Cartoons Books

Hikaru, Umi and Fuu were summoned to Cephiro to save Princess Emeraude from the evil Zagato, but before they can become Legendary Magic Knights, they must first get some wicked cool weapons! With the help of Ferio the swordsman, Presea the pharle (weapon maker), Clef the greatest magician in the land and the cute fluffy Mokona, these girls are sure to go far! But what about that chick in the skimpy outfit, Alcione, sent by Zagato to kill them? Can they use their magic to protect themselves? And where does Mokona always disappear to whenever there¡¦s a battle? How does she manage to look so cute? What is her secret?!?
To find out the answers to all these questions and more, buy the second volume of the MKR series!! =^-^=

1. Story: Great story, very classical Shoujo storyline, but definitely original and captivating. I loved it!
2. Love Interest: Come on guys, it¡¦s a Shoujo manga; it¡¦s got the cutest love stories ever, but in the first cycle only Fuu gets a love interest, but boy! What a guy she gets! Ferio is really cute, and he¡¦s the only shonen that doesn¡¦t have shoulders out to here, and stands mountains tall compared to the girls. He isn¡¦t even wrapped up in cloaks, or have tons of hair, but he does have the coolest, wicked cool sword!!! (Don¡¦t worry parents, nothing offensive to the romance, and there isn¡¦t even any kissing ƒ¼.)
3. Artwork: Gorgeous. And you can trust my opinion; I draw manga, so I know good artwork when I see it, seriously. Mokona and Fuu are not drawn to my tastes in the first cycle; Mokona has these weird cheeks, but that¡¦s just me. The rest of the artwork will have you drooling (especially over Zagato) and the character design is scrumptious, but some of the battle scenes are confusing until you get the hang of them and know what to look for.
4. Translation: Great translation; great fonts. Princess Emeraude and Zagato both have their own personal fonts, a really neat stylistic quirk. It really adds depth to the story. There is a small problem cuz Japanese isn¡¦t written like English, so the speech bubbles are taller than they are wide, but that¡¦s usually not a problem. ¡¥Why don¡¦t you¡¦ is spelled ¡¥Whydoncha¡¦ and Ferio charmingly greets the girls with, ¡¥who are y¡¦all?¡¦ but overall it was perfect.
5. Quality: Excellent Quality, it¡¦s a beautiful book that will not fall apart like the Sailor Moon manga reportedly does. It reads from right to left; Japanese form, but since I can read and write Arabic, it came naturally to me. On the last page is a quick, useful tutorial to show you how to read authentic manga in its original form. Words don¡¦t lead off the page or anything, and the paper is beautiful.
6. Nudity: NONE (Only two skimpy outfits; nothing to worry about)
7. Price: Ok, now, as much as I love manga, ten bucks for a 120-page comic book is kind of a lot. I have to buy everything online, so I¡¦m under my parent¡¦s thumb, and though I would gladly produce the money myself, they don¡¦t approve of it. ƒ¼ -sigh-
8. Mokona¡¦s in it. Puuuu?

Another cool perk about this series is the extra part at the end of the book, where CLAMP talks to you (manga style) and tell you about the anime, the artbooks and, of course, themselves!! They¡¦re drawn in cute chibi-form, with some info on CLAMP¡¦s team. Puu! Puu!!

Once again, I am impressed with Clamp's artwork and storyline. The story starts of where Ferio joins the girls, and after a major showdown with Alcionie, they go their seperate ways. Unlike in the anime, the Fuu/Ferio relationship is shown more in depth, and is much more romantic and fluffier than in the anime. Also, he doesn't hit on Umi, although she is the first one to figure out that Fuu has feelings for Ferio, while Hikaru is clueless, as usual. The artwork is amazing, and the character development is noteworthy. :)

Rayearth is about three girls Hikaru,Umi and Fuu that were from Tokyo,Japan who were sent to a land called Cephiro to save Princess Emraude,the pillar(which is like the heart of Cephiro),from the one she loves; Zagato. The reason she must be saved from Zagato is the Pillar can not show love tourds anything besides Cephiro. But first Hikaru,Umi and Fuu must find the ancient ruin Gods,Windam,Rayearth and Seilus,(the girls all ready found Windam)and the mineral of excuta .So far only Hikaru has her magic (the magic of fire) though but latter in the book Umi and Fuu get there magic too (with the help of there bunny/marshmellow friend Mokona). Plus Fuu mets the man of her dreams^_^!(Ferio). The art is beautiful and the story's amazing but I do recomend it for some one 13 and older for some battle violence.
~*~Purin~*~

With its unique combination of cartoons, photos, newspaper clippings, this is everything a graphic novel should be. It's entertaining, informative and a page turner of sorts. As the memoir progresses, you get drawn into Long Tack Sam's life and you root for him. I felt myself wishing that I had been around to catch his act.

I read this in one sitting! This was done in a journal/comic book format that was informative, fun, and made me feel that when I ended the book, I left with something special. Sam was a pioneer, and all the amazing people he met and worked with (Orson Wells, Laurel and Hardy to name a few), it's like the back of the book said, how come no one knows who this famous man is? His rufasal to compromise to the Chinese steriotype in order to enter Hollywood, and that his daughters were considered too pretty to be filmed as Asians for any Hollywood pictures , really reminds you that the 20th century really changed our views of the world and culture. This man went all over the world, married an Austrian lady, and go figure, had competition from white magicians dressing in Asian motifs and taking similar names to him! I can go on ad infinitium about how great this was, and how I came upon this by accident. I strongly recommend this book to not only magicians, but also to anyone looking for a fun and entertaining read.

I had seen Ann Marie Fleming's documentary film about her great-grandfather, Long Tack Sam, and was thrilled to see that she had also written a book about him. I was expecting the usual sort of biography, text with a couple of photo inserts. Instead, the book is a mix of text, cartoons, and photos, much in the same style as the movie. It's absolutely beautiful, and the period images (ads and posters, photos, etc) convey the style and feel of the vaudeville era which was Sam's heyday. I love to read about vaudeville but it's the images that bring those times to life for me, and this book does it wonderfully.

I would recommend this book to anybody interested in reading or making manga. It is inspirational and provides an insight to the profession like no other book.

This book has no value what so ever for teaching you how to draw. That's not what this book is for, it's actually a interview with the hottest manga artist's ever known! I thought it would be a good idea to buy this book, just so I can get a preview of my favorite manga artists'art works, as well as what they have to say to other inspiring manga-ka's. I truly enjoyed reading this book, and I'm sure fans of golden boy,clamp, silent mobius, etc would love to hear about what their idol manga artist have to say. I loved everything about this book, and I would recommend this book to those who are interested in a behind the scenes look at the world of manga. If you are looking to buy this book for other reasons, then don't bother buying this book, you will be sorely dissapointed.

As a fan of the many styles of Manga, this book caught me rather by surprise. Most books in my collection that deal with manga analyze the work itself. However, this book is truly unique in that it explores the process of the actual creation of manga art. The methods used are delved into in a very fascinating way. The interviews with the artists themselves are well composed and the questions asked are far more novice.

The other outstanding aspect of the book is the use of various manga illustrations as well as photos of manga artists at work. These two items really serve to represent the many aspects of manga art.



If you are a fan of manga, then you owe yourselves this book. A definite recomendation.

GREAT MANGA!!!!
I'm in my twenties and this is one of the best mangas

I have loved this series so much that I was almost sad when I picked up this volume...I knew it would end! Normally, I'm not one for dramatic soap operas, but there's something extremely compelling about Rei and Kira's story. The characters of Mars are simply fantastic and a joy to follow along. In this volume, Masao (yes, I groaned, too) reared his ugly head once again and escapes from the hospital only to stab Rei on his wedding night. They really scared me for a few pages when it seemed Rei was going to die (relax, ladies, he's just fine and dandy), and then thankfully, Rei gets back to racing. I can't wait until the Gaiden: Horse with No Name comes out. June...*sigh* Anyway, a great end to a great manga series!

For those who picked the book up when it first came out, and where sucked into it's wonderful art and most creative story, then you must know that this series gets better book by book, and as sad as it may be, the ending is perfect for it. Several unanswered questions come into play... will Kira tell Rei about the letter form Sei? How will old characters come into play? Will they be happy or will it end in tears? Only one way to find out! I enjoyed this manga however, because it was a perfect ending!

I am an avid reader of indices -- the index to "The Meaning of Lost and Mismatched Socks" is truly one of the best I have ever found. (The book itself is a multilayered masterpiece.)

Rapturous. Incredible. Meaningful. Necessary. All children and adults should sway to the power of the missing sock. For yea, it is through missing socks that we may truly approach deeper thought about the multifarious mysteries of the Universe. Thank you, Thank you, good Doctor.

Harry S. Robins, who is also known as the voice of various scientists in Half-Life, and plays Dr. Kleiner himself in Half-Life 2, here expounds on a matter of pressing importance...especially pressing to socks pining for their mates.

For fans of Half-Life, as well as wearers of socks, purchase of this volume is mandatory!

I've been reading the adventures of the Canadian Patterson family ever since Elizabeth was younger than her sister April is now. I love the way Lynn Johnston's characters grow up and develop...sure, it ensures the eventual end of the strip, but on the other hand I find it so much more interesting this way than characters that stay five-years old forever, like Dennis the Menace or the Peanuts.

I love comic strip collections. On the whole, they're cheaper than buying a year's worth of newspapers, and invaluable if you miss several issues.

In this particular collection, Elly and Phil's dealings with their aging parents hit a little close to home with me, as I and my brother find ourselves in a similar situation. It's uncanny because I experienced some of the guilt, helplessness, and frustration that were portrayed, and I felt a strange kinship with Elly Patterson. I mean, I, a middle aged, never-married Black American suddenly had something in common with a fictional Canadian housewife! I guess it goes to show there are some things we all go through at one time or another. I can think of no better comic than For Better or For Worse to help point that out.

The Best book I have ever read in a long time.I have been reading the For Better or For Worse commic strip for the past two years. My mother is the one who got me hooked on it. What the Patterson family goes through with their kids, My parents go through the same thing. Exspecially my mother who has to put up with having her eldest child going to University and her youngest in college.The one good thing that my mother has is she only has to go through this twice.

This is yet another wonderful book from a gifted storytellerwith an eye for realism and detail. I ... appreciate the growth anddevelopment of characters as opposed to the perpetual childhood of Dennis the Menace and the Archie Gang. Very few books have tastefully, gently and kindly dealt with the passing of a loved one the way this one does. (At one time, I was a little embarrassed to admit that I could be so moved by a comic, but now I'll freely admit that). It is truly a work of art and I love the way you can "suspend" reality by e-mailing the characters! I love the "interactive" forum of the strip and I really love the character of Jim, a savvy senior citizen who brings in some sharp insights. It is past time for seniors to get positive press and I'm glad to see it happen in this book! THREE CHEERS FOR THIS BOOK! END

Kuper's sketches are some of the best and most appealing I've ever seen, be sure to see what he's doing with the black and white MAD Magazine 'SPY VS. SPY', which he gave fresh life to. This book has a clever angle and mystery to every book which doesn't come across as a cheap gimmick suprise, all while telling a good/meaningful story.

The formula works like this--there are four panels on the front of the page which give you a visual clue.

Turn the page and on the back is the fifth panel, which "concludes" or solves the puzzle of the first four.

Extremely simple, but extremely entertaining. The fifth panel usually takes a left turn to some quirky conclusion (which makes it that much more fun to figure out).

I leave this out on my coffee table, and people are constantly hooked after just one or two "puzzles."

This is the second copy of this I've owned--the softcover version wasn't bound all that well and fell apart quickly. However, I had so many people over who asked me what happened to "that really neat comic book" that I bought this hardcover version--which holds up well.

Great for your guests or a few hours of fun.

Mind's Eye is the second 'Eye of the Beholder' collection, which began as the first comic strip to run in the New York Times, and provides a fine set of black and white strips which presents a particular viewpoint. These visual puzzles provide much food for thought: there are panels of scenes, then turn the page for the unifying concept linking them.

Bendib's wit and humor say more in one image and a few words than most of us could in a full dissertation. Stunning!

Award-winning cartoonist Khalil Bendib, whose work is seen in over 1,700 newspapers across North America, presents Mission Accomplished, a collection of his sharp-edged political cartoons lampooning greed, hypocrisy, arrogance, moral ineptitude, and worse, both in America and abroad. An American Muslim, Khalil Bendib does not shy away from tackling issues ranging from terrorism to globalization to militarism, genocide, underfunded infrastructure at home, and much more. Especially harsh criticism is leveled at the ruthless excesses of Zionism, America's ill-planned Iraq occupation and the chaos in its wake, and corporate welfare heaped upon thieving institutions such as Haliburton. Most cartoons are in black-and-white; a few are in color. One particularly telling cartoon shows an empty gasoline pump labeled "Uncle Sam Gas, $2.85 per Gallon" and cars lined up for miles to fuel at a gasoline pump labeled "Death to America Osama Gas Only, $2 a Gallon". At once both sidesplittingly funny and bitterly insightful into the paradox of human greed that keeps America stymied in failure, Mission Accomplished is highly recommended.

As much as people like to talk about politics, there's nothing like a satyrical comic. One frame, maybe 2 and this image can evoke such responses. I've shown Khalil's work to my family, coworkers and friends. The reactions I got were from pure love and admiration, all the way to confusion and anger. That's how you know someone is doing their job and Khalil does his job in this book. Well.

The artist / cartoonist / illustrator J.J. Sempe may not be familiar to many here in the US, but he is beloved in France. Here, however, he should be well known as a contributor to New Yorker magazine... having done dozens of covers over the years. This is one of his best book collections, with charming, insightful illustrations of the world of musicians. He gracefully peers into a moment in life and captures it with a few perfect lines. Subtle, beautiful, sweet. The color pages add a lot... worth every penny in either hardback, if you can find it, or paper.

When you read Sempe, you hear music.
That's how good he is. Don't miss the small details here and there. It's like finding a gem among his pencil strokes. I would highly recommend this beautiful book to anybody.

I'm not sure that is the book I'm looking for. But I do know one thing about Sempe's relationship with music. I'd like to see his picture with simple line and deeply reflection from his mind. I can find that he is good in playing music than his paint. That's what I think about Sempe.

I have to admit, I just love any kind of Mutts books and this one is well worth the read. As always, they bring a smile and laughter. Don't miss this one!

i think this is a fun book to read i like to sungle up in my bed and have a drink and read this book on cold snowy days!! i love this book and it makes me laugh its really fun so if you get this book you know your in for a treat!!

Again and again, Patrick McDonnell demonstrates that he's the most inspired cartoon artist on the planet. For 10 years we've been treated to the adventures of Mooch, Earl, and all the elements, mundane or complicated, animal-vegetable-mineral, of their world. "Sunday Afternoons" is yet another treasure. As writer and critic Glen David Gold wrote in the Los Angeles Times, McDonnell gives us a "daily dose of brilliance." A shameless plug: If you love "Mutts" then be sure to check out the official Mutts website, www.muttscomics.com. More brilliance awaits you there.