In today’s ever-changing comics industry, there are two universal truths. The first one is dog man is an iconic comic of our time. The second is that more people are reading comics and online comics (also known as vertical comics) than ever before. Therefore, we at Comics Beat chose to embark on a new adventure: Bit’s Bizarre Adventure. Each week, three authors recommend some of their favorite books and series from Japan, Korea, and elsewhere. This week we have Zombie Dad, a high school romance that goes far beyond high school, and of course, clamp! Where would we be without CLAMP?
human fragments
Story and Art: Tie Xin, I’m sick
platform: webcomic
I don’t remember how I stumbled across this series when it came out, but I did and was hooked. human fragments is a WEBTOON thriller set in the zombie apocalypse, or more specifically the post-apocalypse. A mysterious zombie virus breaks out, and within a short period of time, the city falls and military outposts are occupied. The story tells the story of Mincheol Baek, a captain in the country’s army who sacrificed his life to defend a military post from being overrun so that his wife and daughter could escape to safety.
Minzhe was eventually killed in the zombie swarm, but woke up half a year later and found that he had become a member of the undead. However, he maintained consciousness and control of his body thanks to a last-minute vaccine administered by the military. Unfortunately, Mincheol is slowly decomposing; he can only extend his “life” by replacing his organs and limbs with those of a living person. His new goal is to live long enough to reunite with his wife and daughter and ensure that he does everything in his power to keep them alive in this new world.
What stood out most to me while reading this series was its presentation and premise. I can only describe it as tokyo ghoul meet The Walking Dead. We have a protagonist rarely seen in the media: an Army captain with a wife and daughter. His goals, while simple, drive his every action throughout the series so far.
As for the form of expression, art is unique. Many comics on WEBTOON feature clean lines, bright colors, simple cell shading, and more. line art in human fragments It’s very rough and muted in color by comparison. Use gauze clouds and watercolor brushes to emphasize material detail and texture on characters and environments. It sets a raw, oppressive and gritty tone that fits perfectly with the themes and mood of the story.
I also like using panels. Some are meant to give a sense of movement to the characters and their movements. I love how comics use their format to achieve ideas that wouldn’t be possible in any other medium.
As of this writing, the show only has 10 episodes human fragments;The most recent one had me on the edge of my seat, biting my lip. Read it. — Justin Guerrero
blue sky complex
Writer/Artist: Ichikawa Kei
translate: Kate Skabinek/Amimaru
typesetting: Maria Victoria Gallo Garcia/Amaru
Production Assistant: Mackenzie Carnahan, Hannah SSH, WH, HIKARI/Amimaru
Proofreading: Lauren Elise, Tyler Drew
Quality assurance: molly rabbit
platform: Buti House
Many loves, especially those from strangers to lovers, start when two strangers meet, misunderstand each other at first, then become friends, and then develop into something more. The satisfaction comes from watching two people fall in love and ultimately come together. Then, that’s it. Prosperity! The story is over and we can assume that the two lived happily ever after.
blue sky complex,Depend on Ichikawa Keitakes us past “happily ever after.” The story begins in high school, where Narazaki, a quiet high school student who just wants peace and quiet, is asked to watch over a delinquent named Natsuki under the guise of helping out at the library reception desk. Narasaki is understandably cautious, but to Natsuki’s surprise, Natsuki seems to want and enjoy the quiet of the library, and the two sit quietly reading together. The two bonded over books and became temporary friends. Everything changes when Natsuki suddenly steals a kiss from Narazaki.
It’s a classic, albeit cliché, story about two opposites: the overachiever and the delinquent. Natsuki is the most expressive of the two. While Narasaki is more stoic, it’s clear from his thoughts that he’s trying to figure out what this kiss means to Natsuki, and more importantly to him. He realized early on, though he couldn’t put it into words, that he was doing something he had never done before meeting Natsuki.
Once the two of them get together, the story follows them through high school, graduation, college, and (I hope) life after they leave school and become “real” adults. Slice-of-life stories can be difficult because, unfortunately, real life can be boring when nothing happens. blue sky complex It tells the story of a couple who don’t know who they are at first (like what happens when you’re only 15-16 years old). It follows them as they go through life together and grow as individuals and as a couple.
Neither Narasaki nor Natsuki are perfect. No matter how long they’ve been together, they both have insecurities. This is refreshing because we rarely see gay relationships progress like this in comics. It’s comforting because by the end, after seeing what they’ve been through, you know these two are going to stick together. — Liang Haoying
Miyuki-chan in Wonderland
Writer/Artist: CLAMP
English Adaptation: Jamie S. Rich
Translation: Oshimoto Lei
Publisher: Tokyopop (original), VIZ (current)
When in doubt, clamp Come out! Here is an article about another production by an all-female theater company. Miyuki-chan in Wonderland Following the eponymous character, she is drawn into different thematic areas and has adventurous and dreamlike experiences. The first is famous literary classics such as Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass. Then there are weirder worlds like TV Land, Mah-Jongg Land, and even X Land, a crossover from the CLAMP series X. [Editor’s note: The CLAMPiest of CLAMP manga! I wonder if they’ll ever finish it…]
This short series is one of the group’s more experimental excursions. There really is no overarching narrative, each story progresses at breakneck speed, like a dream you have no control over. With each successive story, Miyuki-chan becomes more and more aware of the events that keep happening to her. She remembers the previous stories, so there’s continuity, but you can read any of these adventures without reading the previous stories, each story stands on its own.
What’s fun Miyuki-chan in Wonderland It’s just that it’s so creative and quirky. CLAMP takes great pleasure in this premise and populates their strange world with interesting characters. Places pop in and out all the time. But keep in mind, there’s a lot of fan service in this story. The characters have suggestive interactions with each other and take off their clothes in each chapter, including women. But it never reaches the level of nakedness.
The comic is very short, just over a hundred pages, making it easy to read in a short time. If you just want to see some comics and CLAMP goodness, check out Miyuki-chan. There is also a short animated version worth watching. — Derek Crow
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