Author: admin

Manga Recommendation: Kamisama Hajimemashita

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It has been a while since I have brought you kind readers my latest favorite Shoujo manga, but today, you folks are in luck.  When I first discovered the beautiful piece of artwork that was Kamisama Hajimemashita [or Kamisama Kiss depending on where you’re looking], I was flippantly browsing through the manga section of my local book store while waiting for Matt to finish work so we could go home and read comics and interview people and other things we comic people do. I picked up Kamisama Hajimemashita and started reading.  Three volumes later Matt showed up and informed me it was time to go but I merely hissed at him and backed farther into the corner hugging the 4th volume as though if it were to be removed from my grasp I would die instantly.

Why is this manga so good you ask?

For multiple reasons.  Let’s do an overview of the story first.  Not only is it a creative new twist on a Shoujo that I had not seen in a long time, it was my first introduction to Japanese mythology. It is the story of a young homeless girl Nanami who, through a series of events, becomes the land goddess of a local shrine.  Tomoe, a fox yokai, is the guardian of the shrine and begrudgingly helps Nanami bring the shrine back to it’s former glory all while attending class and helping other gods.  This story seamlessly integrates the complex ideas of Japanese mythology into an easy to read and beautiful story.  It does take a minute to  get used to all of the new names, however once you get used to it, the read is easy.  Although it may seem like a lot of work, I would keep a list or Wikipedia handy to do a little research on what you are dealing with.  It opens up a whole new world of demons, monsters and deities that you can put in your list of information you really don’t need to know but can definitely impress others in the right circumstance.

Now onto things like the artwork and the characters.  The artwork is wonderful in this.  It has a kind of whimsical organic quality fitting of a story that has the fantasy that Kamisama Hajimemashita has.  The characters are all complex with a good amount of comedy running through them.  You can feel for each and every one of the characters.  From the deep dark past of the committed but fiery Tomoe to the happy go lucky but equally hard working Nanami.

I highly recommend this manga.  Every time a new chapter is released and I finish it, I table flip all the things that could possibly be table flipped and sit in a corner just waiting for my email alert to let me know the next chapter has been released.

Comics to watch out for: February 2012

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2012 is a huge year for comics and what better month to kick it all off than February. Next month has everything from dark thrillers published by Archaia to a brand new B.P.R.D series. Here a just a few comic and trades that we here at Panel Bound are excited for.

Low Moon By Jason, Fantagraphics

Graphic novelist and artist Jason returns to comics in the form of Low Moon. Featuring the title story Low Moon which was collected in The New York Times Sunday Magazine “Funny Pages” section. Low Moon is a collection of several stories by award winning visual artists Jason ranging from alien abduction to murder all told with heart breaking emotional sincerity. Jason has been praised by the most talented of his contemporaies including Sherman Alexie…

“When I read Jason for the first time, I was just as excited and devastated as the first time I read the poems of Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman. Jason’s work is poetry.”      — Sherman Alexie

 

Ningen’s Nightmares By J.P Kalonji, Dark Horse

From the creator of 365 Samurai comes Ningen’s Nightmares. A trade paper back from Dark Horse comics about ghost samurai, feudal Japan,warlords, and witches. 365 Samurai was an incredible graphic novel taking place in ancient Japan, so expect nothing less than brilliance from J.P Kalonji. If you are looking for hyper violent and incredible art work make sure you pick up Ningen’s Nightmare

 

Black Charity By Bal Speer, Archaia

Black Charity introduces us to Charlie as he witnesses a murder after moving into his new flat. Soon Charlie is on the run from assassins and fixers as he finds himself knee deep in a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top. With the hardboiled style of 100 bullets and Black Kiss this is a book worth checking out.

 

B.P.R.D Hell on Earth: The Long Death #1 By Mike Mignola, Dark Horse

Last but not least is our most anticipated title for February here at Panel Bound. B.P.R.D Hell on Earth: The Long Death, first of all there could not be a
better name ever recorded in the history of comics, everything about that title shouts B.P.R.D. The B.P.R.D task force sets out to discover a set of disappearances in the woods from New World in The Long Death. If you only have money for one comic this February make it this one.

Web Comic Review: Makeshift Miracle

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Makeshift Miracle is the latest project from Skullkickers writer Jim Zub, and artist Shun Hong Chan. First things first if you are looking for the over the top, off the wall style of Skullkickers, Makeshift Miracle is a far cry from that. However  the first two chapters of Makeshift Miracle have the makings of a really great comic. Jim Zub has captured the dialogue of an angst filled teenager who simply wants life to slow down yet is placed in an extraordinary circumstance,it’s reminiscent of Peter Parker or Light Yagami for our Death Note fans.

The artwork of Shun Hong Chan is stunning, Chan relies heavily on a watercolor technique that promises every gust of wind will be expertly rendered. Chan’s style takes cues from both western comics and manga that, as a manga and comic fan I found comforting. The mix of styles hints at Chan’s abilities to take the best from both schools of art and blend them seamlessly.

I do not want to give to much of the story away, solely due to the fact that you can head over to MakeshiftMiracle.com and check it out for free yourself. The second chapter comes to end this Friday so now is a great time to get caught up on this great web comic FOR FREE. The fact the Jim Zub and Udon Publishing are giving out this content for free in order to establish a strong fan base is what is so great about the comic community. Creators are trusting us as readers to appreciate and acknowledge their efforts so much that we will contribute to the project when it is in print. it’s a project that is capturing the spirit of web publishing in a time when the smaller guys are fighting to stay afloat. So please check out Makeshift Miracle and help support this project when it comes to print in May/June 2012.

Check out Makeshift Miracle

Panel Bound Recommends: PHERONE

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Here at Panel Bound we are huge fans of Blue Estate and it’s creator Viktor Kalvachev. I spoke with Viktor and Blue Estate writer Andrew Osborne a few months ago about their creator owned comic out with Image, and we also have posted reviews for past Blue Estate books. What I was unaware of is the fact that before Viktor was creating Blue Estate and doing covers for Men of War he released a graphic novel called PHERONE. As supporters of both Blue Estate and pulp crime books we have to recommend this title. If you head over to Viktor’s website you can find a ton of great sketches and sample pages. Below is a promo trailer that was put together for PHERONE, check it out it will make you go out and by this graphic novel.

 

5 Comics That Will Change How You Read Comics

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As a would be comic book writer I sometimes have dry spells of creativity, some days I just can’t get to the next level of a story. As of late I have been working on a few stories and for one of them I was having trouble getting pen to paper. Regardless if it was taking the plot in a natural progression or creating an organic sense of anticipation it wasn’t happening for me.

In moments like these I must remind myself that the reason I want to be in this business is the simple fact that I love comics, to me they are a well spring of creativity and what better place to find inspiration to take my scripts to the next level then in comics. So I present you several comics that represent the epitome of  artistic epiphany in my humble opinion.

B.P.R.D Plague of Frogs Volume 1 & 2 By Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Guy Davis, Dave Stewart

If you have been visiting Panel Bound for a while then I am sure you have noticed my adoration for just about anything Mike Mignola and John Arcudi put out. I was luck enough to get a copy of these books from the dudes and Geek of Doom and this series completely floored me. Mignola and Arcudi manage to create the most compelling storyline I have read in years with Plague of Frogs. It’s like any other B.P.R.D book however they bring it on such a large scale that it actually managed to get under my skin and legitimately spook me, giant bug monsters, people melting, constant decapitation, these book have it all.

Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine

True Story I once met Adrian Tomine at a indie comic convention and he was less then cool to me, I get that he was probably busy and all that but still I just wanted to tell this dude that Shortcomings was a life changing read. I digress, Shortcomings is exactly that a life changing read, before I read this book my pull list only consisted of comics about monsters and the heroes that bashed their heads in. After reading Shortcomings though I realized that this was the start of a new generation of the comic form and Adrian Tomine was at the forefront. This book literally changed the way I read, bought and cared about comics.

Skullkickers by Jim Zub, Edwin Huang, Misty Coats

I first heard about Skullkickers at San Diego Comic Con asI was creeping about the Image booth trying to nab interviews for the website. I was initially intrigued by this comic because the guys doing signings were probably a few years older than me and this both bummed me out (whenever I see people my age making comics professionally I get a little jealous) and made me want to check this books out immediately. I couldn’t believe that this group of creators in their (probably I am guessing) mid 20′s were creating such a polished and clean looking book being put out by Image. After checking out the first issue of Skullkickers it all started to make sense why Image was rallying behind this book so much, it’s comedy and action writing at it’s finest. The art is superb and is by far one of the most polished comics out currently.

Animal Man by Jeff Lemire

By now everyone had heard the hype about Animal Man, it’s by far the best rated New 52 title and it’s being written by a relatively new comic writer. Jeff Lemire began with his creator owned title Sweet Tooth with Vertigo which gained so much praise that DC chose him to pen Animal Man. Not only do I love this comic for it’s great writing and general sense of horror but it also to me represents the fact that if you are talented enough and create a good enough title that even the big guys at DC will take notice. Also it’s about a man who has the powers of any Animal he wants, I think that speaks for itself.

The Goon by Eric Powell

I don’t think I need to say to much about why this in my opinion is the best comic series that has been put out recently. Of course I am counting out all the series drama comics that are amazing, but pound for pound when it comes down to comedy and action The Goon has them all beat. If you haven’t read any of The Goon yet stop reading this now, throw your computer out the window and run not walk to a comic shop and buy everything with the words The Goon on them. I also met Eric Powell at SDCC and he was the nicest guy I have ever met which only added to how much I liked this comic.

Every week I will be adding to this list, mainly to remind myself of why I love comics so much and also maybe helping someone else find a comic that will inspire them to be a better artists, writer, etc. If you have comics that do this for you drop me a line at matt@panelbound.com and let me know, I would love to share your suggestions at the site and spread the word.

10 Questions with Jim Balent By Darrick Patrick

by admin

Jim Balent is a professional artist and writer who has worked on various comic book titles such as Catwoman, Detective Comics, Green Lantern Corps, Lobo’s Big Babe Spring Break Special, Purgatori: The Vampire’s Myth, Batman: Batgirl – Frenzy, Evil Ernie: Revenge, The Supernaturals, Red Sonja, and many others.  He created his own company called BroadSword Comics where he produces his ongoing series Tarot, Witch of the Black Rose along with his wife Holly Golightly (also known as Holly G!).  BroadSword Comics also releases titles such as 3 Little Kittens and School Bites.

Check out the interview here

  

 

Interview with Christian Slade

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I spoke with artist creator Christian Slade this week about his all ages comic Korgi. We featured book 3 of Korgi a few days ago and I would just like to again recommend this series. This is really fun story telling accompanied by beautiful art that is perfect for literally all ages. Christian and I spoke about his process of getting Korgi picked up by Top Shelf, as well as his inspiration for the book. Christian is a nice as someone could be. I hope you all enjoy the interview as much as I enjoyed conducting it. You can find links to Christian’s web site as well as links to purchase Korgi below.

Christian Slade Interview

ChristianSlade.com

Buy Korgi

Panel Bound recommends…Brand New Nostalgia

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Friend of the site Andrew MacLean whom we did an interview with earlier this month dropped me a line today to let me know about Brand New Nostalgia. B.N.N is a artists collective with Andrew and some of the best illustrators out there. Each week the artists will take a new theme and create beautiful illustrations based on their interpretation of that subject. This week’s theme is ROCK and already the stuff these artists are creating is phenomenal. Here is the official description of Brand New Nostalgia according to their website.

Oy! Welcome to Brand New Nostalgia — an artistic collective comprising of some of the best illustrative talent the internet has to offer.We’ll soon begin posting weekly themed projects that’ve been designed and illustrated by our incredible team of artists.In the meantime, click here to check out our artists and what kind of awesome stuff you can expect to see here.Soon you will feel our amazing power — as it showers all over your face and into your eyeballs. It will burn, and you will beg for more.

Each artist has done a banner for the B.N.N website and they are all really impressive stuff. So head over to the site and check out some really great art, I command it!

Brand New Nostalgia Tumblr

Brand New Nostalgia DeviantArt

Manga Monday: Claymore

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Last week I promised multiple things.

1) That I would create the wondrous MANGA MONDAYS.

2) That I would post something for the men.

I have delivered on both of those promises today.  It is a great day for Panel Bound.

Today’s Manga pick is Claymore.

First of all, the name should tell you everything you need to know about how awesome this story is.  Anybody in any nerdy spectrum is well aware of what a claymore is:

Claymore is an action/horror shonen (male genre) manga created by Norihiro in 2001 and is still on going.  The entire story takes place in a world that is inhabited by humans and yoma.  Yoma are these terrifying monsters that feed off of the flesh of humans.  As pictured here:

How do they keep yoma from completely taking over the world via eating the guts of humans?  Simple.  The organization of half woman half yoma warriors named Claymores by the general public.  The story mostly follows Clare, the lowest ranked of the Claymores on her journey of revenge.

The story line gets more complicated than that, but it’s one of those mangas that if I say one thing it gives away part of the plot, and then it’s just not fun anymore.  The entire story is just thrill after cliff hanger after sexy women after gratuitous violence after more sexy women and cliff hangers and a dash more of gratuitous violence.

The art in it is superb.  It’s gory, terrifying and dark.  The story is a little bit harder to follow than most other mangas as there are a lot of strange names and corresponding numbers to follow, but as you get more into it, you start to figure out who is who and why they are important (usually because they kick ass in some kind of terrifying way).

Although the characters are all strong women, this is a male based manga.  One can generally tell the difference between the two because their eyes don’t get big, there is a lot of blood and a very big lack of male sex appeal and a huge emphasis on gorgeous women wearing skin tight uniforms with some armor and killing things with big swords.

I highly recommend this manga as well as the anime (which is on netflix instant view).  Everything about it is one big adrenalin rush that never seems to end.  You don’t get attached to characters, you don’t have to deal with any sappy love story, you get action, lore and blood.  Lots of yoma blood.

Purchase Claymore vol. 1 here: at Amazon.com

Until next Manga Monday (or until I have another interview)

-Eastyn

Panel Bound’s Manga Pick of the Week: Tramps Like Us

by admin

Tramps Like Us, written by Yayoi Ogawa, is a manga driven powerfully by the idea of what is considered to be an acceptable match between a Japanese man and woman.  Tramps Like Us is a josei manga.  If shoujo manga were the peppy cosplaying high school student, josei would be her single older chain smoking aunt who has a shoddy view on life at best.  It features Sumire Iwaya, a tall and beautiful business woman who is perceived as cold hearted by her colleagues.

She suffers from depression and anxiety after her fiance called off their wedding and a demotion at work.  Her fiance was threatened by her higher height, status and pay grade (the three highs that japanese women look for in a male partner) and left her for somebody more suited to his societal level.  This of course, bums Sumire out to no end.  I know this sounds like the happiest story in the world, but bare with me.

Now that you have the set up for the huge bummer that Sumire is in her life, let me set up the little bit that gives this manga what I like to call the ‘manga factor.’  That little twist in the plot that is just strange enough to work:

Sumire finds a young homeless man in a box outside her house.  He reminds her of a dog she used to have named, Momo.  She then agrees to let him live there as long as her pet.  She names him Momo.

I am going to let that sink in.  She is now keeping this young man as a pet.

Anyways, so that’s pretty much the set up of the story, as you can tell there will be issues that ensue, especially when she starts dating (NO SPOILERS FOR YOU!)

As for the technical sides, the artwork is wonderful.  The characters all have a strange sensual feeling to them that match the mood of the story quite well.  The clean lines and natural placement and movement of characters throughout the story really help you to forget what you are reading is drawn.

The storyline is what drew me in, however.  The plot seems like it is a bad porn set up, however the characters are all so deep.  Every single one of them is human.  There is no set bad guy or good guy, they just are well developed characters with pretty neutral morality just like us.  It’s easy to latch onto one character and identify with them, which will undoubtedly send you on a whirlwind of emotions throughout the manga (Sumire is my personal favorite as the heroine).

This is by no means a manga for the kids.  The subject matter is heavy (although it does have some humorous parts) and can get pretty steamy at times.  It’s a wonderful 14 volume series and comes highly recommended by yours truly.

Buy it Here!

Also, just to let you guys know, we are going to be making the manga recommends into MANGA MONDAYS!

So stay tuned to find out what new manga I have to recommend next!
Next week: Something for the men to really enjoy

-Eastyn