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Overdue Reviews
Nov. 25th, 2007 11:01 pmDramacon Vol.1
Svetlana Chmakova
http://www.tokyopop.com/product/1513
High schooler and aspiring writer Christie attends her first anime convention, hoping to sell her new comic. But she's ill-equipped to handle the high-stress atmosphere, and it seems to exacerbate her troubles with her obnoxious boyfriend, Derek. And then she (literally) bumps into the handsome, mysterious Matt...
Ok, I can see you rolling your eyes already. And it's true, the story does hit a lot of the expected romance tropes, as Christie scrambles to get around the various roadblocks (both external and self-imposed) that are keeping her from her One True Love. It's practically "Jane Eyre: The Otaku Edition". But it's done with such charm, and frequently laugh-out-loud humor, that I couldn't help but get carried along. Perhaps my favorite aspect of the story is the keen observations on "convention culture"; if you've ever attended a con, on either side of the table, you will be nodding your head in recognition at the various personalities and neuroses on display.
The story does take a dark turn at one point, which kind of threw me for a loop (and I was put off by the relative lack of consequences for Derek; a punch in the snoot and a stern talking-to are in no way sufficient). But it is dramatically effective, and Christie comes out the other side stronger and on-course for her happy (or at least hopeful) ending. Add in the adorable cartoony artwork, and you've got an addictive, engaging read. Now I've got to track down the other volumes...
--
Paradigm Shift, Part One: Equilibrium
Dirk Tiede
http://www.paradigmshiftmanga.com
There's a lot to like about this police drama: The art is slick and appealing, with lushly detailed backgrounds. The pages are densely packed with lots of dialogue and some dramatic, well-staged action. But ultimately, the story failed to hook me. The lead characters are pretty stereotypical "buddy cops": Michael is the cool & methodical one, Kathryn is the loose cannon, yadda yadda yadda. Tiede dangles a number of plot threads (including vague hints of something supernatural going on), but by the end of the volume none of them have been developed to any great extent. Rather than being intrigued, I just felt unsatisfied by what amounts to an extended prologue.
I will admit, straight-up crime drama is not my favorite genre, so cop fans may find something here that I'm missing. I recommend going to the website and sampling some pages for yourself to see if it's something you might be into.
--
Vogelein: Old Ghosts
Jane Irwin
http://www.vogelein.com
I loved the first Vogelein story, and this sequel continues in the same vein, further developing the characters and themes. No longer dependent on a single caretaker, the titular clockwork faerie has grown bolder and is more keen to explore and experience the modern world. She also has more time for reflection, and the memory of an unfulfilled promise to an old friend gnaws at her conscience. Her struggle to reconcile the past with the future is echoed in the other characters as well; many of them have secrets or regrets they have to get past in order to move forward.
As a writer, Jane Irwin doesn't have a mean bone in her body -- the characters are almost painfully sincere and heartfelt in everything they do, and even the faerie-obsessed woman who "stalks" Vogelein is more pathetic than menacing. There are a couple of brief bits of conventional action, but for the most part the drama is internal, beautifully conveyed by Irwin's expressive artwork. There's an interesting contrast seeing a gritty, grubby modern city done up in her traditional painterly style -- a mix of old and new that's appropriate to the story of a living antique trying to find her way in the 21st century. Well worth seeking out (and be sure to get the first volume, too!).
Svetlana Chmakova
http://www.tokyopop.com/product/1513
High schooler and aspiring writer Christie attends her first anime convention, hoping to sell her new comic. But she's ill-equipped to handle the high-stress atmosphere, and it seems to exacerbate her troubles with her obnoxious boyfriend, Derek. And then she (literally) bumps into the handsome, mysterious Matt...
Ok, I can see you rolling your eyes already. And it's true, the story does hit a lot of the expected romance tropes, as Christie scrambles to get around the various roadblocks (both external and self-imposed) that are keeping her from her One True Love. It's practically "Jane Eyre: The Otaku Edition". But it's done with such charm, and frequently laugh-out-loud humor, that I couldn't help but get carried along. Perhaps my favorite aspect of the story is the keen observations on "convention culture"; if you've ever attended a con, on either side of the table, you will be nodding your head in recognition at the various personalities and neuroses on display.
The story does take a dark turn at one point, which kind of threw me for a loop (and I was put off by the relative lack of consequences for Derek; a punch in the snoot and a stern talking-to are in no way sufficient). But it is dramatically effective, and Christie comes out the other side stronger and on-course for her happy (or at least hopeful) ending. Add in the adorable cartoony artwork, and you've got an addictive, engaging read. Now I've got to track down the other volumes...
--
Paradigm Shift, Part One: Equilibrium
Dirk Tiede
http://www.paradigmshiftmanga.com
There's a lot to like about this police drama: The art is slick and appealing, with lushly detailed backgrounds. The pages are densely packed with lots of dialogue and some dramatic, well-staged action. But ultimately, the story failed to hook me. The lead characters are pretty stereotypical "buddy cops": Michael is the cool & methodical one, Kathryn is the loose cannon, yadda yadda yadda. Tiede dangles a number of plot threads (including vague hints of something supernatural going on), but by the end of the volume none of them have been developed to any great extent. Rather than being intrigued, I just felt unsatisfied by what amounts to an extended prologue.
I will admit, straight-up crime drama is not my favorite genre, so cop fans may find something here that I'm missing. I recommend going to the website and sampling some pages for yourself to see if it's something you might be into.
--
Vogelein: Old Ghosts
Jane Irwin
http://www.vogelein.com
I loved the first Vogelein story, and this sequel continues in the same vein, further developing the characters and themes. No longer dependent on a single caretaker, the titular clockwork faerie has grown bolder and is more keen to explore and experience the modern world. She also has more time for reflection, and the memory of an unfulfilled promise to an old friend gnaws at her conscience. Her struggle to reconcile the past with the future is echoed in the other characters as well; many of them have secrets or regrets they have to get past in order to move forward.
As a writer, Jane Irwin doesn't have a mean bone in her body -- the characters are almost painfully sincere and heartfelt in everything they do, and even the faerie-obsessed woman who "stalks" Vogelein is more pathetic than menacing. There are a couple of brief bits of conventional action, but for the most part the drama is internal, beautifully conveyed by Irwin's expressive artwork. There's an interesting contrast seeing a gritty, grubby modern city done up in her traditional painterly style -- a mix of old and new that's appropriate to the story of a living antique trying to find her way in the 21st century. Well worth seeking out (and be sure to get the first volume, too!).
