September 1990 Pt.6 Manga

SHION: Blade of the Minstrel

Story and Art by Yu Kinutani

VIZ Spectrum Editions

80 pages

Trade paperback

0-929279-38-9

Softcover, ISBN 9780929279381

Publisher: Viz Communications, September 1990

[The Original Japanese Version was Published by Studio Iwao, and its editor-in-Chief was Shuzo Iwao].

[Translated by Gerard Jones & Satoru Fujii ].

SHION: Blade of the Minstrel was the launch title for the first of the VIZ Spectrum Editions, a Trade paperback is what could now be known as a graphic Novel in September of 1990. [Quite risky if you ask me, with not having any single monthly issues to test the water of its popularity...!]

The comic is full of illustrations in almost a European style heavily detailed (no jet black or letratone, but more cross-hatching) set in a medieval looking world. The protagonist is simply known as “Minstrel”, is fated to wonder the land and fight the forces of darkness, his only companion is his stead Lulu (an Alpaca like animal) that does talk with him, and can sense Evil.  This is what Myths and Legends are made of.

[This unique manga from 1990, I was lucky enough to be able to pick up my own copy in 2017].

As Advertised in the August issue 7 of COBRA (VIZ Comics).