Monday, 27 January 2014
Fledgeling Comic Books Pt. 26
In the US Americanised
Anime had, had some success on the television networks, and had
spawned a few comic books paying tribute in the likes of - Speed
Racer, The Original Astro Boy 12, Leiji Matsumoto's Captain Harlock,
and Star Blazers (and to this day, generations fondly remember
the TV shows, including the edited and Americanised Robotech series).
The primordial imported
comic-books of translated manga from the US in the late 80's were
instantly recognised by their name when they became an Anime.
[UPDATE: The first Manga to be taken from an existing Cinematic Intellectual Property was based on the Toho Company's film; Gojira 1984 (English Release “Godzilla 1985”), and not a published Manga first.]
Gojira the manga was first published in Japan by; Shogakukan, Inc. and with story and art by Kazuhisa Iwata. This IP was licensed to Dark Horse Comics in 1987, and was advertised to be published and printed for April 1988, as a Six Issue 'Black and White' comic-book Mini-series.
After looking into the history of Godzilla comic-books published by Dark Horse, only this manga was ever translated into English, the other stories, of Godzilla were written by Dark Horse's American staff, but oddly enough this first Manga for Dark Horse did have a Trade Paperback\Graphic Novel that had three printings (1st. Printing January 1990, 2nd May 1995, 3rd May 1995.), there was also a Re-Printing (and renaming) of the mini-series in 1998, in colour - no less!; “DARK HORSE CLASSICS TERROR OF GODZILLA” . The Fourth printing was in the British Anthology comic-book magazine 'Manga Mania' published by Dark Horse International in 1993.
'GODZILLA'
Godzilla #5 (December 1988) & Terror of Godzilla #5 (December 1998).
CLODZILLA ( )
CLODZILLA ( )
CLODZILLA ( )
These
heavily influenced the UK Fandom (go with what you know), and when so
few of us could translate Japanese, and have access to Sub-titling
equipment the comic-books provided the familiar stories and plots, so
that you could enjoy the Anime even more.
LONE WOLF and CUB.
MAZINGER.
AKIRA.
Some of these
comic-books would stand the test of time (still selling enough for
reprints every few years or so) Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind,
AKIRA, Lone Wolf and Cub as
their Copy-rights changed hands, or the licence holder was bought-out
by a bigger producer or Publisher!
What early UK Anime Fan
would not have in their collection of OVAs, TV episodes and films of
:- Baoh, Dirty Pair, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, AKIRA,
Crying Freeman, Appleseed, Kamui (Dagger of), Outlanders, Grey
(Digital target), Fire Tripper, Dominion (Tank Police), Lum, Justy
(Cosmo Police), Fist of the North Star, and Area 88.
[Note: By the arrival
of the mid 90's the Japanese manga style, and its genres where being
imitated by Western cartoonist and comic-book artists.]
This
comic-book influence would continue in to the 90's as more fans
gravitated towards Manga for its more mature reader. The
sensationalistic violence (sometimes graphically depicted on the side
of gratuitous), and horrific portrayals of cause and effect, as well
as semi nudity may have enticed many, but good storytelling with
protagonists that you had infested in emotionally sold well.
Just looking at the
artwork of a still of an animated cel, you began to recognise the
Artist and the Animation Studio and then you are well and truly
hooked!
[Note: comic-books
where a jumping off point for sources of information on Japanese pop
culture, as mini articles by the Editors, Translators, and the
Writers themselves would sporadically appear. Even the humble
'Letters page' would give us some insight in appreciating this new
wave of comic-books, and after all many a Fan Club & Pen Pals was
the catalyst that unite us.]
Wednesday, 1 January 2014
Lost Manga from the 80's Pt. 25
Baoh. Written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. Viz Comics, published in a monthly format for a total of #1 - 8 issues, from December 1989 to July 1990, English adaptation by Fred Burke & Wayne Truman. Originally published and serialised in Shueisha's Weekly Youth Comic Magazine “Shōnen Jump” from 1984 to 1985.
Doress
is a secret and most sinister organisation’s company laboratory are
in the process of bio-engineering a new lifeform not unlike a
parasitic worm or leach code named 'Baoh', that protects its host
from hostilities as the threat levels increase so does its
countermeasures (this I would think would haveMilitary applications,
well for those who could afford it). Doress's
unknowing test subject is the teenage Ikuro Hashizawa the first human
bio-weapon to be crated by having Baoh inserted in to his brain, but
wouldn’t you know it Ikuro escapes with the help of
a kidnapped 10
year old girl Esper (psychic powers) called Sumire, before the weapon
is fully tested. Enraged
at the escape of company's property, Doress's head scientist
Professor Kasuminome wants the bio-weapon destroyed and if possible
the girl recaptured. Other experimental bio-weapons, assassins, and
hunters are sent out after Ikuro\Baoh thus provoking lethal responses
(I would list Baoh's Bio enhancements, but that would deprive you of
the discovery of them)!
[Note:
In 1989 the same year that Viz published the English translation of
Baoh, was when Toho released Studio Pierrot's single OVA of “Baoh
- Raihousya”.]
[Note: For its time Hirohiko Araki's 'Baoh' manga had a lot of well depicted gore in its violent scenes that Western readers may not have been accustom to.]
[Note:
Italy’s “Yamato Video” number 1, was a doubt version of “Baoh”
released in 1991 and could be bought for 39.000 Lira.]
[Note:
I have either misplaced or lost my Viz 'Baoh' comics (as of writing
this 1st.
January 2014), I'll see if they can be found or replaced.]
[Note:
Now having found and bought issues of 'Baoh', and only missing
numbers, 2 & 7 I can add more pictures. (as of writing this on the 22nd,
July 2016).]
[Note: It is now May of 2021, and I have completed the 8 issue set of BAOH. ebay prices were getting quite high, and I paid £14.98 for issue 7.]
[UPDATE: Collection of issues 1 to 8 now complete.]
BAOH.
Issues 1 to 8.
[ Hirohiko Araki Wrote Baoh: The Visitor (バオー来訪者 Baō Raihōsha, October 9, 1984 – February 12, 1985), then in 1986..... started writing "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure".]
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