Gyakushu!, Volume 1. This item is unavailable.Gyakushu!, Volume 1

A nameless man, bandaged from head to toe, stands alone in a field of fresh corpses and carnage. Blood drips from his sword, dying the virgin snow red. The battle may be over for now, but his one-man war has just begun. Mystery and intrigue surround this warrior, as clues about his past lead to a chilling confrontation in his future. The only certain thing in this world of ice and death is white-hot revenge.

Hipp's original manga is a story of revenge, brutal and primal. All the standard plot points concerning retribution are done early on, but freshened by his attractive art. Of all the Western artists illustrating with a manga influence, Hipp has definitely created one of the most unusual and satisfying approaches. His action scenes flow, brimming with plenty of power and drama. His characters' environments are strangely dark and atmospheric. The character designs are striking, especially the bandaged lead. But Hipp is not well served by his own writing. In the early chapters narration is overbearing and muddled. Characters spout dialogue that is sometimes awkward when it should be dramatic. These flaws soften the blow of a comic that could hit real hard, although the book improves as the plot takes over. The two forces behind the epic battle that takes up the second half of the book run into each other to start off the spectacular fight. The visuals are what's strongest here: many of Hipp's shortcomings are easy to forgive given what he can do with a comics page. (Feb.)
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