Short book Review: Captain Harlock, Classic Collection, Volume 3

Reiji Matsumoto (author and artist), Zack Davisson (translator), Captain Harlock, Classic Collection Volume 3. New York: Seven Seas, 2019. ISBN: 9781626929524.

Genre: science fiction, space opera

Subgenre: manga

Format: trade paperback

Source: Eastside Branch, Lexington (KY) Public Library

 

The story continues as Harlock, Tadashi, and the crew of the Arcadia go deeper in discovering the Mazon's  nature and connection to Earth. The story does have some moving moments, such as the First Mate's confrontation with a couple of Mazon. 

The art is in black and white. The story has a good pace, and it draws you in. If you've ever watched the animated series, reading this feels very much like watching an anime. This is a series I enjoyed. If you are new to the series, you will enjoy a classic immersive story. If you are familiar with the series, it will be fun rediscovering Captain Harlock and his crew. The volume includes a bonus story about Queen Emeralda and airships. The bonus story can stand on its own. 

Overall, I really liked the volume for a good and well paced story. 

4 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: Captain Harlock Classic Collection, Volume 2

Reiji Matsumoto (author and artist) and Zack Davisson (translator), Captain Harlock Classic Collection, Volume 2. Los Angeles, CA: Seven Seas, 2018. ISBN: 978162928497.

Genre: manga

Subgenre: science fiction, pirates

Format: hardcover

Source: Interlibrary Loan via Hutchins Library. It came from the Palm Beach County Library System, West Palm Beach, Florida 

The adventure continues, and the mystery goes deeper. As Earth stands on the brink of an alien invasion, most Earth people are pretty much indifferent, clueless, and apathetic. Only Captain Harlock and his space pirates stand to fight the Mazon. 

In this volume, the crew of the Arcadia begin to unravel some of the Mazons' mysteries, such as realizing the aliens have been infiltrating Earth for centuries. Meanwhile, the Mazon queen starts realizing that Harlock and his crew do pose a threat to her invasion plans. 

The story's pace picks up a bit in this volume. The story continues to draw readers in. As we get to the end, the story starts to set up the eventual confrontation. This is a very good science fiction and adventure story. While it is a fun tale, intriguing, it also says a thing or two about society that is still relevant today. This is a series I will keep on reading. 

4 out of 5 stars. 

Book Review: Captain Harlock Classic Collection, Volume 1

Reiji Matsumoto (author and artist); Zack Davisson (translator), Captain Harlock Classic Collection, Volume 1. Los Angeles, CA: Seven Seas, 2018. ISBN: 978162927704.

Genre: manga

Subgenre: science fiction, pirates

Format: hardcover

Source: Eastside Branch, Lexington (KY) Public Library  

 As a child in younger days, I used to watch the anime adaptation, Captain Harlock, Space Pirate (Capitan Raimar in Spanish).  So when I came across this classic collection, I knew I had to read it. 

In the future, an alien force is about to invade Earth. In fact, it soon becomes apparent to Harlock and his crew that those aliens, the Mazon, have been infiltrating Earth for centuries. However, by now Earth people are about as lazy and hands off as can be. Only the fiercely independent Captain Harlock and his pirate crew make a brave stand and choose to fight the invasion. 

This first volume's pace is a bit slow, but it is because it is setting up the story. Harlock and his crew investigate and follow various leads. We also learn about the characters, especially the crew of the Arcadia. The story does offer depth, and it keeps the reader interested. 

If you've read this before, or maybe like me watched the anime, this is a nice trip down memory lane. If you are brand new to the story,,  you'll discover a science fiction adventure with depth, substance, and even a bit of social commentary. To be honest, some parts such as the arrogantly complacent  Earth people seems relevant even today; the manga was published in first in 1977. New or old reader, this is a good space tale with some action and a bit of mystery. On a side note, the art is a bit more cartoonish in this manga. It appears they refined the style a bit for the anime; it's just a small detail I noticed. 

I really liked this volume. I will be looking for the next two in the series to keep reading. So far, enjoying the tale. 

4 out of 5 stars. 

Book Review: Death Note, Volume 3

Tsugumi Oba (author), et.al., Death Note Volume 3: Hard Run. San Francisco, CA: VIZ Media, 2015. ISBN: 9781421501703.

Genre: manga

Subgenre: mystery, fantasy, horror

Format: trade paperback

Source: I own this one

Light Yagami, the ace gifted student who has the Death Note notebook makes it to college. However, L's constant surveillance is a major irritant to his plans. L, the police's special investigator, is also a student at the same college. Now Light and L are matching wits as L reveals himself to Yagami hoping Yagami makes an error as they talk. L suspects Yagami, but he has no proof nor direct evidence. Yagami however is too smart and stays ahead for now. Their back and forth gets paused when Yagami's father, who heads up the police squad chasing Kira (Yagami's public persona) suffers a heart attack and is hospitalized. Things really get complicated with the sudden revelation of a new Kira. Does someone else have Yagami's Death Note? How? Is it a different notebook? 

To be honest, most of this volume is fairly slow. Yagami and L spend most of it talking, trying to feel each other out. L trying to prove Yagami is the correct suspect, and Yagami blocking him and staying ahead without giving proof to L. Most of the volume is this back and forth, which gets boring fast. 

The pace picks up in the last act when a set of videos allegedly from Kira arrive at a news station. Kira demands they be aired on certain conditions or certain people will die. Soon we realize there is another Kira. For one, Yagami did not send them. So the mystery picks up, and now we have to read on to see where this new mystery leads. 

Overall, this volume was OK. It was not as engaging as previous volumes. At times it felt like they were padding the word count. Yet by the end you are curious about this new Kira, so yes, I will be reading volume 4 to see where it leads. I hope the series improves. 

2 out of 5 stars. 

This book qualifies for the following 2024 Reading Challenges: 

Book Review: The Mandalorian: The Manga, Volume 1 (Star Wars)

Yusuke Osawa, et.al., Star Wars: The Mandalorian: The Manga, Volume 1. San Francisco, CA: VIZ Media, 2023. ISBN: 9781974740963. 

Genre: Star Wars

Subgenre: science fiction, space opera

Format: Manga, e-book galley

Source: Netgalley

As I recall, The Mandalorian has been a popular series on streamer Disney Plus; there is even a movie in development at this time. Now we have a manga adaptation. Before I go on I will note that I have not seen the streaming series, so I come to this book as a reader. 

This book presents the initial part of the Mandalorian's story, a mysterious and laconic bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe. The story takes us up to the point where he meets The Child (Grogu). 

The volume starts with four pages in full color illustration. The rest of the volume is then in basic black and white. It is a pity the full story is not in color. Despite that, the art overall is good. The story is fast paced as the Mandalorian moves from one mission to the next. Being that he does not speak much, there is not a lot of dialogue, so the story moves along. Much of the story moves visually, and the visual elements are good. The book is a quick and easy read. This is the first volume of the series, so I hope the story shows some depth as it develops further. So far the story is fairly light. 

Fans of the series may consider reading this. It may work too for fans of newer Star Wars works. For libraries, if they have manga collections, and especially other Star Wars adaptations, they may want to acquire this. For my library, I would consider it an optional purchase. As a reader, this was nice, a bit of fun, but not terribly memorable. I did like it. 

3 out of 5 stars. 

Qualifies for the following 2024 Reading Challenge: 

Top Graphic Novels, Comics, and Manga I Read in 2022

These are my top reads in graphic novels, comics, and manga for 2022. These are titles that I rated at four or five stars. The list is in no particular order, and if I have a review done by now, I am including a link. 

Usagi Yojimbo: Bunraku and Other Stories.

Bomb Run and Other Stories.

Star Wars Age of Rebellion: Villains.

From the review: "I personally liked the Tarkin story, which shows how ruthless he can be. The Jabba the Hutt tale was pretty good too with a bit of a twist revealing that the gangster can also be practical."

Shadowman, Book One.

From my review: "For starters, the art in this book is very good. Early on Shadowman and Baron Samedi look very good. I particularly liked the sort of dark and fun portrayal of Baron Samedi. The art overall is colorful and can be a bit evocative."

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume 1.

From my review: "Story combines good action with a bit of the grittiness Batman comics are known for, and it also maintains the humor that distinguishes TMNT comics."

Deadpool Samurai, Volume 1.

From my review: "Deadpool's humor is spot on in this series. His fourth wall breaks are great, and he aims his humor at everyone up to and including his publishers-- Marvel and Shonen Jump. "

Deadpool Samurai, Volume 2.

From my review: "The Merc With the Mouth is back and still doing all sorts of hijinks in Tokyo as part of the newly formed team Samurai Squad."

Space Pirate Captain Harlock.

From my review: "Author Alquié takes Matsumoto's story and art in a new direction that is a sequel to the 1970s original series.  If you watched and enjoyed the original series, you'll probably enjoy this one as well."

Lady Mechanika, Volume 6: Sangre.

From my review: "This is a solid selection for libraries with graphic novel collections. I'd buy it for our library."

The Art of Sushi.

 

From my review: "The author travels from France to Japan to learn all he can about sushi. Along the way not only do we learn about sushi, but we also learn about elements of sushi such as the fish and the rice as well as those who make it and even related topics like sake and soy sauce."

Book Review: Death Note, Volume 1: Boredom

Tsugumi Ohba (author) and Takeshi Obata (art) , Death Note, Volume 1: Boredom. San Francisco, CA: VIZ Media, 2005. ISBN: 9781421501680.

 

Genre: manga

Subgenre: fantasy, horror

Format: paperback

Source: I own this one 

 

Light Yagami is a gifted student attending a private elite school. He has a problem common to many teenagers: he is bored. However, that changes when a Shinigami death god drops his Death Note notebook, and Light finds it. When you write a human's name in the Death Note, they die. Now Light decides to use the Death Note to make the world a better place by going on a cleaning spree of criminals and other bad people. Soon the cops start investigating including the legendary and mysterious detective L. 

The premise is an interesting one. I'll be honest, if a Shinigami left me a Death Note, I'd serious go on a cleaning spree and start cleansing the world of awful people: criminals, politicians, and other assorted assholes. Do keep in mind the Death Note does have some rules, which are revealed over the course of the story. One rule is you have to see the face of the name you write in; this is to avoid confusion with people who share a name in common. 

This first volume mostly sets up the series. It introduces the characters and the rules of the Death Note. It also gets the story going as Light starts using the Death Note. The story's pace is steady with some moments of thrills and suspense as investigators try to chase after Light, and for now he stays ahead of them. 

This is a light read with elements of suspense and a little humor. As part of getting the Death Note, Light can now see and speak with the Shinigami that owned it. I found their interactions amusing at times. The manga art is pretty good too. The plot gets more intricate as the rules of the Death Note are revealed. I thought L being an anonymous detective who communicates with the police via a computr and an intermediary was a bit of a stretch, but it works for the series. 

Overall, I liked this first volume as a nice light read with a bit of thrill and suspense. The premise is certainly appealing. At this point, I am willing to read the next one. 

3 out of 5 stars. 

This book qualifies for the following reading challenge: 

Book Review: Deadpool Samurai, Volume 2

Sanshiro Kasama (author) and Hikaru Uesugi (artist), Deadpool Samurai, Volume 2. San Francisco, CA: VIZ Media, 2022. ISBN: 9781974732203.

 

Genre: manga

Subgenre: superheroes, Marvel Comics, humor

Format: e-book galley

Source: NetGalley

 

 

I read and enjoyed Deadpool Samurai, Volume 1 (link to my review) very much, so when I got the opportunity to read the second volume I knew I had to read it. The Merc With the Mouth is back and still doing all sorts of hijinks in Tokyo as part of the newly formed team Samurai Squad. It's been four months since volume one was published. We know this because Deadpool breaks the fourth wall, as he often does, to tell us. Loki is still scheming to take over the world, or at least that is the motive he claims to have (but we later find out his real motive for attacking Japan), and he deploys various tricks including Thanos and other villains. To help out, the Avengers make an appearance to thwart the villains. We also get an appearance from All Might, a character in another manga, so we are getting quite a crossover here. Along the way we get a lot of fun and a bit of silliness. 

 

If you enjoyed the previous volume, you will probably enjoy this one. The volume keeps the fun and silliness combined with a fast pace and entertaining story. This is one that once you pick it up you want to keep on reading.  The humor and fourth wall breaks continue to be spot on. I will observe the plot at times did get a bit more convoluted at some points, but overall the story was amusing and fun. 

For libraries, if you got the first one, you need to get this one as well. If you have not gotten this series, this is a good selection for your graphic novel and comics collections. Fans of the Deadpool comics will likely enjoy this. It does remain a series I would buy for my library as well as for my personal collection. I am looking forward to the next volume. Overall, great fun. 

5 out of 5 stars. 

This book qualifies for the following 2022 Reading Challenge: 

Book Review: Space Pirate Captain Harlock

Jérôme Alquié; Reiji Matsumoto, et.al., Captain Harlock: Space Pirate. Portland, OR: Ablaze Publishing, 2022. ISBN: 9781950912544.

 

Genre: manga, comics

Subgenre: science fiction

Format: e-book galley

Source: NetGalley  

 

I grew up watching the anime series, so when I saw this I knew I had to read it. Author Alquié takes Matsumoto's story and art in a new direction that is a sequel to the 1970s original series.  If you watched and enjoyed the original series, you'll probably enjoy this one as well. 

This new adventure is set in the timelines of the original series. Earth is threatened by a new invasion, from the Sylvidres. The invaders are already on Earth; scientists discover a mausoleum belonging to them. Harlock the pirate and his crew must solve the mystery and save Earth, an Earth that wants nothing to do with him nor his crew. 

The series captures the essence of the original. The story has a good plot and pacing. It combines suspense, mystery, and adventure. The art is in full color, and it's so well made you'll feel like you are watching the show again. However, if you have not seen the original, you can still enjoy this series. The story is good enough to stand on its own, plus you get just enough exposition to catch up on previous events. It is a good, fun, entertaining read. 

For me, this is another book going on my list of best reads for the year. It definitely appeals to older fans' nostalgia, but it works well for new readers. If you are looking for something different than the usual hero comics, this is a solid alternative. The narrative draws you in, and the art is a pleasure to view. Additionally, the volume features a good cover gallery.

I highly recommend this for all libraries with graphic novels and comics collections. This is one I would buy for my library, and furthermore I would buy a copy for my personal collection. This is one I would gladly place on readers' hands. 

5 out of 5 stars. 

This book qualifies for the following 2022 Reading Challenge: 

Book Review: Deadpool Samurai, Volume 1

Sanshiro Kasama (author) and Hikaru Uesugi (artist), Deadpool Samurai, Volume 1. San Franciso, CA: VIZ Media, 2022. ISBN: 9781974725311.

 

Genre: manga

Subgenre: superheroes, Marvel Comics, humor

Format: e-book galley

Source: NetGalley 

 

Deadpool makes it into manga, and it was a fun ride to read. I picked this up in part because I like Deadpool comics and in part because it is manga. I am glad I read it. 

 

Deadpool makes it to Japan, and he is soon drafted to be part of a new team Japan: Samurai Squad, along with Sakura Spider, a young woman with powers like Spider-Man. Soon they get into various adventures as Loki appears to create various problems in his quest for world conquest. 

 

Deadpool's humor is spot on in this series. His fourth wall breaks are great, and he aims his humor at everyone up to and including his publishers-- Marvel and Shonen Jump.  Reading these asides just adds to the fun. The manga overall has a pretty fast pace with plenty of action. The story has silly moments, but it is also entertaining and amusing. The manga art is very good as well. 

I ended up reading this in one sitting because it was great fun to read. I could not put it down. In a time when so many comics want to be dark, moody, edgy (as if), it is refreshing to read a manga that is light, fun, and just plain entertaining. We need more manga like this. 

This is a great selection for libraries with comics and manga collections. If you already collect Deadpool comics, this is a must have as well. I'd buy it for my library, and it is one I would buy for my personal library. 

5 out of 5 stars. 

Book qualifies for the following 2022 Reading Challenge: 

Top Graphic Novels and Comics of 2021

Welcome to the last post in my series of top books read in 2021. Today I am looking at the top graphic novels and comics I read in 2021. This is based on books that I rated with four or five stars. These are either comics series compilations, in other words, no single issue comics, or standalone graphic novels. List can also include manga. Links go to reviews of the books if available at this time.

For me, the big reading event in this category was The Boys series. I have been reading the omnibus editions via Hutchins Library, my library, and I have read 4 out of the 6 volumes in the series. I hope to read the last two and complete the series in 2022. 

The Boys Omnibus, Volume 1

The Boys Omnibus, Volume 2

The Boys Omnibus, Volume 3 (review coming soon)

The Boys Omnibus, Volume 4 (review coming soon)

The Mueller Report Illustrated: the Obstruction Investigation

If you want to find out what the big deal about the Mueller Report was without reading the 400+ pages of the text, this may be the best next thing. The book not only explains the report. The book reveals a dramatic story that reads like a combination of soap opera and playground story. It is not meant to be a funny book, but the story at times gets so ridiculous you just have to laugh.

Sota's Knife, Volume 1

This volume collects the first eleven episodes (stories) of the series. Young Sota wishes to be a chef someday, and he is starting from the bottom and working his way up. A good and entertaining series with a likeable protagonist. 

Book Review: Sota's Knife

Yuichiro Sueda (author) and Kei Honjo (artist), Sota's Knife, Volume 1. Japan:  Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha, Ltd, 2017. (Link to Amazon as WorldCat does not have a record on this at time of post.)

 

Genre: manga

Subgenre: Foodie

Format: e-book galley

Source: NetGalley

 

Young Sota wishes to be a chef one day, and like many chefs he is starting at the bottom of the line. As the story starts, he has been working at Tomikyu, a fine dining restaurant, as a kitchen hand. He mostly does menial tasks like peeling vegetables and washing dishes. He is a hard worker, and he does his best to learn the cooking craft by observing the chef and practicing some skills, such as knife work after hours. He is an eager learner and has a generous heart. 

This volume collects the first 11 episodes (stories) of the series. 

 

This is a nice and entertaining series that really is a pleasure to read. Sota goes from one situation to the next and keeps his good humor and optimism. The stories are interesting and easy to read. The art complements the stories well. The food drawings  are realistic and can look appetizing. Through the stories we also get a glimpse at Japanese food culture. 

 

Overall, this is a good and entertaining series with a likeable protagonist. Foodies will likely enjoy this, but you do not need to be a foodie to enjoy this often warm story. If you like mangas like Oishinbo,  you'll probably like this. I definitely enjoyed it and highly recommend it. Libraries that collect comics and graphic novels would do well in adding this to their holdings. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. 

5 out of 5 stars. 

This book qualifies for the following 2021 Reading Challenges: 

(Manga Reading Challenge)

Reading Challenge: Manga Reading Challenge 2021

Just a quick note to declare I will be doing the 2021 Manga Reading Challenge over at Anime Planet. This is a new challenge for me this year. The site Anime Planet is new to me as well, so I am giving it a try too this year. The challenge is flexible, though the lowest commitment level is 5 titles. I have been wanting to get back to reading manga, manwha, etc. so I am hoping this challenge will help me out. I will aim for at least 5 titles but I hope to read more in 2021.

List of titles read for this challenge: 

 

1.  (Zero)

Update note (12/6/2021): I did not even get out of the gate with this one. Part of it was that I just did not pick up manga this year. Some of that was due to just not in the mood (and I blame the pandemic for some of that) and part of it was I was reading other things. Also, remembering to go to their website to log them in was a bit of an extra hassle given it is not a website I use often. I had hoped to use some of the manga titles I already have to read for this as well as for the Mount TBR challenge. Oh well. There is always next year.

Miscellaneous short booknotes

These are some short quick reviews of items I've read recently, but that may not need a regular review, or I just do not have the time to write a long review or feel like writing one. Anyhow, here we go.

Kia Asamiya, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace- Manga. Volumes 1 and 2. Milwaukie, OR: Dark Horse Comics, 1999.

This is the two-volumes manga adaptation of the film. Dark Horse basically
takes the Japanese manga adaptation and translates it into English. Overall, the manga looks good, and it is pretty faithful to the film. It's an easy and fun read overall, and I really liked them.

4 out of 5 stars.

ISBN (Vol. 1): 1-56971-483-5.
ISBN (vol. 2): 1-56971-484-3.


Randel Plowman, curator. Masters: Collage: Major Works by Leading Artists.. New York: Lark Books, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-60059-108-2.

Another volume in the Masters series of art books from Lark Books. This one looks at 40 artists who create collages in a broad range of forms from retro art to abstract art. The curator/editor picked these forty artists from a list of 200 plus artists to present "the work of some of the most exceptional collage artists working today" (7). Overall, it is a nice book to look over. Quality in the art can vary; I liked some of the pieces better than others, but your mileage can vary.

3 out of 5 stars.


Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman, Are We Out of the Driveway Yet? Zits Sketchbook 11. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 2006. ISBN: 978-0-7407-6199-7.

The 11th sketchbook collection in the popular series where the authors catch teenage character and
angst oh so well. Maybe a bit too well because I'll be honest, if I was Jeremy's parent, I might have smacked him once or twice for his misbehavior. The authors also catch well what it is like to be parents of a teenager. Highlights in this volume include Jeremy learning to drive, online package tracking, and other hijinks. Overall, I really liked it for a light and entertaining read.

4 out of 5 stars.


Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman, Dance Like Everybody's Watching. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 2018. ISBN: 978-1-4494-9511-4.

This collection is an oversized volume. If features weekly strips in black and white and full color for the Sunday strips. Highlights here include Jeremy working at the grocery store missing the plantains (believe me, for Puerto Ricans and other Latinos, that is funny), Jeremy losing his cell phone (how can you tell time without it?), and looking over DNA results. Again, if you enjoy this series, you'll like this one. It is fun, light, and humorous reading. I really liked it.

4 out of 5 stars.


Jim Davis, Garfield Slurps and Burps: His 67th Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781984817730.

The series keeps on going. Strips in this volume start on Christmas season, which felt timely for me
as I read it around Thanksgiving at the time. There is not much really new here. These comics are basically comfort reading; by now you know what you are getting. A highlight in this volume is Jon not knowing what to do with the telephone land line he forgot he had.  Made me wonder if there are people like that out there. In the end, I liked it. It's cute, amusing, and a quick read.

3 out of 5 stars.


Christine Heap, Big Book of Trains. East Rutherford, NJ: DK Publishing, 1998.  ISBN: 978-0-7894-3436-4.

An oversize book from the National Railway Museum in York, England. It is a big picture book for
children, and it is pretty good. The book features some good photographs of historical and modern trains. In addition, the book offers a good amount of information and trivia on these trains. It may be written in simple language for children, but I found myself learning quite a bit from it. The book even features some pull out pages. Though geared for children, I think that children of all ages who like trains will enjoy this book, I really liked it.

4 out of 5 stars.

Jim Davis, Garfield Chickens Out: his 61st Book. New York: Ballantine, 2016. 

I thought I had read this before, but it turns out it was new to me when I picked it up at the public library. Another nice comfort read. If you are a fan, you'll like it, but this is just good overall for anyone looking for nice and light humor. 3 out of 5 stars.



Charles M. Schulz, Snoopy: What's Wrong With Dog Lips? A Peanuts Collection. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel, 2017.

This is a Peanuts collection with a bit more focus on Snoopy. In this series, Snoopy fractures a foot, gets a visit from his brother Spike, and travels to Wimbledon but ends up in Kansas City. It's a nice collection, and it is also in full color. It does have one or two fairly dark strips such as Charlie Brown wanting to be black topped on his pitcher's mound (hints suicide). Of course, Lucy remains the bully she always is but that is toned down a bit here. Otherwise, most of the comics are amusing. I liked it overall, and it was a nice light read. 3 out of 5 stars.

Booknote: Batman: Death Mask

Yoshinori Natsume, Batman: Death Mask. New York: DC Comics, 2008. ISBN: 9781401219246.

Genre: manga
Subgenre: superheroes, Batman
Format: paperback
Source: I own this one. Bought it at Half Price Books.

At the time, this manga was the author's American comics debut. It's a story that links the present day with Batman's past. After his parents were murdered, Bruce Wayne traveled the world to train and to learn the skills that would lead him to become Batman. For a time, he trained in martial arts in Japan. While there, he saw his own dark side (some would say he had to do some serious shadow work) and faced a mystery with a masked individual. Years later in Gotham City, a Japanese businessman who collects ancient masks brings  back the past for Bruce Wayne. Plus the businessman's female assistant reminds Bruce of someone from long ago.

The story sounds good, but the plot in this manga can get a bit convoluted and confusing at times. Transitions between the past and present can be a bit jarring, and the story does start a bit slow. However, once the pace picks up it gets better. The art is very good in this one. The manga style does look good on Batman. In the end, I liked it. If you want a different kind of Batman story, this is worth a look.

3 out of 5 stars.

This book qualifies for the following 2020 Reading Challenges:

Booknote: Star Wars Return of the Jedi- Manga, Volume 4

Shin-ichi Hiromoto, Star Wars Return of the Jedi- Manga, Volume 4. Milwaukie, OR: Dark Horse Comics, 1999. ISBN: 1-56971-397-9.

Genre: manga
Subgenre: Star Wars, film adaptations, science fiction
Format: paperback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

This slim volume is part of a series that Dark Horse comics published in parts for the original trilogy of films. It is an English translation of the Japanese manga adaptation of the films. My local public library has some of the volumes, but their collection is not complete (and like public libraries often do, they have not bothered replacing the missing volumes).

Overall, this manga is a pretty close and faithful adaptation of the film. This particular volume covers the last segment of Return of the Jedi. If you are a fan of the films, you will probably like this. I sure did. The art is good, faithful to the material. It captures the fun and excitement of the film well.

I think if Dark Horse or someone else reprinted this series in omnibus editions, it could make a successful venture. In the end, I really liked it, and I do recommend it; hopefully you can find the full set.

4 out of 5 stars.

Holiday Post 2019: Books and Reading

Welcome to the third post in my series of holiday posts for 2019. Today we look at books, reading, and the ever popular during this time of the year book lists. This is where everybody and their third cousin makes a list of what is (allegedly) the best of the year in books. I do this in part to get an overview of what was out there in the past year. This year people are doing end of the decade (although the decade technically does not end until 2020, but that is a lost cause pointing it out), so we are also getting a lot of "Best of the Decade" lists. In addition, I do this because I do not always keep up with the best and latest when it comes to reading. I read very eclectically, and I often read and review back shelf books that are new to me. So this gives me a sense of what everybody else was hyping or rushing to read. Naturally, I will add some commentary here or there. As much as possible, I avoided linking the usual suspects (NYT, WaPo, etc.) that everyone else already shares and knows.  For my four readers, if you need ideas of what to read next, here are plenty of options.

General Lists

A small sampling of some of the big lists out there. 

•  United States: 
• Library Journal has their list of best books of 2019. They have the list broken down in categories.
• New York Times Book Review has their 100 notable books for 2019. List includes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
• GQ also has a best books of 2019 list.
• Libraries often put out their "best of" lists as well.
• Here is the selection of best books of 2019 from New York Public Library.
• Here is Chicago Public Library's list of best books for 2019.
• Library Reads has their small list of 2019 favorites (warning: PDF file). These are selected by librarians around the U.S.
•  International: 
• The Guardian has their best of 2019 book list. 
• The Irish Times as their 2019 best books list too.
• Le Pointe offers the 30 best books for 2019 (French).
• El Pais went on ahead and picked their 21 best books of the 21st century (well, really the first two decades of this century, but their title sounds that much more dramatic. Spanish). They had 84 jurors/experts pick out the selections for this list. 
• La Vanguardia has their selection of best books of the decade (Spanish). They narrowed it down to 12 works
• Those "best of decade" and other retrospective lists. As some know, technically the decade does not end until 2021, but I am not fighting that battle here. 
• Slate offers the 50 best nonfiction of the past 25 years. From this list I've read Fun Home, Columbine (link to my review), and The Lost City of Z.
• Lit Hub has their best 20 novels of the decade. 

Specific topic lists

• Some holiday themed lists: 
•  Christmas romance novels for 2019 via Broke By Books.
• Jo Blo has a list of holiday gift books. It is not "holiday themed books." Rather, this is a list of books on films and the film industry that they think make good holiday gifts. There are some titles here that sound interesting for the film geek.
• Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl offers her top ten cozy Christmas book titles.
• TOR looks at a decade of change in Science Fiction and Fantasy. List covers 2010 to 2019.
• RA for All: Horror blog has its top ten horror of the year that the blogger and librarian read.
• Fine Books and Collections blog has a list of books about books for the holiday season.
• John Warner at Just Visiting blog has a list of books for the (higher education) educator.
• Joshua Kim at Learning Innovation blog has his list of 2019 nonfiction books he reviewed for Inside Higher Ed.
• Revista Arcadia (Colombia) has selected a list of 100 books written by women in the last 100 years (1919-2019) chosen by a jury panel of 91 members. If you want the list in a more reader friendly format (rather than the graphics heavy slide show), find it here at Infobae.
• Via World Literature Today, the 75 notable translations (into English) of 2019.
• Electric Lit offers "14 Unmissable Poetry Books from 2019." 
• Refinery 29 offers a list of "10 Incredible Books about Sex & Sexuality."
• LGBTQ Nation has a list of the "Best 10 Books about Bisexuality." 
• Mat Auryn at For Puck's Sake has his list of favorite witchy books for 2019. These are books Auryn read and reviewed on his blog. From the list, I have Backwoods Witchcraft on my TBR list; my library recently bought a copy, so I hope to borrow it to read. In addition, I did read Morbid Magic (link to my review of it; I was not as impressed as Auryn was with it, but the book is still worth a look).

Graphic novels, comics, and manga

• Via Comics Beat, their list of 50 Queer Comics.
• Dark Horse Books blog lists their best comics of 2019.
• CBR.com has some interesting lists: 
• A ranking of the ten best Gundam mangas to read. 
• And if you like Gundam, they also offer a list of 10 Mecha animes to watch.
• They also rank the bestselling mangas of the 2010s.

Bookish Things and Trivia

• Lit Hub has a list of 78 Best Book Covers of 2019.
• RA for All has a post on how to handle a common issue librarians get, especially at public libraries: how to handle patrons who want books on the many book lists this time of year only to find those books are already checked out. The librarian blogger suggests how to use those lists to help you instead of get you overwhelmed and do further reader's advisory.