Nanase Takamine is a fire investigator, a job at which she not only excels but also approaches with a dogged determination to discover the truth. In this volume, she’s on the case of a fatal fire at the home of an elderly, wealthy man with three suspicious children, and later must determine why an experienced arsonist made a beginner’s mistake. Nanase is, in a way, haunted by … [Read more...] about Fire Investigator Nanase 4 by Izo Hashimoto and Tomoshige Ichikawa: B+
Comics
Twin Spica 1 by Kou Yaginuma: A-
The year is 2024. Fourteen years ago, Japan’s first attempt at a manned space mission ended in disaster, as something went wrong 72 seconds into the flight, causing the craft, “The Lion,” to crash in the middle of a city. The crew, and many civilians, lost their lives. Asumi Kamogawa’s mother was among the wounded, lingering in a coma for five years before finally succumbing to … [Read more...] about Twin Spica 1 by Kou Yaginuma: A-
Fire Investigator Nanase 3 by Izo Hashimoto and Tomoshige Ichikawa: B
From the back cover: "The Towering Inferno" continues! Nanase and her team are sent into the Astro Tower, a brand new skyscraper that everyone believes to be practically indestructible. But when the anti-fire device system suddenly goes down, there is no advance warning when the boiler blows. Now, Nanase is trapped in the fiery building with all of the terrorists, but the … [Read more...] about Fire Investigator Nanase 3 by Izo Hashimoto and Tomoshige Ichikawa: B
Black Cat 12-14 by Kentaro Yabuki: B+
Black Cat may not have the most innovative or sophisticated plot ever conceived—our hero and his friends face off against a mentally unbalanced bad guy and his lackeys—but it's executed so well and the characters are so likable that I can't help but be thoroughly entertained each time I consume another chunk of the story. In volume twelve, Train and friends meet with Dr. … [Read more...] about Black Cat 12-14 by Kentaro Yabuki: B+
Planetary 1: All Over the World and Other Stories by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday: A-
From the back cover: This is Planetary: three people who walk the world for strangeness and wonder, uncovering things others wish were left covered. They are the mystery archaeologists, explorers of the planet's secret history, charting the unseen borders of a fantastic world. Review: I loved John Cassaday's art in Astonishing X-Men, and even I have heard the name Warren Ellis … [Read more...] about Planetary 1: All Over the World and Other Stories by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday: A-