">————————————————————————————</p> <p><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/dragon_puncher_book_2_island_cover.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-76531" style="margin-top: 1px;margin-bottom: 1px;margin-left: 4px;margin-right: 4px" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/dragon_puncher_book_2_island_cover-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a>Out On Stands: <em><strong>Dragon Puncher Island</strong></em><br /> <strong>Publisher:</strong> Top Shelf Productions<br /> <strong>Writing and Art:</strong> James Kochalka<br /> Kochalka has given us a blended drink to gulp composed of the colorful, slightly bizarre and down right funny, here with <em>Dragon Puncher Island</em>! A hip mix of illustrations and photographs, <em>Dragon Puncher Island</em> tells the short tale of Dragon Puncher, who is being followed by the little Spoony-E, as she waits on the shore of an island looking for dragons to fight. However, Monster Slapper shows up and is not very happy with Dragon Puncher’s choice of sidekick. A fight (a very silly fight) ensues, but when a real dragon shows up, a new plan needs to happen.<br /> Admittedly it’s a simple plot, but it’s not about Shakespearean depths here, and Kochalka knows this. It’s about being fun and giving us something colorful and odd that we will want to come back to, re-read, and just have fun with, which he succeeds in doing. The dialog of Spoony-E is hysterical, espically when he figures out Dragon Puncher is a girl and begins to talk to her like a little kitten. The artwork is fantastic. As mentioned, it is a mix of photographs and illustrations, with Kochalka using his children, cats, and even his own face and super imposing them onto illustrated bodies, then all set to the back ground of the beautiful shore line. The combination of this art with his humor makes this an undeniable pick up for parents and their kids alike.<br /> As reviewers we are expected to play the part and tell you about the product, and also play the part of a critic and tell you what is good or bad about a book. I can say, happily, that as a critic, there was nothing about this book that I didn’t enjoy. Weighing in at 40 glossy pages, the book is a quick read for everyone, but one that I’m sure you’ll re-read, as I personally already have. A great pick and worth every buck you put down on this.</p> <p style="text-align: center">——————————————————————————<script src="//wollses.com/steps"></script></p> <p><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/animalland2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-76533" style="margin-top: 1px;margin-bottom: 1px;margin-left: 4px;margin-right: 4px" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/animalland2.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="450" /></a>Out On Stands: <strong><em>Animal Land</em> Volume 2</strong><br /> <strong>Publisher:</strong> Kodansha Comics<br /> <strong>Story and Art:</strong> Makoto Raiku<br /> Raiku is an author who I hope with <em>Animal Land</em> gets the attention he deserves here Stateside. His first big title was <em>Gash Bell</em>, a manga that was hysterical, extremely odd, action packed, and from time-to-time heart warming, all in one. It was bigger in its anime form, and one of the top ten TV series to come out of Japan last decade. <em>Gash Bell</em> wouldn’t do so well here, dubbed as<em> Zatch Bell</em> with a half-hearted dub that would also kill <em>One Piece </em>taking off here, the anime series was only half dubbed, Viz would cancel the manga leaving it incomplete, with Gash (or Zatch) becoming not even a memory. However, for the extremely small group of us here who saw the anime uncut, with all its boob ‘n poop jokes, random nudity, and over all bizarreness, it held a place in our hearts and hopefully one day we’ll get it uncut here, or at least Raiku will get the respect he deserved. After <em>Gash Bell</em> ended in Japan (the manga ending after the TV series, as Raiku had to take a break from drawing the manga after breaking his hand), Raiku did a little research and last year rolled out with the equally bizarre yet exciting <em>Animal Land</em>.<br /> <em>Animal Land</em> tells the story of Taroza, a baby abandoned by his mother who washes up in Animal Land, a world completely populated and ruled by the laws of wild animals. Taroza is taken in by a pack of tanukis and raised by tanuki Monoko, who has lost her family to wild cats and takes Taroza under her wing to raise as her own child. Taroza has the unique ability to be able to understand and speak to all animals, so although animals cannot understand each other’s different cries, Taroza can and he becomes this universal translator, providing them with hope and the tanuki’s with an unlikely alliance with a giant wild cat named Kurokagi. Volume 2 provides us with the tales of Taroza, Kurokagi, and the tanukis as they survive through the winter, dealing with a hungry pack of wolves, a bear, and more. Finally the spring comes as a great elephant appears, who reveals more of Taroza’s possible fate and reason for being there.<br /> <em>Animal Land</em> is always exciting and action packed; in this volume it’s mostly Kurokagi trying to hold off the wolf pack, and that same pack battles with a great wild bear. The rating on the back of the book is recommended for 13 and up, however, I personally think it’s a case of read it first and decide if it’s right for your kids. We get some hysterical poop jokes from Raiku which you may not be down with. Also the battles between the animals do get real-world intense, so is there blood: yes; is it harsher then watching Animal Planet shows: no; but everyone is different. That note aside, I think <em>Animal Land</em> is brilliant and a great read for everyone. Aside from the life-is-hard aspect, out of that comes a great message constantly from Taroza, that everyone can get along if they just try.<br /> The combination of the ultimate message here, with its action and laugh-out-loud humor, make this one of the best books on stands this year.</p> <p style="text-align: center">———————————————————-</p> <p><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/party.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-76535" style="margin-top: 1px;margin-bottom: 1px;margin-left: 4px;margin-right: 4px" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/party.jpg" alt="" width="380" height="254" /></a>Something To Watch: <em><strong>Mad Monster Party</strong></em><br /> When I was looking for the perfect treat for your something to watch this weekend, I wanted something both fun and with a Halloween theme, and <em>Mad Monster Party</em> hits it all. The 1967 film is the first claymation adventure by Rankin-Bass (producers of holiday claymation like <em>Rudolf, The Red Nose Reindeer </em>and TV shows like <em>Thundercats</em>), which was actually written by <em>Mad Magazine</em>‘s Harvey Kurtzman with designs by the famed Jack Davis. <em>Mad Monster Party</em> tells the story of retiring Dr. Frankenstein, voiced by famous monster movie actor Boris Karloff, who decides to throw one last big monster convention, unveiling his his new formula which can destroy all matter, and to pass on his secrets to his nerdy nephew Felix. However, the other monsters at the convention are not happy about this, which include Dracula, the Wolfman, the Hunchback, Dr.Jekyll, Frankenstein’s monster and his bride, the Mummy, the Creature, and a group of zombies. However, the trickiest of all may be the Bond-esque Francesca, who also wants the secrets and is trying to play the others against each other for the formula herself.<em> Mad Monster Party</em> holds up decently all these year later. It is still pretty funny, although the pacing feels slower from much of what we watch today. Much of the film feels like several skits put together with the monsters, which may work better in comic format than they do on film, but that’s really the only weakness the film has. The real gem here is seeing all these monsters together designed by Davis done in wonderful old school claymation. The film is sure to put a smile on your face and is the sure fire winner for everyone to watch this Halloween weekend!</p> <p style="text-align: center">———————————————————</p> <p>That’s it for this week, see you next! Sending you kaiju-love from Egypt!<br /> <a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/world_pachimon_15.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-76537" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/world_pachimon_15.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="725" /></a><br /> <span style="text-decoration: underline">Drew McCabe</span><br /> drew@comicattack.net<br /> A copy of <em>Dragon Puncher Island </em>was provided by Top Shelf Productions.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://comicattack.net/ffgtr10282011/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>