This is everything I wanted it to be, just pure fun. But I can easily see how the tone of this book won’t be for everyone, the reviews seem very splitThis is everything I wanted it to be, just pure fun. But I can easily see how the tone of this book won’t be for everyone, the reviews seem very split!! It is comedic and lighthearted yet also dives into enough material that I’d say looking up content warnings would be advised.
Forgot just how nice this new suit is. I adored looking at every panel and I am sad I took such an extended break from reading these volumes!! The fulForgot just how nice this new suit is. I adored looking at every panel and I am sad I took such an extended break from reading these volumes!! The full-spread illustrations were really fun and I like seeing Miles and Shift work together to finally tackle the problem of the Assessor.
The short Amulet story at the end was really poignant as well, showcasing the way being a hero is not always going to go how you expect. This whole line is really seeming to hold that theme at its focus - with Miles in this volume trying to teach Shift to not be so rough, while also point-blank saying he wants to kill someone. Perhaps a natural side-effect of him being a teen, but also shows how important it is to be aware of the power you wield.
As always, here’s my disclaimer that I’m incredibly biased as anything Spidey is my long-time favorite, so while other reviews here make excellent criticisms, I simply get too much joy from Spider-Man to not love it....more
Certain aspects of this volume seemed really like they were trying to ingratiate Sho with certain ambiguities, while also showcasing like seven differCertain aspects of this volume seemed really like they were trying to ingratiate Sho with certain ambiguities, while also showcasing like seven different ways in which he was just a horrible person and sadistic from the age of like 5? I am not swayed. I do not like him, no later-in-life-realization is going to make up for the way he’s acted towards Misao and Kyo. He’s a shitty older brother and unfortunately was given far too much leniency as the “future head” when he was a child and it fucked him up.
The last chapter of this… Kyo and Misao just cannot catch a break. They came back from the world’s worst family staycation and immediately got hit with another weird, complicated, and fantasy politics motivated element of Kyo’s life. The reveals are never ending....more
Lots of great little Kyo moments in this one, specifically the scene of baby Kyo by the pond was slightly heart wrenching the way Aya described it. HeLots of great little Kyo moments in this one, specifically the scene of baby Kyo by the pond was slightly heart wrenching the way Aya described it. He has been so relentlessly devoted, I agree with Sagami that Kyo should show that to Misao more. But seeing Misao confirm she knows that, how Kyo hides shit to keep her “safe” and she doesn’t like it, was really a step in the right direction regarding her autonomy.
Didn’t quite like the “lesson” Kyo decided to give Misao, as much as it did prove his point that once would not be enough, for either of them. Felt a bit cruel.
I’m enjoying my nostalgic trip through this series, as flawed as it is. Misao’s about to (once again) make some Very Bad Choices....more
Lots of gears getting moving in this volume, everyone’s got stuff going on and not all of it is easy to manage. Sometimes I don’t favor these volumes Lots of gears getting moving in this volume, everyone’s got stuff going on and not all of it is easy to manage. Sometimes I don’t favor these volumes where the gang is so split up and so much is happening all at once, but it all serves a purpose in the end to put various plots in place!
My boy Casey deserves so much better, he needs like... a three week break. The sheer amount of shit his dad put him through in this volume alone, not even considering the combined impact of the past, was heartbreaking. I do not like his dad and Hun is a fool if he thinks Shredder will honor any promises....more
I begrudgingly admit, I liked the childhood friends to current enemies situation. It was complex and emotionally painful - the oscillation between tenI begrudgingly admit, I liked the childhood friends to current enemies situation. It was complex and emotionally painful - the oscillation between tender moments and hammed up comedy is sometimes to this series’ detriment. Ren and Tadanobu added a great comparison and foil to Misao and Kyo! And it’s a win for me that they are finally communicating with one another, with Misao admitting a want to stand at Kyo’s side with full awareness, and Kyo learning to express his emotions. Very soft, I like those scenes.
We’re getting more into the fantasy politics and magic aspects of this that had me hooked my first time reading this so long ago. I find it interesting that the person who is supposed to bring such prosperity to a demon clan is almost… doomed to be cast aside? You’d think they’d aim to keep her, but I guess it’s annoying to keep a human alive and try to get them through a birth. Kyo’s consistent refusal to let Misao know how much danger she’s actually in will totally not bite him in the ass later. /s...more
If there’s one thing this series has going for it, it’s the fast pace and ease with which I can fly through them. So much happens in every volume, it If there’s one thing this series has going for it, it’s the fast pace and ease with which I can fly through them. So much happens in every volume, it makes it hard to look away.
However the numerous ways in which their lack of communication causes misunderstandings… dislike that trope. I do appreciate that as volumes have progressed, Kyo seems to have taken a step back and waits for Misao to voice a desire. Especially now that they are… dating? Together, at least. It’s kinda nebulous and again Kyo keeps hiding the intensity of his world by just giving her a safety pendant without fully expressing the sacrifice it was for him to do so.
Will say, for all of Misao’s foolhardyness, she managed to figure out a way to decipher which of the Kyo clones was the real one. Of course only he would be upset at her trying to hurt herself - we’ve established all the other demons that are unaffiliated with Kyo don’t give a shit about her (...more
Kyo’s brother is here just to fuck shit up and be absolutely abhorrent. (¬_¬)
The good: - I do enjoy some aspects of the comedy, though the fact that soKyo’s brother is here just to fuck shit up and be absolutely abhorrent. (¬_¬)
The good: - I do enjoy some aspects of the comedy, though the fact that so much of it hinges on Kyo-advances-and-Misao-hits is… not the best. - the childhood memory sequences are quite sweet - enjoyed learning more about Kyo’s backstory and how he became heir primarily to keep Misao safe (he is still… ugh. he’s still inexcusably forward and controlling.)
The bad: - Misao continues to be treated like an object. what else is new. - Kyo’s brother wants to use her for power, nearly rapes her and absolutely assaults her in front of Kyo, wtf is going ON - She literally has a thought along the lines of, “He uses force to make me understand what he’s thinking,” in regards to Kyo which is the understatement of the century - They won’t just TALK, all the good things Misao learns about Kyo are through second-hand accounts by his team… the lack of communication.
I might start forcing myself to limit my reviews to like three lines as I go on, I really am just rereading for nostalgia’s sake and I am logging them just because if I read something, it’s gotta get logged....more
I want to preface this with: I’m reading this for nostalgia. Black Bird was one of the few manga series available at my library around a decade ago soI want to preface this with: I’m reading this for nostalgia. Black Bird was one of the few manga series available at my library around a decade ago so I could actually read manga. My taste and discernment has gotten a lot better than my teen days, so while I have fond memories of reading this series (and I do enjoy the fantasy politics in the latter half), it still is predicated on a lot of very shitty and suspicious trope choices that were prevalent for the time.
It’s got a bad reputation for a reason - Misao’s autonomy is really, really not upheld and she is moved around like an object at the whim of a system she doesn’t understand. Some of it has a historical precident, but ehhhhh. It doesn’t feel good to look at, and the fact that she’s sixteen doesn’t help matters. So much could have been made better if she were older, and then also the weird teacher-student dynamic would not make me side eye Kyo if she was like… in college. But alas, choices were made.
Just because Kyo, somehow, can control himself (rolling my eyes at that one guys) doesn’t excuse the fact that he’s giving Misao a thousand mixed signals and continuing to do whatever the hell he wants. He may say it’s to protect her, but he seems to deny that there is absolutely a selfish aspect to his choices. Misao is advantageous to him and his position - even if he does love her, the non-consensual aspects of their relationship are inexcusable. A bad person being made to seem not so bad by comparing him to other worse people… doesn’t make that person not bad....more
I love reading novelizations. I cherish getting access to more internal information that is left unexplored in the visual medium of the movies. SeeingI love reading novelizations. I cherish getting access to more internal information that is left unexplored in the visual medium of the movies. Seeing how movement can be detailed, additional flourishes added to enhance my remembered experience with this series of films. I eat most things Star Wars related up, and this book was no different.
Seeing the way Anakin holds so much love for his mother makes me emotional. This is just a boy, and it hurts watching his bright eyes become faded with pain over just the events of this book/movie’s story. It is understandable, when reading this, why losing her right before he could get back to her sent him spiraling into the darkness.
”Her lank, dark hair was beginning to gray, and her once graceful movements had slowed. But he thought she was beautiful and brave. He thought she was perfect.”
Lance me in half why don’t you, OW!!
And his connection to the droids, to C-3PO and R2-D2!! He is so gentle and so kind!! I want to tear myself apart, Anakin goes through so much and seeing him here at the beginning of his journey, knowing what is coming, is pure pain for me (in the best of ways, in the way that keeps me reading books).
”Which ones are the best, See-Threepio?” he asked. He’d given it a number the night before, choosing three because the droid made the third member of his little family after his mother and himself.
Anakin has been my focus here, because really the prequels are the tale of Ani’s despair, but we get similar insights into Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. Which I love also, seeing their semi-abrasive master/padawan bond because they view things so similarly but also so differently. But they care about each other so much. The death has taken my breath away every way I’ve read it, including Claudia Gray’s Master and Apprentice.
”You will be a great Jedi, my young Padawan. You wil make me proud.”
We even get to see some glimpses of Maul’s feelings here, and it makes me wish for a novel from his point-of-view. But man, I really love the prequels, I love this space opera of a franchise, and I’ll get to the rest of these novelizations soon!...more
Oh, man, I love Sophie Campbell’s style. Super pleasing to the eye and totally captures a youth to the turtles that can sometimes get lost in grittierOh, man, I love Sophie Campbell’s style. Super pleasing to the eye and totally captures a youth to the turtles that can sometimes get lost in grittier styles. Yet the action still pops off and is super engaging!
I liked the themes of how important rest and recuperation are, as short as it lasted. The family (and by extension April and Casey) have gone through a lot of changes in a very short period of time, some good and some bad.
I also find I really like Leo’s stance on death and not wanting to cause it directly. Sometimes I think he’s almost too level-headed but it all adds up to what makes him a fantastic leader. Watching him come back to himself was really satisfying....more
Exquisite fight sequences in this one, the angst was cranked up quite high as brother fought brothers! Leo’s emotional arc in this one was intense andExquisite fight sequences in this one, the angst was cranked up quite high as brother fought brothers! Leo’s emotional arc in this one was intense and I enjoyed seeing his personal morals battle against Shredder’s desires.
I’m starting to like Hob and Slash a lot! They make a great addition to the team during times where motivations align. Slash in particular has a big, lovable goof energy and I always like characters like that. Mikey and him having a connection is always rad to see.
The one thing that threw me off a bit was Casey’s dad in this volume and the sheer 180 degree flip he took in physical appearance? Some of the full body drawings of him made it seem uncanny or like maybe he was using steroids to recoup after his years of alcoholism. His arms in particular often seemed… too long.
Still a fantastic continuation of the battle of the Hamato and Oroku families. I wonder how the turtle family will pick up the pieces of what has been shattered in this arc!...more
I’m enjoying this arc, as painful as it is! Shredder’s so sick but the art for all the manipulation sequeUh oh, things have gotten incredibly serious.
I’m enjoying this arc, as painful as it is! Shredder’s so sick but the art for all the manipulation sequences was really well done. Really captured the twisting of Leo’s mind against himself.
But oof owtchie. Wondering how this will be resolved!...more
Fun! I find I really like when the arcs take up the whole volume, instead of being a volume of smaller arcs in one.
We get a lot of information about KFun! I find I really like when the arcs take up the whole volume, instead of being a volume of smaller arcs in one.
We get a lot of information about Krang in this, with a fun jaunt to another world that was engaging despite being brief. I always find Honeycutt interesting and learning more about his backstory was a treat.
I think it’s a neat undercurrent theme of Splinter dealing with his internal rage and anger about both the past and the present. It showcases why he is so harsh on Raphael’s quick temper, since Splinter realizes snap decisions could lead to a lifetime of regret. We got a big scene in that nature in Vol. 4, but here it was more subtle and quietly upsetting.
I enjoy this dynamic of their family, as eclectic as it is sometimes. The brothers are so protective of each other while also being staunchly their own individuals with their own gripes amongst themselves. I enjoy this series a lot!...more
This volume was a bit of a lull for me. As it happens with any series! Dips and heights can happen over time.
I did love the last third of this volume This volume was a bit of a lull for me. As it happens with any series! Dips and heights can happen over time.
I did love the last third of this volume a lot. Leonardo’s fight to end things peacefully was so painful with the outcome he was forced into. Seeing grief and upset in both Leo and Mikey is helping hone in that they are all more than just ninjas who fight. They are impacted by everything they endure.
Shredder is so?? Hm. His thought processes leave me a bit confused as to how he reaches his conclusions, but it seems he is motivated by what would hurt Hamato Yoshi (aka Splinter) the most. And that seems to be trying to get his eldest son to betray him....more
I definitely solidly label this series as a space opera of sorts - the cast is so multifaceted and the intertwining of politics and religion is inescaI definitely solidly label this series as a space opera of sorts - the cast is so multifaceted and the intertwining of politics and religion is inescapable. You don’t get three books deep unless you are fascinated with the choices of the Atreides.
And what interesting choices were made in this book!
”I don’t like the things I know I’ll do,” he said. “For the first time in my life I understand my father.”
Taking place nine years after Paul’s disappearance into the desert, his children, Ghanima and Leto, must contend with the force of their aunt Alia as she falls into disarray in her leadership. I loved Ghanima in this, her intense devotion to her convictions and protective nature are endearing. I enjoyed every sequence with her and the moments after their battle against the panthers hit particularly hard. This is definitely a sibling-focused story.
Funnily enough, the closeness of Ghanima and Leto is mirrored by Paul and Alia growing even further apart. All of them have fractured minds in various ways, but in some it causes decay and in others it fosters growth.
Leto morphs both literally and figuratively through his journey here. While pre-born, as both he and Ghanima are, there is a shift in how he speaks and his determination by the end of this book. There is newfound surety. I found his path to his own personal realization very interesting to read. If you wanted an up close look at the desert and how it functions, both pre-Atreides meddling and now as green covers the planet, it’s detailed here.
To label some things others may find unpleasant: there is a lot of focus on consorts and political romance. There is discussions of royal incest and the desires of the Bene Gesserit to further the Atreides line. There is the knowledge that Farad’n and Ghanima are distant cousins, but cousins nonetheless. There is a shit tonne of jumping from location to location and person to person with each chapter, necessitating keeping almost a dozen plots in mind at once. The plot can be convoluted and chaotic, but what else did you expect from a soap opera so far along in its grip? So much is in the air at any given moment.
Overall, I’ve really enjoyed my time with Dune so far. I enjoy experiencing the new things Herbert throws at us as we learn more about Arrakis and the Fremen and how we think as people in general....more
Very much in a turtles phase and learning that I do love them in every iteration. The brothers are just too good and their bond as a family is fun to Very much in a turtles phase and learning that I do love them in every iteration. The brothers are just too good and their bond as a family is fun to see every single time!
I really like the art in this, it has a gritty feel that seems to capture the tension of their new lives as mutants. This is definitely just the jumping off point to get us introduced to the new line, and I look forward to seeing the developments with April, Casey, Krang, and Baxter.
I think it’s interesting that the main signifiers between the turtles is no longer their mask colors, but instead skin hue and head shape. It takes some getting used to, but I picked up on it pretty quick. Their banter is pretty well coded to be decipherable as who’s talking. I have always liked the personalities of the boys and how each author strives to make them stand apart from each other, while also still being brothers and similar in underlying ways.
The time jumping is pretty intense in this first volume too as we set things up, going from initial contact with mutagen to a year after that. I’m hoping the timeline narrows in focus as I keep reading, but I don’t mind it! I’m excited to catch up with this line of comics since they are the most accessible to me at the moment, though I’d love to look at other lines in the future....more
Oof, owtch, my turtle loving heart. The way themes of grief and change and family are tackled in this is just so well done. I enjoyed seeing this deveOof, owtch, my turtle loving heart. The way themes of grief and change and family are tackled in this is just so well done. I enjoyed seeing this development of a future for them yet also it was painful to endure. It’s a bittersweet story!
Media that includes the loss of siblings always does me in way more than I expect it to, I’ve gotta start realizing its impact. It’s just crushing to see the Ronin struggle with the loss of family even sixteen years later, because I think that would be how I felt if I lost my sister, too. Unmoored.
Casey Marie’s comment of “the funny one” also was a hard hitting line - because the Ronin has completely shifted in personality. Loss can change a lot, but his determination is incredible.
Overall, this is an incredible short run and it makes me eager to pick up more of the comics as I foray into them after being a shows/movies turtle fan for such a long time. I had no idea what I was missing out on!...more
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