Steve | RVGFanatic

How Super Nintendo CRUSHED 1994

The Super Nintendo has enjoyed one hell of a legendary run. From its bubbling infancy in the early ’90s… to its absolute DOMINANCE in the mid 90s… and even to its dying days in the late ’90s, gamers around the globe have enjoyed many wonderful memories with this amazing console, and in the years beyond as well. In all those memorable years during the system’s lifespan, which one was the very best? Opinions may vary, but I think most folks would agree without a shadow of a doubt that the best single year of the SNES was 1994. It’s been 30 years since that amazing run. Let’s take a look back at the games that made 1994 Super Nintendo’s best year.

JANUARY 1994

Capcom made us wait but boy was it worth it. 1994 could not have opened with a better entry than Mega Man X. It was the Blue Bomber’s 16-bit homecoming at long last, and it was freaking fantastic.

As an aside, this is an article I’ve been wanting to write ever since RVGFanatic launched back in January 2007. I’ve always had a fondness for all things 1994. It was just an amazing year and a great time to be a 10, 11 year old boy growing up in suburban America. It blows my mind that it’s been 30 years since that unforgettable year. How time flies by…

While iconic classics such as the previously mentioned Mega Man X are the foundation of the Super Nintendo, one would be sorely remissed if the lesser known “sleeper” hits aren’t highlighted as well. Skyblazer was a solid game that kind of got lost in the large library of the SNES back in the day, but has always had a strong cult following. It’s one of those games that quite a few folks sort of discovered later and wasn’t appreciated as much until then. Fun fact: Kazunori Yamauchi, the man behind Skyblazer, went on to produce the classic PlayStation 1997 racing game Gran Turismo (which also became a movie last year in 2023). Shout out to you, Kaz!

Just check out how uber cool and nifty it all is. You can’t talk about “underrated” Super Nintendo “hidden gems” without mentioning Skyblazer!

FEBRUARY 1994

As a kid who grew up in the late ’80s and early ’90s, I can’t tell you how many times I roamed these grungy and glorious arcade halls. And all the amazing beat ‘em up games that flooded the market during that epic era of arcade gaming. It was almost sort of a rite of passage, if you will. And it’s something many gamers hold near and dear when they think back to those halcyon days of yore. So although February 1994 didn’t produce too many memorable titles (hey it’s all good since we were still busy with Mega Man X), we did get some bliss in the form of NINJA WARRIORS.

It’s a solid beat ‘em up, for sure, but sadly there’s no two-player co-op mode. I liked it but not as much as the critics who absolutely raved about it.

In my review I gave Ninja Warriors a solid 7.5 rating. A two-player mode would have bumped it into the 8.5 range. The scores above are from EGM, a publication which will be highlighted later in this article…

5 years ago, in the summer of 2019, Ninja Warriors was revitalized for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. A proper two-player co-op mode was included to right a previous wrong. Thes results? Pure ninja badassery!

I fondly can recall how excited 10 year old me felt when I first laid eyes on Ardy Lightfoot. EGM ran a short preview on it, and I remember being fascinated by Ardy’s look, his little blue sidekick and that gorgeous yellow column of light energy. It seemed to have all the makings of a classic platformer. The small single screenshot exuded so much ADVENTURE. And that was part of the magic back in the day. Hunkering down with the latest video game magazine, excitedly flipping through to gawk at all the cool games coming out, and using one or two grainy ass screenshots to wonder away at all the possibilites. Your imagination did the rest. I swear, technology’s awesome and all, but gaming kids these days don’t know what they’re missing out on…

After Sonic the Hedgehog hit the scene in 1991, mascot platformers became a big thing. Some were amazing, most were forgettable. 1994 was to mascot platformers as 1990 was to horror movies. There was a significant downtick in the number of “me too” wannabe cash-ins as the well began to dry. Part of me naturally couldn’t help but root for and admire Ardy Lightfoot. He was a dying breed indeed.

Good ol’ EGM at it again. Their five reviewers had slightly differing opinions of Ardy. It’s one of those lesser known SNES games that some really vouch for, in the vain of Ed and Mike above. I rated it 6.5 myself, so I’m closer in line with Dano, Al and good ol’ Sushi-X (big shout out to the EGM legend and myth).

Ardy Lightfoot has its charms. It definitely has an adventurous aura that’s nearly second to none. But it’s hampered by some flaws here and there to bring down the overall experience. Still, it has its moments, and is noteworthy enough to throw on this list, especially during a relatively quiet month in what was a staggering year. And who knows, maybe you’re more in the camp with Ed and Mike who both advocated for Ardy. If so, then this game definitely belongs.

MARCH 1994

Street Fighter 2 Turbo and Mortal Kombat dominated arcades in 1993. In general, fighting games were all the rage back then. As you can see from EGM issue number 50, these titanic titles were duking it out for gaming supremacy.

But at least one game was able to legitimately challenge both Street Fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat for the arcade game throne… NBA JAM! Its much anticipated SNES translation in March of 1994 was a monumental event. All the kids in the neighborhood came flocking over, and we spent countless Saturday nights dunking on one another. It was pure 16-bit bliss.

My friends and I played NBA Jam well into the summer and even through the fall and winter. It was THAT damn good. When I think back to those epic sleepovers from the early-mid ’90s, I can’t help but fondly recollect all the laughter, trash talking and buzzer beating hail mary half court prayers that this game produced. Thanks for the memories, JAM.

Speaking of top tier sports games, Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball is the best baseball game on the SNES, bar none. Griffey is a heavenly blend of detail-oriented simulation and satisfying fast paced arcade-like play. Games are as short as 15 minutes, which wasn’t always the case for baseball games of that era. Griffey got you in and out, and often times you stayed happily for hours on end thanks to “just one more game.”

I’ve logged thousands of hours into Griffey, and that is no hyperbole. I’ve played over ten 162-game full seasons over the past 30 years. Even though the players have all long retired and the gameplay mechanics are 30 years old, the game remains timeless. I’ll go months or even years without playing it, but then I’ll randomly fire it up and enjoy it just as much as I did when I was a kid. A legit 10+ out of 10 level game! One of those rare games I can play for a lifetime.

Speaking of playing for a lifetime, Equinox took home “Best Ad of the Year” for 1994 with this absolute banger of an advertisement. I remember my best friend Nelson and I just laughing at the ridiculousness of it all, and how much it made us want to play it.

But rather than simply playing for laughs, the ad was also packed with intriguing tidbits. F’rinstance, scope the intimidating size of this boss! In addition, you know what special item you’ll win for your troubles of defeating Sung Sung. You’re just not sure what the harp will do. See? Instant intrigue!

There aren’t many isometric action adventure games on the SNES. Equinox represents the best of its kind, and makes one long for more games of this ilk on Nintendo’s 16-bit wonder.

ProTip: Try playing it during November or December. The game’s atmosphere lends itself quite well to the seasons of fall and winter. Equinox is easily one of the Super Nintendo’s most underrated games that doesn’t get nearly the love and recognition it so richly deserves.

WolfMarch

The first time I witnessed Wolfenstein 3D (circa mid 1992), my 8 year old mind nearly melted. Never before had I seen anything like it. Then DOOM launched in December of ’93, making Wolfenstein look more like a Ms. Rachel singalong. So when the Wolfie port hit the SNES some three months later, I didn’t expect too much. I was a Doom guy through and through. But a funny thing happened that March weekend of 1994. It became “one more labyrinth,” “one more key” and “one more Nazi.” It was a joyous weekend that sparked a new sense of appreciation for Wolfie.

The SNES port has many detractors, and I can see why. Blocky visuals, no blood, and various other censors that stripped the game of its full faithfulness. And while the gameplay isn’t the smoothest, it was still more than manageable. To me it still captured enough of the essence that makes Wolfenstein, er, Wolfenstein.

Few games on the SNES can provide the sheer rush of mowing down 20 bad guys in the span of 30 seconds quite like Wolfenstein 3D. And it helped made the first quarter of 1994 a special one for the SNES.

As a kid I was mega hyped for Clay Fighter (which busted), but it was Interplay’s other title, Claymates, that I should have paid more attention to.

Good luck to those athletes in the 2024 Olympics! — Good luck to the athletes competing in the 2024 Olympics!

The box was covered with a lenticular lens — the original faux 3D technology. Claymates proved to contain way more substance and staying power than that silly Clay Fighter could only dream of.

Play as Clayton or one of five different animal friends. The levels were humongous and well designed. It’s just a fun quirky little game that flew under the radar.

APRIL 1994

They say they broke the mold when Super Metroid dropped in April of 1994. THEY WERE DAMN RIGHT.

With an enticing sci-fi alien world atmosphere second to none and some of the best damn gameplay ever crafted, it’s almost impossible not to swoon at the mere thought of Super Metroid. Many often cite this as not only their favorite SNES game ever, but their favorite game of all time, PERIOD.

It’s mind boggling that it’s now been over 30 years since this first came out. Honestly feels like a lifetime ago!

SuperMetroid-Crateria4

Read any top SNES game list and chances are you’ll find Super Metroid somewhere in the top 10 5 3. That says it all, really.

Super NES fans kicked off 1994 with Mega Man X, and then were treated to Super Metroid only 3 months later. What a time to be alive, eh?

In late ’91 my brother and I discovered Fatal Fury at our neighborhood arcade. We were instantly hooked. We spent many a night enjoying the 2 vs. 1 mode where old man Tung Fu Rue would transform like the Hulk and kick our butts. Great times. Unfortunately, the SNES port was terrible.

Thankfully, Takara got it right second time around. My brother and I played Fatal Fury 2 nonstop that weekend we rented it. It was a damn good fighting game. Not counting Super Baseball 2020, this was like the first really strong Neo Geo to SNES translation, paving the way for other solid Neo Geo ports to come.

Blew us away like a hurricane... — Blew us away like a hurricane…

Joe & Mac was one of the earliest platformers released on the SNES, way back in good ol’ January of 1992. It was a fun two-player cavemen against dinosaurs romp, so it was a pleasant surprise when Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics quietly dropped more than two years later. By no means a blockbuster or even anything to write home about in particular, but every gaming library needs its share of fun little games to help solidify and round it out.

Capcom converted two of its medieval 1991 arcade beat ‘em ups to the SNES in April of ’94. While it was awesome getting to play both in the same month, you wonder why Capcom didn’t spread it out so each title could receive the spotlight solely? At any rate, as a kid you were just grateful. Knights of the Round is a solid beat ‘em up with clanging swords and the works!

The other one was King of Dragons. Thanks to its cooler enemy roster and the ability to play from one of FIVE characters (pretty unheard of by SNES standards back then), I much prefer KoD over Knights of the Round. But both arcade conversions are fine examples of the genre and among the best of its kind on the SNES.

MAY 1994

Look, I’ll come right out and say it: May was the shits. You know the old saying: ya can’t win ‘em all. But hey, 11 out of 12 ain’t bad, eh? Probably May’s most noteworthy (notice I never said good) release was Clay Fighter: Tournament Edition because it was an exclusive rental. At the time no store sold it, so the only way to play it (if you were so inclined) was to go to your local rental store. I remember seeing it on the shelf every weekend I went. Never rented it because I was so disappointed by the first one which came out about half a year prior. Fool me once…

JUNE 1994

Summer of ’94 got off to a scorching start when the 32 MEG monster Super Street Fighter II hit rental and game stores nationwide. As impressive as the previous two Street Fighter ports were on the SNES, this one took the cake. 16 fighters and multiple modes made it one of the best fighting games the SNES has to offer. Perhaps even THE very best.

10 years ago, on the OG RVGFanatic website, I wrote an article called THE SUMMER OF IMPORTS. At the time it had been 20 years since that fateful summer. Now it’s 30 years! In a nutshell, it was the best summer of my life. My best friend Nelson and I played SNES games and watched horror movies galore that summer, living it up as 10, 11 year old boys could. But what really made that summer unforgettable were the Super Famicom imports Nelson and I rented.

One of those imports was King of the Monsters 2. The first port was incredibly disappointing due to missing features from the arcade cult classic. But just like with Fatal Fury 2, Takara got it right second time around.

The Vanessa Carlton-inspired pictures I made for the KotM2 review is still one of my personal favorites.

The ending of the game lines up perfectly to those lyrics!

See what I mean?!

But I digress. Ain’t nobody got time for that! Let’s move on

The other import we rented was Capcom’s 24 MEG beast, Muscle Bomber: The Body Explosion, better known here in the states as Saturday Night Slam Masters. It was arcade wrestling 4-player mayhem at its finest. A little shallow, sure, but a whole hell lotta fun!

The Jetsons: Invasion of the Planet Pirates was quietly a fun little underrated game.

One of the most underrated titles of 1994 was The Twisted Tales of Spike McFang. You can’t talk about SNES hidden gems without citing this quirky, delightful caper.

"Can we crank up that ride over there to 88 MPH?" — *“Can we crank up that ride over there to 88 MPH?”*

I remember making those pics for my Spike review. Time consuming, but it was fun to do in my younger more carefree days

Definitely fun for me looking back on all those captions I added. Takes me back! They were a staple of my older SNES reviews, but I digress…

JULY 1994

July was sparse, but June’s offerings kept us plenty busy. July did have one big release though in the form of Stunt Race FX. While it didn’t quite live up to the hype, it was a memorable enough rental that gave us some quality entertainment for a weekend.

AUGUST 1994

There were three imports Nelson and I rented during the summer of 1994 that made that summer one for the ages. King of the Monsters 2, Saturday Night Slam Masters and Fighter’s History. I’ve been a Fighter’s History fan since day one when I first played the arcade original in 1993. Sure it was an overtly blatant Street Fighter 2 clone, but it had its share of unique charms. So when Nelly and I got to play the Japanese version MONTHS before the American release dropped in August of that year, we were over the moon!

Though far from being the greatest fighting game of its time, it was an amazing translation. It felt just like we were playing the arcade game in our living room! I love the simple yet detailed sprites and backgrounds. Look at those bulging muscles on ol’ Marstorius! Love the Thailand stage with the crowd overlooking the action from the bridge. Even down to the design of the energy bars… I absolutely adore the aesthetics of this game. It just screams 1993. It was a simpler time in our lives when it felt like a new fighting game was coming out on a ~~monthly~~ weekly basis.

Plus it’s the only way to play as Karnov on the SNES!

Super Double Dragon is one of my favorite beat ‘em ups on the SNES. So it was quite the shocker when Double Dragon V was revealed to be a fighting game. But given how popular fighters were back then, I guess in hindsight it’s not too shocking. DDV got a lot of flak but I honestly didn’t think it was that bad. Definitely a guilty pleasure for me. At the very least it was a major curiosity that I have fond memories of renting and enjoying for a random weekend during the final weeks of summer before the 6th grade.

Brain Lord was a worthy action RPG that flew under the radar. I enjoyed its more methodical gameplay with enough hack and slash action to keep things lively as you solve puzzles and dispatch of foul creatures such as this malignant mutated cockroach.

But if you were in the mood for a more traditional style RPG, with turn based battles and multiple members joining your party along the way, Capcom’s Breath of Fire was right up your alley. Nothing extraordinary about it, but damn solid.

SEPTEMBER 1994

September 9, 1994. MORTAL FRIDAY. The infamous launch date of Mortal Kombat II across 22 platforms (or so it felt). The first port left something to be desired, including a lack of blood, but the sequel got it oh so right. Blood and justice were both restored. It helped too that part 2 in general is a far superior game to the first one. This was Mortal Kombat at its peak, and SNES MK fans were in heaven.

As much as I was looking forward to Mortal Kombat II though, there was another fighting game I was anticipating even more…

1994 was indeed a banner year thanks to hits like this — 1994 was indeed a *banner year* thanks to hits like this

World Heroes 2 was my tentpole event of 1994. I spent countless quarters and hours on the World Heroes franchise back in the early-mid ’90s. It was my absolute favorite fighting game series.

It was a fantastic port, all things considered, and in some ways more accessible than the arcade in terms of options. Of course many sacrifices had to be made to scale the game down to work on the SNES, but it captured the spirit and essence of the arcade original quite well.

I swear this is not a flex :P [Liar -Ed.] — I swear this is not a flex [Lying ass bitch ass ho ass -Ed.]

In a universe full of cute mascots, fluffy platformers and such, it was a HUGE breath of fresh air to experience something different like Blackthorne. The SNES didn’t have many games like it, putting Blackthorne sort of in a class all its own.

Illusion of Gaia (spiritual sequel to Soul Blazer) really scratched the action RPG itch. Gorgeous graphics, huge bosses and memorable characters made this title simply irresistible.

Super Bomberman 2 kept the good times rolling as friendships were put to the test and egos were bruised. Always a blast (sorry).

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was to 1994 as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was to 1989… pure dominance. It was only a matter of time before a licensed video game adaptation would pop up on the SNES. And while it was simplistic and short, it was very enjoyable nevertheless.

Almost every boy's childhood crush — Almost every boy’s childhood crush…

OCTOBER 1994

Every year I always look forward to seeing the calendar hit October. It starts the best 3-4 month run of the year as I absolutely love the fall and winter seasons for various reasons.

But there was nothing like October 1994. As longtime readers of RVGFanatic may recall from my nostalgic article Memories of Halloween, this was the year that I had the best Halloween a kid could ever have. Meanwhile, in the background we also got to play some amazing SNES games. What a great time to be a kid!

stevecoll199

Final Fantasy III is in the running for not only best SNES RPG but best SNES game, period. Even to this day, people are still playing and talking about it.

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! on the 8-bit Nintendo gave us so many wonderful memories. It took a hot minute but Super Punch-Out!! finally arrived in October of ’94, and it was well worth the long wait.

Nintendo brought back some classic familiar faces while introducing some tough new hombres to crack. The added power of the 16-bit SNES gave the game a big boost in visuals while the gameplay mechanics remained as smooth as ever. Well done, Big N. Well done indeed.

Earthworm Jim was a quirky action platformer that quickly developed a cult following.

Sparkster was another pretty cool platformer. Konami almost could do no wrong back in those days…

One of many unheralded gems on the SNES was Super Adventure Island II. I enjoyed the first one, clunky though it might be. It had a classic early ’90s simplicity to it. But the sequel is legitmately a very good game. I love the RPG undertones!

Final Fantasy III (rightfully so) got all the RPG love this month, but there was another RPG worth your while that quietly came out the same month. Robotrek had some really cool features, such as building and customizing up to 3 robots to do the dirty work for ya!

Super R-Type was among the earliest wave of SNES games released back in September of 1991. R-Type III over 3 years later turned out to be everything you wanted the first one to be.

NOVEMBER 1994

Who could ever forget the first time you witnessed Donkey Kong Country live in the flesh? The flurry of snow falling, Kong beating his chest and the snow covered trees was an unforgettable sight.

I’ll always remember the jubilant chatter on the school playground… DKC was on everyone’s lips. We all adored it and couldn’t stop yapping about it. The whole 6th grade was bananas for Donkey and friends.

For something a ~~little~~ lot darker, Demon’s Crest was pretty damn spectacular in its own right! The structure is very much Metroidvania. It is, for my money, one of the best damn action games on the SNES.

For 2-player action thrills, Pocky & Rocky 2 was a worthwhile sequel to the SNES cult classic.

ZeroKaz

I feel almost obligated to include Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel. Although I feel it didn’t live up to its potential and is only decent at best, there is a robust contingent of SNES fans who love it. I just never was able to get down the flying/diving mechanics which are paramount to success. Thus playing Zero for me was always a mix of fun and frustration, but I acknowledge that it contributed to a lot of people’s enjoyment of the SNES in late ’94. Maybe one day it’ll click more for me, too.

Speaking of obligations, Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi concluded the SNES trilogy of Star Wars games. I haven’t gotten around to playing Return of the Jedi yet, but I loved Super Star Wars. These are some of the hardest platformers around, but they’re quite fun if you can work around it.

X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse was hyped to the moon. It graced the cover of the December issue of EGM, and my gaming crew and I could not wait to play it. The end results were a little mixed, but I still contend it’s a solid enough game with phenenomenal visuals and some badass special moves. I mean, as a kid pulling off a Ryu-esque Dragon Punch on a Sentinel? You felt like a superhero yourself.

Weighing in at a monstrous 32 MEGS, Samurai Shodown was the last big Neo Geo conversion. Coming at the tail end of 1994, it was a sign of the times. ’94 was a massive year for the Super Nintendo, and a lot of things would change by 1995. It was almost as if Takara (the publisher) and Monolith (the developer) knew this was the end of the line, so the boys took one last big swing. A lot of sacrifice had to be made, including a substantial downsize in sprites and the absence of the infamous screen scaling. It was a bummer to be sure, but it was still a competent translation. And most importantly, it was still quite fun. I have fond memories of defeating the fighting game guru in my gaming crew. He largely went undefeated in most fighting games we played. But the night I dethroned him in Samurai Shodown was pretty damn epic. Everyone in the group was whooping and hollering. An outsider looking in might think we just won the Little League championship. Good times.

Even to this day I can close my eyes and STILL hear that haunting sound effect of Haohmaru’s hurricane projectile…

DECEMBER 1994

Batman Returns gets a lot of love, but many consider The Adventures of Batman & Robin to be the definitive Batman SNES experience. Definitely an added bonus if you loved Batman: The Animated Series as much as I did, as the aesthetics of this title tie in quite well with B:TAS.

Speaking of licensed games, Biker Mice From Mars (what a name!) has something of a small cult following in SNES circles. It’s often cited as one of the system’s plethora of underrated hidden gems, and was clearly inspired by the beloved SNES classic Rock n’ Roll Racing.

Speaking of racing titles, Uniracers also has somewhat of a cult following. It was super speedy and you could pull off some crazy stunts. Not my personal favorite, but I see why so many loved it.

We got another solid arcade to SNES translation in the form of Power Instinct. It had some unique features such as being able to jump up two screens and stages had breakable barriers that would expand the stage even farther if a fighter goes crashing through. Plus, who didn’t want to play as the evil grandma?

EGM’S CONTRIBUTIONS

My brother subscribed to EGM for a full year, starting in January of 1994. I’ll never forget opening our mailbox and seeing a thick ass issue #54 sitting pretty in our mailbox! EGM and GameFan were some of the awesome gaming publications that ruled 1994. They truly enhanced my SNES experience that year, and I’ll always be thankful everything aligned so perfectly to make that year one for the ages.

The day my brother and I received EGM issue number 65 was bittersweet. The bitter: it the final issue of our subscription. The sweet: it was the largest EGM issue ever, as proudly advertised on the front cover. As much fun as we had with EGM, my brother decided not to renew. I like to think that there was a quiet unspoken understanding that EGM (and SNES) peaked at the tail end of 1994. Sure, we’ll still get some great stuff here and there going forward, but we’d never see the same level of consistency. It’s like a running back in the NFL at age 27 vs. age 28. 27 could be an optimal year but at 28 you see a vast decline. And kid you not, once EGM issue 66 dropped in January of 1995, there was an immediate dropoff in quality. I often joke to myself that EGM sold their souls to crank out issue 65. It was so massive and so beautiful cover to cover… that they never could quite recover from such a draining effort. Thanks for the memories, EGM. You helped play a significant role to make 1994 Super Nintendo’s peak year!

1994 FUN FACTS

My belief of 1994 being Super Nintendo’s most prolific year is subjective. But what is objective is that 1994 saw the biggest number of SNES games released. That is a fact that cannot be disputed. In fact, here’s what each year produced:

1992: 113
1993: 178
1994: 226
1995: 118

I didn’t cite 1991 because the SNES came out late that year. Nor did I cite 1996 as the system was rapidly fading. So 1994 *doubled* the amount of games from 1992 (113 to 226), but as we all know, it’s not about quantity it’s about quality. But as you can see from the countless games highlighted previously, 1994 has quantity and quality in spades. And for the record, here are the number of SNES game releases during every month in ’94:

January: 10
February: 15
March: 11
April: 20
May: 11
June: 19
July: 4
August: 17
September: 16
October: 30
November: 50
December: 20

I was shocked to discover that July, smack dab in the middle of the time when kids are home for the summer, only saw 4 new releases. I was also surprised to see November as the highest month (with 50 releases). My money would have been on December to have the highest number. But yeah, pretty insane that there were 100 new SNES games in the last 3 months alone vying for your holiday cash!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

It’s hard to fathom that 1994 is now well over 30 years ago. Sometimes certain events from ’94 feel like they were only yesterday. Most times though, man they feel like a lifetime ago. ’94 was just a very special year for me. I was 10 and 11 that year, the 5th grade was awesome, I had my best friend Nelson, arcades were still very much a thing and the SNES had reached its optimal stage of evolution. Everything just combined to make 1994 the best year of my childhood. That’s why I look back so fondly on that time period. The Super Nintendo saw so many iconic titles during its lifespan. But 1994 had the highest concentrated number of hits from where I sit. Throw in the fact that gaming magazines at the time also hit their prime so to speak, and you had all the ingredients in place for an epic year. And that it was. I mean, just think of all the Hall of Fame caliber SNES games we got that year… Mega Man X, Super Street Fighter 2, Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, Final Fantasy III, NBA Jam, Mortal Kombat II, Demon’s Crest, Super Punch-Out!! and so much more. An embarassment of riches. A veritable who’s who of SNES lore!

Crazy how all those classic games are now 30 years old or about to be later this year in 2024. I recently played a bunch of them in order to get extra inspired to write this article. And wow do they still hold up like the champions they are. They’re simply timeless… games as playable and enjoyable today as they were THREE DECADES ago. It blows my mind how much these games have stood the test of time, and how likely they will even 30 more years from now. And that, my friends, is how Super Nintendo CRUSHED 1994.

Thanks for the memories, 1994. I salute thee! — 1994… here’s to ya!

Dusk (Switch)

Publisher and Developer: New Blood | October 2021 — ***Publisher and Developer: New Blood | October 28, 2021***

On December 10, 1993, Doom was released and it changed the gaming world. One of the most influential games of all time, Doom was a trailblazer smash mouth in your face experience the likes of which was never quite seen before. Some would even argue never quite seen since. Regardless of where you stand, it’s mind boggling to think Doom just celebrated 30 years this past December. I wrote my SNES Doom review originally back on October 30, 2013 — just over a decade ago. My how the years fly by. There have been many Doom clones since, and one of the very best was Dusk. Originally released exactly 25 years after Doom, on December 10, 2018, Dusk became something of an instant cult classic. It received a Nintendo Switch port (digital and a limited physical print run) in October of 2021. This past January, Dusk was on sale from $20 to $12. I’ve been meaning to play it and the discount made it a no brainer purchase. I’ve been on quite a hiatus especially as far as gaming reviews are concerned, but Dusk resonated with me so much that I knew I had to write home about it. It’s that damn good.

DESCEND INTO DUSK

Dusk is an intense and intimate experience. It conjures memories of Winter of ’93 where my friends and I first experienced the shores of Hell in the form of the game changing Doom. Dusk infused me with the same sweet notes of raw adrenaline and terror as I infiltrated farm houses, creepy corridors and other unsettling scenarios. The enemies and weapons reminded me of the best features of Doom. There’s enough variety to keep your blood pumping as you mow down horror after horror. My personal favorite were the chainsaw wielding brutes with a sack over their faces reminiscent of Friday the 13th.

The random sinister messages sprawled on the walls added a nice touch of uneasiness to the whole dang thing.

As mentioned, the weapons strike a decent enough variety. You got your classic pistol, sawed off shotguns, chain guns, grenade launchers and this bow and arrow which is highly reminiscent of Heretic. But unlike id Software’s underrated outing, here the arrows shoot through enemies and walls. Now that’s friggin’ badass!

You can also wield a sword for crying out loud. When fully healthy, you can even charge the sword of a mega thrust that causes massive damage and can kill most enemies in one brutal swipe. It’s gloriously fun.

Another cool feature is the ability to pick up two pistols, or even two shotguns, in addition to a double shotgun. It helps to even up the odds a bit!

Speaking of the double shotgun, here it is in all its glory. It packs quite a punch, and you’ll find yourself relying on it quite a fair bit. Oh and those ghoulish demons there? I absolutely hate them. Creepy damn bastards they are.

While the double shotgun is a blast (pardon the pun), the two shotgun approach is pretty darn effective too. I love how they flip around whenever you fire off a round. Something very satisfying about that!

The action is frenetic, intense and unrelenting. There are specific portions of a level where the music will change and you have to kill a barrage of baddies before moving on. These action packed sections are among the highlights of Dusk.

There’s no greater feeling than killing the last enemy during said sections and hearing the frenetic music slow down, signaling to the player that you can finally breathe for a moment or two. That is until you encounter the next nasty lurking down the corridor.

The level design is simple yet brilliant. I love all the atmospheric night time levels with cornfields and random houses. It’s the perfect game to play around Halloween time or on those cold dark winter nights. There’s a certain feeling of danger and excitement as you run up and down a dilapidated house gunning down all manner of evil beings. It’s like a horror movie that comes to life.

I love how the colors of the sky might change from level to level. You literally get to experience every level and degree of … Dusk. Sorry, I kinda had to!

Some parts allow you to spring high into the air for some gnarly kills. It’s a nice tweak to the ol’ Doom gameplay that helps to keep Dusk from feeling like a complete ripoff. It has its own flare, too.

As you advance along, the levels change from farm houses and such to more industrial type settings. It helps to keep things fresh and different.

Like others of its ilk, the most powerful weapons pack a heavy punch and allow you to obliterate the competition in one or two shots. It’s not uncommon to see blood splattering the screen like such.

Some enemies shriek at you as they uncover your presence. The voices are fittingly gruff and creepy. It never gets old hearing “KILL THE INTRUDER.” It adds to the creepiness of the game for sure.

These are my favorite enemies of the game. Sometimes they’re mere decorations to keep those pesky crows away. Other times they spring to life to try to keep YOU away. Classic design and the perfect enemy for a game like Dusk.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

It’s been a while since I’ve been engrossed by a game as much as I have been with Dusk. But the moment I pressed play, I was instantly hooked. The classic horror atmosphere, the wickedly fun enemies to plow through, the spectacular level design, the heavy metal music that fits like a glove, and enough firepower to light up Kingdom Come… all made Dusk a thrilling experience. It controls well, it never feels too cheap, and it has that magical “one more level” feel to it. In short, Dusk is a must play for anyone who ever enjoyed Doom.

It Came From The Book Store Part IV

No trip to Philly is complete without some cheesesteaks!

It’s been a minute hasn’t it? Sorry, I didn’t mean to go almost an entire year without updating. Things got busy, interests and priorities shifted and yeah, here we are. But today is January 7, 2024, which marks 17 years since RVGFanatic launched. I figured it’s a good time as any to dust off the cobwebs and begin, hopefully, a chain of (somewhat) semi-regular updates. If you’re reading this, thanks for still checking in even though I went MIA for nearly a year. I’m doing well, my wife is good, and our son is now a healthy and adorable 19 month old toddler. I’m still playing games whenever I can, I still want to add more gaming reviews to RVG for sure, and I’m still heavily into books. Although now mostly comic books and graphic novels. This post will highlight my trip to Philly last February. Hope y’all are doing well yourselves. On with the show!

We drove by the Eagles’ home just one week after they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII by a score of 38-35. I did notice that some people took the devastating loss hard, as there was a sort of sad heaviness on many faces.

Good thing it doesn't list a year. Better luck this time! — Good thing it doesn’t list a year. Better luck this time!

Of course, the first thing my wife and I had to do was dig into some Philly cheesesteaks. We made a beeline for the two highly touted cheesesteak joints: Pat’s and Geno’s.

I didn’t realize, not being a Philly native or ever visited before, that Pat’s and Geno’s are practically right next to each other. So we didn’t have any time whatsoever to recover from eating at one place to the next. But hey, vacation right? Calories don’t count! Sure…

Reading Terminal Market is a must for food lovers

I lost count of how many cheesesteaks we tried. They were all delicious. I particularly liked the gumbo there.

We heard a ton of praise for the pork roast sandwich from Tommy DiNic’s, so we had to sample that. Maybe it was an off day for them but my wife and I both thought it was rather lacking and didn’t live up to the hype. That bad boy next to it, however, was the best sandwich I ate on the entire trip. Better than Pat’s or Geno’s. I can’t remember the name of the restaurant but it’s aptly named the Train Wreck. Damn right. And damn good.

We also checked out Betsy Ross' house — We also checked out Betsy Ross’ house

And of course, you gotta visit the Rocky statue!

The view from the Rocky steps was spectacular

Haddonfield and Voorhees exit!? Yes please!

For our last Philly meal, this pizza review caught my eye — For our last Philly meal, this pizza caught my eye

Thanks Rosario's! It was definitely delish — Thanks Rosario’s! It was definitely delish

Walls upon walls stacked with manga, graphic novels and comics! From Marvel to DC to indies, everything was well represented. That group came in shortly after me and they were blown away by the selection. They started geeking out seeing all the Tezuka manga. Pretty cool, haha.

Anyone who appreciates Tezuka is a classy person! — *Astro Boy* and Tezuka represent! <3

It was almost a religious experience for me. I loved seeing all the manga stacked to the high heavens. The classic Lone Wolf & Cub series as well as Inuyasha. Maison Ikkoku too! I already own all of them but it never gets old to see their beautiful spines in the wild.

I found a series I never heard of before

Come to find out it was a contest winner type deal

I hope I don't regret this blind buy :P — I hope I don’t regret this blind buy

At the very least, the art's pretty cool — At the very least, the art’s pretty unique

I'm a fan of old manga like this. Instant pick up! — I’m a fan of old manga like this. Instant pick up!

Not for everyone but I dig stuff like this — Not for everyone but I dig vintage stuff like this

I'm a fan of Moto Magio — I’m a fan of Moto Hagio, but never seen this before

You just won't find stories like this anywhere else — You just won’t find stories like this anywhere else

So trippy... it can only come from Japan! — So trippy… it can only come from Japan!

One of the best things about exploring these comic book stores is discovering all the cool shit you never knew existed before. I had no idea there was a Mask comic. I always thought the 1994 Jim Carrey Mask movie was an original. But no, before that summer blockbuster there was a Mask comic. So cool! Personally, I have very fond memories of the Jim Carrey film. I shared those memories in my Mask Super Nintendo game review. Can’t wait to read the comic!

Stan "The Man" Sakai! — Stan “The Man” Sakai!

Never knew this predated Yojimbi — Never knew this predated *Usagi Yojimbo*

Love how colorful and zany it appears to be — *Nilson Groundthumper* looks like a colorful blast

But my favorite find from Astro City Comics was this. The Ballad of Yaya. Never knew it existed before, but upon first sight I knew it was right up my alley. There is a serious Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki feel to it. Printed in cute pocket edition size, this 9 volume series takes place in 1937 and follows two plucky children as they navigate the dangers of war breaking out all around them.

Each volume is only 96 pages, so it definitely leaves you wanting more. I’ve read the first entry so far, and really enjoyed it. It’s a bit sparse but that art is amazing. Definitely the kind of comic to revisit time and time again!

Shortly after coming home, I looked up Atomic City Comics for fun and was pleasantly surprised to see someone wrote up a feature on it just a few days prior. I was like, “HEY! I was literally just there!”

I was very happy to support small business. I bought more than I should have, but I’m glad to do my small part in showing some love and appreciation. It’ll be a sad day if comic book stores like this ever die out completely. You just can’t beat that brick and mortar feel, ya know?

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Cheesesteaks, iconic statues, historic sites and some cool comic book stores, Philly was a fun visit. I’m excited to take my son on all future trips, now that he is old enough to travel with us. We just came back from Japan and I told my wife that’s the last time we’re traveling without the little goober. Our next trip is to Los Angeles next month, which I know has a ton of good eats and comic book stores galore. Looking forward to checking out a few of those and eating some delicious L.A. food! Happy New Year everyone

It Came From The Book Store Part III

My oh my, it’s been a while hasn’t it? A lot has happened since late November. But first let’s address the elephant in the room. Eagle-eyed readers took notice of a major announcement in my 15 year retrospective article posted one year ago that never materialized. By year’s end I wanted to launch an article highlighting my top 200 favorite Super Nintendo games. That obviously did not come to fruition. Aside from life’s craziness, my list wasn’t complete yet and I didn’t want to start throwing in titles for the sake of meeting a self-imposed deadline. The list’s status remains in the air, but it’s going down before all is said and done. But perhaps next time I’ll wait for it to be (almost) ready before I give y’all a heads up…

The good news is I’m still alive! And so is RVGFanatic, even if the updates in recent years have been way sparser than I would like. But hey, better late than never. My website quietly turned 16 years old last month. Crazy! Anywho, just to share briefly, in the past 2 months my son, wife and I all got COVID. We were OK for the most part but it was tough on my son (and thus, tough on us). He also got a nasty bout of RSV not long after. Seeing your poor precious baby in the ER hooked up on IVs at 4 in the morning is rough. Thankfully, the little guy is doing well now. In addition, my 103 year old grandma passed away in January. It was sad, but I’m glad she lived a great long life. I also take solace in the fact that her legacy and lessons live on through the rest of us.

What once was games now has become books

A huge thank you to anyone reading this right now. That means you either randomly wandered here for the first time (highly unlikely haha) or you’re still checking in after all these years. That means a lot, especially since updates have been irregular for some time now. To be perfectly honest, for this first post of 2023 I wanted to review a Super Nintendo game for old times sake. It also would have doubled as a feeble attempt to make up for the lack of the top 200 article that was promised last year. But current passions won out. Therefore I’m sharing some of the books I bought during December instead. I hope you continue scrolling because there are some really cool comics, manga and graphic novels to gawk at. Some gnarly artwork for sure! Who knows, maybe you’ll see something that might strike your fancy enough to check out.

THE DYLAN DOG CASE FILES

In mid December my wife and I drove 40 minutes out to a Disney store (they are dying in my area) to pick up a Minnie Mouse plush for my niece. After grabbing some delicious hotpot down the street, we hit up the nearby Half Price Books where I laid eyes upon this gorgeous tome. I had never heard of The Dylan Dog Case Files before. It held a hefty price tag of $50 ($45 after my teacher discount), but online it was going for a little more (and not always in the best condition). This copy was a bit nicked up but it wasn’t too bad. A perfect example of being in the right place at the right time. Assuredly, this collector’s item would soon have been snatched up by someone else had we not dropped in that fine evening!

Thick spines always catches my eye — I love thick spines and I cannot lie

Almost 700 pages split up of short stories — Almost 700 pages split up between 7 sinister stories

Love that gothic artwork! — Love that Italian gothic artwork!

I checked the website that night; it was still listed

Thank you Disney Store for leading me to this!

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

ItCamePart3-9

Thankfully, MOST books sold at Half Price are typically 50% off its cover price. Take, for example, Zero’s Journey which retails for $19.99 but was had for under $10 after my teacher discount. It was a perfect pick up since it was nearing Christmas when I spotted it on the manga shelf.

Never liked the movie but like the characters — Never liked the movie but I like the characters

Feels like a natural extension of the film

B.P.R.D. PLAGUE OF FROGS 1-4

In late 2021 I bought the gorgeous Hellboy Omnibus Box Set. Mike Mignola is a genius and B.P.R.D. is part of the Hellboy universe. This particular set is an older edition (they have since released a sleeker edition with updated numbering), and it’s a bit beat up as you can see. But for half off, it was too good to pass up on. Plus anytime you can complete an arc or series in one go, you take it!

THE BOYS VOLUMES 2-6

Last summer I picked up the oversized hardcover edition of The Boys. Never got around to buying volumes 2 and 3, though. So when I saw these paperback babies of volumes 2-6 (of 6), I couldn’t resist. (I’ll have to sell off the oversized omnibus volume 1 at some point). Again I got these for a little more than half off with my teacher discount. It was like $13 each instead of $70+ with the hardcover oversized editions. I know a lot of comic book collectors prefer the hardcovers but I don’t mind a softcover if the price is too good to pass up on!

Pretty dark stuff. His girlfriend got snuffed!

Updated edition of B.P.R.D. — Updated edition of *B.P.R.D.*

Took this pic at Barnes & Noble. I saved so much money getting these at Half Price instead!

MILESTONE COMPENDIUM ONE

Imagine my thrill when back in December I spotted a gently used copy of Milestone Compendium One for $25.99. Best of all, I had over $150 store credit so I got it for “free.” Milestone is a beloved comic series from the 1990s. It retails for $59.99 and contains over 1,300 pages of ’90s goodness. Milestone Compendium Two just came out last week which I promptly picked up.

CONCRETE VOLUMES 2-6

Created by Paul Chadwick, Concrete began its tale in the mid ’80s. At first glance it may appear to be yet another superhero story, but it’s anything but. Rather, it’s a very measured and nuanced story about a man whose entire body has been enveloped by pure concrete. This taxing scenario is examined in the most realistic and minute terms possible, right down to the kind of furniture needed. It’s a lonely slow burn that offers a contemplative read for any who have the patience to experience this very unique story.

One of the storylines is that people can send in letters asking for Concrete’s help. These noble endeavors allow Concrete to use his new unique body for the greater good of society. It’s essentially a slice-of-life comic.

HIMAWARI HOUSE

Speaking of more quiet slice-of-life stories, I’ve had my eye on Himawari House by Harmony Becker ever since it was released in late 2021. Finally came across a used copy for under $10 and eagerly snatched it up.

Color would have been nice, but BW is cool too — “Fish out of water” stories are always a blast to read

THE DREAM OF THE BUTTERFLY

Equally as satisfying as finding a long wanted title for half off its cover price is the thrill of discovering something cool you never knew existed. The Dream of the Butterfly has MAJOR Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki vibes. The cover already had me sold but once I glanced inside, it only took all of 3 seconds for me to throw it into my basket!

Serious Spirted Away vibes — Serious *Spirted Away* vibes

BAD MACHINERY

Perhaps best known for his Giant Days series, John Allison has quite a fan following in the comic book community. His comics are vibrant, funny and just plain zany. When I saw this cute pocket edition of Bad Machinery, a series unbeknownst to me prior, it was an easy instant buy.

The vibrant art really jumps off the page

AX: ALTERNATIVE MANGA VOLUME ONE

Alright, enough of that cutesy shit! Here is AX, an out of print book that features many different manga artists and some controversial stories to say the least!

PARASYTE FULL COLOR COLLECTION 1

I own all 8 of the original B&W editions, but will be upgrading to this fancy full color collection. I haven’t read it yet but this series looks like a creepy blast.

And now its oversized and in full living color — And now it’s oversized and in full living color

DUMBING OF AGE VOLUMES 2-4

Discovered this webcomic and like Bad Machinery it comes in these cute pocket editions. It’s about a co-ed college dorm and its dysfunctional inhabitants. There are currently 11 pocket books available, and the series continues to be published on the artist’s website.

Looks pretty fun! — Examines the light **and** dark side of college dorm life

SORCERY 101 VOLUMES 1 AND 2

Speaking of webcomics, one random day in December I randomly ran across two shorter but thick ass black spines. It simply said SORCERY 101 with the volume number. I found out it was the complete webcomic series and in the basket it went. Did I mention that I love thick spines as well as pocket editions? Which is ironic when you think about it, because none of these pocket editions would fit in anyone’s pocket except for Godzilla.

Love the artwork! Took a blind gamble on this one — Love the artwork!

DUCKS: TWO YEARS IN THE OIL SANDS

This haunting autobiographical memoir by Kate Beaton has attracted a ton of praise. This typically isn’t my sort of thing but this 400+ page memoir was only $18 (retail price $40). So why the hell not, y’kno?

The greys reflect the dark story held within — The bleak greys reflect the dark story held within

AMERICANA

Another autobiographical memoir. Hey didn’t I just say these aren’t my sort of thing? First off, the cover and spine is beautiful and eye catchy. Second, the true story sounds pretty interesting. The Pacific Crest Trail runs 2,660 miles, from California’s border with Mexico to Washington’s border with Canada. To walk it is to undertake a grueling test of body and spirit. This autobiographical work from an Irish visitor to the United States recounts the author’s own attempt to walk the length of the USA’s west coast. It mixes prose with art. Pretty fascinating!

Good stuff — Art is simplistic yet somehow quite striking

HEAD LOPPER & THE ISLAND

Back to the fantastical! Head Lopper & The Island (or A Plague of Beasts) looks like balls to the wall madness. I mean, our hero carries around a decapitated witch head that still speaks! Citizen Kane? No. A must read? Absolutely.

THE DARK HORSE BOOK OF HORROR

Dark Horse is one of my favorite publishers. Anytime I see their logo with that stylized black horse on a particularly thick spine I always get a little bit excited. This trade paperback, released in late 2021, contains 300+ pages of horror content from a variety of writers and artists, with good ol’ Mike Mignola (of Hellboy fame) getting top billing. As with any anthology, there are hits and misses to be sure. The whole thing is pretty sleek looking and feels great in your hand. Can’t wait to read it eventually.

Nice thing too is you get to see different art styles

MY FRIEND DAHMER

Speaking of nightmares, how about My Friend Dahmer, a graphic novel highlighting the author’s high school encounters with future serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer. Derf Backderf (his parents had balls of steel to use half of his last name for his first name) went to Revere High School in Ohio with Dahmer, and recounts his experiences with a teenage Dahmer in the late ’70s in the Midwest. This book received a boatload of praise for how bold and unique it was. What are the odds that a cartoonist was friends with Dahmer growing up? And would, decades later, recreate those high school years of Dahmer? Another run-of-the-mill fantasy or coming-of-age tale regurgitated for the 1,000th time this ain’t!

It feels immediately nostalgic and haunting... — It feels immediately nostalgic and haunting…

BILLY JOHNSON AND HIS DUCK ARE EXPLORERS

And now for something a lot more lighthearted. And it doesn’t get much more lighthearted than the adventures of Billy Johnson and his crazy talking duck friend.

Some befriended Dahmer. Others, a duck?! — Some people befriended Dahmer. Others, a duck?!

DUNGEON CRITTERS

Dungeon Critters is a colorful graphic novel with an RPG feel. This is the kind of stuff I would have loved if I were a kid. Hell, I guess I still do! But yeah, check out the artwork and colors on this bad boy. They’ve come so far with books. We didn’t have graphic novels like this back in the ’80s and ’90s!

Ooooh... ahhh... — It’s like a Super Nintendo RPG come to life!

STONEBREAKER

Never heard of Stonebreaker before. It seems to be your typical coming-of-age fantasy adventure. A mysterious world filled with talking creatures, check. A plucky protagonist, check. Danger lurking behind every corner, check. But the different shades of color used section by section is pretty damn neat. Good enough for a relatively blind buy!

Looks like an adventure one can get lost in — Looks like an adventure one can get happily lost in

STORM FAIRY

From the man, the myth and the legend himself, Osamu Tezuka! Storm Fairy, a short story collection, is not one of his better known works such as Astro Boy, Black Jack or Phoenix. But I am a simple man. I see Tezuka, I buy Tezuka.

Tezuka's considered by many as the father of manga — Tezuka’s considered by many as the “father of manga”

ROBOTECH ARCHIVES: THE MACROSS SAGA

Over the decades I’ve heard of Robotech here and there, but I never took time to explore it any further. It’s beloved by many westerners living in America back in the ’80s who remember Robotech fondly as one of their earliest exposures to the world of anime and Japanese style comics. Seeing the beautiful nostalgic cover in the store for half off made for a no brainer buy.

THE MEN WHO CREATED GUNDAM

You can’t talk about robots in the world of anime and manga without mentioning Gundam. And here’s a huge 550+ page tome that depicts the journey of the men responsible for the birth of Gundam.

THE POE CLAN VOLUME 1

This beautiful 500+ page hardcover sat in the locked glass counter near The Men Who Created Gundam. I already own some of Moto Hagio’s work and I consider myself a fan. The artwork is always so interesting.

Fantastic stuff — This was first published in the early ’70s

SWEET BLUE FLOWERS VOLUMES 1-4

Got the complete omnibus set of Sweet Blue Flowers. I love the quality and feel of these volumes. They’re so wonderfully produced. These are the kind of books that get snatched up fast… within days if not hours. They fly off the shelves like screaming bats out of hell. Always feel so lucky when I spot manga such as this in the wild…

Sit back and admire the details here for a bit — Feels so timeless, does it not?

THE WITCHER: LIBRARY EDITION

Let’s end this article with a BANG and take a sweet gander at my first buy of 2023! I’ve never played the Witcher games before. But I’ve heard a ton of praise surrounding the comics. So imagine my joy when I spotted this big, beautiful hardcover standing tall and proud in the locked glass counter. Best of all, it was half off at $24.99. After applying my 10% teacher discount, I got it for just under $25 out the door. What a deal!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I am so Jerry here, and Jerry is so me — I am so Jerry here. Love my compendiums!

December 2022 was an amazing month full of glorious finds. I’ve bought a few more since then that I will share another time in part IV. But yeah, whether it’s something I’ve had my eye on for some time or perhaps I’ve stumbled into something badass I never knew existed — the thrill and allure of the book store always seems to beckon me back. Anyway, thanks as always for dropping by. Let me know in the comments below if there was one manga, comic book or graphic novel in particular that resonated with you for whatever reason. I’d love to hear your thoughts! Alright, until next time, take care and a belated happy 2023! I wish all of you the best.

Love me some compendiums and deluxe editions! — Where were these when I was a kid?!

The Promised Neverland

It’s been a little over a year since I started collecting manga (fall of 2021 was when I initially fell down the rabbit hole). What a wild journey and year it’s been! The Promised Neverland, written by Kaiu Shirai and illustrated by Posuka Demizu, was the first manga series I read from beginning to end. I devoured all 20 volumes over the summer of 2022. In particular, I blew through the first 9 or so volumes in as many days. This article will give you a general overview of the series with no spoilers. I hope to post more series overviews as time goes on. Let us, then, visit the year 2045 and a little orphanage…

Our story opens up with a large group of children living at an orphanage. Emma is one of the main characters and all of the little kids adore her. We also meet Emma’s friends, Norman and Ray. The three of them are the oldest kids at the orphanage. At first glance, it appears as though all is swell and there is a lot of love. Of course, that doesn’t last for very long.

Occasionally, a child will be plucked from the orphanage to go live with their new adopted family. Such was the fate of little Conny. But before she can be shipped off, Norma and Emma notice that Conny has left behind her prized stuffed bunny. With the little fella in tow, they set off to meet Connie to make the return.

And with this startling realization, our characters are thrust into a spiraling descent of pure horror and madness. Who — or what — killed Conny, and why?!

It’s immediately revealed that some sort of demonic alien creatures are at the helm. The intrigue jumps off the pages as readers are thrown right into the frying pan with no warning. It’s an amazing opener that really hooks you in.

We also meet Mother, the adult in charge of the children at the orphanage. She is clearly in cahoots with the demons. It quickly becomes a cat and mouse tale of probabilities and deduction.

As they discuss the various possibilities and dissect the situation, the story quickly evolves and shifts with each beat. I love when a story takes you on a wild ride with many possible outcomes.

We get to know our protagonists better with each passing chapter and volume. Emma has a pure heart of gold, and she loves her family more than anything in the world. She would rather die than to escape while leaving even just one person behind. Emma is the personification of nobility and compassion.

The artwork by Posuka Demizu is pretty solid. The creatures are truly fearsome and the kids have the best expressions.

As the series progresses, we meet more characters such as the bizarre (and creepy) Sister Krone. She gave me the heebie-jeebies.

We’re treated to thrilling action panels such as this. I love the sense of ferocity and how it’s rather cinematic at times.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

The series is far from perfect, however. While the first 9 or so volumes were thrilling and incredible, I felt the middle portion of the story hits a bit of a lull. Let’s just say the mystery of the demons is detailed a little too much for my liking, which reduced the sense of danger or intrigue for me personally. The story kind of went in a direction I wasn’t expecting and certain parts did drag a bit. The last handful of volumes does improve but for me it never hit the height of the first half of the story. I would still recommend The Promised Neverland, however. I’m glad to have read it and you know what they say — you never forget your first!

It Came From The Book Store Part II

My wife and I visited Portland earlier this month. Less than 3 miles from our hotel was the world’s biggest store that sells used and new books. Powell’s was heaven for a bookworm such as myself! I could have spent ~~hours~~ days in there. There are 3 locations in Oregon and of course I had to hit up all 3. I picked up a handful of graphic novels (the comic medium is my favorite these days), and can’t think of a better time than to launch part 2 of my “It Came From The Book Store” series (the first one was written almost 8 months ago). But rather than just show you the 14 books I picked up, I’ll share some of the sights we saw in Portland along the way as well.

The Powell’s location in Burnside covers an entire city block! Incredibly insane. Walking down the first flight of stairs, I immediately ran into the graphic novel section for kids and young adults. As much as I love and appreciate manga, there might be a (big) part of me that enjoys graphic novels even more. I love their bright colors, beautiful artwork, and awesome sturdy design (flip through one and admire the craftmanship and even the smell of the ink). So at Powell’s, some of the books are new while some are used which can be as much as 50% off the cover price. It’s oddly addictive to flip a book over hoping to find a gently used copy for half off or so. It felt like a mini treasure hunt. If I didn’t already own it and it was marked used at 30-50% off, in the basket it went!

For example, this hardcover graphic novel retails for $22.99. Luckily I found a used copy nearly half off for $11.98. I love how they list the date of the item’s arrival. It’s neat to see how long it’s been sitting in the store. Or conversely, how recently it came in. The latter is always satisfying because you feel like right place, right time! Or maybe that’s just me

Graphic novels for days. Graphic novels galore!

I love reading these little staff pick cards. Coincidentally, I recently bought Odessa online prior to this Portland trip. I had no idea Jonathan Hill lives in Portland. Nice to see the hometown support. Haven’t read Odessa yet but it looks like a compelling post-apocalyptic adventure.

His latest work was just published, Tales of a Seventh Grade Lizard Boy. Looks like a fun read for anyone who has ever felt they don’t quite fit in.

We visited Cosmic Monkey Comics next. Mad respect to them for displaying this shrine, devoted entirely to iconic mangaka (manga artists) such as Osamu Tezuka, Junji Ito and Naoki Urasawa just to name a few. Extra brownie points for including Taiyō Matsumoto!

Impressive manga section — Impressive manga selection

We rode the tram next to get a nice view of Portland — We rode the tram to get a nice view of Portland

For lunch we found ourselves at a quaint spot with 3 restaurant choices. My wife had chicken and rice from Nong’s Khao Man Gai, and me being a sandwich lover I went with Snappy’s, supposedly a local favorite. Their decor adds such a nostalgic flare to the cozy deli store. It felt like I was transported back to the mid ’90s!

Id love to know the backstory to the VHS boxes — I’d love to know the backstory to the VHS boxes

We visited St. Helens (about 45 minutes from our hotel) to see their Halloween Town display. This is the exact location where the 1998 movie was filmed.

I never saw the movie but my wifes siblings like it — I never saw the movie but my wife’s siblings like it

Love all the horror movie villain references

Speaking of ghosts, I bought the collected edition of Brody’s Ghost which collects all 6 volumes in a 600 page tome. It’s one of those harder to find Dark Horse graphic novels so it can go for $50 online. Powell’s had a slightly beat up copy for $35 (no tax in Oregon) so I bit the bullet. But that same day I found it on eBay for $14.99 Buy It Now. I’d planned to buy it later that night but then the seller sent me a $9.99 offer. Talk about patience being a virtue!

“Mix in a pinch of The Sixth Sense with a dash of The Karate Kid and a bit of The Crow, and you’ll start to get a feel for Brody’s Ghost.” Mighty fine (and tantalizing) blurb from Wired on the back cover.

The note I left the overly generous eBay seller

So after Halloween Town, I told my wife I’d like to return Brody’s Ghost and that it might be fun to watch Smile. If so, it would be our first movie in a theater since September 2021 when we saw Shang Chi over a year ago! So I Googled Powell’s and found a location in Beaverton where magically there happened to be the only late night showing of Smile. Our trip was winding down and we had wanted to try Killer Burger before leaving Oregon. Luckily, there also happened to be a Killer Burger in the same plaza as Powell’s! The book store, burger joint and movie theater were all within a half mile of one another. Serendipity!

The Powell’s location in Beaverton is tucked away in a small mall. I remember seeing the store sign looming in the horizon and getting all excited, ha!

I could spend hours here. The store was massive

During the return I was chatting it up with the cashier. I found out he grew up in the same area as I did. It was pretty random but super cool. As mentioned earlier, I returned Brody’s Ghost because an eBay user sold it to me for under $15.

After returning the book and enjoying our greasy burgers, we caught Smile in the nearby theater. We both liked it a lot. It felt a bit like It Follows but even better. I highly recommend it. It was way better than that piece of crap Halloween Ends.

On a random note, we saw a screening of this film a few days in advance. I was so disappointed. They did Halloween fans dirty. Go watch Smile instead…

In total, I bought 14 books from the 3 Powell’s locations. Let me share quickly each book and a sample page

Looks like a blast. Cant wait to read — Looks like a blast. Can’t wait to read

Looks absolutely bonkers. Instant buy :P — Looks absolutely bonkers. Instant buy

I have the first book in this series. Really vibrant

I'm such a sucker for coming of age shit! — I’m such a sucker for coming of age shit!

Another one I wasn't aware of — Another one I wasn’t aware of

Huge fan of the atmosphere the art evokes — Huge fan of the atmosphere that the art evokes

I bought the last in the trilogy after I got home :P — I bought the last in the trilogy after I got home

I think this one has Back to the Future vibes — I think this one has *Back to the Future* vibes

Beautiful art — Beautiful simplistic art

You had me at hello — Nothing *divine* about this face!

I'm so done with zombies. Not, haha — I’m so done with zombies. Or not, haha

At half off and in pristine condition its hard to resist — Art is definitely on the sillier and zanier side

I also love graphic novels that are about real life

About a boy with ADHD. Done in memoir style

Here's another realistic one — Here’s another realistic one. Love the title pun

Sorry for messing it up. I had to buy this one!

Not a graphic novel but I still love my prose books!

The 14th and final book I bought while in Oregon

Now let's see if they will all fit in my luggage... — Now let’s see if they will all fit in my luggage…

These sturdy hardcovers made for a solid foundation

CLOSING THOUGHTS

We had a great time in Portland. We ate at a ton of food carts. I had a blast at my book stores. We video chatted with my parents multiple times a day so that we could see our almost 5 month old son, Owen. Portland was a lovely little getaway but we were ready to go home and be with Owen again. I hope to take him when he’s around 6 or 7 years old. I have a feeling he’ll grow up liking books, ha! And that he would feel like a kid in a candy store at Powell’s, where the aisles stretch on as far as the eye can see. My wife also wants to see the leaves change colors, which unfortunately we went too early to be able to see. So anyway, hope you enjoyed this little trip to Portland with me. Until next time!

So much sifting through and reading their recs! — So much fun to sift through and to read their recs!

MANGA MANIA!

Growing up in the ’80s and ’90s I was an avid reader. I loved the wild ride a great book would take me on. Getting swept up in a grand adventure from the coziness of my bed was largely appealing. Whenever I wasn’t gaming or hanging out with my childhood best friend, my nose was most likely buried in a (scary) book. In 2019, after years — nay, DECADES — of not caring much for books, I got back into reading in a big way. I started off collecting all my favorite childhood books, as well as the ones I never read but had always wanted to. It was eerily similar to my SNES resurrection from 2006. History was indeed repeating itself. But then I started branching out from simple chapter books. I got into collecting pulpy horror paperbacks, sci-fi, and eventually the odd graphic novel here and there. Outside of a few comics back in the day, I never really delved into the comic medium. My wife used to joke, “Please don’t ever get into manga or comics.” Exactly one year ago, I somehow did. This article will highlight my descent into manga madness over the past 365 days. But first we have to start from the very beginning. Let’s see now… ahhhh, it all started when…

Although I loved illustrations growing up, I actually didn’t read much comics outside of Garfield as a kid. That and an old Chinese comic series by the name of Old Master Q. I didn’t know how to read the language, but my uncle was more than eager to turn those comics into story time. I fondly remember many Saturday nights in the late ’80s chilling in the backyard on a cool crisp night as my uncle would read the comics to my brother and me.

Old Master Q was created by Alfonso Wong (1925-2017) and is considered a legendary Chinese comic for its long running history. These simple comics often consisted of single page six panels, with limited text. A lot of it was pretty universal so that even a little kid who didn’t understand a lick of Chinese could enjoy. I’m not even sure if my uncle could read it; he might have just used his imagination to fill in the blanks. Regardless of his method, my brother and I ate it up. It was a wonderful way to spend a lazy Saturday night back in those good old days of late 1980s suburban life.

Old Master Q comics were sold at lots of random little places. We always bought them at a local Asian grocery store. I remember the ducks hanging in the window right as you walked by. Believe it or not, it still exists to this day — that picture was taken just last week and brought back a wave of nostalgic memories! I hadn’t been back to that plaza in at least 25 years.

The classic gigantic lion statue still stands as well

Of course back then there were no translations. Apparently “scanlations” (as they call it) now exist. But as I said, the illustrations usually spoke for itself, so the language barrier did not matter as much. And with a crazy uncle dramatically filling in the blanks, it was almost better than movie night. Old Master Q was just really fun. I loved it whenever they featured supernatural elements. Some of those ghostly images are burned into my brain 35+ years later!

This is where one might think I fell in love with comics and became a lifelong fan. Actually, I mainly stuck to chapter books and somehow never got into the comic or manga scene. But Old Master Q definitely made me appreciate the comic medium, and I’m sure somewhere deep down it became a dormant love that would one day naturally sprout. And sprout it did…

Saturday, August 21, 2021. I just completed my first teaching week back at school for the first time since that fateful day of March 13, 2020 (coincidentally a Friday the 13th) when news broke that we would be shutting down (as did all schools across the country) due to the lethal wide spread of COVID-19. As luck would have it, my class had a case that first Thursday, so on Friday August 20th my class was shut down for the day. I had to do contact tracing with my principal. It was weird and a difficult time. The following day, my wife and I decided to get out of town for a little bit. We drove out an hour to grab some lunch and visit a board game store she had been meaning to check out. There was a Half Price Books nearby, so I dragged her along reluctantly. Normally I never bother to browse the manga section, but for whatever reason my feet led me there that day. It was a decision that proved to be a game changer, for better or for worse. There on the shelf I spotted a beautiful thick spine (I’m a sucker for such things, you see). It was omnibus volume 1 of Samurai Executioner by Kazuo Koike.

I quickly pulled it off the shelf to further inspect it. It was a 750+ page monstrosity. It looked so badass and immediately piqued my interest. It was like one of those “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!” moments. I marveled at all the amazing black and white illustrated panels. Other than Garfield, I had never read any comic books or manga in my entire life. For whatever reason, I just never dipped my toe into that ocean. It was as though comics and I were two ships passing in the night. Maybe now it was time to change that. Still, I remained hesitant. Mainly because it had a sticker price of $29.99. Even after my 10% teacher discount, that would be $30 for a book that originally retailed for $19.99.

I was at a loss for words. I had never seen a book at Half Price Books priced as anything more than half the cover price. Hence the store name of Half Price! So this told me right off the bat that Samurai Executioner was a different kind of breed. I stood there holding the book for what felt like 20 minutes, talking myself into it and then out back and forth. In the end, I found myself placing the omnibus back on the shelf. I just couldn’t justify the $30 price tag. I couldn’t pull the trigger.

But I did pull the proverbial trigger on Infinite Kung Fu, which was an oversized graphic novel by Kagan McLeod. It was only $12 and that was a bullet I was more than willing to bite. I saw Infinite Kung Fu as sort of compensation for not buying Samurai Executioner.

Mixes kung fu with zombies? SOLD! — Kung fu mixing with zombies? SOLD!

Of course, over the next few days my decision not to buy it dominated my every waking moment. By Monday night I had decided I had made a mistake. To rectify that, I was going to drive the long two hour journey (both ways) to pick it up. Tuesday evening, August 24, 2021. After getting out of work late due to a staff meeting and getting my classroom in order for the following day, I arrived at Half Price Books a little after 7 PM. I eagerly ran to the manga section to pluck Samurai Executioner off the shelf. This time I would not blink. (It also turned out that $30 at that time was actually a decent price for it compared to the going rate online). But a pit in my stomach swelled as I glanced at the shelf and saw it was no longer there *insert dramatic gasp*

I looked up and down the shelves three times, going through the five stages of grief in my typical overly dramatic fashion. It was worse than a gut punch. It felt like I had been decapitated. (Sorry, as stated I tend to have a super dramatic mindset from time to time). In the end, I realized I was simply too late. I regretted not biting the bullet the previous Sunday. Should have known once I left the store that day that it wouldn’t still be there a few short days later. That’s just how these things go. I started to browse other aisles when I saw a guy (probably in his early 40s) carrying a basket. And in that basket — sure enough, because the manga gods have a cruel sense of humor — was that very $30 Samurai Executioner copy! And that’s when I went through the five stages of grief AGAIN for a second time all within 10 minutes. Adding insult to injury, now I knew on top of being too late that I was late by no more than probably 10 minutes! If ONLY I had gotten to the store EVEN JUST a measly 30 minutes earlier… UGH! I was really kicking myself then and there.

I still have some PTSD about that experience... — I still have some PTSD about that experience…

Things got bleak and almost took a dark turn. I got so desperate that the thought of tailing him around the store, hoping to see if he might remove the copy from his basket due to a change of heart, crossed my mind. In another scene, I envisioned myself snatching it from his basket once he put it down and got distracted browsing for more books to buy. That’s when I knew I had to go home. Just the thought of that made me feel disgusted with myself. I cannot and would never sink so low. I made the long hour drive back in defeat and disappointment.

It was a hard lesson learned: sometimes you just gotta pull the trigger because you might not get a second shot. At least in the wild. Thankfully, with the internet, unless a book is out of print and super rare, odds are you can buy almost anything your heart desires. Sometimes you need a little patience and a lot of money of course, but life is what you make of it. I eventually bought all four omnibus volumes of Samurai Executioner within the month and my little Half Price episode became a distant memory.

Ended up buying volume 4 the very next day

Alls well that ends well — All’s well that ends well

MY FIRST MANGA

Samurai Executioner wasn’t my first manga purchase, however. Back in 2019 when I was going on my crazy Sunday Goodwill runs with my girlfriend (now my wife), I came across The Gods Lie. At the time I didn’t care for manga whatsoever but it was in great condition and at $1.99 it was hard to pass up on. That and it looked like something I would enjoy reading one day if I ever made time for it.

I'm reading it right now and it's pretty fun so far — I’m reading it right now and it’s pretty fun so far

On another Goodwill run, I ran across Triton of the Sea omnibus volume 1. There was a considerable blemish affecting the cover and the first few pages but the rest of it was unmarred. The back cover revealed that it was a Kickstarter project retailing for $19.99. At $1.99 it was a no-brainer buy, even though my interest in manga was very minimal. I picked it up with the idea that it would be fun to read one day and who knows, maybe I will get into manga at some point. And if not, it was only 2 bucks. The back cover also boasted that Triton was created by Osamu Tezuka, the legendary mangaka of Astro Boy. I heard of Astro Boy over the years and had some faint understanding that Tezuka was sort of the grandfather of manga. That’s good enough for my $2.

Definitely can't wait to delve into Tezuka's works — Definitely can’t wait to delve more into Tezuka’s work

In a moment of sheer serendipity, after developing a passion for manga in August of 2021, about a month later I ran across a copy of Astro Boy omnibus 1. I did some Googling and found out that the entire series was published over 7 thick omnibus volumes from Dark Horse. I bought all 7 volumes in my first transaction off Mercari.

The spines lined up are so gloriously satisfying

Osamu Tezuka created many classic manga series, such as Phoenix, Black Jack and the aforementioned Astro Boy. I’ve read a few of his works already; they truly are time machines to a bygone era. His work can feel a bit archaic at times, but they are also timeless in many ways. Ah, so many great manga waiting to be read and so little time!

Tezuka's legacy will outlive us all — Tezuka’s legacy will outlive us all

THE THRILL OF THE HUNT

The internet can definitely be awesome. Over the past year I’ve gotten so many good deals on manga. Early on, particularly those first five months from August to December of 2021, endless packages were arriving nonstop. Things were getting crazy. I was brand new to the hobby and there was so much I wanted that it was easy to find something new I wanted. A slow day would consist of receiving three packages! I suddenly became very familiar with the mailman just like during my Sega Saturn and Super Nintendo days when I was buying them left and right. Few things are as satisfying as waiting on some big packages and seeing that FedEx truck pull up in your neighborhood. It’s a glorious sight, indeed. But buying online will never match the thrill of finding things for cheap in the wild. Whether it’s at Half Price Books, Goodwill or local used book stores, finding a (rare) manga series on the cheap can’t be beat! Here are just some of my more memorable finds…

Almost found a full set of Hana-Kimi at Goodwill for only $1.99 each! They were in amazing condition as well. I was a little disappointed it didn’t include volumes 1-3 but that very same day just mere hours later…

I found them at Half Price for $5 each! Meant to be — … I found them at Half Price! Meant to be

Love visiting Half Price because you never know what you might find in the manga section. Some series can be seriously scalped online for ridiculous prices, but Half Price usually sells them for half off. That’s how I was able to find many of the beautiful Shaman King singles for cheap.

I say usually because some Half Price locations can be shady and scalp their manga at ridiculous prices, sometimes even higher than what they go for online. I always chuckle when I see such crazy prices. It all depends on the manager and the person pricing the manga. Most are cool but some can be very greedy. As a general rule of thumb, be patient and don’t spend more than you’re willing. Most manga will eventually be available for a more reasonable price.

Definitely not rare by any means, but picked up Bakuman 11-20 for $4.50 each. I love that instant collection feeling when you find half (or more) of a series in one go.

A manga series many older fans will fondly recall

$4.50 each after my 10% teacher discount, score!

There are currently 27 volumes of D. Gray-Man. Was so lucky to run into these for cheap. Like I said, there’s nothing like the thrill of the hunt. You never know what you might find any given time you enter a book store. And it’s all about being at the right place at the right time.

Occasionally I’ll run into a random series that I might not be interested in buying online, especially at some of those insane prices, but if I see it for cheap in the wild I’m more willing to give it a shot! See Kitchen Princess. Besides, you know I’m just a sucker for those thick spines and omnibus editions! As a fun aside, did you know that Squid Games was based off Kaiji: Gambling Apocalypse?

I’ll buy manga once in a while from Barnes and Noble as well. I love that educators get a 20% discount. Twice a year during teacher appreciation week we even get 25% off. Man, did I pick the right profession or what? Earlier this month I discovered a new series (actually an old series finally translated to English) by the name of Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou. It’s supposedly one of the most beloved manga series ever created, ranking in the top 50 currently on the website MyAnimeList. I cannot wait to delve into it!

One of the best slice-of-life manga out there — Supposedly one of the best slice-of-life manga ever

The colors shimmer in the light. So gorgeous! — The letters shimmer in the light. So gorgeous!

I also shop on RightStufAnime, which is a famous website for manga lovers. They used to sell manga at a 25% discount rate with free shipping and no tax. Sadly, over the past year the site kept going downhill with some unfavorable changes. 25% discount got reduced to 20% and now tax is charged depending on the state you live in. Bummer. It hasn’t been the same since.

I have fond memories of hunting down all 18 volumes of Inuyasha the VizBig editions back in late 2021. The hardest to find volumes were numbers 8, 14 and 16. I drove 2 hours and 15 minutes to a Barnes and Noble to buy those 3 harder to find volumes right around Christmas time. It was well worth the drive.

On that same trip I picked up Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service omnibus volume 4. It was the last copy within a 250 mile radius and the first 3 omnibus volumes were already costing an arm and leg online. So I didn’t want to miss out on volume 4! Volume 5 is finally being released later this month on August 30, 2022, so it’s been a good while between releases. Once again, I’m a sucker for thick spines and omnibuses.

Barnes has these little blurbs on certain manga series. I always love reading them and admiring the love and passion the staff members put into making them. Dorohedoro is a series I can’t wait to jump into!

Ah, Berserk, an all-time classic according to many — Ah, *Berserk*, an all-time classic according to many

Another titan of the manga game, MONSTER — Another titan of the manga game, *MONSTER*

My all time favorite description, hands down — My all time favorite description. *Chainsaw Man*!

This was my best find so far. Mushishi volumes 8, 9 and 10 for under $15. This copy sells for north of $200. Like I said, you never know what you might find walking into a book store. And right place, right time. Timing is everything in life.

SOME COLLECTION PHOTOS

Tezuka and Koike living peacefully together

I don’t always display my manga by alphabetical order. Sometimes it’s based on fit. Ranma ½ is another classic that I’m excited to eventually read one day. Cross Game is slice-of-life and based around baseball, so I know I am going to love that. Heard a lot of good things about it!

Love when a series fits a shelf perfectly, as seen here with all 37 volumes of Magi. Found Magus of the Library for half off at Half Price and Made in Abyss for cheap online. I rarely pay retail for manga. Great deals are out there if one is willing to exercise a little patience! Heard a lot of praise for these 3 series. Definitely eager to jump into them one day…

Heard Toriko is crazy with its worldbuilding — Heard *Toriko* is crazy with its world building

This was my first manga shelf that I ever put up, so this one holds a lot of sentimental value for me. I love the way Barefoot Gen (what a beautiful little series that is) fits in perfectly with the first volume of 20th Century Boys (a fun and wild story)! I’ve since acquired Children of the Sea volume 4, however, and bought more volumes of Maison Ikkoku as they were released, so the shelf no longer looks like this. Love the sturdiness of most manga and how lovingly well crafted they are. The stories inside are usually pretty fantastic, too! The good ones have this incredible way of making me feel like a little kid on the inside all over again. Almost as if I’m hanging out in the backyard with Uncle Jimmy reading Old Master Q on a lazy Saturday night back in the late ’80s. A very satisfying hobby!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Getting into the manga scene over the past year has been super fulfilling and enjoyable. I can’t believe how I went from never really caring about it for most of my life to it now being my biggest hobby. It seems as though my young son is a fan in the making as well! The little guy is absolutely enthralled by all the illustrations and daddy’s voice reading the dialogue. Thanks for joining me on this very nostalgic trip down memory lane of my manga journey over the past 365 days. I acquired a ton over the past year, so for year number 2 I wish to spend more time reading instead of shopping. My wife certainly shares the same wish! But yeah, in a nutshell that’s been my descent into manga madness over the past year. Thanks a lot, Samurai Executioner! From should I buy it to… all this. What a rabbit hole ride it has been! Looking forward to reading all the amazing stories just waiting to be read and discovered

Some of the true GOATs in the manga game there! — Some of the true ***GOATs*** in the manga game there!

The Adventures of Tintin

Apologies for the lack of updates — this is RVGFanatic’s first update in a little over 2 months. In late May, my wife gave birth to our first child! So as you can imagine, we’ve been pretty busy with Owen. It’s amazing to be a father after 38 years on this earth. We’re enjoying our time off work to take care of our little one. During my downtime, I’m still reading and visiting the odd book store here and there. Last week, at Half Price Books, I came across a set of comic books known as The Adventures of Tintin. Now I didn’t grow up reading comics much, and I knew of Tintin but never read one. However, I know they’re one of the most beloved and nostalgic comics for people the world over, especially for those who grew up outside the US, where this series was mega popular and adored.

10% teacher discount made it a sweeter deal

Unfortunately, whoever sold this set to Half Price did not have the 8th and final volume. That one in particular is a lot harder to find, and much more expensive. But I was lucky enough to find this lovely compact hardcover set for such a great deal. One of my favorite reasons visiting a used book store is you never know when you might be at the right place at the right time. Sometimes you walk away with an amazing haul of treasured goodies!

Lacking the cool spine art, but that's quite alright — Lacking the cool spine art, but that’s quite alright

According to the stickers, this set came in a week earlier. I almost walked out of the store and missed it too! But I decided to glance at the beginning of the graphic novel and comic section and lo and behold, there she was. Flipping through some of the pages, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of awe and nostalgia, even though, as stated previously, I had no childhood connection to these books really. It’s just something about the fantastic art style that harkens one back automatically to childhood and simpler times. A time in your life when your most pressing task was to make your bed and do your homework. This article is not a review of the series but rather an overview. I haven’t read any of the books yet, but I look forward to doing so in the years to come. And I can’t wait to read them to my son!

This particular hardback edition contains mostly 3 stories in 1, with the two exceptions being volumes 1 and 8. The first volume contains 2 stories while volume 8 contains 4 3.5 stories — the last 3 Tintin adventures number 21-23 and the 24th story which was never finished but released posthumously. The original paperback covers are shown to the side of each front cover.

The back of each book is simplistic with an overview of each title contained within each volume. Nothing fancy, but it works.

The Adventures of Tintin was first published in 1929 by the artist Hergé, whose real name was Georges Prosper Remi. He was born on May 22, 1907. That’s crazy because my son Owen was born exactly 115 years later! Hergé’s first story, Tintin in the Land of Soviets, was published in black and white.

My man is pretty far down the list of famous people born on May 22, so I had to do my part and give him an upvote.

His second story, Tintin in the Congo, carries a bit of controversy. The African natives were depicted in a way that can be offensive to some. It’s often stated that similar to other artists of long ago, he was portraying them in a way that was “according to the time period.” As a result of such outdated depictions, Tintin in the Congo is often excluded from his various collection box sets. This set, however, includes it.

This foreword provides more background detail

Yeah, innocent or not, not the best of looks... — Yeah, innocent or not, not the best of looks…

Many people often agree that Hergé’s first two works are his weakest ones. The later entries supposedly get drastically better. Here’s a fun little scene between Tintin and one of the recurring allies, Captain Haddock. Thundering typhoons indeed! Love this page. Makes you just want to curl up under a warm blanket and lose yourself in Tintin’s madcap world for an hour or two.

The Adventures of Tintin involves a little bit of everything: action, humor, mystery and even the slightest hint of the supernatural. Tintin is an upstanding character that appeals to many kids and even (young) adults.

My son is gonna love this stuff. Wish I read it as a kid; I would have ate it up.

Hergé’s art never fails to impress. His style has long since been imitated (but never quite duplicated).

Tintin’s adventures take him all over the world. The various locales presented in each unique story ensure that readers will take delight in embarking on a special voyage to many magical lands.

There are a plethora of intriguing panels within each of the 23 stories. So many moments full of wonder, imagination, mystery, excitement and peril. It’s no wonder that these tales are cherished the world over.

Tintin is a young reporter who spans the globe thwarting bad guys and righting various wrongs the best he can. The stories sometimes even have a slight historical slant, which only adds to the overall package.

It can get a little creepy at times as well! By the way, is it just me or does that look a lot like Doug Funnie and Porkchop there? Hmm.

More stunning artwork from Hergé. It’s simple yet extremely striking. My man Tintin rocking the rickshaw like an absolute boss there, yes sir!

The mood and atmosphere that Hergé creates through his dialogue and art is truly terrific. Although I haven’t delved in entirely just yet, already it’s clear to see what a master he was at crafting mood and a sense of palpable danger just around the corner that drives both the story and reader forward.

More absolutely amazing art by the man, the myth and the legend. This stuff is simply phenomenal.

Tintin definitely wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. He threw down when he had to!

TinTin22

Like watching a mini movie unfold before your very eyes.

I love his bigger panel shots because of the insane amount of intricate details found within them. This is such a great series for reluctant readers.

Throughout Tintin’s wild escapades we find some recurring villains who are wicked to the core. After all, what’s a great hero without some diabolical bad guys to thwart?

Explorers on the Moon, published in the early-mid 1950’s, saw Tintin roaming around on the moon — a decade and a half ahead of famous astronaut Neil Armstrong who would go on to accomplish that feat in 1969. Pretty dope.

Why am I suddenly getting strong Yuri Stranger Things Season 4 vibes here?

WATCH OUT FOR THE DEMOGORGON!!! Er… or the Abominable Snowman at least.

I could post more of his stellar artwork for days, but I think — pardon the poor pun — you get the picture by now. Hergé undoubtedly created an epic series that deserves to be seek out and read by anyone remotely intrigued by these shots. I can’t wait to dive in, myself!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

The Adventures of Tintin has been translated in over 70 languages and has sold more than 230 million copies. Its legacy is no doubt one of the most beloved comics ever created. The stories are almost 100 years old, but countless readers remember them fondly and reread them to this very day. There is a timeless appeal to this series that I can’t wait to personally experience for myself. And in about 5 or 6 years from now, I’ll be ecstatic to introduce them to my son. I have a feeling Owen will love Tintin, his zany companions and his outrageous globe-trotting adventures. For those of you who have read this series — perhaps you even read them growing up — I would love to hear some of your personal memories and thoughts down below! I’m so thankful that I was lucky enough to run across these copies because I’m sure someone else would have snatched them up not long after. Now, if I can only find that elusive 8th and final volume for a decent price… “Thundering typhoons!” as the good captain might say

The Sleepover (Michael Regina)

**Michael Regina | November 9, 2021 | 224 pages**

Browsing my local Barnes and Noble one random day this past November, I spotted a new graphic novel on the shelf that immediately caught my eye. From the simple title to the creepy art cover, I knew it was right up my alley. I got back into reading books in 2019, and only in the past year or so have become enthralled with the graphic novel medium. Man, if only these bad boys were around back in 1993 when I was 10 years old! Sure we had comic books but nothing like the high quality today’s graphic novels pack, in terms of color and page quality. But I digress. Speaking of 1993, that’s the year The Sleepover takes place, and Michael Regina was not shy about early-mid ’90s references. But unlike some other entities, he didn’t go overboard so it wasn’t super in your face, which I appreciate because some of these throwback nostalgic stories can be too much when it comes to that sort of fan service.

The story focuses on Matt Russo and his younger sister, Judy. For years their nanny, Ruby, has taken good care of them while their mom toils away at work. One day Ruby dies. The mom scrambles to find a new nanny. Miss Swan is sus to say the very least. Matt is stricken with emotional grief as he laments the loss of his nanny, whom he shared a close bond with. His friends come over for a sleepover in an effort to cheer him up and fuel his mind with horror movies and video games galore, while fueling his stomach with pizza and soda. Sounds like an epic sleepover from the ’90s eh? I know I sure had my share of those!

But of course, what good is a story if there’s no conflict? The boys’ plan to have the perfect sleepover is soon thwarted when they come face to face with a local urban legend that is beyond anything they have ever encountered before…

I really like the art. It’s clean, simple and pleasant to look at. The Sleepover opens up with Matt and his 3 friends watching The X-Files. The first episode aired on September 10, 1993, which is perfect since this story takes place in the fall of ’93. I remember reading this first page at Barnes and Noble and thinking, “Oh yeah, this is an instant buy.” Thank God for their 20% off teacher discount!

Matt and Judy’s nanny, Ruby, is introduced early on, and throughout the story we get occasional flashbacks to see through Matt’s eyes why Ruby means so much to him and his family. It’s a wild and crazy stormy night, making it perfect for a ghost story to be told…

One of Matt’s friends regales the group with a local urban legend of a horrible witch that lives in the woods nearby. Judy, being a lot younger, seeks Ruby’s reassurance. You can tell that Matt’s got the heebie-jeebies!

You keep saying that, four eyes. You keep saying that.

Every group in the ’90s had a kid like this. The one always sprouting off about ghouls and ghosts, trying to convince everyone else that something sinister is afoot…

Hell, maybe YOU were that kid. Hmm, maybe I was in mine…

I love the full page chapter breaks! There is something so simple yet alluring about a classic nice little house set clearly somewhere in the suburbs. Probably because that’s where I grew up and had all of my childhood memories. Whether it was my house or one of my friends’ giant two story homes, they were always the backdrop of a fun Saturday night staying up late watching scary movies and playing SNES games until the cows came home.

Sadly, Ruby the nanny passes away. The Russos attend her funeral, but life marches on. As soon as they get back home, the mom has to go back to work and she needs to find a new nanny pronto. No rest for the weary, eh?

The help wanted ad dubiously finds it way into the woods. No harm no foul though, right? Sure.

Ah, it plays out like a classic scene from a thriller or horror movie. The bad guy (or gal) is introduced with an ominous back of the head shot. To make matters worse, the parent has already met them and is none the wiser! Looks like the poor kids will have to fend for themselves…

Whoa, major creep vibes! Ms. Russo approved of this nutjob?! Talk about not winning the Mother of the Year award.

Cheese and rice, man. Miss Swan is so unsettling.

I love how all those parents approved of their kid to have a sleepover with a random new nanny that they haven’t met yet. But I suppose they trust Ms. Russo’s judgment. Ha! Little do they know.

Scary movies and a sleepover. As timeless a combination as any other imaginable 1-2 combo.

The ’90s stylized S in “Best Sleepover” popped me. Hard. My wife teases me that I used to write my name Steve with that S back in the ’90s. Hey, we really thought it was cool back then! Major props to Regina for that subtle nostalgic callback.

What else made for an epic sleepover back in the ’90s? Why, chugging, of course.

Ah, the prank call. When you were 10, and with your friends, these unethical acts were undoubtedly a crowd pleaser. I can still hear the stifled laughter to this day.

Whether it was Halloween, Friday the 13th, Child’s Play or even Leprechaun, horror movies were a staple of my childhood sleepovers. I like how Regina threw in Vampire Hunter D. I’ll never forget the first anime my old best friend Nelson and I ever watched: Devil Hunter. The unexpected (and excessive) nudity, to my 10 year old eyes back then, was wild.

But the definite MVP of my childhood sleepovers: video games. Just being in a room with 3 (or 10) friends all cheering and yelling, playing late into the early mornings… those were some badass times. Love the nods to Mortal Kombat here.

Last (and possibly least), the random talks we had about girls and crushes. These were always fun 10 minute breaks but I always wanted to get back to my slasher movies and 16-bit video games!

Miss Swan’s evil eyes jump off the page with a very otherworldly glow…

Have I mentioned how much I love the simple effectiveness of these full page chapter breaks?

We come to find out more about the witch’s backstory in a flashback and some exposition.

Love this scene! Plays like how it would in a horror movie. Very cinematic.

Miss Swan’s true form is creepy and demonic. She would be a badass horror movie villain.

Gotta appreciate the Super Soaker shoutout! If you grew up in the early-mid ’90s, you know all about that Super Soaker life!

MORE SHOUT OUTS

So I won’t reveal more of the story — you’ll have to read the rest to find out what happens. But I can’t resist sharing this callback. Gamers from the ’90s will know those infamous four words: “RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE!”

That glorious glow beckons like none other

I remember seeing Altered Beast for the first time circa 1989 at my friend’s house. Tommy and Denny were those two brothers who always got the coolest and latest games first in your gaming group. I was blown away by the graphics and sound.

“POWER UP!” Two of the most iconic words in gaming history.

Michael Regina did an excellent job capturing what being a 10 year old boy in 1993 was like. Absolutely nailed it.

REGINA REFLECTS

In a YouTube video he posted, Michael Regina shares some background info on his graphic novel, The Sleepover. It’s an interesting watch for anyone intrigued by the book.

Regina based a lot of his graphic novel off his very own childhood. They grew up with a nanny also named Ruby who took care of him growing up. Ruby was a huge part of the family.

The Sleepover is dedicated to Ruby. Pretty cool how much of his own childhood experiences were incorporated in the book.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

The Sleepover has garnered some high praise, and deservedly so!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Looking for a spooky middle grade graphic novel? Look no further. The premise is simple and straight forward. A group of 10 year old boys face off with a witch demon in an American suburb. They’ll need to rely on their wits, and each other, to survive the night(mare). Michael Regina knocked it out of the park with this one! While a little basic (don’t expect any crazy twists or plot development), it’s just a fun ride from beginning to end, with some genuinely creepy moments sprinkled here and there. If The Sleepover came out when I was 10, I probably would have read it 50 times. I could easily see this being adapted into a NetFlix movie one day. It’s got that sweet early-mid ’90s vibe going for it, as well as being rather Stranger Things-esque. Hard to go wrong with this sucker. I’ll never look at a raven the same way ever again.

Basewood (Alec Longstreth)

***Alec Longstreth | March 18. 2014 | 216 pages***

When I got back into reading in 2019, I didn’t care at all about graphic novels or comic books. It just wasn’t a medium that interested me. The few graphic novels I did pick up here and there were all in full color, such as Jeff Smith’s Bone series. I had zero interest in black and white comics. Since then, however, I have developed a deep appreciation for black and white comics. There’s something about them that can be very stark and striking, in a way that full color would actually detract from. I recently discovered Basewood, a giant comic book that measures in at a whopping 9×12. I got a free copy last week and devoured it in one sitting!

There's Jeff Smith, creator of the popular Bone series — There’s Jeff Smith, creator of the popular *Bone* series

ALL YOUR BASEWOOD ARE BELONG TO US

I love the full 9×12 pages devoted to each chapter. The artwork is absolutely gorgeous. One of those imaginative worlds you can’t help but dive into and want to stay for a spell or two.

The story revolves around Ben, a man who finds himself mysteriously in the land of Basewood. He has no clue how he got there, and he seems to be the only one inhabiting the land. Having lost memory due to a severe head injury, Ben sets out to fit the pieces of the puzzle together.

It isn’t long before he finds a furry friend. The late evening and heavy downpour creates a very atmospheric opening.

Alec Longstreth’s drawings are simple but detailed and beautiful. It’s a shame he didn’t publish more comics.

This panel gives the reader an idea of just how big Basewood really is, and how daunting it would be to navigate one’s way out. Good luck with that, Ben!

Although Ben can’t remember how he ended up in this isolated place, he hasn’t forgotten his boy scout skills. Unfortunately for him, the fire attracts the local wild life…

It’s a terrible, ravenous wolf dragon!

I love Alec’s decision to add in a little fantasy element. This fantastical antagonist adds a lot of tension and extra depth to the story. Not only is the journey over the cliffs long and arduous, but the wolf dragon is a constant major threat lurking in the background.

We’re soon introduced to the lovable Argus, a hermit who lives deep in the woods with his trusty mutt. He’s a wise old man who knows the land like the back of his hand. He also gives our protagonist someone to converse with to move the story along.

I just love how grizzled and haggard Alec made Argus out to be. If you look closely, his right hand seems to be skeletal. A neat little touch to show that Argus has been through some real shit…

As it turns out, Argus has seen some shit all right as he has history with the terrible beast. He also possesses a heart of gold, gladly offering shelter and companionship to Ben.

Another amazing full page chapter shot. Love it!

Basewood is the kind of comic book that begs to be marveled at. At times I found myself staring at the panels in awe for an extra moment or two. The amount of tiny details that Alec put into it is mind-blowing! I love Argus’ badass treehouse

It’s no luxurious 5 star hotel but beggars can’t be choosers. Actually, Argus didn’t do too bad for himself.

Cue the classic flashback expositional scene. One can almost feel the cozy heat of the fire rising out of the panel and seeping into your bones.

Basewood features a few flashback scenes to add depth to each character. This is Argus’ backstory and origin story, if you will.

There is almost a nostalgic quality to Alec’s art. Very cool and pleasing.

You get a strong sense of the small, tight-knit community that Argus and his wife grew up in. A place where no one bothers to lock their doors and lends a helping hand to one and all.

Argus and Violet soon have a baby boy, and all is well.

But naturally, in most stories peace never lasts for long…

You can feel Violet’s terror bleeding off the page. How utterly frightening and hopeless she must have felt

Basewood is shockingly more gruesome and disturbing than I ever thought it could or would be. But that only serves to intensify the story as well as build up empathy for our main characters.

I love how not all the pages are uniform in terms of how the panels are arranged. Some of them feature wild back to back shots, like this striking one here. It really amplifies the intensity of the moment and is an absolute marvel to gawk at!

I’m not going to reveal further details of Basewood. I would hate to spoil the rest of the story for anyone, as it’s one of those books that you really should go in blind and enjoy. When I first saw this book, I was hoping it would be something of a hidden gem. I didn’t realize how truly brilliant it would turn out to be!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I relished every single second I spent in the world of Basewood. The art is phenomenal, I love the variety of the panels and the story is so good. It’s a simple story filled with tropes. But you care so much for the characters and the artwork is so stunning that you overlook this. Not every story needs to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes there’s nothing better than a really well told story, even if the framework of it is something you might have seen or read a hundred times before. Basewood is an immersive world full of heart, love, courage, sacrifice, danger and friendship. There isn’t a whole lot of text and the 216 pages can probably be read in around an hour or so, but the time will be well spent. If you have any interest in comic books at all, or if these picture intrigued you in the least, I cannot recommend Basewood highly enough. The ending does feel a little rushed but again, I’m willing to look past that. The journey is so damn fascinating and a wild roller coaster ride, even if Alec didn’t completely stick the landing. At the end of the day, it’s all about how a book makes me feel. And Basewood left an indelible mark on me. It’s one I’m excited to reread over and over in the years to come.