Two-in-One Review: The Big O Join Don and Randy as they venture into Paradigm City, a place where memory is the rarest of commodities, while crime is all too common. This is a place that's protected by the hero of the Viz Comics release, The Big O. Don: The good folks at Viz Comics passed along preview copies of The Big O, which it describes as "manga meets film noir." Well, that certainly hits the nail on the head. This is a unique book, with a clever idea as its foundation. Randy: I happened to catch the first few episodes of The Big O when it started running on Cartoon Network, and I liked it a whole lot. Viz's adaptation and expansion of the material looks equally good, and although it is a partial preview, there's enough here to get the sense of what they're doing, at least. The Big O #1 published by Viz Comics written & illustrated by Hitoshi Ariga edited by Jason Thompson Don: Forty years ago, something happened in Paradigm City, but no one knows what it was. That mysterious something wiped out the entire population's memories, and now, the confused culture of Paradigm is plagued with crime. Fortunately, giant robots from that forgotten time remain, and police negotiator Roger Smith uses one of them -- the Big O -- to bring criminals to justice. Randy: The Big O definitely works in large part thanks to its style, which as Don notes is a combination of film noir and manga style. Though the initial sequences in The Big O #1 are flashier and more action-oriented than I remember the cartoon version being, that sense of style still comes through in the narration and in the artwork. Don: As Randy pointed out, this is a partial preview, so it's hard to get a clear picture of the plot itself. On top of that, I don't have the advantage of having seen the animated incarnation of this property. However, the art is impressive. It combines manga with a dark crime atmosphere that's unlike what I've seen in comics before. I don't know how, but the noir look and the giant-robot elements -- somehow -- seem to work well together here. Technology blends surprisingly well with a 1940s gangster-flick character and setting design motif. There's a strong cinematic quality to the art, and of course, one of the strengths of the manga style is how well it can convey energy and motion. Unlike some other mangas I've sampled, though, the art isn't crowded or cramped. The action flows smoothly throughout. Randy: Indeed, this opening sequence is a heavy action chase scene, and it's a terrific read. The strange, futuristic designs of the vehicles in the chase are compelling, but the basic approach to the chase is as traditional as a couple of cars chasing each other through city streets. Hitoshi Ariga clearly knows how to convey action and motion in his storytelling, and I thought the opening sequence was a great way to get the series started off with a bang. Don: The idea that appeals to me the most is the notion of an entire city that has lost its past. It's a concept of incredible immensity. It brings a sense of mystery and tragedy to the story, but it also brings a surreal and even incredulous quality to the mix as well. Randy: Yes, the heart of the concept is certainly an intriguing one, a neat idea that raises all sorts of questions. The Big O combines strange and surreal qualities like you might see in films like The Matrix, Dark City or Memento, philosophical examinations of how memory and perception shape reality, with action staples like car chases, giant robots and a hard-boiled, tough-as-nails negotiator protagonist. This preview is a mere taste of what The Big O has to offer, and having seen a little more through watching the animated series, I'm anxious to see where Viz takes the concept from here. Big O is ©1999 Hajime Yatate, Hitoshi Ariga o ©1999 Sunrise. All rights reserved. Email Randy and Don comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.