Wednesday, July 13, 2011

La Mangafique




Anime: The who, the what, and the where (and other nitty-gritty’s)




It's out there and it's coming to get you.
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So, sometime in the past 10 years or so, you must have noticed this craze going about infecting young and old people alike, called “Pokemon”, which seems to consist of absurd fantastic creatures, a parallel reality and the ability to capture said creatures and battle with them. (If you really still don’t know what I’m talking about, you’ve been living under a rock). Ever scratched your head and wondered just what it is and why people are crazy about it? Some if not all of those questions, can be answered if you delve into the world of anime.


Out of pets to collect? Start collecting these.
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Who is Aru, anyway?



A little History… 

Archie Comics, Walt Disney, and 2000AD


The first memory of ever seeing or reading a comic book was in, Nacovi, Nadi Town in Fiji. It was two different ones, an Archie and a Walt Disney Comics, with Goofy etc. Its reading these comics at the age of 7 or 8yrs old that has become the focal point in my life. 

The second memory is, when having moved to New Zealand with my mother in 1981.  A tent created with my knees under blanket at night, a small torch lighting the 2000AD comics, my friend had lent me.

Who would have thought that the from the age of 17 to 21yrs old would see myself spending thousands of dollars on comics and then losing then to the fire in 1999. And then I didn’t pick up a comic again till I began my studies for a Bachelors Degree in Digital Filmmaking in 2003. I got back into the comics as a way of meeting/making news friends in a city, Invercargill, New Zealand. I also started trading in them and also collecting as an investment. And have continued that trend up till now 8yrs later.  

A Writer is Born

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Exclusive Raj Preview: Alter Ego - The return of Super Commando Dhruv!!!



Great news for all your Dhruv fans out there!


Super Commando Dhruv is back with a bang with a new kickass look and a story which looks dark, dangerous and like a perfect platform for a comeback for our favorite Commando!


Credits


Script        Abhishek Sagar

Support     Mandar Gangele
Art           Hemant
Inking       Amit
Effects      Rasheed
Caligraphy Harish Sharma
Editor       Manish Gupta


Check out the exclusive preview of the upcoming Dhruv issue - Alter Ego!








Monday Manga Madness Redux: Aishiteruze Baby



- A review by Seema Kakade

Genre: Shojo Manga

Aishiteruze Baby, a.k.a. I love you, baby is one of those rare manga you come across that manages to portray the beauty of the father and child relationship perfectly. As misleading as the title maybe, which, I believe, is the reason why half of the shonen manga lovers might have shunned away from it, the manga isn’t much about what it appears from the title.

Manga Madness: On Dinosaurs...


Today on Manga Madness, I would like to invite you all to the Jurassic era. A time when Dinosaurs roamed the earth. A time when ferocious monsters ruled this very land. A harsh time. And unfortunately a time of which we know little. All denizens of that age perished in some unknown doom that visited Earth all those years ago. But wait, what if one survived? What havoc would it unleash upon the unsuspecting next age of the Earth.

As it turns out, it can unleash quite a lot of havoc. Welcome to the world of Gon. The pint sized dinosaur who has a big attitude. And a bite to match. A hilarious manga based around the adventures of said dinosaur. Each chapter delves into the exploits of Gon. As he interacts with the paleolithic world around him. A new world, a changed world. Interactions wary from villainous predators who underestimate Gon at their own peril, to even newly made friends, and even an adopted family. A rich beautiful world ripe for exploration is explored. As Gon can be spotted in a myriad of places, the setting continually changes. One can expect a tropical rainforest in one chapter, and a savannah in the next. But Gon's role itself surprisingly keeps changing. From tormentor of lions, to forming a posse of abandoned cubs who have lost their mothers. The manga is mature in content. For Mother Nature is cruel if impartial. Many times the outcomes are gory, and death is pretty graphic when touched upon. But that should not keep you away from the manga. For their is comedy too.

The comedy in the manga is exceptional, with some scenes so good that you will be in splits. And that's not the only great thing about this manga. Gon has absolutely no dialogues. Since for obvious reasons, a manga dealing with a dinosaur's interaction with different animals would have no need for dialogue. Such a simple implementation of basic fact renders infinite beauty and depth to this manga. I know I hanker on about depth to no end. But depth is important to a manga. For now without dialogue, the artist has to work that extra mile to convey emotions. And boy does the artwork deliver. It is a treat, a unique visual experience which feels very fresh as opposed to traditional manga art. A lost world unfolds before the reader. A world where man has no place. A world of animals and an age of nature. Now gone forever.

Gon is almost an experimental read of a manga. And perhaps the fanatical manga reader will not enjoy it. But if you like comic books, then you will fall in love with the adorable dinosaur. But dont be fooled, step on his tiny toes even a moment and he will take a BITE out of you.

Monday, July 11, 2011

The Adventures of Karen Ross (Part 8)

I had noticed when we landed that there was a small forest about a half mile away from the hut in the opposite direction. I walked in pretty much a straight line listening to the waves crash against the rocks and the birds flying overhead. Overall it was very beautiful here, but the thought of the great stone table was very present in my mind. Was it just some kind of sick endurance test to see how strong my stomach was? Still, even though the thought sickened me I didn't want to wimp out on this. There were so many expectations of me, expectations that I didn't fully understand, but I had to try to meet them. Much like Atlas the world now rested on my shoulders.




The forest looked dense for not having appeared to be overly large. Stepping under the green canopy I started looking for fire wood. I found pieces here and there for kindling, but I was having a hard time to find any decent sized logs. There was something moving to my right. Standing quickly I looked, but didn't see anything. I went back to what I was doing, but I saw it again and heard murmuring. Still holding on to the wood I had gathered thus far I walked towards the sound. This was so weird, but my curiosity was getting the better of me. I walked through a space in a particularly dense group of trees only to be standing in front of a sapphire and silver waterfall hanging in mid air. The elegance and beauty of it was breath taking. Suddenly it giggled and in the middle the water parted to reveal a very beautiful blue face with deep blue eyes. It was a water nymph! I had read about them in stories before, but to see one up close made my knees quiver. I was unaware how lost I was in the sight of the nymph until I heard the wood bang and clatter to the forest floor next to me.


Casting Call: What Do You Think?


There has been a lot going on as far as comic book movies. There have been rumors of projects, stars to be cast , and the like. Wizard Magazine used to have a feature called, "Casting Call" which was their pick of people to play characters if the movie was to be made.



The point is that Hollywood has made some good decisions on casting and some not so good. For example; casting Heath Ledger as the Joker while we were all scratching our heads going, "Are you serious?" It turns out Mr. Ledger was a FANTASTIC Joker. How about when Robert Downey Jr. was cast as The Iron Man. That was a, "Really?" kind of moment. Then there was Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, which to be honest, still not seeing it. Also, there have been teases of castings like Johnny Depp for the Riddler or Bob Hoskins for the Penguin. Teases that never came to fruition, but played on our minds.


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