Monday Night Open Thread

Happy MLK, Jr Day. His thoughts on a great many things are clear from his writings. He was pretty quiet about Kaiju though. What was he hiding?

"King of the Earth", Guillaume Singelin, posted on twitter 15 March, 2021

Singelin is a French illustrator. His dad is French, his mom Laotian. Embraces both cultures, obviously loves manga and anime. Video game illustration and animation background. He uses his training in his graphic novel PTSD. 

What's it about? Jun is a homeless scarred veteran of an unnamed war (looks a lot like Vietnam). She's addicted to painkillers to dull her flashbacks. She decides to take her rage and fear out on the gangs who control the drug supply. She saves a little red dog. He's a very good boy, by which I mean he's pack-minded; loyal to a fault and follows Jun's lead into hell. No morality, just A Very Good Dog.

Does the dog die? Suffice it to say that Jun is a Mary Sue – expert sniper, martial artist, efficient killer. Plus a hastily-trained but talented medic. You suspect early on that the little red dog's survival, along with those of the characters trying to befriend her, hinges entirely on her choice in the end. Before that happens though, Singelin animates some impressive action sequences. The violence explodes. The shock of cute little things doing horrible things to others. That's more or less the definition of action manga.

It's bleak but not hopeless. Friends are there if she chooses. There's food and companionship, and a dog who just wants to help. Which way will Jun go?

 

Light on character development. All are archetypes in service to the story. I didn't mind. I like the archetypes. Big blurb on the covers by some guy named Cory Doctorow. Recommended.