Two-in-One Review: Bastard!! Randy and Don take a look at a preview of Viz's upcoming sword-and-sorcery manga Bastard!! Randy: With Eagle coming to a close, I'm looking around for a new manga fix, and Viz has kindly offered up two new series for the month of December, one of which seems to have a pretty big segment of anime fandom behind it. Bastard!! is a tongue-in-cheek parody of sword-and-sorcery comics, strongly influenced by heavy metal music and American role-playing games, and Viz was kind enough to send an advance preview our way so we could take a look. Don: Keep in mind, though, that this joint review is based on only a partial look at the new book. When Bastard!! #1: Wizard hits the shelves, it will be 72 pages long, and Randy and I were sent the first 20 or so. Bastard!! #1: Wizard!! written and illustrated by Kazushi Hagiwara Randy: It's a little difficult to get a feel for the full story in this preview, but it's very easy to get a sense of the tone. I'm reminded somewhat of the preconceptions that many have of manga, with over-the-top violence, young protagonists and some downright strange reaction shots, particularly from the cutesy young boy Lucien. Don: Bastard!! tells the story of 14-year-old Lucien, a clumsy, cowardly and goofy kid, and his far more confident and capable stepsister, Yoko, also 14. The pair lives in the kingdom that's under attack by four evil armies. Only one person can save the realm, and it's Lucien. You see, unbeknownst to the boy, he is the host to a powerful wizard named Dark Schneider (yes, Schneider), and only one thing can unleash him: the kiss of a virgin. And Yoko fits the bill. Randy:I'm fairly picky about what I like in fantasy, particularly in comic books, but I do have a soft spot for role-playing, so I wasn't quite sure what my reaction to Bastard!! would be. I must admit, I'm somewhat intrigued, although if the first 20 pages are any indication, the book is paced quickly in terms of the amount of action on the pages but slowly in terms of story, as we're given only a glimmer of the plot in this segment of the story. Don: I'm not into role-playing games. I'm not into heavy metal. And I'm not into manga. Wow, am I the wrong audience for this book. Obviously, Bastard!! wasn't my cup o' tea, but that's more of a reflection of my taste in comics than the ability of the creator. To be honest, I didn't pick up on role-play or metal references, but since that's foreign material to me, how could I? Randy: I've gotten the sense from Viz's promotional materials and what I read on the Internet that Bastard!! is intended to be quite funny, but I didn't get much of that just yet. What stood out instead was a lot of action and mayhem, and a strange (but not really hilarious) plot that focused mostly on a young girl kissing a young boy who she views as a brother to unleash a dark sorcerer. From what I've heard, this sorcerer (called "Dark Schneider," I kid you not) is one of the more outrageous and funny characters of the book, and the few pages he's on in this partial preview are quite entertaining, especially when he calls out the impressively named power he uses, lending it a comedic and over-the-top effect. Don: The pseudo-incestuous moment between Lucien and Yoko is the sort of bizarre plot device that's alienated me from many manga and anime stories. It's too bad, because just before the climactic scene, we finally get a sense of a familial connection between the two siblings. I admit that I find Yoko to be a well-realized character. Her strength and sense of responsibility make her a compelling figure. Should Bastard!! prove to be about her rather than Dark Schneider, it might be a much more interesting read. Randy: What I can fairly judge from this preview is the artwork, and I liked it quite a bit. Hagiwara's work is often light on backgrounds, tending more toward speed lines or empty space to emphasize the figures, but his character work is fantastic. The story is full of cute kids and enormous monsters, and when Hagiwara does decide to show off with a landscape or a magical power blast, he does it with flair and style. Don: The artwork does impress. There's a stunning level of detail at work in the book, and I love the designs for the orcs and giants that lay siege to the castle. There are a couple of panels here and there that lack clarity, and the editors seem to acknowledge it with little tongue-in-cheek notes scattered about the gutters. Email Randy and Don comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.