Christopher Patterson Comic Reviews

Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 5 is a work full of wholesomeness, love, and energy that captures the best elements this series has to offer. Furthermore, this volume showcases the finest aspects, typically concealed by intense action, now given the opportunity to shine. Each panel exudes a sense of detail and love that is truly breathtaking. The overall story is slowed down to tell simpler ones, such as Edward and Alphonses memories of and now revisiting their teacher, Izumi Curtis, and, with Winry, their helping and meeting of others in their journey. While this volume may not be for everyone, I personally find it one of the most charming and genius volumes to come out of this series. If you plan on revisiting this series and trying to find the motivation, Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 5 might be the one to pick up.

Slam Dunk Vol. 1 is a true gem that will make you yearn to learn how to play basketball. The artwork exudes confidence and detail that are impossible to replicate. The characters in this volume burst with energy and personality to a level that is truly standout for an opening volume. The story is comedic genius to the degree that it makes you want to read page after page, even if you are not a basketball fan. The pacing is possibly the best in manga, with each page flowing immediately after the next. Overall, this is a comic that, if you havent, you are almost obligated to. Cmon, its a classic!

If you have the time, please give this dated gem a shot. You won't regret it. And you won't need to read fifty other volumes to realize that.

Artistically speaking, volume two is a step up to what came before, but speaking to everything else, it's more of the same. But here you are partially desensitized to the horror since you've seen so much already, so it's milk and water.

Even if you haven't read the previous volumes, I urge every reader who sees it to buy this volume immediately. It stands alone as a work of sheer genius. And this is only the beginning.

If you wanna see what manga can do, look no further.

If you read this far, you might as well buy everything that goes forward. Chances are you're hooked.

Berserk is getting better with every volume, and it was already past excellent.

This is a favorite for many, and I can see why.

When you're last volume was so good, it's more than expected to not live up to it. If the opening is concerned, he failed to live up to it, but putting that aside, he has succeeded all expectations. When you look further into this volume, you realize Miura is at the top of his game.

While there are staggering feats of writing accomplished here, they can be lost in the indulgent fight scenes that cram up this volume.

Generally, this volume disappoints but the majestic art and clever writing here and there should make up for what is one of the weaker volumes of Berserk.

Volume twelve is a masterpiece of set-up, and now the horrific payoff has to happen.

Miura did not hold back, and even though it was sometimes unbearable with it's unflinching horror and emotion it can bring out of you, Berserk's thirteenth volume is a must-read.

Berserk delivers again in volume fourteen, though don't expect anything as shocking as volume thirteen or twelve. Here, Miura settles things down and opens the door to a new arc that will take us practically everywhere. Additionally, he makes very clear that Golden Age is not all Berserk is. As we really have seen nothing yet.

An entertaining, but disenchanting volume. The story is tolerable, but pales in comparison to what Miura can achieve with more inspiration.

Thankfully, we are done with the Lost Children arc, and we are onto Farnese and her interesting religious practices. On top of that, Lost Children ended remarkably.

Miura does a excellent job of crafting Farnese already, and he will only take her character further with time. With par-for-the-course excellent art and a fabulous job of plot progression, volume seventeen of Berserk is not made for the faint of heart and it's surely not one to miss.

While Isidro held parts of this volume back, Farnese advanced it forward and has easily made herself the most engrossing character yet.

A quite bizarre and deeply satisfying volume of Berserk. If this is what the best of Conviction can offer, I want more.

Even though this volume didn't succeed in making up it's lack of plot for an excessive amount of action, it's hard not to read with an unusual intensity. At making you read on at a rapid pace, this volume reigns supreme.

And that concludes Conviction. What a time. A fear most Berserk fans had, that I share myself, was that after Golden Age the manga would never be the same. And, in regards to narrative similarities, it's not the same. In reference to quality, it is not as good, but it's extremely close. Conviction had it's downfalls, but as this volume proves, it's superior parts go toe-to-toe with the greatest Golden Age had to offer.

Not one chapter merely entertains, they all astonish.

This is a re-invigorating volume that properly establishes the new dynamic going forward, and makes me anxious to read more.

A thoroughly riveting, if towards the end underwhelming, twenty-fourth volume.

Characters like Farnese and Griffith are polished and refined and new characters are given at an avalanche, opening our eyes to how big Berserk's world truly is, while opening us up to the magic of this world. Which works as a good way of self-defense against forces like the God-Hand. In that way, magic is a necessary tool that Berserk did a brilliant job of slowly integrating. The problem is that magic is something that Miura is clearly a big fan of, and his persistent indulgence into it causes major parts of the arc to feel immoderate. This is most evident in volume twenty-five. Entire parts of this volume I would deem 'unreadable' if any reader is attempting a re-read. So much of this volume is uncurbed and low-price in it's execution that I find little to compliment in it's writing, with the exception of a few notable moments. Aside from mentions of Griffith, how magic is integrated into combat, and the scene in which Farnese tries to protect Casca, there is little char

Despite how emotional this volume is, it's oddly the most relaxing. A vast improvement to the previous volume that rectifies any grievance I had going forward.

Change can be a good thing. If Berserk didn't change, never would it have been this good. Did I say it yet? This is the best Berserk offers. From art to storytelling, this volume is unmatched.

Compared to volume 27, Miura slows the pace down, for better and for worse. While I am fond of all he tries here, a faster, more organized volume would've been preferred.

In one word: showstopping.

If you are a fan of Farnese's character, this volume is your magnum opus for all things Berserk. For myself, I was glued to the page.

If you're an action or worldbuilding geek, this volume suits you well. If you're a story fanatic, like me, then you are going to be very disappointed.

If you can bear the slower pace, and the lengthy Griffith-focused sections, you are in for a treat.

Volume thirty-three doesn't have much action, but makes up for that by becoming more attentive to it's characters.

Even if you erase every speech bubble, this volume is still a masterpiece. In fact, I think the word I'm looking for is 'chef-d'uvre'.

While Miura has made the art immaculate, he has made the story passable.

Even though it looks shiny, this volume isn't made of gold.

One of the biggest improvements for a Berserk volume yet. It starts forgettably, then takes flight.

In this volume we get Rickert slapping Griffith. That is worth the price of admission alone, but if you want more, Miura offers us one great chapter with Guts and the crew.

While the art is too uncanny, the story is fitting and feels long-overdue.

A significant and extremely extraordinary volume of Berserk.

Volume forty-one of Berserkis a beautifully imperfect end to a series not one of us will forget.

To every Berserk fan, we worried about the art, the quality, but upon revisiting I think it's clear: we're still in really good hands.

Hunter x Hunter Volume 1 is an exciting start to a brilliant series that doesn't hold back its aurora off for a minute. From the jump, you know this is Togashi's opus and creative peak, and he never holds your hand to tell you that you are in his world, a natural one. One that gets on with itself and just embraces what it is. Togashi no longer feels held down in his writing by expectation or limitation; he realized and opened the doors to limitlessness in his writing, a true sense of whimsical wonder that makes one realize they are in for the ride of their life. Hunter x Hunter, Volume 1 is like a burning sensation that hooks you in and makes you itch to read every single chapter you can find after, thanks to Togashi's biting vision, personality, and freedom that he will never let you forget.

Hunter x Hunter's second volume's pacing may be a bit too fast, looking at all that ensues and all that could've been expanded into its own volume, but it mostly doesn't disappoint. This is mainly due to the addition of so many characters to its universe and a compelling, almost, arena that brings a level of cleverness right to the spotlight that the series only vaguely showed with each character being tested in unique ways.

Hunter x Hunter's third volume is a fantastic volume that, if not for its draggy and meandry pacing, could possibly be the best volume yet.

Hunter x Hunter Volume 5 is quite strong at just being quite good and never meandering, but that comes with some of the bigger moments being quite disappointing. Though the art is still amazing, and some storylines are quite stellar.

One Piece's debut volume delivers an iconic pledge to be itself and itself only, and it not only succeeds fabulously and so incredibly, if I do say so myself, but inspires one to be the "King of the Pirates" and set ashore.

One Piece Volume 2 is more of the same... But that is why I love it! Just the same mundane beginnings that, if you aren't, you should read with the song "We Are!" playing.

Epileptic is not just a graphic novel but a work to remember. It is a work, like the great art before it, like Maus, takes comics to a level not seen before by providing an experience to be read that is not just incredibly emotionally potent but also so vulnerably and creatively drawn. It's story is rooted in reality and tells an autobiographical and sketched-out tale that is as engrossing and captivating as any superhero comic. The artwork feels carved in like a pondering memory or wound that has now been reopened to our author and is screaming and letting loose across the many pages it resides in. I recommend, if you haven't, picking it up right now. It really is that good.

Viz delivered big time. It was a long wait, but I think it was for the best. Supposedly, the anime is right around the corner, and this long-awaited translation might finally get more anime-only's to take a look into Araki's undisputed masterpiece.