Tarako – The Hub

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2023) Featured Review of Kaiju No. 8, Vols. 1 & 2 by Naoya Matsumoto

Kaiju No. 8, Vols. 1 & 2 by Naoya Matsumoto
Shueisha
Publication Date: Vol. 1: December 7, 2022, Vol. 2: April 5, 2022
ISBN: Vol. 1: 9781974725984, Vol 2: 9781974727148

When Kafka was a kid, he made a pact with his childhood friend, Mina, to one day join the military organization Japan Defense Force and kill as many Kaiju as possible to keep Japan safe from monsters. In the present, Mina is leading a division of the JDF and Kafka is a member of Kaiju Corpse Cleanup, having failed multiple military entry tests. However, a new rule means he has one more chance to join… the only thing stopping him now is that he also happens to be part Kaiju!

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2023) Featured Review of Something is Killing the Children Vol. 4 by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera

Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 4 by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera
Boom! Studios
Publication Date: January 11, 2022
ISBN: 9781684158041

Finally, the backstory of Erika’s entry into the House of Slaughter! Wondering where and how our fierce fighter was introduced to this world of monsters and chaos we go way back to where it all started. The first monster she saw, what happened that night she was taken by a Slaughter member, and what happened to her parents. However, before she can stake a claim to the black room of the Slaughter home, she needs to pass a test by facing her worst demons, and Erika has more nightmares than the average person.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2022) Nominations Round-Up, Winter

Each quarter, the Selected Lists teams compile the titles that have been officially nominated to date. These books have been suggested by the team or through the title suggestion form, read by multiple members of the team, and received approval to be designated an official nomination. At the end of the year, the final list of nominations and each Selected List’s Top Ten will be chosen from these titles.

The Apothecary Diaries, v.2. By Natsu Hyuuga. Art by Nekokurage. Square Enix Manga, $10.99 (9781646090716).

Maomao’s adventures as the official royal test taster continue! In this volume, Maomao faces the intrigues of the royal court while dealing with poisoning attempts against the Emperor’s wives.

Asadora! v.4. By Naoki Urasawa. VIZ Media / VIZ Signature, $14.99 (9781974722969).

A lighthouse has been attacked by something resembling a giant creature, and Asa is called in by the government to find the monster before the Tokyo Olympics. With the monster’s reappearance, Asa continues the search for her family.

Blue Flag, v.8. By KAITO. VIZ Media, $12.99 (9781974720941).

The conclusion of Blue Flag sees almost everyone’s secrets revealed and concludes the main characters’ romantic arcs.

Blue Giant Omnibus, v.1-2. By Shinichi Ishizuka. 2020. Seven Seas Entertainment, $19.99 (9781645058649).

Dai is graduating soon, and while his friends are all cramming for exams, he spends every day playing his sax. Dai is going to be the world’s greatest jazz musician, and to be the best, he will need more than just passion.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2022) Featured Review of Heaven’s Design Team, v. 1–4 by Hebi-zou, Tsuta Suzuki, and Tarako

Heaven’s Design Team, v. 1–4 by Hebi-zou, Tsuta Suzuki, and Tarako
Kodansha Comics / Kodansha USA
Publication Date: October 20, 2020; December 9, 2020; February 23, 2021; March
30, 2021
ISBN: 9781645611136, 9781646511297, 9781646511303, 9781646511310

Instead of creating every individual animal, God decided to outsource the work to a design team. The team of angels consists of six designers, an engineer who tests if the animals will function in the real world, and two liaisons who act as project managers. Volume one opens on new liaison Shimoda’s first day, and we follow along as he meets the team and learns how the designers work to create animals that fit God’s often vague specifications. Each chapter closes with a few short encyclopedia entries on the real animals that are featured.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2022) Featured Review of Seen: Edmonia Lewis by Jasmine Walls and Bex Glendining

Seen: Edmonia Lewis by Jasmine Walls and Bex Glendining
BOOM! Box / BOOM! Studios
Publication Date: September 29, 2020
ISBN: 9781684156344

American sculptor Edmonia Lewis is the first figure featured in the new nonfiction graphic novel series Seen: True Stories of Marginalized Trailblazers. The goal of the Seen series is to present readers with the life stories of remarkable people who are passed over by the standard history textbooks. This first volume tells the story of an artist who achieved international recognition against all odds: Edmonia Lewis was female, Black, and Native American, seeking to attain an education and career in sculpture during the Civil War period in the United States.