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A review by jsjammersmith
Lone Wolf and Cub, Omnibus 2 by Goseki Kojima, Chris Warner, Kazuo Koike
5.0
With any graphic novel there is at least one important question, what is it adding to the medium. If it adds nothing and simply tells a story then the reader is able to Move on quickly to the next read. Lone Wolf and Cub doesn’t do this. Instead the books demand the reader to slow down and appreciate the medium as Koike not only establishes the characters, but also the landscapes, the weather, the culture, the history, the politics, and the visual language for the reader.
Every page of this book is an incredible effort to play with the medium, to push it further and establish the creative landscape of Koike’s Japan. Ogami Itto and Daigoro are not just unique characters, they are real people inhabiting a highly developed world. It is impossible to not be drawn into their struggles and adventures because every page, every frame of this comics series is, simply put, beautiful. It’s a chance to just be in another world completely.
Whether it’s the panels presenting the weather, peasant cottages, rice patties, mountains, or even people sitting and talking the reader is left completely absorbed by this universe, and held by the conviction that Koike is showing them a real Japan and Samurai legacy.
I never feel tired of reading this book, and even when I know Ogami Itto is going to win a battle no matter what, I still hold my breath and wonder how he’s going to do it. This series is what makes comics great.
Every page of this book is an incredible effort to play with the medium, to push it further and establish the creative landscape of Koike’s Japan. Ogami Itto and Daigoro are not just unique characters, they are real people inhabiting a highly developed world. It is impossible to not be drawn into their struggles and adventures because every page, every frame of this comics series is, simply put, beautiful. It’s a chance to just be in another world completely.
Whether it’s the panels presenting the weather, peasant cottages, rice patties, mountains, or even people sitting and talking the reader is left completely absorbed by this universe, and held by the conviction that Koike is showing them a real Japan and Samurai legacy.
I never feel tired of reading this book, and even when I know Ogami Itto is going to win a battle no matter what, I still hold my breath and wonder how he’s going to do it. This series is what makes comics great.