Thursday, December 8, 2011
Re-visit
In continuation with reading books about stereotypes, I read "Shortcomings " by Adrian Tomine recently. This particular novel follows a man who has a great interest in mainly dating white women even though his actual significant other is Korean like himself. The book explores his own thought process and decision making, leading up to the eventual demise of his own relationship. I feel this book deals with the idea of stereotypes in a different way than some of the other things I had read. More to the point, this story deals with the idea of fetishism based on stereotypes. The characters in this story are very varied, ranging from the seemingly quiet girlfriend who takes off for what she claims to be an internship, to the outrageous best friend who seems to be the most adapted to the main character's personality. Tomine's art style is clean and simple, which works well and leaves the book to be more focused on the actual story than on the artwork. As with some of the other works I've read this semester, I see this as an examination of a relationship. Although this one focuses more on watching a relationship dissolve, it's still interesting to see how these characters get to where they are in the relationship and start to better understand their thought process.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Webcomics +JTHM
I'm going to start off by talking about the webcomics I read over the past week then get into Johnny the Homicidal Maniac after that since I may have more to write about with that.
When I Am King: This story was full of surprises for me, and produced a very interesting narrative. First thing that I noticed is how well it lends itself to a web-comic format. The navigation through the pages is one unique to that of electronic media. Most of the panels are extra-wide and require the reader to scroll through until they find the next button. Further on into the book they run separate story lines in separate sections of the page, and hitting the next button will advance the proper story. I also appreciated the use of the wordless comic, a good throwback to where we started at the beginning of the semester with the Arrival. Overall, although confusing at times, I did enjoy reading through this story. I feel like out of all the works I read this week this was the one that lent itself best to being a web-comic, using graphics that are clearly computer generated (using very perfect geometric shapes), utilizing the browser as part of the reading experience, and moreover creating an experience only really possible using electronic media.
Octopus Pie: I really enjoyed reading through this story. I like reading things from the start, so I managed to push through about the first 100 pages of this. Eve is immediately seen as a character that can be related to easily. Going through the struggles of dealing with invasive parents, annoying roommates, problems with the boss, etc. To be more specific, the characters feel very true to life. The situations feel the same. I feel like even though this is based in Brooklyn this story is very universal. As far as the artwork, I can appreciate the emulation of a more traditional style, utilizing textured fills and working entirely in black and white. I am personally more interested in the idea of having physical book to hold and seeing printed media, however this is a nice kind of in-between.
Bad Machinery: Continuing on with reading more of Katherine's suggestions, I took a look at Bad Machinery. What I found most interesting about this particular comic was the intertwining story lines that exist in it. I feel like it does capture that whole age group fairly well, rather, the never-ending curiosity that exists in adolescence. It also is a nice way of viewing similar situations from my own experiences, but in a different context since it is based in the UK. Again, I feel that this is another story that is very universal; the story at its very base is about the trials and tribulations of being in high school. The variety within the cast is great, every character is really distinguishable. With the art style I find that the use of color is really well played, including the general shifts in color schemes dependent on the characters present. I feel this was something more necessary with the private school setting, as it really is taking as many opportunities as possible to break up the conformity. I would definitely continue reading this story.
Moving on to Johnny the Homicidal Maniac...
I was first exposed to this when I was 12 or 13, after I saw one of my friends reading Squee in 6th grade Spanish class. Now that I'm older and have had time to really read (and re-read) the story I can appreciate it a lot more than how I did the first time I tried reading it. I decided to go through the book again this week and I find that there's always something new that I will find. Part of what I really enjoy about this particular book is the way that Jhonen throws these very tiny but relevant bits of text into the corners and blank spaces in the panels. They're usually little one-liners and always are ironically cheery, but it's making light of something that is usually seen as something really serious. I think the most important thing I've noticed is how Nny is in a way a very considerate serial killer. The most obvious would be to note the way he at least attempts to help and protect Squee, although in very unconventional ways (I.E. dissecting the child molester to show him that he's just human and not something to have nightmares about). Something I picked up on more this time through is his relationship with Nailbunny, Mr. Eff, and Psycho Doughboy. Rather, I really started to better understand their motives, and how he was actually affected by each of them. Overall I really do love this book. Although it's extremely violent, and to be fair a little gross at times, it has a lot going for it. The storyline is very smart and carried out through the lengthy passages of dialogue, the artwork is fittingly dark and harsh. Even the short passages of Happy Noodle Boy, the comic within a comic crudely drawn by Nny are fitting and hilarious, albeit difficult to understand at times. I feel I get more out of this book every time I read it, so I'm glad I had an opportunity to take another look at it.
When I Am King: This story was full of surprises for me, and produced a very interesting narrative. First thing that I noticed is how well it lends itself to a web-comic format. The navigation through the pages is one unique to that of electronic media. Most of the panels are extra-wide and require the reader to scroll through until they find the next button. Further on into the book they run separate story lines in separate sections of the page, and hitting the next button will advance the proper story. I also appreciated the use of the wordless comic, a good throwback to where we started at the beginning of the semester with the Arrival. Overall, although confusing at times, I did enjoy reading through this story. I feel like out of all the works I read this week this was the one that lent itself best to being a web-comic, using graphics that are clearly computer generated (using very perfect geometric shapes), utilizing the browser as part of the reading experience, and moreover creating an experience only really possible using electronic media.
Octopus Pie: I really enjoyed reading through this story. I like reading things from the start, so I managed to push through about the first 100 pages of this. Eve is immediately seen as a character that can be related to easily. Going through the struggles of dealing with invasive parents, annoying roommates, problems with the boss, etc. To be more specific, the characters feel very true to life. The situations feel the same. I feel like even though this is based in Brooklyn this story is very universal. As far as the artwork, I can appreciate the emulation of a more traditional style, utilizing textured fills and working entirely in black and white. I am personally more interested in the idea of having physical book to hold and seeing printed media, however this is a nice kind of in-between.
Bad Machinery: Continuing on with reading more of Katherine's suggestions, I took a look at Bad Machinery. What I found most interesting about this particular comic was the intertwining story lines that exist in it. I feel like it does capture that whole age group fairly well, rather, the never-ending curiosity that exists in adolescence. It also is a nice way of viewing similar situations from my own experiences, but in a different context since it is based in the UK. Again, I feel that this is another story that is very universal; the story at its very base is about the trials and tribulations of being in high school. The variety within the cast is great, every character is really distinguishable. With the art style I find that the use of color is really well played, including the general shifts in color schemes dependent on the characters present. I feel this was something more necessary with the private school setting, as it really is taking as many opportunities as possible to break up the conformity. I would definitely continue reading this story.
Moving on to Johnny the Homicidal Maniac...
I was first exposed to this when I was 12 or 13, after I saw one of my friends reading Squee in 6th grade Spanish class. Now that I'm older and have had time to really read (and re-read) the story I can appreciate it a lot more than how I did the first time I tried reading it. I decided to go through the book again this week and I find that there's always something new that I will find. Part of what I really enjoy about this particular book is the way that Jhonen throws these very tiny but relevant bits of text into the corners and blank spaces in the panels. They're usually little one-liners and always are ironically cheery, but it's making light of something that is usually seen as something really serious. I think the most important thing I've noticed is how Nny is in a way a very considerate serial killer. The most obvious would be to note the way he at least attempts to help and protect Squee, although in very unconventional ways (I.E. dissecting the child molester to show him that he's just human and not something to have nightmares about). Something I picked up on more this time through is his relationship with Nailbunny, Mr. Eff, and Psycho Doughboy. Rather, I really started to better understand their motives, and how he was actually affected by each of them. Overall I really do love this book. Although it's extremely violent, and to be fair a little gross at times, it has a lot going for it. The storyline is very smart and carried out through the lengthy passages of dialogue, the artwork is fittingly dark and harsh. Even the short passages of Happy Noodle Boy, the comic within a comic crudely drawn by Nny are fitting and hilarious, albeit difficult to understand at times. I feel I get more out of this book every time I read it, so I'm glad I had an opportunity to take another look at it.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Watchmen
This week I read a decent chunk of Watchmen. My previous experience with Watchmen has only really been that of seeing the film adaptation of it a few years ago. However, I did notice immediate links between the two as far as storylines and setups. To be fair I don't really read a whole lot of comics in the superhero genre, I grew into liking comics through Archie and the like. However, I did enjoy reading Watchmen. What struck me immediately as interesting was the color palette used throughout. More to the point, the emphasis on color throughout the comic was different. Most comics I have read recently stick to a very controlled palette, where as Moore uses a very broad and strong selection of colors. Concerning the storyline, Watchmen employed multiple forms of narration and storytelling. Most notable were the sections where the characters from the story took the lead of narration. Rorschach's journal was the most widely used during his series of interrogations and research into the death of the Comedian. I also found Dr. Manhattan's style of storytelling to be unique. Specifically, his jumping around between notable moments in his own personal history. Although at first it seemed a little random, it eventually tied itself in with the chronological order of events. Overall I feel this was a good jump into superhero comics, as it seems to follow a more non-traditional viewpoint of the superhero motif, wherein they aren't necessarily praised for their actions, or at least their actions do have consequence. I hope to at some point finish reading the book.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Mister Wonderful + George Sprott
This week I read Mister Wonderful and George Sprott. I've had some experience reading Clowes before, but none with Seth.
Mister Wonderful was in some ways very similar to Ghost World, but at the same time a very different setup. I was already used to Clowes use of dialogue heavy writing, but I felt one thing that was very interesting was how he placed it within the frame. At times it's cutoff by the edges of the frame, but one of his more constant themes has been using thought boxes that completely overpower the actual audible dialogue in the story. Because Marshall is so completely self-conscious and overthinks every situation he's in, it overtakes reality and it seems like the stories being played out in his head become more important than what surrounds him. Although this story really only documents the span of one night, he plays it out to be this gigantic event. As a character Marshall has his ups and downs; at times he can be very collected and quiet, but then he can have explosive moments (such as when he screams at the homeless man or when he blacks out and gets in a fight with Noah at a party). However, the ending brings him finding someone who can accept his inherent flaws and still enjoy his company regardless. That is something that I believe to be at the core of most relationships, albeit not necessarily to the extent that exists with Marshall and Natalie. They both feel like they have a lot of baggage but it's enough for both of them to handle. I feel the strongest part of this book is the way that Clowes arranges his panels and text boxes. The wider format creates an almost cinematic feel to some of the scenes, which makes perfect sense as these scenes are very common in film (I.E. first date at a restaurant, party scene). Again, the overlapping text is what I feel to be one of the most interesting parts of this story, and how it really explains more about Marshall and how he's viewing the situation.
George Sprott is my introduction to Seth's work, and I'm very interested in reading more of his work now. This book also happened to be in an unconventional format, I had to pull it from the oversize section of the library. However, the amount of space is necessary for how much information he needs to squeeze into these boxes. The story reads as a series of interviews with people associated with George, a deceased television show host. One thing I noticed by the end is how little they actually show about George doing anything with the broadcast. I feel that this is pushing the idea that a career does not necessarily define a person, but instead it just happens to be a catalyst for the other events in his life to unfold. Each person identified George by two things: the way he treated them, and the place they associated with knowing him. This ranged from the arctic to the diner that he ate at regularly until the day he died. A lot of this story also focuses on the idea of modernization and how that has affected things that were thriving in the 70's. What I find most interesting about this is the method of storytelling; it's a biography, and the character being written about does make appearances in small flashbacks, but we learn the most about him not through his own actions but through the descriptions of his friends and family. I thought the ending was pretty funny, interviewing the stereotypical obsessive collector as a final remembrance of George. I also enjoyed the role of the narrator, who is at times very passive and reserved with what he feels he needs to share with the audience. I think that this is what is the backbone to this story: the selective nature of the storytellers. Because George himself doesn't tell the story, it is really up to the reader to decide which people to believe, and for that matter it's entirely up to the interviewees to decide how much they want to tell everyone and what sort of an image they wish to portray of George.
--David
Mister Wonderful was in some ways very similar to Ghost World, but at the same time a very different setup. I was already used to Clowes use of dialogue heavy writing, but I felt one thing that was very interesting was how he placed it within the frame. At times it's cutoff by the edges of the frame, but one of his more constant themes has been using thought boxes that completely overpower the actual audible dialogue in the story. Because Marshall is so completely self-conscious and overthinks every situation he's in, it overtakes reality and it seems like the stories being played out in his head become more important than what surrounds him. Although this story really only documents the span of one night, he plays it out to be this gigantic event. As a character Marshall has his ups and downs; at times he can be very collected and quiet, but then he can have explosive moments (such as when he screams at the homeless man or when he blacks out and gets in a fight with Noah at a party). However, the ending brings him finding someone who can accept his inherent flaws and still enjoy his company regardless. That is something that I believe to be at the core of most relationships, albeit not necessarily to the extent that exists with Marshall and Natalie. They both feel like they have a lot of baggage but it's enough for both of them to handle. I feel the strongest part of this book is the way that Clowes arranges his panels and text boxes. The wider format creates an almost cinematic feel to some of the scenes, which makes perfect sense as these scenes are very common in film (I.E. first date at a restaurant, party scene). Again, the overlapping text is what I feel to be one of the most interesting parts of this story, and how it really explains more about Marshall and how he's viewing the situation.
George Sprott is my introduction to Seth's work, and I'm very interested in reading more of his work now. This book also happened to be in an unconventional format, I had to pull it from the oversize section of the library. However, the amount of space is necessary for how much information he needs to squeeze into these boxes. The story reads as a series of interviews with people associated with George, a deceased television show host. One thing I noticed by the end is how little they actually show about George doing anything with the broadcast. I feel that this is pushing the idea that a career does not necessarily define a person, but instead it just happens to be a catalyst for the other events in his life to unfold. Each person identified George by two things: the way he treated them, and the place they associated with knowing him. This ranged from the arctic to the diner that he ate at regularly until the day he died. A lot of this story also focuses on the idea of modernization and how that has affected things that were thriving in the 70's. What I find most interesting about this is the method of storytelling; it's a biography, and the character being written about does make appearances in small flashbacks, but we learn the most about him not through his own actions but through the descriptions of his friends and family. I thought the ending was pretty funny, interviewing the stereotypical obsessive collector as a final remembrance of George. I also enjoyed the role of the narrator, who is at times very passive and reserved with what he feels he needs to share with the audience. I think that this is what is the backbone to this story: the selective nature of the storytellers. Because George himself doesn't tell the story, it is really up to the reader to decide which people to believe, and for that matter it's entirely up to the interviewees to decide how much they want to tell everyone and what sort of an image they wish to portray of George.
--David
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Asterios Polyp + Ghost World
This week I read Asterios Polyp and re-read Ghost World, which ended up being a worthwhile refresher.
Asterios Polyp was something I had been meaning to read for a while, so I'm glad I finally had a chance to get to it. I really enjoyed the way that the storyline moved. Mostly I was interested in Asterios' personal growth throughout the story, and how he completely changes once his life is humbled. The other characters that associated with him throughout the story were a lot like him; very intelligent, almost to a fault at times, and always trying to impress other people. I feel this gets most exemplified when he's forced to associate with the theater director. This in turn makes his issues with his Hana become much more apparent. Another one of the more interesting struggles he goes through is with his stillborn brother Ignazio, someone who he actually meets with throughout the story in dream states. I feel that this was a great way for Asterios to start looking at his own life. Although the circumstances for his sudden change were unfortunate, it was more beneficial to him in the end, including the rekindling of his relationship with Hana. With the art style, Mazzucchelli primarily used color as his way of changing the scene/mood. Most notable for me was when he meets Hana, and it shifts into her personal back story and away from the cooler-toned theme of the party.
Although I have read Ghost World before, it was good for me to go back since my more recent experiences with it have been the movie adaptation. For that reason I do find it most interesting to see how well the comic translated into the movie form. Enid especially I feel is a character that changed quite a bit in the translation. Although she still is very cynical in both, I feel that her aggression comes out more in the comic book. Rather, her personality seems a lot stronger, and the way she reacts to Becky seems a lot less tolerant. However, what I find to be the most interesting is the relationship between Enid and Becky. Primarily, the attachment of Becky when the reality of Enid moving to college comes to light. Although they are just leaving high school, it's an interesting view of how distance, or at least, moving away from home can affect even friendly relationships as is such in their case. Albeit they jokingly discuss the idea of being lesbians together, their platonic relationship is something that is highlighted throughout the story as something much stronger than what we might see as normal bonds. I feel this is one of the more important messages brought up in this story.
--David
Asterios Polyp was something I had been meaning to read for a while, so I'm glad I finally had a chance to get to it. I really enjoyed the way that the storyline moved. Mostly I was interested in Asterios' personal growth throughout the story, and how he completely changes once his life is humbled. The other characters that associated with him throughout the story were a lot like him; very intelligent, almost to a fault at times, and always trying to impress other people. I feel this gets most exemplified when he's forced to associate with the theater director. This in turn makes his issues with his Hana become much more apparent. Another one of the more interesting struggles he goes through is with his stillborn brother Ignazio, someone who he actually meets with throughout the story in dream states. I feel that this was a great way for Asterios to start looking at his own life. Although the circumstances for his sudden change were unfortunate, it was more beneficial to him in the end, including the rekindling of his relationship with Hana. With the art style, Mazzucchelli primarily used color as his way of changing the scene/mood. Most notable for me was when he meets Hana, and it shifts into her personal back story and away from the cooler-toned theme of the party.
Although I have read Ghost World before, it was good for me to go back since my more recent experiences with it have been the movie adaptation. For that reason I do find it most interesting to see how well the comic translated into the movie form. Enid especially I feel is a character that changed quite a bit in the translation. Although she still is very cynical in both, I feel that her aggression comes out more in the comic book. Rather, her personality seems a lot stronger, and the way she reacts to Becky seems a lot less tolerant. However, what I find to be the most interesting is the relationship between Enid and Becky. Primarily, the attachment of Becky when the reality of Enid moving to college comes to light. Although they are just leaving high school, it's an interesting view of how distance, or at least, moving away from home can affect even friendly relationships as is such in their case. Albeit they jokingly discuss the idea of being lesbians together, their platonic relationship is something that is highlighted throughout the story as something much stronger than what we might see as normal bonds. I feel this is one of the more important messages brought up in this story.
--David
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Persepolis 2 + Ordinary Victories
For this week I read a good portion of Persepolis 2 since I had read the first book previously, and Ordinary Victories.
Persepolis 2 was a little different than Persepolis 1. Where Persepolis 1 seemed to focus more on Marji learning through her own mistakes, where as in this 2nd book she's starting to figure out things without having to be reprimanded for it. I feel that her story really mostly focuses on being separated from family for the first time, and how to adjust to these new freedoms, both due to being away from parents and from being out of Iran. This book reads very much like a novel and is very dense in text compared to some of the other works I've read. However, I feel in this book it is necessary for her to use more because she really is documenting heavy internal struggles with her friendships, relationships, living situations, and just general response to her environment. I wasn't able to get to the end of this one, but I plan on finishing it up soon. I feel one of the key moments that I was able to relate to was Marji's return to Iran after having her plans crumble at the hands of her cheating ex, and suddenly realizing how different everything was. As a student from out of state, returning home for me after spending the first semester here was a strange experience, because although it was a familiar place it still felt very foreign.
Ordinary Victories was a story that started out light-hearted enough but fell into some darker themes throughout. Marco is very stubborn, very attached to the way things are currently and not exactly looking to rock the boat anytime soon. Most notably his strangely endearing back and forth with his brother, calling each other by George, and through his relationship where he feels like he's rushing by moving in with his girlfriend. For the most part to enact any change he needs a pretty big catalyst. The first really truly noticeable change in him happens when Adolf gets shot by the overly aggressive and protective farmer near his house. At this point his shift into being able to change and listen to other people becomes pertinent to the story moving along. I feel what I was most able to relate to in this story was his actual career path as a showing gallery artist. The difference between personal connection and perception of others regarding artwork, especially photography, can be a tender subject. Although he is very proud of his work, specifically because it is different and close to him, the documentary photographers he looks up to don't see it as something even remotely interesting because it doesn't deal with any sort of international upset. I feel as though sometimes we are expected to work towards what everyone else wants to see rather than what is of personal interest to us. However, the perseverance of Marco to continue to not only shoot but really learn more about his subjects was a great viewpoint on how the world of documentary photography really should be. I don't believe that photography has to be something that deals with social causes necessarily, although it may inadvertently do so. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I'm definitely interested in reading the 2nd book.
Persepolis 2 was a little different than Persepolis 1. Where Persepolis 1 seemed to focus more on Marji learning through her own mistakes, where as in this 2nd book she's starting to figure out things without having to be reprimanded for it. I feel that her story really mostly focuses on being separated from family for the first time, and how to adjust to these new freedoms, both due to being away from parents and from being out of Iran. This book reads very much like a novel and is very dense in text compared to some of the other works I've read. However, I feel in this book it is necessary for her to use more because she really is documenting heavy internal struggles with her friendships, relationships, living situations, and just general response to her environment. I wasn't able to get to the end of this one, but I plan on finishing it up soon. I feel one of the key moments that I was able to relate to was Marji's return to Iran after having her plans crumble at the hands of her cheating ex, and suddenly realizing how different everything was. As a student from out of state, returning home for me after spending the first semester here was a strange experience, because although it was a familiar place it still felt very foreign.
Ordinary Victories was a story that started out light-hearted enough but fell into some darker themes throughout. Marco is very stubborn, very attached to the way things are currently and not exactly looking to rock the boat anytime soon. Most notably his strangely endearing back and forth with his brother, calling each other by George, and through his relationship where he feels like he's rushing by moving in with his girlfriend. For the most part to enact any change he needs a pretty big catalyst. The first really truly noticeable change in him happens when Adolf gets shot by the overly aggressive and protective farmer near his house. At this point his shift into being able to change and listen to other people becomes pertinent to the story moving along. I feel what I was most able to relate to in this story was his actual career path as a showing gallery artist. The difference between personal connection and perception of others regarding artwork, especially photography, can be a tender subject. Although he is very proud of his work, specifically because it is different and close to him, the documentary photographers he looks up to don't see it as something even remotely interesting because it doesn't deal with any sort of international upset. I feel as though sometimes we are expected to work towards what everyone else wants to see rather than what is of personal interest to us. However, the perseverance of Marco to continue to not only shoot but really learn more about his subjects was a great viewpoint on how the world of documentary photography really should be. I don't believe that photography has to be something that deals with social causes necessarily, although it may inadvertently do so. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I'm definitely interested in reading the 2nd book.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Phoenix Vol. 2 + Bakuman Vol. 1
This week I read Phoenix Vol. 2, or "Future", and also read through the first volume (or first seven chapters) of Bakuman.
I was a little wary of going out of order with Phoenix, but since the first volume is out of print and hard to find/expensive, I went with the 2nd volume. Thankfully I found afterward that the stories all are separate but intertwined by the universal theme of the godlike Phoenix which appears throughout the entire series. I have to say I was really entertained by this particular story. The themes of the story that I saw were mostly dealing with the idea of technology, evolution, and how those two can either help or hinder each other. In the main sequence of things the idea of idolizing technology as a holy figure and something infallible is shown to be the demise of the human race. Even going further in a level, the Moopies being idolized as perfection was something that ended up being destroyed as well because it was falsifying reality. Overall I think Tezuka is mostly playing up the idea that an over indulgence in technology will ultimately lead to our own destruction. I have to say I did not expect the complete restart of evolution over the course of billions of years. As far as format it was nice that in this particular edition of the book it still read left to right, but it threw me off because I expect to read manga the opposite way. As far as character development, I felt Tezuka handled the relationship between Masato and Tamami very well, again with some surprise twists near the end.
The other manga I read was titled Bakuman, a story about two junior-high aged boys who wanted to become Mangaka. This story obviously took a more humorous approach, very much playing up the awkwardness of adolescence. Saiko and Takagi are portrayed as two of the smartest people in their 9th grade class in the midst of midterms. Of course, along with their intelligence also comes a severe amount of over-analysis of every single situation they're in, especially with each other. It's almost as if they're trying to constantly outwit the other one but also impress them. Takagi seems to think that since Saiko has manga in his bloodline that he has to really impress him all the time. Their goals are also lofty at best, primarily Saiko's desire to get married to Azuki and make her the voice actor for his anime once their manga takes off. All in all it's pretty hilarious, considering how quickly they go from being completely unsure to actually producing a manuscript and being free of worries about getting into a good high school. The art is fairly standard, although the idea of having all the stages of a manga within the manga itsel is pretty unique; sort of a way of breaking the fourth wall. I think this is actually a good standout from a lot of the high school based manga and anime I've seen or at least heard of. Rather, the main story of following the path of a mangaka is what is keeping this story more interesting. Given enough free time I would consider reading through more of the story to see where it goes since the first volume leaves off at a crucial point in their "career path" of sorts.
I was a little wary of going out of order with Phoenix, but since the first volume is out of print and hard to find/expensive, I went with the 2nd volume. Thankfully I found afterward that the stories all are separate but intertwined by the universal theme of the godlike Phoenix which appears throughout the entire series. I have to say I was really entertained by this particular story. The themes of the story that I saw were mostly dealing with the idea of technology, evolution, and how those two can either help or hinder each other. In the main sequence of things the idea of idolizing technology as a holy figure and something infallible is shown to be the demise of the human race. Even going further in a level, the Moopies being idolized as perfection was something that ended up being destroyed as well because it was falsifying reality. Overall I think Tezuka is mostly playing up the idea that an over indulgence in technology will ultimately lead to our own destruction. I have to say I did not expect the complete restart of evolution over the course of billions of years. As far as format it was nice that in this particular edition of the book it still read left to right, but it threw me off because I expect to read manga the opposite way. As far as character development, I felt Tezuka handled the relationship between Masato and Tamami very well, again with some surprise twists near the end.
The other manga I read was titled Bakuman, a story about two junior-high aged boys who wanted to become Mangaka. This story obviously took a more humorous approach, very much playing up the awkwardness of adolescence. Saiko and Takagi are portrayed as two of the smartest people in their 9th grade class in the midst of midterms. Of course, along with their intelligence also comes a severe amount of over-analysis of every single situation they're in, especially with each other. It's almost as if they're trying to constantly outwit the other one but also impress them. Takagi seems to think that since Saiko has manga in his bloodline that he has to really impress him all the time. Their goals are also lofty at best, primarily Saiko's desire to get married to Azuki and make her the voice actor for his anime once their manga takes off. All in all it's pretty hilarious, considering how quickly they go from being completely unsure to actually producing a manuscript and being free of worries about getting into a good high school. The art is fairly standard, although the idea of having all the stages of a manga within the manga itsel is pretty unique; sort of a way of breaking the fourth wall. I think this is actually a good standout from a lot of the high school based manga and anime I've seen or at least heard of. Rather, the main story of following the path of a mangaka is what is keeping this story more interesting. Given enough free time I would consider reading through more of the story to see where it goes since the first volume leaves off at a crucial point in their "career path" of sorts.
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