Comics

When I was in High School I loved to read comic books. I loved to read stories of super heroes with super powers doing super cool things. I loved comics about fighting for justice, the criminal mind, and even love stories. I was also very lucky because my brother was a talented and popular comic book artist. He worked for two of the largest comic companies in America; DC and Marvel. He drew Batman, the Green Lantern, the Flash, Spiderman, and the Fantastic Four. Working for these companies meant that he got a lot of free comic books, and this meant I got a lot of free comic books too. The comics I read were American and European so I know very little about Japanese comics. I read these books because they were what was available. I know that you are Japanese and so you read Japanese comic books. So I wanted to share some of my favorite titles with you and I hope that you will share some of your favorite titles with me. So in no particular order:

Ronin by Frank Miller

1. Ronin by Frank Miller. 
This is a really cool story by one of the best comic artists in the world. It is the story of a ronin samurai that is reincarnated in New York in the future. The art work is heavily influenced by manga and bande dessinee drawing styles. 

Fantastic Four and Iron Man: Big in Japan
by Seth Fisher

2. Fantastic Four and Iron Man: Big in Japan by Seth Fisher. 
This book is on my favorite list because it was drawn by my brother and because it is a truly unique vision of comic books. I place it here at number two because like Ronin, this book draws heavily on manga style comics. My brother lived and drew in Japan for many years and loved manga. 

Swallow Me Whole
by Nate Powell

3. Swallow Me Whole by Nate Powell. 
Nate Powell is an incredible artist and storyteller. He is an independent artist and is not very famous. However he draws really well and his style is unlike anything I know. His stories are usually about his experiences as a teenager, his thoughts on war, and living with his brother who suffers from autism. His work may be difficult to find in Japan, but search him on the internet anyway. I think you will like what you find. 

Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumber Land

4. Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumber Land by Winsor McCay.
 Little Nemo is a comic about the wild and crazy dreams of a little boy. This comic first appeared in newspapers almost 100 years ago, but don't think it is old fashion. The work of Winsor McCay is still as good as comic art gets, and he is a guy that really works. He drew comics and also animated cartoons back when technology was very slow and making a cartoon meant drawing thousands of pictures! For proof of his hard work check out this video.

5. Bone by Jeff Smith
Bone is a masterpiece. It is one long and amazing adventure about a guy named Fone Bone and his cousins Smiley Bone and Phoney Bone. They get into trouble in their home and are forced to leave forever. They find a new town that is more like a fairytale than reality. There they make friends and find new responsibilities, responsibilities like saving the world. It is a fun, light and exciting story that everyone should read.