ComicList Critiques by Charles LePage
Black Jack Volume One
Vertical
Osamu Tezuka
I know very little about manga, except for the review copies that have been sent to me. Having said that, after reading a preview of Black Jack Volume One, I highly recommend it to novices such as myself. Will it appeal to those already versed in the ways of manga? I absolutely believe so!
The tale in this preview, "The First Storm Of Spring," describes the plight of a young lady who receives a "mere cornea transplant" courtesy of rogue surgeon Black Jack. An unintended result of the successful surgery turns her life into an episode of the Twilight Zone.
I don't have the means to tell you if the English translation is faithful to the original, but I can tell you, other than having to read it left to right (which I know is the correct way to read manga), the writing and art are as excellent as any English comic book I can think of. Which, of course, makes sense, as the creator, Osamu Tezuka, was as influential and legendary as Walt Disney or Jack Kirby.
Hopefully the material surrounding the story that presents background information on Tezuka and Black Jack will also be included in the trade paperback. It was extremely useful in understanding all the history and work that has led up to the Black Jack series that will be launched in September.
I highly recommend getting this trade.
If anyone reading this would like my copy of the preview, please leave a comment here, on Twitter, or on FriendFeed, and I'll get with you to obtain the shipping instructions.
