Comic Review: Mera: Tidebreaker by Denielle Paige and Stephen Byrne

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: DC Ink/DC Comics

Release Date: April 2019

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Princess Mera is teenage royalty and heir to the throne of Xebel, a penal colony ruled by the other not-so-lost land under the sea, Atlantis. Her father, his court and the entire kingdom are expecting her to marry and introduce a new king. But Mera is destined to wear a different crown....

When the Xebellian military plots to overthrow Atlantis and break free of its oppressive regime, Mera seizes the opportunity to take control over her own destiny by assassinating Arthur Curry—the long-lost prince and heir to the kingdom of Atlantis. But her mission gets sidetracked when Mera and Arthur unexpectedly fall in love. Will Arthur Curry be the king at Mera's side, or will he die under her blade as she attempts to free her people from persecution?

An astonishing graphic novel that explores duty, love, heroism and freedom, all through the eyes of readers' favorite undersea royalty.

From New York Times best-selling author Danielle Paige (Dorothy Must Die) and artist Stephen Byrne comes a Mera and Aquaman origin story that explores Mera's first steps on land, and her first steps as a hero or villain, forcing her to choose to follow her heart or her mission to kill.

Review:

I haven't really read any American comics, especially superhero ones. I'm just more of a manga girl. But the new trend of YA superhero comics has piqued my interest, and I want to like them.

This comic is about Mera before Aquaman, how she grew up and went against the expectations put on her in order to prove herself, and how that changed her perspective and helped her mature.

The artwork is okay, the coloring is really neat. The story was okay, too. I like the idea of these, but they don't keep my interest all that well, or seem to play out as well as they could. The idea of the story is interesting, but it was just kind of meh reading it.

This was okay. I'm going to try a couple more, I think, but I've lowered my expectations a bit, sadly.

Manga Review: My Hero Academia, Volume 21, by Kohei Horikoshi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2019

Volumes: 25+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 20. 22.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Midoriya inherits the superpower of the world’s greatest hero, but greatness won’t come easy.

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks”? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Class 1-A’s joint battle training with Class B continues! Class 1-A get the first win in the best-of-five series of all-out Quirk battles, but after some feedback from the teachers, the students square off again for a second round, and real rivalries form.

Review:

After that cliffhanger, things kind of start looking up. It's a hard slope, though.

It's a big moment for Endeavor in the beginning of this volume, and equally for his family. I really like Todoroki, so I like where this went, how it affected him and their relationship.

We find out some interesting information regarding the villains and the adult heroes in this volume. I'm still a bit wary of Hawk.

After that, the story goes straight into a new test for our main characters. They're split into teams and given a goal, fighting each other as if they're heroes against villains. It's an interesting set up and challenge for each of them. Admittedly, it's also a little long and winding at times, but that might just be because I'm not a huge fan of all of these characters. The fights do get a little intense at times, and I'm intrigued to see where it goes next with Yaoyorozu. Plus, we haven't seen Todoroki or Deku yet.

 A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: One-Punch Man, Volume 15, by One and Yusuke Murata

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2019

Volumes: 20+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 13. 16.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Life gets pretty boring when you can beat the snot out of any villain with just one punch.

Nothing about Saitama passes the eyeball test when it comes to superheroes, from his lifeless expression to his bald head to his unimpressive physique. However, this average-looking guy has a not-so-average problem--he just can't seem to find an opponent strong enough to take on!

Review:

The monster association have proven to be smart enough to band together to fight the heroes, and now seem to be demanding their own rights and place to live. The heroes don't like this and don't quite know how to win against them. But then again, maybe the monsters don't actually want to live equally either?

During all of this political debate and fighting, Saitama and King have formed a friendship. We know King has taken all of Saitama's fame, though we discover that might be a good thing simply for the level of heroism in the world. Saitama feels so powerful he now feels empty inside and doesn't know what to live for. King gives some interesting insight into his situation, though I don't think it really consoles Saitama any.

I've only read a few volumes of this series, here and there, but I enjoy it. Saitama's struggle is understanding, though a bit hard to feel sympathy for during all this war. It's interesting to see all the politics and war happening around him, though, especially when so little of it ever reaches him.

 A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: My Hero Academia, Volume 19, by Kohei Horikoshi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: June 2019

Volumes: 24+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 18. 20.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Midoriya inherits the superpower of the world’s greatest hero, but greatness won’t come easy.

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks”? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

In the wake of tragedy, Class 1-A prepares for the upcoming culture festival. While the students are busy planning for success, other forces are at work with their own agendas, and Midoriya, amid the preparations, continues to train with All Might. But when he runs into the failed hero Gentle Criminal, what lesson will he learn?

Review:

We think we get a reprieve in this volume, as it's school festival time. We're reminded this school doesn't only contain this class of heroes—there are normal students, too, and they deserve this as well. But, of course, there's always a villain planning something.

Their class, after some debate, decides to put on a dance and live music performance. They're hooking up all kinds of things with their powers, and deciding who can play what instruments to form a band, and then doing a dance for it. It's a surprise mix for the band, which I think works really well. The sparkle element is weird and fun to me, and I think the dance preparation was cute.

Through all of this, Mirio and Deku get to see Eri, and introduce her to the school so she can see the festival. She's been so sheltered, it's a big step, but something they want for her. Since they're the first ones to discover her, and a big part in saving her, I really enjoy how they've formed a relationship with each other. It's super cute to see Mirio and Deku acting like big brothers to her.

The new villains we meet in this volume are not what I expected—they're show offs, who record his evil-doings and broadcast it. I didn't expect the stand-off that happens here, and am intrigued by where it's going, what it's going to mess up. But Deku is definitely showing how much growth he's been going through.

This was a really fun volume. There was progress and new plot points, but also just some fun antics. 

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: My Hero Academia, Volume 18, by Kohei Horikoshi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 2019

Volumes: 23+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 17. 19.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Midoriya inherits the superpower of the world's greatest hero, but greatness won't come easy.

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called "Quirks"? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Review:

The fight between Deku and Overhaul goes out with a bang. Overhaul is a big enemy to defeat, and with Eri helping Deku, it's still a dangerous line to work with.

A bit of this volume is dealing with the aftermath of what happened. A lot of people are hurt, and even more of them are affected emotionally. Particularly Mirio, who is affected in a few different ways. I actually like him a lot, and I'm wondering where he's going to go from here.

The villains also throw in a last fight at the end, which is surely not going to lead to anything good next.

The latter half of this volume includes the heroes who get to re-take the hero test. Their new test is a different kind of battle than they're used to, and I think it's a good challenge for them.

I'm mostly wondering where the heroes are going next. They're back in school and training, and several of them have new motivation and have realized what they want to do and what they're fighting for. I'm curious what's next.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: My Hero Academia, Volume 15, by Kohei Horikoshi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2018

Volumes: 21+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 14. 16.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Midoriya inherits the superpower of the world’s greatest hero, but greatness won’t come easy.

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks”? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

A new and sinister enemy appears in the form of Chisaki Kai, the young leader of the Hassaikai yakuza gang. Looking to fill the power vacuum left by All For One, Chisaki makes contact with the League of Villains to gain possible support. When a chance run-in with a scared little girl brings Midoriya and his mentor Mirio face-to-face with Chisaki, none of them have any idea how much their lives are about to change…

Review:

Now that the students are interning, they're learning to balance being new and inexperienced and having all these rules regarding being a hero, with their heroism and how badly they want to step in and save people no matter the circumstance or the reality of it. Deku and Mirio learn this particularly hard in this volume, when they discover the villain they're watching is holding a little girl.

We get to meet the other heroes the students are mentoring with, what powers and histories they have. They all seem to have chosen a good group for themselves, and they're learning and getting better, and forming relationships.

Deku learns that he wasn't the first choice for All Might's power, at the same time as the hero groups come together to research and watch the yakuza villains, and he has conflicting thoughts on all of this.

The surprise element of this volume was the focus on Kirishima in the middle of it. We learn more about him and his power, and how he's learned to use it recently. He's fallen mostly in the background till now—for me, at least--but he's an even player in this plot line. I don't mind him, mostly.

It's unclear where their mission is going next, how it's going to turn out. It could be very bad—or it could be a success. It's hard to tell, though I'm sure it'll be messy. I'm looking forward to some kind of justice being served, though.

 A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: My Hero Academia, Volume 14, by Kohei Horikoshi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2018

Volumes: 21+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 13. 15.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Midoriya inherits the superpower of the world’s greatest hero, but greatness won’t come easy.

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks”? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Summer vacation is over, and it’s back to school for the students of U.A. High! But before classes can get started, Midoriya and Bakugo need to settle a beef between them that’s been a long time coming. Even if they can get past this bump in the road on the way to becoming superheroes, the hurdles just keep getting higher and higher—the hero work studies in the upcoming year will bring them even closer to their goal…or their destruction!

Review:

We finally get to see Deku and Bakugo fight. This whole series has been leading up to this, honestly. It's a good fight, too, and I was even a little surprised with the turnout of it. Thankfully, though, All Might confronts them about it, and they get punished for fighting.

School starts back up, and Deku and Bakugo are punished by being grounded to the dorm. When they finally get to join class again, they all get to meet the star third-years, who are supposedly there to give them advice. They get a real-life demonstration, instead.

After all of that, and while in the background the villains are scheming and thinking of working together for something bigger, Deku is taking the opportunity to do a work study and running with it. He wants to get better, and he wants to do it now, so he's doing everything he can think of to do it. The guy he ends up trying to work under is an interesting one, he seems straight-laced, but actually thinks laughter is the most important thing. Deku's not funny, but thankfully they're both obsessed fans of All Might.

It looks like the villains are going to make another big appearance soon, and I'm intrigued to see what happens with this new one.

 A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: My Hero Academia, Volume 13, by Kohei Horikoshi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: June 2018

Volumes: 20+

Spoilers?: Not really.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 12. 14.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Midoriya inherits the superpower of the world’s greatest hero, but greatness won’t come easy.

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks”? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

The students of Class 1-A have reached another milestone—the Provisional Licensing Exam. After making it through the first part of the test, they ready themselves for the next phase, which takes place in a simulated disaster area. Midoriya and his friends have to rescue as many victims as they can, and although the students of rival Shiketsu High are technically supposed to be helping, competition between them is fierce and even dangerous! As the scenario unfolds and actual villains arrive to shake things up, the UA students will have to find new ways to work with each other and make use of their Quirks.

Review:

This volume concludes the hero test. It's a tough test, with a few twists thrown in, and gives them the chance to prove whether they would be good out in the world as heroes or not. It actually has a surprising result for a few people—or not so surprising, given how a few of them acted on the battle field. Afterward, select characters get a following chance, and they get to reflect on how they did.

There are mixed feelings for why some of them passed and some of them didn't.

The main conflict is between Deku and Bakugo, which Bakugo decides to confront, once and for all. This has really been coming for a long time now. I'm not sure when Bakugo was seen as a possible good guy, and not a complete bully, but there's still been some underlying tension between these two this whole time. Bakugo has gotten the feeling there was some connection between Deku and All Might, though he hasn't known what or why, and he's been resentful of it this whole time.

It'll be interesting to see what happens between them, when they actually fight all out against each other. Although, it did bother me how Deku feels responsible, just like Bakugo does, for All Might's downfall, when I'm pretty sure it has been coming from the very beginning.

 A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, Volume 1, by Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: July 2018

Volumes: 5+

Spoiles?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the world of My Hero Academia, not everyone needs a license to fight for justice!

In a superpowered society, there is nothing ordinary about evil anymore. Heroes, trained and licensed to protect and defend the public against supervillains, stand above all the rest. However, not everyone can be an official hero, and there are those who would use their powers to serve the people without legal sanction. But do they fight for justice in the shadows or for reasons known only to themselves? Whatever they fight for, they are called…vigilantes.

Koichi Haimawari couldn’t make the cut to become an official hero, so he uses his modest Quirk to do good deeds in his spare time. Then one day, a fateful encounter with some local thugs leads him to team up with two other unlikely heroes. None of them really know what they’re doing, but they’ve got the courage—or foolishness—to try. But they soon discover fighting evil takes more than just being brave…

Review:

Given the world of this series, it makes sense that there would be vigilantes running around. Not only because these things always happen—though, of course. But also because there's such a strict law system for how heroes can do things, of course people would want to use their powers secretly. That's kind of where superheroes come from, you know?

Koichi has a pretty low-key power in which he slides along the ground, so he's not qualified to be a hero. But he still wants to do good, so he helps people at night. But he gets into some trouble, and he tends to get bullied, so he stumbles upon some allies. First being a big, gruff older guy, and the other being a pop-idol girl who sneaks around to give people shows around town. There's a villain sneaking around throughout this, causing chaos for the public, with big nefarious plans.

I like the idea for this series, and the group of characters are interesting. It's just okay so far, but I think it has potential to be a lot of fun.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: One-Punch Man, Volume 13, by One and Yusuke Murata

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2018

Volumes: 16+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 11. 14.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Life gets pretty boring when you can beat the snot out of any villain with just one punch.

Nothing about Saitama passes the eyeball test when it comes to superheroes, from his lifeless expression to his bald head to his unimpressive physique. However, this average-looking guy has a not-so-average problem—he just can’t seem to find an opponent strong enough to take on!

Class-A heroes struggle in their fight against the giant monster Multieyed Octopus. Wait, is that Class-S hero Flashy Flash joining the fight?! Unfazed, the Monster Association continues ramping up its attacks, but its goal remains a mystery. Meanwhile, the martial arts tournament reaches the semifinals!

Review:

A large group of heroes are downtown attempting to defeat these invading monsters. Some are too weak, and then Flashy Flash steps in but is showing off a bit much, so Tornado interrupts to take care of it. She don't have time for that shit.

Elsewhere, it looks like bad things are happening within the hero committee...

Meanwhile, One-Punch Man is still masquerading in the tournament, and it's finally reached the finale. Of course, he's taken out all of his opponents with one hit. But his last competition is supposedly extremely strong, and people are excited to see this. Instead, Saitama only pisses him off, when he continuously dodges and remains untouchable, even as he's knocked around. Saitama is so utterly bored, that he's trying to make this last as long as possible. It's almost sad, honestly.

This series is a lot of fun. I love seeing Saitama's antics, as he attempts to find some kind of fun in the world.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: My Hero Academia, Volume 10, by Kohei Horikoshi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 2017

Volumes: 18+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 9. 11.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Midoriya inherits the superpower of the world’s greatest hero, but greatness won’t come easy.

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks”? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

The League of Villains has grabbed Bakugo, and the resulting negative publicity has thrown U.A. into a huge uproar. With the public’s trust in heroes threatened, the faculty convene to figure out what to do. But Midoriya and the students of Class 1-A have plans of their own, even if their operation to rescue Bakugo could get them thrown out of school!

Review: 

The volume starts with the continued training camp attack. Bakugo is captured, and they try to save him before it's too late. The heroes are unsure what he's wanted for, but it appears that they believe Bakugo can be convinced to join the villains.

I'm actually surprised by how Bakugo handles the villains attempts to turn him. It very much seems that he would want to be a villains, and I think I might have missed an earlier volume where he said he wanted otherwise. He's very sure of his goals and desires, though, and that was interesting to see, given how villain-like he can be.

The group has a small recovery, and planning, period. And then there's a big showdown. It seems to be going well one minute, and then a big twist is thrown in; we also get to finally meet the real big bad guy. The next volume should be interesting, to see where that goes next with the cliffhanger.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: My Hero Academia, Volume 8, by Kohei Horikoshi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: May 2017

Volumes: 17+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 7. 9.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Midoriya inherits the superpower of the world’s greatest hero, but greatness won’t come easy.

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks”? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

The U.A. students have reached the practical portion of their final exam, but they didn’t expect to have to beat their own teachers in order to pass! Paired with his archrival Bakugo, Midoriya has to try to take on none other than All Might himself. Working with Bakugo is one thing, but is giving everything he’s got to beat All Might more than Midoriya can handle? And in a nearby arena, Yaoyorozu and Todoroki endure a similar struggle. All the while, a sinister new adversary prepares to make a move…

Review:

Midoriya and Bakugo continue their fight against All Might, where they have to overcome their differences and work together to win/or pass the test. We get to see who else is struggling and why they were paired together.

After some recovery time, it's time for them to move onto the next test, and this time the class is going on a trip for it. But during the recovery time, Midoriya runs into the villains again, and we get an update on who they are and what they might be up to. There's definitely the threat of them, but they're mostly working in the background at the moment.

This is a fun series. I rather like the crazy mix of characters, but it's also a good stand-all for superhero manga. A good middle ground, fun and exciting. I'm enjoying catching up with it.

Manga Review: My Hero Academia, Volume 5, by Kohei Horikoshi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2, 2016

Volumes: 9+

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 4. 6.

Goodreads Synopsis:

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called "Quirks"? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

The final stages of the U.A. High sports festival promise to be explosive as Uraraka takes on Bakugo in a head to head match! Bakugo never gives anyone a break, and the crowd holds its breath as the battle begins. The finals will push the students of Class 1-A to their limits and beyond!

Review:

The one-on-one battles continue. It’s Ochaco’s turn to fight, and she plays hard. She’s determined, and she tries hard. Bakugo takes the win, though. I think it shows more how Ochaco reacts to her loss, though. She’s upset and she feels like she disappointed her parents, but they’re still so proud and it’s very heartwarming to see.

Our hero, Midoriya fights Todoroki, but this turns more into Midoriya provoking Todoroki until he shows his real power, making him realize that he’s not fighting fair by only using half of his power I liked seeing into Todoroki's past here. It’s a surprising turn, as is the final battle. Especially as the final outcome doesn’t feel like much of a win to the winner, let alone anyone else.

We also get a hint of a villain showing up soon, a couple of pages showing what he’s planning.

I definitely think I need to be sticking with this series. It’s more fun than I expect, and I want to know what happens with the characters. It’s a shonen superhero series, with a huge group of characters, and I want to see what happens next.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!