At my peak in the mid 1990s through 2005, I would purchase some 50+ comic books a week, which is a chunk of change, to be sure, but back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I was young, single and well-employed. Although, as an eight-year-old, I did, for a one-year period purchase 80 used and old comic books a week at $0.25 a pop - which was how I built up a decent collection.
I probably should have traded them in after reading them, but I have always loved the challenge of dying with the most toys - I win!
Riiii-iiiight.
Anyhow… looking for something to read—can I really be out of novels?—I dipped into my special reserve of comics - noticing a small collection of paperback Astro Boy books.
Produced by Dark Horse Comics in 1988, the stories are translated from the Japanese-versions of Tetsuwan Atomu, a Japanese manga (comic book) written and drawn by the legendary creator Tezuka Osamu (surname first), also known as 'the God of manga', though I doubt he ever thought that about himself.
You might know Tetsuwan Atomu better as Astro Boy.
First published in 1952, Tezuka 's Astro Boy black and white comic book serial is about a robot with rocket boosters in his feet, and machine guns popping out of his butt, and a mechanical heart that has him saving people, robots and the world from time to time.
In a futuristic Earth society, robots co-exist with humans, but Astro Boy was created after Doctor Tenma's son Tobio dies in a car crash, as a means to soothe his fractured emotional ego.
After realizing that Astro Boy could not fully ever replace his son (he couldn't grow or age), Tenma sold him to a circus where, after performing as an act, Professor Ochanomizu purchased him and treated him well… eventually, he learned that Astro Boy actually had emotions and super strength, and taught him to fight crime, evil and injustice - whether it was human or robotic or alien.
I only have three of the Dark Horse Comics collections, but dammit, I wish I had more.
But, aside from not purchasing more of the series, it is obvious to me now in 2013 that since purchasing these books in 1988, I have never read these stories before.
No, I did not forget that I had read them once - I literally never cracked the spine on them before - not that I would ever crack the spine on a book or comic book. I tend to have one of those Rain Man-like memories when it comes to comic books - yeah, definitely know too much about four-color, yeah, definitely. I know every single comic book I have ever purchased, and would never accidentally purchase a duplicate comic.
So... how did I forget to read these books?
Well, despite have such discerning taste by buying some 200 titles a month, I have always hated Japanese animation and Japanese manga.
I have always hated the large round-eyed, cute look that Japanese creators foisted upon readers - like they were afraid of making their creations look Japanese. It didn't seem right, and I wouldn't support it.
So I probably bought them meaning to read them, but my distaste for the Japanese animation style probably prevented me from reading them.
This was in 1988 - and two years before I set off on my three-year journey to Japan. In 1988, I had no inclination to go to Japan. I knew nothing about the country or the people, and to be honest, I had no desire to learn more than what I already knew.
It's funny how things change. And now, 20 years removed from last walking about in Japan, I'm writing about it.
Having lived in Japan between 1990-1993, I actually asked people about the Japanese style of manga art and animation... and discovered, much to my chagrin, that no one in Japan seemed to think it odd or offensive that Japanese manga and anime characters for the most part don't look overly Japanese with their eyes.
I asked kids and adults, and everyone sort of looked at me and then at the art and went - "huh, I never noticed that before."
So I left it alone. It still didn't make me like the art style, however. As well, Japanese animation from the 1960s and 70s that I grew up with sucked. It sucked until I saw a Japanese version of Akira, and then I said: Oh my god, this is the best animated artwork I have ever seen!" The comic book version of Akira elicited a similar response.
But then - what about the rest of the Japanese comic books - ugh. That's how stubborn I can be.
But, I can change.
So… 25 years after purchasing these comic books, I cracked open Volume 1, and for the first time ever read of the real adventures of Astro Boy as conceived of by the creator.
Holy smokes. This stuff is brilliant. Yes it's for a younger audience, but no, it's not.
The first thing that jumped out at me was how clean the art was. There was no anal retentive need to fill up each panel of art with artwork! white background kept the clutter to a minimum.
Smart dialogue - granted MY version was translated by Frederick L Schodt, but thanks to an explanation at the front of Book One, I understood Japanese humor a little bit better.
Plots - this stuff seems like it was light years ahead of everything else, but then again, maybe it wasn't. Whatever… I enjoyed the stories… a touching alien tale, fast-paced robot-hating humans; robots programmed for mayhem. Wow…
If any of you get a chance to get your hands on the 1988 Dark Horse series of Astro Boy, pick it up. I would imagine you could pick up some on E-bay or at your local comic book shop. Maybe. The English version was published 25 years ago.
I still can't watch the 1960s American Astro Boy cartoons, but the manga that inspired it is very much readable and enjoyable in 2013.
Anyhow… I'm not sure what use a review is of a comic book that was published 25 years ago… but I just wanted to say that if all you know is the crappy 1960s cartoon or the so-so CGI-movie from 2009, or the other various comic book incarnations, there's a reason why Astro Boy is a well-known concept in pop-culture… the original is superb.
Cheers,
Andrew Joseph
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