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Akiko Comics #1
Akiko: The Menace of Alia Rellapor, Volume 1
At the beginning of summer vacation, 4th grader Akiko is whisked away to a distant galaxy and put in charge of a perilous mission on planet Smoo.
160 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1997
60 people want to read
About the author
Mark Crilley
116 books370 followersMark Crilley is an American comic book creator and children's book author/illustrator. He is the creator of Miki Falls, Akiko, and Brody's Ghost. He is also noted for his instructional videos for drawing in the manga-style. Crilley distributes drawing advice to artists via YouTube videos and his DeviantArt account. In August 2010, he starred in some how to draw videos for Funimation on demand. Mark Crilley's wife is Miki Crilley who he named Miki Falls after. The two have a daughter, Mio, and a son, Matthew.
Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Cri...
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Cri...
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 29, 2021
#ThrowbackThursday - Back in the '90s, I used to write comic book reviews for the website of a now-defunct comic book retailer called Rockem Sockem Comics. (Collect them all!)
From the March 1998 edition with a theme of "Science Fiction":
INTRODUCTION
Science Fiction. Sci Fi. SF. It's a genre with incredible flexibility, isn't it? This month alone, I have been able to locate a space opera, a farce, a post-apocalyptic road trip, and a fantastic fairytale that all fit comfortably under the label of Science Fiction. (An interesting side note: Japan seems to be having a huge impact on Science Fiction comics in America today. Of the four comics below, one is directly imported from Japan, and two others are obviously influenced by the art of manga -- Japanese comic books.) While I wait for some capable soul to revive the straight Western in comics, I'll be content knowing that the popular genre of SF is well represented every month in PREVIEWS.
FROM THE BACKLIST
AKIKO #19-22 (Sirius Entertainment)
AKIKO TRADE PAPERBACK VOLUME 1 (Sirius Entertainment)
Alice tumbled down the rabbit hole to Wonderland. Wendy flew via the power of pixie dust to Never Never Land. Dorothy rode a tornado to Oz. And, now, Akiko has rocketed in a spaceship disguised as an ice cream van to the planet Smoo. Welcome to the age of hi-tech fantasy lands.
AKIKO is an amazing all-ages comic that blends fantasy, science fiction, and children's literature into one tasty concoction. The skeptical adult readers out there may have been skipping AKIKO -- and are about to skip this review, perhaps -- because AKIKO looks child oriented, but I'm here to tell you that this is an "all-ages" book that will absolutely entertain adults as well as kiddies. Writer/artist Mark Crilley's AKIKO stories have as much drama and adventure as any comic being produced today. Sure, the seriousness is leavened by outrageousness and slapstick humor, but it is in no way overridden by that wild streak. That AKIKO is also infused with the wonder and sense of awe of its young female protagonist is a bonus in my eyes.
Akiko is a fourth-grade schoolgirl who travels to the fantastic world of Smoo to save the day. Smoo, you see, is a planet of dichotomy: on the one hand, its inhabitants have developed advanced technology; but on the other hand, the people of Smoo seem to lack even an iota of common sense. Akiko is the voice of reason, the steady hand, and the font of initiative needed to guide Smoo through its various crises. With the help of the reckless and roguish Spuckler Boach, the learned and cautious Mr. Beeba, and the incomprehensible and bodiless Poog, Akiko crisscrosses the planet getting captured by various exotic cultures. The adventurers invariably escape and achieve their goals through a combination of spunk and luck. (Heavy emphasis on the luck.) Akiko's extended absences from Earth, by the way, are covered by a robotic doppelganger thoughtfully provided by her friends from Smoo.
Crilley's writing in AKIKO is brisk and humorous. Sure, the plots are simple and depend heavily on capricious turns of luck, but that suits the type of tales Crilley is telling. Once you understand the funky logic of Akiko's adventures, it's easy to suspend disbelief and simply let the torrent of action carry you along. Besides, Crilley is smart enough to reward the reader with plenty of dramatic revelations and thoughtful moments in order to prevent motion sickness. The best part of AKIKO is the character interaction. I'm particularly fond of the amusing personality clash between the over-the-top Spuckler and the head-buried-in-the-sand Mr. Beeba. I also like the innocent, oblivious hypocrisy of the supporting cast as they alternate between condescension and acquiescence toward Akiko, sometimes in the same breath.
I can almost justify purchasing AKIKO based solely on the pictures. While a Japanese manga influence is obvious, Crilley's linework is still very unique. His major strength is in distinctive character design. Akiko has big, black button eyes and a nub of a nose, while many of the side characters look like they've just stepped off the "Muppet Show." Crilley's monsters and alien critters are truly bizarre and wonderful. His spectacular sense of design is also showcased in elaborately detailed backgrounds. Castles, fortresses, ruins, villages, and vehicles are rendered with care rarely seen outside of such visual masterpieces as Dave Sim and Gerhard's CEREBUS (Aardvark-Vanaheim) or Katsuhiro Otomo's AKIRA (Epic/Marvel Comics). Though printed in black and white, Crilley adds incredible depth to AKIKO through masterful toning and shading. This guy has the complete package, folks.
I usually try to review only comics where I have read the entire series. In this case, however, the eleven issues of AKIKO I've read are so delightful I can't help but rush a recommendation, especially when so many of AKIKO's back issues will be available this month. I'll be ordering the ones I'm missing. I strongly suggest that you follow suit.
Grade: B
From the March 1998 edition with a theme of "Science Fiction":
INTRODUCTION
Science Fiction. Sci Fi. SF. It's a genre with incredible flexibility, isn't it? This month alone, I have been able to locate a space opera, a farce, a post-apocalyptic road trip, and a fantastic fairytale that all fit comfortably under the label of Science Fiction. (An interesting side note: Japan seems to be having a huge impact on Science Fiction comics in America today. Of the four comics below, one is directly imported from Japan, and two others are obviously influenced by the art of manga -- Japanese comic books.) While I wait for some capable soul to revive the straight Western in comics, I'll be content knowing that the popular genre of SF is well represented every month in PREVIEWS.
FROM THE BACKLIST
AKIKO #19-22 (Sirius Entertainment)
AKIKO TRADE PAPERBACK VOLUME 1 (Sirius Entertainment)
Alice tumbled down the rabbit hole to Wonderland. Wendy flew via the power of pixie dust to Never Never Land. Dorothy rode a tornado to Oz. And, now, Akiko has rocketed in a spaceship disguised as an ice cream van to the planet Smoo. Welcome to the age of hi-tech fantasy lands.
AKIKO is an amazing all-ages comic that blends fantasy, science fiction, and children's literature into one tasty concoction. The skeptical adult readers out there may have been skipping AKIKO -- and are about to skip this review, perhaps -- because AKIKO looks child oriented, but I'm here to tell you that this is an "all-ages" book that will absolutely entertain adults as well as kiddies. Writer/artist Mark Crilley's AKIKO stories have as much drama and adventure as any comic being produced today. Sure, the seriousness is leavened by outrageousness and slapstick humor, but it is in no way overridden by that wild streak. That AKIKO is also infused with the wonder and sense of awe of its young female protagonist is a bonus in my eyes.
Akiko is a fourth-grade schoolgirl who travels to the fantastic world of Smoo to save the day. Smoo, you see, is a planet of dichotomy: on the one hand, its inhabitants have developed advanced technology; but on the other hand, the people of Smoo seem to lack even an iota of common sense. Akiko is the voice of reason, the steady hand, and the font of initiative needed to guide Smoo through its various crises. With the help of the reckless and roguish Spuckler Boach, the learned and cautious Mr. Beeba, and the incomprehensible and bodiless Poog, Akiko crisscrosses the planet getting captured by various exotic cultures. The adventurers invariably escape and achieve their goals through a combination of spunk and luck. (Heavy emphasis on the luck.) Akiko's extended absences from Earth, by the way, are covered by a robotic doppelganger thoughtfully provided by her friends from Smoo.
Crilley's writing in AKIKO is brisk and humorous. Sure, the plots are simple and depend heavily on capricious turns of luck, but that suits the type of tales Crilley is telling. Once you understand the funky logic of Akiko's adventures, it's easy to suspend disbelief and simply let the torrent of action carry you along. Besides, Crilley is smart enough to reward the reader with plenty of dramatic revelations and thoughtful moments in order to prevent motion sickness. The best part of AKIKO is the character interaction. I'm particularly fond of the amusing personality clash between the over-the-top Spuckler and the head-buried-in-the-sand Mr. Beeba. I also like the innocent, oblivious hypocrisy of the supporting cast as they alternate between condescension and acquiescence toward Akiko, sometimes in the same breath.
I can almost justify purchasing AKIKO based solely on the pictures. While a Japanese manga influence is obvious, Crilley's linework is still very unique. His major strength is in distinctive character design. Akiko has big, black button eyes and a nub of a nose, while many of the side characters look like they've just stepped off the "Muppet Show." Crilley's monsters and alien critters are truly bizarre and wonderful. His spectacular sense of design is also showcased in elaborately detailed backgrounds. Castles, fortresses, ruins, villages, and vehicles are rendered with care rarely seen outside of such visual masterpieces as Dave Sim and Gerhard's CEREBUS (Aardvark-Vanaheim) or Katsuhiro Otomo's AKIRA (Epic/Marvel Comics). Though printed in black and white, Crilley adds incredible depth to AKIKO through masterful toning and shading. This guy has the complete package, folks.
I usually try to review only comics where I have read the entire series. In this case, however, the eleven issues of AKIKO I've read are so delightful I can't help but rush a recommendation, especially when so many of AKIKO's back issues will be available this month. I'll be ordering the ones I'm missing. I strongly suggest that you follow suit.
Grade: B
March 8, 2020
This is a charming indie comic from the 90s that is suitable for kids. It features a fourth grader named Akiko. She gets pulled into a fantasy world and goes on a quest with a cast of lovable characters. I don't know if this is still in print, but if you have young kids, they would probably enjoy this.
July 6, 2012
Comic books are often stereotyped as being for kids, so it's surprising how few children's stories are really made for the medium. From the few children's stories there are, finding something really good is almost impossible.
Akiko fills the gap beautifully. The word "whimsical" seems to have been made for it. Elementary school Akiko goes to the planet Smoo to have adventures with a small group of Smoovian companions (bookish, short-tempered Professor Beeba; wise but non-English speaking Poog; and soap-averse ne'er-do-well pilot Spuckler), which range from the fantastic to the romantic (Prince Froptoppit is possibly the cutest lovestruck hero to hit fiction other than Wall-E).
The art is cartooney enough to amuse, but rendered with such fine detail that browsing the fantastic creatures on each page makes a reader believe anything can happen.
The Menace of Alia Rellapor, in which Akiko and her band set out to save Prince Froptoppit from the evil Alia Rellapor, began Akiko's adventures. It's not a perfect story. Crilley was still getting his footing as an artist and storyteller, and sometimes shoved too much onto each page in his attempts to create excitement. However, the spark that made Akiko magic is in this book, and missing this would be like skipping early volumes of Calvin and Hobbes because Watterson took a few years to find his footing.
If you have imagination, if you have a sense of wonder, if you have a child by your side or inside you, Akiko has something for you. Probably a lot of somethings. Read it.
-Elizabeth Reuter
Author, The Demon of Renaissance Drive
Akiko fills the gap beautifully. The word "whimsical" seems to have been made for it. Elementary school Akiko goes to the planet Smoo to have adventures with a small group of Smoovian companions (bookish, short-tempered Professor Beeba; wise but non-English speaking Poog; and soap-averse ne'er-do-well pilot Spuckler), which range from the fantastic to the romantic (Prince Froptoppit is possibly the cutest lovestruck hero to hit fiction other than Wall-E).
The art is cartooney enough to amuse, but rendered with such fine detail that browsing the fantastic creatures on each page makes a reader believe anything can happen.
The Menace of Alia Rellapor, in which Akiko and her band set out to save Prince Froptoppit from the evil Alia Rellapor, began Akiko's adventures. It's not a perfect story. Crilley was still getting his footing as an artist and storyteller, and sometimes shoved too much onto each page in his attempts to create excitement. However, the spark that made Akiko magic is in this book, and missing this would be like skipping early volumes of Calvin and Hobbes because Watterson took a few years to find his footing.
If you have imagination, if you have a sense of wonder, if you have a child by your side or inside you, Akiko has something for you. Probably a lot of somethings. Read it.
-Elizabeth Reuter
Author, The Demon of Renaissance Drive
August 4, 2009
(rating: 5 of 5)
This is the first volume of an excellent graphic novel series for kids (but this Mom loved it too!) The hero is a butt-kicking 4th grade Japanese girl and she has a great supporting cast. Her wacky band of friends on the Planet Smoo provide a great opportunity for Mom to do silly voices as she reads aloud (the wicked Alia Rellapour is sooooooo totally Joan Collins!). There are also Sky Pirates, Insects of Unusual Size, and a scene-stealing tough-talking queen who is one inch tall but not to be messed-with.
Out of print, but definitely worth hunting down and sharing with your kids.
This is the first volume of an excellent graphic novel series for kids (but this Mom loved it too!) The hero is a butt-kicking 4th grade Japanese girl and she has a great supporting cast. Her wacky band of friends on the Planet Smoo provide a great opportunity for Mom to do silly voices as she reads aloud (the wicked Alia Rellapour is sooooooo totally Joan Collins!). There are also Sky Pirates, Insects of Unusual Size, and a scene-stealing tough-talking queen who is one inch tall but not to be messed-with.
Out of print, but definitely worth hunting down and sharing with your kids.
June 3, 2017
4.5 stars (and after multiple rereads, this book remains one of my "Go-To" comic reccs for kids, or adults who are kids at heart.)
I actually not only have the original graphic novels and individual comic issues, I had a second set of all 52 issues bound into 2 libary volumes for me to re-read with ease. (I uploaded some pics; sorry for the crappy quality- I'm a terrible photographer!)
Light hearted and entertaining, this book features a lovable band of beautifully-rendered, dynamic misfits who learn to love each other despite their differences, all while having fantastic adventures.
And the titular character is a great role model, who us tough and no nonsense: despite the fact that she's only in the 4th grade, she's clearly the level-headed leader of the party!
I actually not only have the original graphic novels and individual comic issues, I had a second set of all 52 issues bound into 2 libary volumes for me to re-read with ease. (I uploaded some pics; sorry for the crappy quality- I'm a terrible photographer!)
Light hearted and entertaining, this book features a lovable band of beautifully-rendered, dynamic misfits who learn to love each other despite their differences, all while having fantastic adventures.
And the titular character is a great role model, who us tough and no nonsense: despite the fact that she's only in the 4th grade, she's clearly the level-headed leader of the party!
March 4, 2009
we are looking for the conclusion to this one! Very cool and sweet.
September 25, 2024
As wonderfully charming and upbeat as twenty years ago - and Crilley’s elegant character work and sumptuous worlds are still as enchanting. But nothing stands out more than Akiko’s strong and plucky spirit. And of course poog.
February 19, 2018
Mr. Beebo is SO stressed out!
November 15, 2009
Read once before.
January 13, 2016
One of the few comics from the '90s that was actually appropriate for kids. A sort of spin on Wizard of Oz. Adorable.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews