Author: Joshua Goldberg

Amish Otaku, Features, Kosher Kuts, Manga, Viz

Kosher Kuts: D. Gray-man

D. Gray-man is essentially a gothic version of the X-Men. The idea has some initial originality. A dark undertone to a classic idea can provide new ground to explore in the action superhero genre. However, the foundation of the team and the plot must be strong to keep the series from sinking into banality. These sentiments are the deciding factors when you read through D. Gray-man.

The aforementioned plot of D. Gray-man has a Zoroastrian bent to it. There are people around the world who possess a super-human power called “Innocence.” An organization called the Black Order is trying to find these people and recruit them to become exorcists. Exorcists are supposed to defend humans from an elf-like creature called the Earl of the Millenium, which is attempting to destroy all humans who utilize Innocence (and thus to bring about the end of the world). He has his own group of human followers and manufactures beasts called Akuma with the souls of dead people whose loved ones want them to live again. In doing so, the Earl fulfills the wishes of humans, but damns the souls of the dead. The exorcists use their powers to save the Akuma from damnation and to protect Innocence. Continue reading “Kosher Kuts: D. Gray-man”

Joshua Goldberg
Amish Otaku, Features, The Haven

The Haven: Rumors and Reilly

By Andrew Goletz

Two weeks in a row that the column is on time… Sadly, this is a new personal record.

The fallout from Wizard World Philly continues. I’m so bogged down with work right now. I made a lot of great contacts and confirmed set interview dates with the first two creators, but finding the time is going to be quite the task. This is where one’s organizational skills can make or break you. If I don’t have some new interviews and reviews up by the end of the month, I’m going to feel like a colossal failure. Continue reading “The Haven: Rumors and Reilly”

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Amish Otaku, Anime, FUNimation, Madhouse

Claymore: Basilisk for Girls? Well…Not Exactly

I’m a big fan of shows with dark settings. I’m also a big fan of shows with intriguing plots. Some fast-paced action here and there doesn’t hurt; neither does excellent art.

That said, I’m not particularly picky when it comes to genres. If you’ve got a sci-fi epic, a tale of modern-day espionage or a fantastic tale of swords and sorcery, I’m pretty much good as long as you manage to include some or all of the above. Considering my roots in Record of Lodoss War, though, I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for shows that manage to pull them off in a medieval world. Continue reading “Claymore: Basilisk for Girls? Well…Not Exactly”

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Amish Otaku, Comics, DC, Features

Caught My Eye: Flash, The Fastest Man Alive #13

Looks pretty bad, huh? Well, this is only the third page
DC Comics

Where do I start? Yeah, I’m looking at you, DC Comics, and your wonderful editorial direction! You’d better run and take cover, because I’m coming… and hell’s coming with me, you hear???

It is going to be very difficult for me to discuss this comic without spoiling it for the few of you who stuck with this title post–Infinite Crisis, but I’ll do my best to keep this review spoiler-free.

This issue marks the last in this volume’s thirteen-issue run. I started reading this title with the conclusion to the huge DC Comics blockbuster from last summer, Infinite Crisis. The One Year Later storyline was a gimmick where all of the in-continuity titles advanced a year. It promised to be a radically different gimmick than what we were used to. I for one was really interested in what was going on in the world of DC. Flash was a character I had wanted to check out for some time, since he was one of my favorites in the Justice League animated show on Cartoon Network. Continue reading “Caught My Eye: Flash, The Fastest Man Alive #13”

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Amish Otaku, Music

Dual Core

The dude in a penguin shirt
Dual Core

So there I was fending off the usual barrage of camgirls and free iPod/iPhone/yourmom ads on MySpace. And of course, the obligatory MySpace Bands, many of which are talented. Sadly, in the grand scheme of things, many is not all, or even most.

Now, stop, hold on, I know what you’re thinking: “Doesn’t the Music and Gaming Festival like musicians?” Why wouldn’t we friend bands? I realize this, but we’re a videogame event, so we try to only friend videogame bands and/or videogame-related musicians. Keeps it tight, ya know?

Eventually, I came to a group of dudes called Dual Core. Close investigation revealed spiffy art of a dude in a penguin shirt, but for some reason the music player wasn’t working (does it ever?) so I tossed them a message and asked if they had any music online. Continue reading “Dual Core”

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Amish Otaku, Comics, Features

Big Monkey Comics: Discovering Big Monkey Comics in D.C.

Big Monkey’s business card
Big Monkey Comics

Last week I went to Washington, DC, for a few days to see the brash and lovely indie rock goddess Leslie Feist (who kicked several levels of posterior, for those of you interested), and my nagging preoccupation was what my next AO subject would be. I was staying with my sister, Sabahat, who lives in DC Since I was taking the rail to our nation’s capitol, and Lancaster’s The Comic Store (yes, that’s what it’s called) is conveniently located across the street from the train station, it was my obvious first choice for material. Simple. My train left on Wednesday at 11:34AM (don’t you love how razor-precise Amtrak purports to be?) and I reasoned could get to the comic shop sometime between 10AM and 11AM. There were more than a few priorities standing in my way, though. Staying up late the night before my departure looking for events to occupy my days was one of them. I refused to wander around the L’Enfant planned ex-Federal City with no less than a bagful of instructions. Continue reading “Big Monkey Comics: Discovering Big Monkey Comics in D.C.”

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Amish Otaku, Bubonic Comics, Comics, DC, Features

Bubonic Comics: Aquaman #3

Since Aquaman has gone through quite a few incarnations, let’s make sure you know which one I’m referring to in this installment. This Arthur Curry is Peter David’s long-haired and bearded man of action. Two crucial notes about this issue: Superboy guest stars and the controversial harpoon hand makes its debut.

Speaking of the pointy appendage, all of Aquaman’s friends seem to be rather wary of this decision to don a harpoon where his left hand once was. Aquaman ignores their doubts because he wants to go on the offensive. He orders portly Vulko (remember him?) to make this sawed-off, run-of-the-mill harpoon as close to invulnerable as possible. I sure wish I had tools lying around my home that could make things more invulnerable.

Cut to a scene of dolphins swimming and talking! A typical day, it seems, until the dolphins are caught in a Japanese boater’s cargo net. When they’re dragged up out of the ocean and dumped onto the boat, one of the dolphins opts to fly away (why, Peter David, why???) instead of remaining captive. Smart decision, too, since one fisherman stabs a harpoon completely through a dolphin’s body. I suppose even lowly fishermen have super strength in the DCU.

Continue reading “Bubonic Comics: Aquaman #3”
Charlie Robinson
Amish Otaku, Convention Coverage, Features, The Haven

The Haven: Wizard World Philly and The Life of Reilly

Welcome to “The Haven,” a place where you’re going to learn all about the wonderful world of me. This includes – but is not limited to – my ongoing crusade to redevelop and publish The Life of Reilly as a trade paperback, my thoughts on the Comics Industry as a whole, developments with our little corner of cyberspace here, and probably comments on everything from movies to how I can’t stand my job.

A few promises to start off our new relationship: Continue reading “The Haven: Wizard World Philly and The Life of Reilly”

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Amish Otaku, Comics, Features

Caught My Eye: Scar Tissue Volume One

A page from Scar Tissue
Dial R Studios

Scar Tissue is a small-press comic published by Dial R Studios. Now, when I say it’s “small press,” I don’t mean that it’s small on quality, because it’s quite the opposite.

So what is this comic about? Good question. It’s about a sick boy named Ben who is in a rough place. He’s needed a heart transplant for many years, and the time has come that he either gets one or he dies. Fortunately, one arrives in the nick of time. It comes with a catch, though: it belongs to a recently deceased supervillain named Lord Grundoom. With this new heart, Ben is able to heal more quickly than a regular heart recipient and begins to gain the powers of the late Grundoom. The book, written by Jim Clark and drawn by David Wachter, follows Ben as he comes to terms with these new powers and his struggle with the emotions and conflicts you might assume would occur.

The story is easy to get into. I quickly found myself interested in Ben’s predicament and wanted to keep reading more. Before I knew it, I had read half of the trade paperback. One of this comic’s biggest strengths is its dialog. That was the very first thing I noticed. The interaction between Ben and his brothers, as well as his internal struggles, is spot on. The way the characters interact with one another feels very natural, and it seems like you’re right there with them. There were only two characters that seemed kind of stiff to me, but everyone else could have been people I knew. Continue reading “Caught My Eye: Scar Tissue Volume One”

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