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As a medium, manga has shown us again and again, the incredible power of storytelling in this visual format. So much so that it has carried a lot of weight, influencing both the comics and animation industries around the world for decades. It seems like nowadays, your favorite artist’s artist is either someone from the land of the rising sun or there is a manga series that is loved and adored that helped them become the creative that they are today.
I’ve read so much manga over the years, and I have been so fascinated by how Japanese manga has not only influenced the world twice over but served to educate readers of the culture that produces manga. It has also had an impact in the lives of its creators, everyone involved in producing it, and of course, its consumers.
As someone who has literally been reading manga since I was around the age of one Card Captor Sakura aka Sakura Kinomoto, I feel endeared to this medium and all the stories that have entertained me, inspired me, and left me all the way in my feelings. It has taught me life lessons with characters I’ll never forget. For the manga lovers out there, here’s a short list to spotlight some series about manga: the making of it, the selling of it, and the ways it offers insight into the lives of its creators–and even our own..
1.) BAKUMAN
(20 VOLUMES) VIZ MANGA
Alright, let’s get this one out the way, you’ll see this on every list about manga that places manga at the front and center anytime in the 2000s. Created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, the creatives behind the global hit Death Note, this series follows two teen boys: Mashiro and Takagi and their ride to figure out the mystery of creating manga and how to aim to be successful at it. Striving to answer the question of becoming a successful manga creating team is a far-fetched dream or just a gamble not worth putting everything on the line for, this manga series that also spawned an anime adaptation is the longest series on this list and perhaps the one that reached the highest acclaim.
One thing that this series gets right is the detailed process on how to make manga: storyboarding, fleshing out ideas for stories, and the importance of good editors. The creative team smartly celebrates the history of manga genre with real life examples, name dropping many of the greats with titles we all know like Dragonball and One Piece along with older titles I was less familiar with like Tomorrow’s Joe aka Ashita no Jo, a boxing manga first pubbed in the late sixties in Japan. The creative team really pushes almost fourth wall type feels with name dropping one of their own previous works, the popular Death Note, several times in the first volume. Yet, it is done in such a charming way that actually adds to the dialogue at hand when speaking about the notoriously rise and grind work ethic of the manga industry. The sometimes overwhelming amount of detail by way of the statistics and ranking thrown in for good measure adds more pressure to not just our teen protagonists but for the readers who may very well find themselves emotionally invested in the duo’s success in every volume read.
This manga series is for the folks who love a story about underdogs, young men fighting for their stories, their futures with a love of manga thrown into the mix with a lens of Shonen flavored perspective. The story does start when the two boys are in middle school taking exams, prepping to go to high school, so I did have to roll my eyes AT A LOT that came out of their mouths regarding girls, media for girls, and the like. (Seriously though, the two boys’ discussions on girls who are” pure” or “smart ” early on irritated my soul). Rereading the first arc of the series made me remember just how exasperated I felt about the storylines of the girl characters–how they felt too tied to the boys (love interest or future plans dependent of theirs succeeding, for example), not enough to stand on their own outside the boys’ lives. Noting that, the manga is fast paced, thought provoking, so very interesting with all the regular Shonen beats that make for a good run. There is so much commentary on the manga industry: on how hard it is to break into it, on the difficulties of being a pro, and the complexities of what success means in the world of manga in the modern age.
2.) SKULL FACE BOOK SELLER HONDA-SAN
(4 VOLUMES) YEN PRESS
Off jump, the synopsis for this series will throw you for a loop even if you’ve been reading manga for years–a team of eccentric looking workers at a bookstore which includes an actual skeleton named Honda works. The manga series is based on a real-life experience of the author Honda during her days as a bookstore employee. Published in the later 2000s, it has also been adapted into a twelve episode anime series. Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san as comedic as it is, humorously showcases the culture of manga and how loved of a medium it is.
The series also demonstrates how impactful manga, not just a genre or art style or medium, is around the world as noted by all the foreigners that make their way to the store that Honda is employed at. Honda, who is often overwhelmed, is hilarious to see on the page as, is drawn with the appearance of a human skeleton wearing a bookstore uniform. He is never not expressive with each chapter of madness and mess that enters the store looking for comics of all kinds. While Honda is in charge of foreign comics and artbooks like American comics like “Shoots-Spiderwebs-From-Fingers-Man’ and Bandes Dessinees, better known as French comics, he’s often pulled in every which fan by fans of comics of all kind, especially manga.
There’s a customer for every flavor and a learning curve for any and all interests. If you didn’t know what Japanese doujinshi (fan created comics) were before, you’ll have a good idea after reading this series. If you want commentary on the Yaoi genre of manga and the fandom on which it stands, you’ll be better equipped after reading through these volumes. There are layers to this series: the jokes, the work of a bookseller, underrated service industry work, the function of bookstores, the worth of manga, and so much more. This series was created by a manga artist who worked at a bookstore, and that insight is so valuable in connecting all the dots in the narrative. The later volumes really further immersed me in how literacy, yes, even through comics, especially manga, ties into our life’s work and how our experiences shape us.
3.) BLACK CANVAS: MY SO CALLED LIFE
5 VOLUMES (SEVEN SEAS ENTERTAINMENT)
Perhaps best known in the West for the series that was her debut into the English Language market: Princess Jellyfish, Akiko Highashumura’s third translated series is a short manga series that chronicles her journey to the artist that she is today. High school aged Akiko has big plans to become a popular mangaka and be known for the best Shojo. Her big plans include getting a hit before she even graduates, but little does she know she needs to actually work hard at her dream with an unconventional art teacher. Thus starts the immersing journey that is part coming of age, part drama, and hilarious comedic timing again and again that is Higashimura’s trademark style.
This series surely serves as an illustrative example of what memoir can look like in manga form as it retells a story of youth, the start of Higashimura’s career, and her unusual way that she got there–going to art school producing paintings and sculptures. As I read, I noticed the unusual fast paced theatrics that the mangaka is known for that I love–and the quiet moments that really helped pull the narrative together. Panels where the younger artist is fretting about art school exams, not having work after graduating, getting into the swing of things as a newbie mangaka all make curious and engaging milestones in her journey. The vulnerability! The ability to poke at herself! The range! Throughout the series, there are some quiet moments that readers will catch that allude to her artstyle and work history as a mangaka later down the line that feel like easter egg quality that I just ate up.
This manga series is for the folks who love auto-biographical works, those who wish to see more manga by female creators, and those who want to see the way one could have possibly broken into the manga industry as a woman and not be terribly connected. I read this series before Blue Period came out, so I felt that I had a better understanding of the basics of illustration and art history that came with young Akikio’s training as an artist. It was also an eye opener for her quest to get into art school, even if we consider it a dated time. Come for the great Akiko Higashumra, stay for the story of her life that reveals all the heartfelt, hilarious, and heartbreaking moments that helped define her as the artist we know her as today.
4.) I’LL GIVE IT MY ALL… TOMORROW
5 VOLUMES (VIZ)
Described by its publisher as “simpatico mid-life crisis comedy,” I’ll Give It My All… Tomorrow is a manga that follows one forty-year-old Shizuo Oguro who is finally living his life for him–he’s following his dreams. Kinda? After quitting his boring and not fulfilling desk job, he finally has the time to figure out his life’s true passion and start a new career…once he figures out what it is. With very few friends, a daughter in high school and an aging father at home, Shizuo makes the random declaration that he wishes to be a published manga artist! A series about how you can follow your dreams at any age, it was popular enough to have a short spin-off series and to even be adapted into a live-action film.
Never mind that Shizuo lacks the talent, discipline, or any other skill necessary to do so, he’s made up his mind to be a man who creates manga. A valid reaction to have could be: HAVE MERCY and not in the cool, sexy, R&B way that has a slick beat. This manga does run the gauntlet of hilarious with a capital “H” to depressing IN ALL CAPS, so dark comedy might be another way to define it.
Hitting some Seinen feels, the adventures of Shizuo falls deep in the examination of youth, aging, fatherhood, and societal expectations in today’s day and age. Shizuo ponders about and explores his relationship to work and the pursuit of happiness. My favorite pages in every manga are the ones where he shoots the breeze with, humors, and confronts God–also the different versions of himself at age fifteen, seventh, and thirty-two. His trips to the manga publishing company will enlighten readers of the work of editors, the folks who help shape the stories we read and love, along with the type of desperation a creative person can bring to the table.
This manga series is for the folks who want to see someone pull off a win, for readers of the Seinen genre and people who can laugh on their worst days. By worst days, I mean run me the spectrum of worst days like from walking into a glass door accidently in front of people to being laid off by text message or a note written in purple crayon. Look, I read more Shojo and Josei manga so this series caught me by surprise!
The later volumes really pull together the life of Shizuo and how just one person dancing to the beat of his one drum can influence and impact the lives of others. While I still have questions about Bob, the Black foreigner who works at the burger place, I believe that this manga series digs into how our lives can influence what’s on the pages of manga and what readers may hold close to their hearts. For those who never thought that they wanted to read a coming-of-age series that fell in with a mid-life crisis story, this one’s for you.
5.) Satoshi Kon’s OPUS
1 VOLUME (DARK HORSE COMICS)
The world lost a legend by the name of Satoshi Kon back in 2010 at the age of forty-six. The director known for such titles like Paprika, Paranoia Agent, Tokyo Godfathers, Millennium Actress, and Perfect Blue. At the end of his life, he was a household name in Japan, revered and beloved around the world and an artist of his craft who is fondly remembered. In the days before his career with anime took off, he was a manga artist, and this collection of work, this manga, Opus was a series he created, poured his love into, and wanted to come back and properly finish one day. First published back in the 90s, this manga functions as a sort of “lost manga” and an unearthed time capsule of the past. It also serves as a piece of manga history that is complex, and it is an ambitious story of a manga creator sucked into the world of his work and his quest to not just survive but right some wrongs.
One reason why Kon’s manga here is such a triple threat is the mangaka’s tried and true ability to blend reality with fiction. An approach that he used well into this animated film and anime career. Here, Opus revolves around an overworked manga artist planning a shocking surprise ending to his series who gets literally pulled into his own work—and has to be accountable for every choice he’s made in the lives of his creations. Chikara Nagai, a manga creator under pressure of deadlines and severe lack of sleep, is pulled into his own manga by a character he’s drawn to be killed off in the finale of the series he’s been working on.
He soon finds a world filled with characters that he’s created himself that are just fighting to survive, bound by tragic circumstances he’s penned; like Lin who he’s originally planned to kill off, written to sacrifice himself. There’s also Satoko, a young woman on a mission to get rid of the big bad with a trauma filled past of her own. Nagai soon finds himself accountable for the lives of all these characters he’s drawn and himself personally invested in the world he helped create–and damn all the same.
This manga series is for the folks who love a narrative that is working with surrealism as much as the artwork offers up. Senien flavored, Opus is a brilliant body of work by Kon that features metaverses, reincarnations, and personal responsibility that mature readers will eat up. There’s certainly lots of commentary on creators and the choices they make for character development and for moving the narrative forward: Satoko’s traumas, starting in her childhood–are they truly necessary? With all seriousness, I do like that some fun is had: one of my favorite set of pages is Satoko and Nagai being hunted through the city, and the buildings fall flat like paper.
These details weren’t fully drawn out by the manga creator or his assistants and the way the characters on the page, including Nagai the creator, react is absolutely wild to watch. Without going into spoiler territory, I was well pleased with the care that went into compiling the work that went into this book, especially regarding the ending which speaks to an artist’s love of desire to give this story a proper ending, or at least some closure–as all good stories deserve. There are dozens of reasons to read and reread this one: being able to know more about the foundation behind Staoshi Kon’s noteworthy career is perhaps the best one to collect this manga for your manga bookshelves.
Closing the Book
Manga has entertained me, inspired me, and left me all the way in my feelings. It has taught me life lessons with characters on pages that I’ll never forget.
As a medium, it belongs to an industry and a country that continues to influence and awe readers of all ages and from all walks of life.
May all manga readers seek out series of this medium that remind us just how important this visual format is to us.
May we seek out volumes that teach us not just about the culture and impact of manga but appreciate the gift of how we’re given glimpses into the lives and brilliance of the creators.
May the world of manga continue to captivate and illuminate just what makes it special and why we, as readers, continue to be drawn to it.
Cover image via Barnes & Noble
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The post Manga Series to Read to Learn More about the Culture & Impact of Manga appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
As a medium, manga has shown us again and again, the incredible power of storytelling in this visual format. So much so that it has carried a lot of weight, influencing both the comics and animation industries around the world for decades. It seems like nowadays, your favorite artist’s artist is either someone from the land of the rising sun or there is a manga series that is loved and adored that helped them become the creative that they are today.
I’ve read so much manga over the years, and I have been so fascinated by how Japanese manga has not only influenced the world twice over but served to educate readers of the culture that produces manga. It has also had an impact in the lives of its creators, everyone involved in producing it, and of course, its consumers.
As someone who has literally been reading manga since I was around the age of one Card Captor Sakura aka Sakura Kinomoto, I feel endeared to this medium and all the stories that have entertained me, inspired me, and left me all the way in my feelings. It has taught me life lessons with characters I’ll never forget. For the manga lovers out there, here’s a short list to spotlight some series about manga: the making of it, the selling of it, and the ways it offers insight into the lives of its creators–and even our own..
1.) BAKUMAN
(20 VOLUMES) VIZ MANGA
Alright, let’s get this one out the way, you’ll see this on every list about manga that places manga at the front and center anytime in the 2000s. Created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, the creatives behind the global hit Death Note, this series follows two teen boys: Mashiro and Takagi and their ride to figure out the mystery of creating manga and how to aim to be successful at it. Striving to answer the question of becoming a successful manga creating team is a far-fetched dream or just a gamble not worth putting everything on the line for, this manga series that also spawned an anime adaptation is the longest series on this list and perhaps the one that reached the highest acclaim.
One thing that this series gets right is the detailed process on how to make manga: storyboarding, fleshing out ideas for stories, and the importance of good editors. The creative team smartly celebrates the history of manga genre with real life examples, name dropping many of the greats with titles we all know like Dragonball and One Piece along with older titles I was less familiar with like Tomorrow’s Joe aka Ashita no Jo, a boxing manga first pubbed in the late sixties in Japan. The creative team really pushes almost fourth wall type feels with name dropping one of their own previous works, the popular Death Note, several times in the first volume. Yet, it is done in such a charming way that actually adds to the dialogue at hand when speaking about the notoriously rise and grind work ethic of the manga industry. The sometimes overwhelming amount of detail by way of the statistics and ranking thrown in for good measure adds more pressure to not just our teen protagonists but for the readers who may very well find themselves emotionally invested in the duo’s success in every volume read.
This manga series is for the folks who love a story about underdogs, young men fighting for their stories, their futures with a love of manga thrown into the mix with a lens of Shonen flavored perspective. The story does start when the two boys are in middle school taking exams, prepping to go to high school, so I did have to roll my eyes AT A LOT that came out of their mouths regarding girls, media for girls, and the like. (Seriously though, the two boys’ discussions on girls who are” pure” or “smart ” early on irritated my soul). Rereading the first arc of the series made me remember just how exasperated I felt about the storylines of the girl characters–how they felt too tied to the boys (love interest or future plans dependent of theirs succeeding, for example), not enough to stand on their own outside the boys’ lives. Noting that, the manga is fast paced, thought provoking, so very interesting with all the regular Shonen beats that make for a good run. There is so much commentary on the manga industry: on how hard it is to break into it, on the difficulties of being a pro, and the complexities of what success means in the world of manga in the modern age.
2.) SKULL FACE BOOK SELLER HONDA-SAN
(4 VOLUMES) YEN PRESS
Off jump, the synopsis for this series will throw you for a loop even if you’ve been reading manga for years–a team of eccentric looking workers at a bookstore which includes an actual skeleton named Honda works. The manga series is based on a real-life experience of the author Honda during her days as a bookstore employee. Published in the later 2000s, it has also been adapted into a twelve episode anime series. Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san as comedic as it is, humorously showcases the culture of manga and how loved of a medium it is.
The series also demonstrates how impactful manga, not just a genre or art style or medium, is around the world as noted by all the foreigners that make their way to the store that Honda is employed at. Honda, who is often overwhelmed, is hilarious to see on the page as, is drawn with the appearance of a human skeleton wearing a bookstore uniform. He is never not expressive with each chapter of madness and mess that enters the store looking for comics of all kinds. While Honda is in charge of foreign comics and artbooks like American comics like “Shoots-Spiderwebs-From-Fingers-Man’ and Bandes Dessinees, better known as French comics, he’s often pulled in every which fan by fans of comics of all kind, especially manga.
There’s a customer for every flavor and a learning curve for any and all interests. If you didn’t know what Japanese doujinshi (fan created comics) were before, you’ll have a good idea after reading this series. If you want commentary on the Yaoi genre of manga and the fandom on which it stands, you’ll be better equipped after reading through these volumes. There are layers to this series: the jokes, the work of a bookseller, underrated service industry work, the function of bookstores, the worth of manga, and so much more. This series was created by a manga artist who worked at a bookstore, and that insight is so valuable in connecting all the dots in the narrative. The later volumes really further immersed me in how literacy, yes, even through comics, especially manga, ties into our life’s work and how our experiences shape us.
3.) BLACK CANVAS: MY SO CALLED LIFE
5 VOLUMES (SEVEN SEAS ENTERTAINMENT)
Perhaps best known in the West for the series that was her debut into the English Language market: Princess Jellyfish, Akiko Highashumura’s third translated series is a short manga series that chronicles her journey to the artist that she is today. High school aged Akiko has big plans to become a popular mangaka and be known for the best Shojo. Her big plans include getting a hit before she even graduates, but little does she know she needs to actually work hard at her dream with an unconventional art teacher. Thus starts the immersing journey that is part coming of age, part drama, and hilarious comedic timing again and again that is Higashimura’s trademark style.
This series surely serves as an illustrative example of what memoir can look like in manga form as it retells a story of youth, the start of Higashimura’s career, and her unusual way that she got there–going to art school producing paintings and sculptures. As I read, I noticed the unusual fast paced theatrics that the mangaka is known for that I love–and the quiet moments that really helped pull the narrative together. Panels where the younger artist is fretting about art school exams, not having work after graduating, getting into the swing of things as a newbie mangaka all make curious and engaging milestones in her journey. The vulnerability! The ability to poke at herself! The range! Throughout the series, there are some quiet moments that readers will catch that allude to her artstyle and work history as a mangaka later down the line that feel like easter egg quality that I just ate up.
This manga series is for the folks who love auto-biographical works, those who wish to see more manga by female creators, and those who want to see the way one could have possibly broken into the manga industry as a woman and not be terribly connected. I read this series before Blue Period came out, so I felt that I had a better understanding of the basics of illustration and art history that came with young Akikio’s training as an artist. It was also an eye opener for her quest to get into art school, even if we consider it a dated time. Come for the great Akiko Higashumra, stay for the story of her life that reveals all the heartfelt, hilarious, and heartbreaking moments that helped define her as the artist we know her as today.
4.) I’LL GIVE IT MY ALL… TOMORROW
5 VOLUMES (VIZ)
Described by its publisher as “simpatico mid-life crisis comedy,” I’ll Give It My All… Tomorrow is a manga that follows one forty-year-old Shizuo Oguro who is finally living his life for him–he’s following his dreams. Kinda? After quitting his boring and not fulfilling desk job, he finally has the time to figure out his life’s true passion and start a new career…once he figures out what it is. With very few friends, a daughter in high school and an aging father at home, Shizuo makes the random declaration that he wishes to be a published manga artist! A series about how you can follow your dreams at any age, it was popular enough to have a short spin-off series and to even be adapted into a live-action film.
Never mind that Shizuo lacks the talent, discipline, or any other skill necessary to do so, he’s made up his mind to be a man who creates manga. A valid reaction to have could be: HAVE MERCY and not in the cool, sexy, R&B way that has a slick beat. This manga does run the gauntlet of hilarious with a capital “H” to depressing IN ALL CAPS, so dark comedy might be another way to define it.
Hitting some Seinen feels, the adventures of Shizuo falls deep in the examination of youth, aging, fatherhood, and societal expectations in today’s day and age. Shizuo ponders about and explores his relationship to work and the pursuit of happiness. My favorite pages in every manga are the ones where he shoots the breeze with, humors, and confronts God–also the different versions of himself at age fifteen, seventh, and thirty-two. His trips to the manga publishing company will enlighten readers of the work of editors, the folks who help shape the stories we read and love, along with the type of desperation a creative person can bring to the table.
This manga series is for the folks who want to see someone pull off a win, for readers of the Seinen genre and people who can laugh on their worst days. By worst days, I mean run me the spectrum of worst days like from walking into a glass door accidently in front of people to being laid off by text message or a note written in purple crayon. Look, I read more Shojo and Josei manga so this series caught me by surprise!
The later volumes really pull together the life of Shizuo and how just one person dancing to the beat of his one drum can influence and impact the lives of others. While I still have questions about Bob, the Black foreigner who works at the burger place, I believe that this manga series digs into how our lives can influence what’s on the pages of manga and what readers may hold close to their hearts. For those who never thought that they wanted to read a coming-of-age series that fell in with a mid-life crisis story, this one’s for you.
5.) Satoshi Kon’s OPUS
1 VOLUME (DARK HORSE COMICS)
The world lost a legend by the name of Satoshi Kon back in 2010 at the age of forty-six. The director known for such titles like Paprika, Paranoia Agent, Tokyo Godfathers, Millennium Actress, and Perfect Blue. At the end of his life, he was a household name in Japan, revered and beloved around the world and an artist of his craft who is fondly remembered. In the days before his career with anime took off, he was a manga artist, and this collection of work, this manga, Opus was a series he created, poured his love into, and wanted to come back and properly finish one day. First published back in the 90s, this manga functions as a sort of “lost manga” and an unearthed time capsule of the past. It also serves as a piece of manga history that is complex, and it is an ambitious story of a manga creator sucked into the world of his work and his quest to not just survive but right some wrongs.
One reason why Kon’s manga here is such a triple threat is the mangaka’s tried and true ability to blend reality with fiction. An approach that he used well into this animated film and anime career. Here, Opus revolves around an overworked manga artist planning a shocking surprise ending to his series who gets literally pulled into his own work—and has to be accountable for every choice he’s made in the lives of his creations. Chikara Nagai, a manga creator under pressure of deadlines and severe lack of sleep, is pulled into his own manga by a character he’s drawn to be killed off in the finale of the series he’s been working on.
He soon finds a world filled with characters that he’s created himself that are just fighting to survive, bound by tragic circumstances he’s penned; like Lin who he’s originally planned to kill off, written to sacrifice himself. There’s also Satoko, a young woman on a mission to get rid of the big bad with a trauma filled past of her own. Nagai soon finds himself accountable for the lives of all these characters he’s drawn and himself personally invested in the world he helped create–and damn all the same.
This manga series is for the folks who love a narrative that is working with surrealism as much as the artwork offers up. Senien flavored, Opus is a brilliant body of work by Kon that features metaverses, reincarnations, and personal responsibility that mature readers will eat up. There’s certainly lots of commentary on creators and the choices they make for character development and for moving the narrative forward: Satoko’s traumas, starting in her childhood–are they truly necessary? With all seriousness, I do like that some fun is had: one of my favorite set of pages is Satoko and Nagai being hunted through the city, and the buildings fall flat like paper.
These details weren’t fully drawn out by the manga creator or his assistants and the way the characters on the page, including Nagai the creator, react is absolutely wild to watch. Without going into spoiler territory, I was well pleased with the care that went into compiling the work that went into this book, especially regarding the ending which speaks to an artist’s love of desire to give this story a proper ending, or at least some closure–as all good stories deserve. There are dozens of reasons to read and reread this one: being able to know more about the foundation behind Staoshi Kon’s noteworthy career is perhaps the best one to collect this manga for your manga bookshelves.
Closing the Book
Manga has entertained me, inspired me, and left me all the way in my feelings. It has taught me life lessons with characters on pages that I’ll never forget.
As a medium, it belongs to an industry and a country that continues to influence and awe readers of all ages and from all walks of life.
May all manga readers seek out series of this medium that remind us just how important this visual format is to us.
May we seek out volumes that teach us not just about the culture and impact of manga but appreciate the gift of how we’re given glimpses into the lives and brilliance of the creators.
May the world of manga continue to captivate and illuminate just what makes it special and why we, as readers, continue to be drawn to it.
Cover image via Barnes & Noble
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The post Manga Series to Read to Learn More about the Culture & Impact of Manga appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Writer: Tom Taylor / Artist: Bruno Redondo and Adriano Lucas / DC Comics
Look, I don’t need to tell you how much I love this book. I tell you every month. Who am I kidding, I’m going to tell you. I love this book!
Nightwing #88 follows what might be one of my favorite issues of any comic, all time. In this issue, the story revolves around Nightwing as he announced the plans for Haven, a safe space for the young houseless community in Blüdhaven to lay their heads and feel a sense of security. It’s one program in a long line of programs that Dick has lined up, bankrolled by the money that Alfred left him.
The conflict of this issue is that ever since Dick Grayson announced to the city that he was here to help out, he’s had a target on his head. While Dick makes his speech while construction breaks ground on Haven, he narrowly survives an assassination attempt ordered by Blockbuster when he’s saved by the Titans, his OG buddies from back in the day.
Nightwing #88 was an issue with a lot of heart. It dealt with a man’s oldest friends banning together no matter how much they may have grown apart or whatever their obligations may currently be, all to make sure he’s protected. I ask this question way too often with this book, but why am I tearing up right now?
Aside from that, my favorite part of this book was Nightwing’s conversation in the opening scene with Barbera where he explains that he feels like Nightwing is the secret identity right now, because he can’t be seen in public as Dick Grayson. It’s an interesting inversion, and one that may not be new to comics, but is being told in a really fresh way. I feel for Nightwing. It’s got to be hard when your personal life is compromised solely because you wanted to do some good.
But that’s what we call stakes, baby! It’s why we come back every month, to see how he’ll overcome it all.
10 Super-Powered Best Friends out of 10
Enjoying Nightwing? Check out BNP’s other reviews here.
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As the official selection for the 2022 Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Dramatic Competition, you’d expect Gabriel Martin’s Mars Um (Mars One) to do some heavy lifting, and boy does it ever. Mars Um is an exploration of a Black Brazilian family who clings to family, acceptance, and the concept of reward for hard work, even in the face of challenges that test the way they view themselves.
The Martins (or Martians if you like) are a family who dares to dream. Living in the lower middle class with jobs as domestic and maintenance/security workers for the more fortunate, they manage to find happiness despite life’s obstacles. There are the parents, Tércia (Rejane Faria) and Wellington (Carlos Francisco), and their children, Deivinho/Deivid (Cícero Lucas in his film debut) and Eunice who is affectionately called Nina (Camilla Damião in her first leading role). Both Tércia and Wellington work in a local highrise that houses some of the most influential Brazilians, including soccer star Juan Pablo Sorin and influencer and entertainer Tokinho. Both are loyal and hard workers and don’t have any resentment towards the wealthy residents. Martin does a good job of showing these disparities by showing the Martin home as small and cozy and the highrise penthouse balconies as spacious, modern, and airy. Even in the face of this, the parents appear to be content.
Their children are another story. Nina is studying law in college and eager to graduate and possibly move out of her childhood home to live with her new girlfriend, Joana. Deivid is interested in astrophysics and specifically the Mars One colonization project that the title of the film is based on. His hero is Neil deGrasse Tyson, and he wants to build a telescope, not be a soccer star — at least not just a soccer star — like his dad wants.
Written and directed by Gabriel Martins, this semi-autobiographical and beautiful film hits it out of the park on nearly every swing. The only true flaw oddly has to do with the description of the film. On IMDb, it specifies the election of a right-wing president who represents everything the family is not. This entity is essentially non-existent; however, that doesn’t mean political themes aren’t present.
The Martin family is the core and the heart of Mars Um, and in that vein, Tércia as the mother is truly the soul. She’s the victim of a frankly heinous prank that shakes her to her core. Everyone else makes light of the situation, but Tércia suffers from headaches, insomnia, and disorientation as a result of the incident. Once similar incidents around her become more prevalent, she begins to wonder if she’s the problem. Is she cursed? Faria’s performance is crucial to carrying the tone of the film and it’s a feat she pulls off beautifully. She understands that a little is a lot and she’s able to earn her outbursts as a result.
A recovering alcoholic, Wellington has a lot to be thankful for although he’s a bit too distracted trying to turn his son into the family’s savior through soccer. He’s optimistic to a fault and misses a lot of red flags that come his way. He’s loving and a good man but seems to have era-typical semi-misogynistic blind spots. It would be easy for Francisco to play Wellington as a one-dimensional character, but he chooses the path that gives Wellington a kind of sympathetic pathos. Francisco embodies the character fully and never slacks in making the patriarch palatable.
A tutor and college student by day, Nina spends her night at local queer hip hop clubs in their city. One night she meets a girl with electric blue braids who takes her breath away. Nina is withholding from her parents and only admits to Deivid (in the small room they share) that she’s dating a girl and thinking about moving out with the electric blue plaited Joana (Ana Hilario). For her first feature role, Damião brings beauty and rebellious heart to the role. She’s able to maintain Nina’s stubbornness without it coming off as obnoxious. Though her relationship with Joana seemed a bit rushed, Damião committed completely, delivering a fully realized performance. Nina sets her sights on leaving her parent’s home and their watchful eyes and making sure Deivid has the same independent spirit.
Deivid is a typical kid who has a talent for soccer, but would rather be studying astrophysics and Mars. He’s read extensively about Mars One and seems to be stuck on the fact that it’s a one-way trip only. He’s eager to run away. Though he loves his parents and his sister, he’s beginning to find himself and needs the space to do so. Mars Um is Lucas’ film debut and his performance is understated and not precocious. He’s smart, but still very much a kid. His performance is so matter-of-fact that you come to think of him as your own little brother. He’s real and his acting is very impressive given that this is his first major project.
Although the newly elected president doesn’t seem to have any direct effect on the narrative, it’s interesting to see how political engagement and protest show their face in the film. Nina and Deivid are from a more equitable, better-educated generation. Wellington’s new co-worker speaks openly about occupying the pool at their highrise and protesting. Wellington hears his rants and just laughs, waving them off. For Wellington’s generation the time for protest is past. He’s content to be working hard. Sure he would like a little more money, but it’s just not his time. Martin does a good job of using the storylines and the conflicting opinions of each generation as a metaphor for today’s political divide. In the film, we see Tércia and Wellington at a crossroads where they must decide whether to be left behind or keep moving forward.
Mars Um is a simple yet layered film brimming over with emotion, solid and beautiful performances, and relatable characters. It’s truly worth the title of Official Selection and you’ll treasure every minute you get to spend in Martins’ world.
Mars Um (Mars One) premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.
Writers: Hudlin and Leon Chills / Artists: Doug Braithwaite, Andrew Currie, and Brad Anderson / DC Comics
After a little break, Icon & Rocket is back, giving us that entry into the world of Dakota that we all love so much.
Icon & Rocket #5 provides a little downtime for Icon & Rocket as they took out the world’s drug traffickers and were attacked by a killer Manhunter from Mars. They deserve as much breathing room as they can get.
Augustus has moved Raquel and her mother into his estate while they wait for their apartment building to rebuild so they can move back in, and they’ve switched the power belts and capes for jeans and jackets for now as they try to navigate their regular lives in the aftermath of what they’ve done as Icon & Rocket.
Personally, issues like this one are some of my favorites in comics. Don’t get me wrong. I love all the action just as much as the next fan, but when we spend personal time with the characters it only provides context for the stakes of the action. A fistfight isn’t the most opportune time to learn about what a character wants and needs. We find that out during their downtime.
The best part of Icon & Rocket #5, for me, focuses on Raquel as she goes back to school. She’s missed so much time because she’s been out saving the world with Icon. Even though it hasn’t been too long, she clearly feels out of place, almost like she’s outgrown the importance of school, especially when you juxtapose it to the more serious, tangible change she’s enacting in the world.
I loved seeing Raquel in school so much. The story really sunk its teeth into the contrast of her life, heightened by the return of her deadbeat boyfriend, pining for her love again, and Virgil, wanting to protect her as Static. Wanting to escape everything and just relax, she takes a chance on a new student who wants to take her out to a lake house. Yeah, nothing can go wrong in that scenario…
10 Bridge Battles out of 10
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The post Icon & Rocket #5: Season One Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.