The what Book,Manga and Comic book are you reading thread

Phantom Stranger · 05-20-2015, 03:38 AM

This thread needs more love.

Seconds, by Bryan Lee O'Malley. This was an absolutely lovely read. It's funny, cute, charming and a bit surreal at times. Like the Scott Pilgrim series, it has a large focus on admitting mistakes and living with them, but this also features the consequences of changing or avoiding them, due to the nature of the book.

The main protagonist is Katie, a young woman who once had the best restaurant in town, Seconds. But shes since stopped running the restaurant and looks to open up a new place. However, after a particularly bad day of being behind on renovations at the new location, seeing her ex she still has feelings for, and just a bunch of other awkwardness, she sees a mysterious being, who we later come to know as Lis. Katie is given a note book and a mushroom. Instructions within the book say to write down your mistake, take the mushroom, go to sleep, wake up with the problem solved. All of this must also happen within the house.(Though the problems need not necessarily take place within the home)

Lis says that only one mushroom is allowed. But Katie later discovers a heap of them under Seconds, and begins abusing them. Eventually things start to get bad, the world starts changing, people around her are completely different, shes less happy each time. The more she takes to try and fix the issues in each new scenario, the more problematic things become.

The writing it really good. The characters feel diverse. I think the humor is very well timed and paced(I'm particularly fond of the moments Katie breaks the fourth wall to argue with the narrator) and the book knows when to be a little creepy. If there is an issue it is that not everyone really gets a lot to them. Some of the characters are just there, but this is also just one book so I can understand only focusing background details on a select few, mainly those Katie knows the best.

Art wise, the book is great. I love, love, love the artstyle. Everyone has a great distinctive look about them. The manga influences can certainly be felt, not only in character reactions and style, but structure. What I mean by that is that there are pages where there is no dialog, everything is said with the art itself. This also isn't too different from certain comics like those by Steve Ditko or Jim Aparo. Granted that is a big statement, and Seconds isn't nearly as detailed, but the intent is largely the same with letting the art do the talking. The arts also gets a little abstract in certain parts, with a running theme being tree branches. Coloring is also very good, again, the abstract portions make very good use of that. Varying shades of red, hard white with black, etc, contrasting with the otherwise very colorful book.

I could go on about this, but it's 4:30, I stayed up reading this book and it was completely worth it. It's like $17.99 for the Hardcover on amazon(The pages are also nicely stitched together instead of glued) I highly recommend this, especially if you already like Scott Pilgrim like I do.

WhiteRanger · 05-20-2015, 04:45 AM

The latest yamada-kun and the seven witch chapter was posted on crunchroll. And my chapter 159 was a doeses.

Guyver Spawn · 06-09-2015, 01:34 PM

I read Jaco again and I still enjoy. I also still find Dragon Ball Minus decent. Fans seem to dislike Minus because it changes everything that we saw of Goku's origin. For years, people consider Bardock: The Father of Goku TV special to be canon and have it be the official prequel to the manga. Goku is now a two or three year old kid sent to Earth then as a baby. Which retcons Roshi's story of Grandpa Gohan finding Goku as a child in the Sayain Saga.

Overall good to see Toriyama do another manga. I also enjoy Dr. Slump, Sandland and Neko Majin from Toriyama as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantom Stranger

The more I read Mazinger Z, the less I want to.

I think this started right around the time Ashura's daughters showed up. Talk about gratuitous nudity for no other reason than boobs. Also gore, really disturbing graphic violence intertwined with sexual imagery.

Are you sure that you are reading Mazinger Z? Mazinger Z is tamer compare to most of Go Nagai's work. I personally find Mazinger Z manga to be better then the TV series since I feel like Go Nagai's writing is better when he is doing manga. However I do like both. Devilman is still my favorite series from Go Nagai.

WhiteRanger · 06-09-2015, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guyver Spawn

I read Jaco again and I still enjoy. I also still find Dragon Ball Minus decent. Fans seem to dislike Minus because it changes everything that we saw of Goku's origin. For years, people consider Bardock: The Father of Goku TV special to be canon and have it be the official prequel to the manga. Goku is now a two or three year old kid sent to Earth then as a baby. Which retcons Roshi's story of Grandpa Gohan finding Goku as a child in the Sayain Saga.

Overall good to see Toriyama do another manga. I also enjoy Dr. Slump, Sandland and Neko Majin from Toriyama as well.

Are you sure that you are reading Mazinger Z? Mazinger Z is tamer compare to most of Go Nagai's work. I personally find Mazinger Z manga to be better then the TV series since I feel like Go Nagai's writing is better when he is doing manga. However I do like both. Devilman is still my favorite series from Go Nagai.

The thing is roshi story on how grandpa gohan found gokwas in the manga but the flash back that were dicpicted in anime was in episode filler to explain it. How I took gohan said he found a baby but he was refer to the three year old he found that he still considered a baby.

WhiteRanger · 06-16-2015, 10:50 PM

Ok just finished this week chapter of Yamada-kun and the seven witch that be chapter 163 from Crunchyroll manga reading app. Well I'm abit mixed with chapter due to the fact j don't like what going and I don't want to lose my ship because Yamada got his memory back. So yea ill continue how this arc play out.

CybermanWorf · 06-19-2015, 03:08 AM

After hearing about how condensed the anime of Yamada and the seven witches I decided to tackle the manga of it.

I am enjoying it so far with me having currently finished the Maria arc and really enjoying how this series is going so far.

Really interested in seeing how the other witches arcs will pan out.

WhiteRanger · 06-19-2015, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CybermanWorf

After hearing about how condensed the anime of Yamada and the seven witches I decided to tackle the manga of it.

I am enjoying it so far with me having currently finished the Maria arc and really enjoying how this series is going so far.

Really interested in seeing how the other witches arcs will pan out.

The other witches arc is great it coming to climax now. Well on crunchy roll they are up to chapter 163 I dunno how far the fan translation are the last I check it was chapter 155. I'm happy you are enjoying. I tryed watching episode one of the anime I had to drop it I felt that they would changed some thing and I was right. Yamada-kun nice felt like it need to be 25 episode anime from the start

CybermanWorf · 06-19-2015, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteRanger

The other witches arc is great it coming to climax now. Well on crunchy roll they are up to chapter 163 I dunno how far the fan translation are the last I check it was chapter 155. I'm happy you are enjoying. I tryed watching episode one of the anime I had to drop it I felt that they would changed some thing and I was right. Yamada-kun nice felt like it need to be 25 episode anime from the start

I see so Crunchyroll is a bit further ahead I will keep that in mind although I am getting through other things as well so that would be an issue for a bit.

It feels weird after watching the first episode anime and then reading the manga as they cut out a few chapters and it just feels like they are rushing things out a bit.

I mean I don't know how much there in it's entirety but I highly doubt they can adapt the rest of the witch arcs and then what happens afterwards in 13 episodes.

WhiteRanger · 06-19-2015, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CybermanWorf

I see so Crunchyroll is a bit further ahead I will keep that in mind although I am getting through other things as well so that would be an issue for a bit.

It feels weird after watching the first episode anime and then reading the manga as they cut out a few chapters and it just feels like they are rushing things out a bit.

I mean I don't know how much there in it's entirety but I highly doubt they can adapt the rest of the witch arcs and then what happens afterwards in 13 episodes.

Yea after hearing rush side of the anime and no knowing chapter beening removed that has put the anime on back burner. Yea I been following manga offical on Crunchyroll every Wednesday it comes out it not bad ether plus £4.99 membership have been given manga to read now as well

CybermanWorf · 06-19-2015, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteRanger

Yea after hearing rush side of the anime and no knowing chapter beening removed that has put the anime on back burner. Yea I been following manga offical on Crunchyroll every Wednesday it comes out it not bad ether plus £4.99 membership have been given manga to read now as well

Wait they removed more chapters for the anime adaption of it, wow that sounds not so great in it's entirety.

Glad I kept to reading the manga version then

05-20-2015, 03:38 AM	#231
Phantom Stranger Neppu Yarou. Join Date: May 2014 Location: TN Posts: 951	This thread needs more love. Seconds, by Bryan Lee O'Malley. This was an absolutely lovely read. It's funny, cute, charming and a bit surreal at times. Like the Scott Pilgrim series, it has a large focus on admitting mistakes and living with them, but this also features the consequences of changing or avoiding them, due to the nature of the book. The main protagonist is Katie, a young woman who once had the best restaurant in town, Seconds. But shes since stopped running the restaurant and looks to open up a new place. However, after a particularly bad day of being behind on renovations at the new location, seeing her ex she still has feelings for, and just a bunch of other awkwardness, she sees a mysterious being, who we later come to know as Lis. Katie is given a note book and a mushroom. Instructions within the book say to write down your mistake, take the mushroom, go to sleep, wake up with the problem solved. All of this must also happen within the house.(Though the problems need not necessarily take place within the home) Lis says that only one mushroom is allowed. But Katie later discovers a heap of them under Seconds, and begins abusing them. Eventually things start to get bad, the world starts changing, people around her are completely different, shes less happy each time. The more she takes to try and fix the issues in each new scenario, the more problematic things become. The writing it really good. The characters feel diverse. I think the humor is very well timed and paced(I'm particularly fond of the moments Katie breaks the fourth wall to argue with the narrator) and the book knows when to be a little creepy. If there is an issue it is that not everyone really gets a lot to them. Some of the characters are just there, but this is also just one book so I can understand only focusing background details on a select few, mainly those Katie knows the best. Art wise, the book is great. I love, love, love the artstyle. Everyone has a great distinctive look about them. The manga influences can certainly be felt, not only in character reactions and style, but structure. What I mean by that is that there are pages where there is no dialog, everything is said with the art itself. This also isn't too different from certain comics like those by Steve Ditko or Jim Aparo. Granted that is a big statement, and Seconds isn't nearly as detailed, but the intent is largely the same with letting the art do the talking. The arts also gets a little abstract in certain parts, with a running theme being tree branches. Coloring is also very good, again, the abstract portions make very good use of that. Varying shades of red, hard white with black, etc, contrasting with the otherwise very colorful book. I could go on about this, but it's 4:30, I stayed up reading this book and it was completely worth it. It's like $17.99 for the Hardcover on amazon(The pages are also nicely stitched together instead of glued) I highly recommend this, especially if you already like Scott Pilgrim like I do. __________________ Jaaku no takurami nigashi wa shinai zo.

05-20-2015, 04:45 AM	#232
WhiteRanger Tiger Zord Power Up Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Through Time and Space Posts: 5,649	The latest yamada-kun and the seven witch chapter was posted on crunchroll. And my chapter 159 was a doeses. __________________ <--- work on becoming the next Moderator

06-09-2015, 01:34 PM	#233
Guyver Spawn Tokusatsu Hero Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 6,182	I read Jaco again and I still enjoy. I also still find Dragon Ball Minus decent. Fans seem to dislike Minus because it changes everything that we saw of Goku's origin. For years, people consider Bardock: The Father of Goku TV special to be canon and have it be the official prequel to the manga. Goku is now a two or three year old kid sent to Earth then as a baby. Which retcons Roshi's story of Grandpa Gohan finding Goku as a child in the Sayain Saga. Overall good to see Toriyama do another manga. I also enjoy Dr. Slump, Sandland and Neko Majin from Toriyama as well. Quote: Originally Posted by Phantom Stranger The more I read Mazinger Z, the less I want to. I think this started right around the time Ashura's daughters showed up. Talk about gratuitous nudity for no other reason than boobs. Also gore, really disturbing graphic violence intertwined with sexual imagery. Are you sure that you are reading Mazinger Z? Mazinger Z is tamer compare to most of Go Nagai's work. I personally find Mazinger Z manga to be better then the TV series since I feel like Go Nagai's writing is better when he is doing manga. However I do like both. Devilman is still my favorite series from Go Nagai. Last edited by Guyver Spawn; 09-26-2016 at 12:27 PM..

06-09-2015, 01:40 PM	#234
WhiteRanger Tiger Zord Power Up Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Through Time and Space Posts: 5,649	Quote: Originally Posted by Guyver Spawn I read Jaco again and I still enjoy. I also still find Dragon Ball Minus decent. Fans seem to dislike Minus because it changes everything that we saw of Goku's origin. For years, people consider Bardock: The Father of Goku TV special to be canon and have it be the official prequel to the manga. Goku is now a two or three year old kid sent to Earth then as a baby. Which retcons Roshi's story of Grandpa Gohan finding Goku as a child in the Sayain Saga. Overall good to see Toriyama do another manga. I also enjoy Dr. Slump, Sandland and Neko Majin from Toriyama as well. Are you sure that you are reading Mazinger Z? Mazinger Z is tamer compare to most of Go Nagai's work. I personally find Mazinger Z manga to be better then the TV series since I feel like Go Nagai's writing is better when he is doing manga. However I do like both. Devilman is still my favorite series from Go Nagai. The thing is roshi story on how grandpa gohan found gokwas in the manga but the flash back that were dicpicted in anime was in episode filler to explain it. How I took gohan said he found a baby but he was refer to the three year old he found that he still considered a baby. __________________ <--- work on becoming the next Moderator

06-16-2015, 10:50 PM	#235
WhiteRanger Tiger Zord Power Up Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Through Time and Space Posts: 5,649	Ok just finished this week chapter of Yamada-kun and the seven witch that be chapter 163 from Crunchyroll manga reading app. Well I'm abit mixed with chapter due to the fact j don't like what going and I don't want to lose my ship because Yamada got his memory back. So yea ill continue how this arc play out. __________________ <--- work on becoming the next Moderator