R>>Manga Mania.R>R> I should probably point out right now...I don't really read too much manga. R>R> OK, check that, I only read one manga...and its a quarterly reprint from Dark Horse. I'll mention it later. R>R> While American comics are generally treated as trash and such, throwaway magazines with storylines that never end (not always true, but Superman's never ending battle hasn't slowed down much in the past sixty some odd years), Japanese comics are considered art. R>R> OK, other countries like France consider comics art, too...and there are plenty of folks working in American comics who think of them as art. But, we're talking general perceptions here. R>R> A friend of mine whose very big on anime once told me the difference between American and Japanese comics was that American comics kept on going, whereas Japanese comics had a distinct ending in mind. The funny thing was, he was enjoying Grant Morrison's JLA at the time (loaners from me) and if the original writers and artists of that series had ended their runs and let the characters disappear like Japanese comics pros do, he woild have never seen that group together, since most of them would have long since disappeared. R>R> Then again, maybe a League with Zauriel and a bunch of new characters would have been pretty cool, but comics in the States don't work that way. R>R> Getting back on track, I do have some manga experience. R>R> The above mentioned friend loaned me three trades worth of reprints of "Blade of the Immortal", reprinted in English from Dark Horse. They came with an explanation on Japanese panel rearrangement and how the swastika on the back of the hero's robes didn't make him a Nazi (something I knew, but a good reminder). R>R> Though, even with the translations and changes made (Japanese comics are done with panels going from right to left rather than left to right, like the rest of their writing), there were times when I was a might confused. American word balloons only do jagged egdes to show surprise or something...this is not the case in Japan, where its a bit more common, and often makes me wonder which character exactly was talking. R>R> Of course, Blade of the Immortal was all told a pretty good series. Not sure if I'll ever get back to it, but it was pretty good. R>R> Then there was....gee, I'm almost embarassed to tell this story. R>R> Almost. R>R> If you remember my Neil Gaiman autograph story, I mentioned my comic loving gal pal "Nancy". Nancy once was without a shop of her own, so I was asked to pick up stuff for her from time to time. One of the things I picked up for her was "Sailor Moon". R>R> Nancy loved Sailor Moon. To this day, I don't know why. R>R> Now, while Nancy always reimbursed me for the comics I bought for her, I also had this habit of reading every comic I brought home, and this included for a time her Sailor Moons. Again, to this day, I don't know why. R>R> Sailor Moon wasn't a particularly good comic. Even Nancy will admit to this. Stories are hard to follow. Characters pop in and out for no reason. Plot points are barely explained, and never well. And then, well, there's the odd splash panels that came in the firts page or two which generally had nothing to do with anything aside from show Sailor Moon and/or her friends dressed up somehow and posing. R>R> I think I'll never forget the one of Sailor Moon and her buddy Sailor Venus in teddies, with Venus leaning in from behind and getting a handful of breast. I had to ask Nancy if that was what I thought it was (and it was). R>R> So, if you're reading this, my advice is to avoid Sailor Moon comics like the plague. R>R> Oh, what manga series do I read? R>R> Akira reprints. They come out quarterly from Dark Horse, and half of the eventual six are already available at finer comic shops everywhere. R>R> I've seen Akira the movie, and this is much better than that. Akira himself has already played a larger role than he did in the film (where he had only a cameo at the end...he was featured all through Book Three). This is why punk kids should not be given ultimate power...and why small children aren't given it either. They tend to make things explode in what looks like nuclear blasts. And heaven help you if you're some powerless kid who fell in with the resistence movement and just wanna score points with the cute girl in your group, and the nastiest of the nasty was your best friend. Well, I'm sure Kenneda will deal with it. R>R> Akira is excellently done. It reads fine for American audiences, and its fast paced and exciting, with enough political intrigue and such to keep the reader wondering what's going to happen next. I know I'm looking forward to the final three parts. R>R> And with that, the series will end, and Superman will still be fighting a never ending battle. R>R>R>R>Tom Kelly 8/5/2001R>The preceding was my opinion. You are more than welcome to your own. If you have any comments or recommendations, both of which are highly welcome, send them to mailto:razorwitt@hotmail.com