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Batman and the Justice League Manga #1
Batman & The Justice League T1
Gotham City est la ville avec le plus haut taux de criminalité du pays. Cela n'empêche pas Rui, un jeune japonais, de s'y rendre dans l'espoir de retrouver ses parents disparus. Mais à peine arrivé, il est attaqué par un policier devenu complètement fou. Malgré son talent pour le combat, Rui ne s'en serait pas sorti sans l'intervention de Batman. Le Chevalier Noir le met en garde... La ville est trop dangereuse pour lui... Sans compter que celui qui tire les fi celles n'est autre que le Joker ! Batman devra se faire aider pour faire revenir la paix sur Gotham City...
192 pages, Paperback
First published November 20, 2017
15 people are currently reading
1597 people want to read
About the author
Shiori Teshirogi
103 books74 followersShiori Teshirogi (手代木史織) is a japanese manga artist.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 116 reviews
October 11, 2018
A Japanese ninja kid goes to Gotham to investigate his parents’ deaths a year after they supposedly perished in a factory explosion (I’m guessing they shockingly somehow survived). Meanwhile Joker’s begun marketing an energy drink called Gaia Juice that turns the drinker mean - ooo, what a naughty ickle boy! Batman’s gotta etc.
Shiori Teshirogi’s Batman and the Justice League collects the first four chapters from the ongoing series appearing in the monthly Japanese magazine Red. And it’s terrible - this one’s basically for babies and the mentally feeble.
Our protagonist is bland and uninteresting and his quest is plain boring. The other characters are written in the most superficial way. For example, Joker’s motivations are 1) he’s insane and 2) all he cares about is power - it’s such a basic unimaginative interpretation, not to mention wrong. And that’s why no-one here is at all compelling when they act predictably within their very well-defined roles - ie. the goodies are good, the baddies are bad.
The story is chock-full of contrivances. Why is Joker allowed to sell this energy drink in the first place? What beef could Ocean Master possibly have with Batman? Why is any other superhero included - Superman, Wonder Woman - when they have nothing to do with anything? How did the kid manage to get a samurai sword aboard a commercial flight to America??
There’s no end to the stoopidity: the goddess stewing in the tank, Joker’s idiot plan, some rubbish about ley lines. Batman and Joker just look weird in the manga style - and it is drawn in that generic art style throughout.
The book ends abruptly too - who knows how many more volumes are gonna be cranked out but I’m done with this title after just one book. Awful dreck through and through, Batman and the Justice League is basically only for kids who are into anime and DC.
Shiori Teshirogi’s Batman and the Justice League collects the first four chapters from the ongoing series appearing in the monthly Japanese magazine Red. And it’s terrible - this one’s basically for babies and the mentally feeble.
Our protagonist is bland and uninteresting and his quest is plain boring. The other characters are written in the most superficial way. For example, Joker’s motivations are 1) he’s insane and 2) all he cares about is power - it’s such a basic unimaginative interpretation, not to mention wrong. And that’s why no-one here is at all compelling when they act predictably within their very well-defined roles - ie. the goodies are good, the baddies are bad.
The story is chock-full of contrivances. Why is Joker allowed to sell this energy drink in the first place? What beef could Ocean Master possibly have with Batman? Why is any other superhero included - Superman, Wonder Woman - when they have nothing to do with anything? How did the kid manage to get a samurai sword aboard a commercial flight to America??
There’s no end to the stoopidity: the goddess stewing in the tank, Joker’s idiot plan, some rubbish about ley lines. Batman and Joker just look weird in the manga style - and it is drawn in that generic art style throughout.
The book ends abruptly too - who knows how many more volumes are gonna be cranked out but I’m done with this title after just one book. Awful dreck through and through, Batman and the Justice League is basically only for kids who are into anime and DC.
October 19, 2021
"Ah, [looking] battered and bruised, and with a damsel in distress in your arms . . . another typical night, Master Wayne?" -- butler Alfred Pennyworth
"Right as usual, Alfred. This damsel is the key to [the Joker's] entire plan." -- Batman
The hook with this series - there are four volumes altogether - is that, although it is a Batman tale, said graphic novels are presented in the manga style ('Batmanga,' anyone?) AND it is to read in the Japanese manner from right to left, which took some getting used to at first. Also, the choice of title here is a bit inaccurate - while it would seem to indicate appearances by the 'JL' teammates, and DC's 'Trinity' even appear posed front and center on the cover - ONLY Batman and Superman are featured in this story. The plot: narrator/protagonist/audience surrogate Rui Aramiya, a kindly and un-streewise teenage ninja, travels from Japan to those mean streets of Gotham in the aftermath of his parents' supposed accidental deaths in that city. Rui's dual goal is to a.) investigate this suspicious matter and b.) meet with the legendary Dark Knight to request his assistance. It is soon revealed that Joker and Lex Luthor are in some diabolical cahoots with a standard villain scenario, and the story starts to build up before an abrupt 'to be continued' ending. So I'll chalk this up to an interesting concept that has me undecided whether or not to continue with the subsequent volumes.
"Right as usual, Alfred. This damsel is the key to [the Joker's] entire plan." -- Batman
The hook with this series - there are four volumes altogether - is that, although it is a Batman tale, said graphic novels are presented in the manga style ('Batmanga,' anyone?) AND it is to read in the Japanese manner from right to left, which took some getting used to at first. Also, the choice of title here is a bit inaccurate - while it would seem to indicate appearances by the 'JL' teammates, and DC's 'Trinity' even appear posed front and center on the cover - ONLY Batman and Superman are featured in this story. The plot: narrator/protagonist/audience surrogate Rui Aramiya, a kindly and un-streewise teenage ninja, travels from Japan to those mean streets of Gotham in the aftermath of his parents' supposed accidental deaths in that city. Rui's dual goal is to a.) investigate this suspicious matter and b.) meet with the legendary Dark Knight to request his assistance. It is soon revealed that Joker and Lex Luthor are in some diabolical cahoots with a standard villain scenario, and the story starts to build up before an abrupt 'to be continued' ending. So I'll chalk this up to an interesting concept that has me undecided whether or not to continue with the subsequent volumes.
November 1, 2018
A lot of people are going to like this solely because it was a Batman Manga, but the story was a bunch of nonsense. The Joker was selling an energy drink that made drinkers crazy which somehow allowed the Joker to somehow control ley lines. Lex Luthor is somehow involved in this too. And now Superman has ley line magic vision. Mixing magic in with these characters just doesn't work without any of DC's magic-based characters to be a gateway into that part of the DC universe. One of Superman's biggest weaknesses is magic. Both Batman and Luthor are science based. Why would any of these characters have anything to do with this "plot"? It makes zero sense, just like this book.
Received a review copy from DC and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned
Received a review copy from DC and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned
November 8, 2018
DC published a manga rendition of their superheroes. Yep, no way I wasn’t gonna check this out.
What’s it about?
A kid from Japan goes to Gotham looking for his missing parents. At the same time, Joker has made a beverage that is making people smiley and psychotic like him. Both of these stories connect and things get crazy.
Pros:
The characters are well done. The Japanese kid is interesting, I think there’s more to him than what is revealed in this volume. The manga renditions of the other Batman characters in this book are well written, especially Joker. I’m not a huge Joker fan myself (as in, I don’t dislike him but holy shit, he is overrated) but he 100% works as the weird, creepy manga villain type. Lex Luthor is well written here as well.
The artwork is well done. I will admit the character designs are strange but they’re easy to get used to and I understand what the artist is going for.
There’s quite a bit of action in this volume so I really enjoyed that. It’s the fun kind of superhero action fans of DC will want but with a cool manga spin on it so I like this book’s action and the book in general never gets boring.
So I mention it a lot in this review but it’s the main notable thing about this book, the manga style DC is something that I can’t help but love! As a fan of both superhero comics and manga, I enjoyed seeing that.
Cons:
The story is pretty dumb. It’s a bit wacky to be honest, a lot of it shows why I find Joker to be overrated.
This book is predictable. There are a couple of surprises but most of it is fairly obvious.
The dialogue is pretty bad. The way characters talk is just so cheesy.
This book is full of plot convenience. Like how the Japanese kid is It’s a bit ridiculous.
This is a minor complaint but I would have liked to see more of the Justice League, it’s mostly Batman other than stuff teasing the rest of the Justice League being in volume 2 and Superman’s quick appearance.
Overall:
It’s entertaining and I am interested in reading volume 2 if it shows up free via my local library or Hoopla but it’s very flawed. The novelty is fun but as a book in general, it’s not very good.
If you’re a fan of Batman and manga than this is worth checking out, I think fans of both will like seeing Batman done in this style.
If you aren’t a fan of manga, you’re more likely to just find this stupid and weird (especially if you don’t understand right-to-left reading).
(Yes, I know it says Viz, it’s just an example of how manga works)
If you aren’t a fan of Batman I wouldn’t recommend this because... well... it’s a Batman comic, there’s nothing about it that will really make this one more unique in terms of story or anything.
As a fan of both it’s fun but not much more so if you’re a fan of both, it’s worth checking out.
3/5
What’s it about?
A kid from Japan goes to Gotham looking for his missing parents. At the same time, Joker has made a beverage that is making people smiley and psychotic like him. Both of these stories connect and things get crazy.
Pros:
The characters are well done. The Japanese kid is interesting, I think there’s more to him than what is revealed in this volume. The manga renditions of the other Batman characters in this book are well written, especially Joker. I’m not a huge Joker fan myself (as in, I don’t dislike him but holy shit, he is overrated) but he 100% works as the weird, creepy manga villain type. Lex Luthor is well written here as well.
The artwork is well done. I will admit the character designs are strange but they’re easy to get used to and I understand what the artist is going for.
There’s quite a bit of action in this volume so I really enjoyed that. It’s the fun kind of superhero action fans of DC will want but with a cool manga spin on it so I like this book’s action and the book in general never gets boring.
So I mention it a lot in this review but it’s the main notable thing about this book, the manga style DC is something that I can’t help but love! As a fan of both superhero comics and manga, I enjoyed seeing that.
Cons:
The story is pretty dumb. It’s a bit wacky to be honest, a lot of it shows why I find Joker to be overrated.
This book is predictable. There are a couple of surprises but most of it is fairly obvious.
The dialogue is pretty bad. The way characters talk is just so cheesy.
This book is full of plot convenience. Like how the Japanese kid is It’s a bit ridiculous.
This is a minor complaint but I would have liked to see more of the Justice League, it’s mostly Batman other than stuff teasing the rest of the Justice League being in volume 2 and Superman’s quick appearance.
Overall:
It’s entertaining and I am interested in reading volume 2 if it shows up free via my local library or Hoopla but it’s very flawed. The novelty is fun but as a book in general, it’s not very good.
If you’re a fan of Batman and manga than this is worth checking out, I think fans of both will like seeing Batman done in this style.
If you aren’t a fan of manga, you’re more likely to just find this stupid and weird (especially if you don’t understand right-to-left reading).
(Yes, I know it says Viz, it’s just an example of how manga works)
If you aren’t a fan of Batman I wouldn’t recommend this because... well... it’s a Batman comic, there’s nothing about it that will really make this one more unique in terms of story or anything.
As a fan of both it’s fun but not much more so if you’re a fan of both, it’s worth checking out.
3/5
November 4, 2018
A young boy travels to Gotham City to find out what happened to his parents. Although he is a good fighter and a fighter for good, he doesn’t like violence.
Meanwhile Lex Luthor and the Joker ban together to use the ley lines to get more power. This brings Superman and Batman together to fight their evil. The rest of the Justice League will probably be needed.
The book is written in the manga format but sometimes the panels left the format and become difficult to follow. I’m sure the author will correct these small mistakes. Otherwise its an excellent story and I loved the art, Superman was way hot! 😊
Meanwhile Lex Luthor and the Joker ban together to use the ley lines to get more power. This brings Superman and Batman together to fight their evil. The rest of the Justice League will probably be needed.
The book is written in the manga format but sometimes the panels left the format and become difficult to follow. I’m sure the author will correct these small mistakes. Otherwise its an excellent story and I loved the art, Superman was way hot! 😊
June 7, 2019
It's more Manga than mainstream, and the mystical elements are ill-suited for the chosen villains, but the story itself is enjoyable.
October 1, 2018
ARC via Netgalley. I'm not quite sure what audience DC is hoping will read this, but as a person who reads both manga and DC comics, I didn't find it particularly engaging. I think it's possible that it would work as a gateway into American comics for manga fans (which seems like its original intent in the Japanese) as it does introduce the characters and concepts without any expectation of background knowledge. The plot follows Rui Amamiya, a Japanese boy with unknown supernatural powers who has traveled to Gotham City in search of his parents, and his newness to the scene serves as a convenient excuse for background infodumps. I do find it interesting that the author chose to explicitly set this story in the post-Jason, pre-Tim era -- possibly because it's the closest to the Nolan films in set-up, possibly to give our hero a Robin-shaped space to step into? The art was kind of jarring for me; I missed the color from comics but also some of the character designs felt off, specifically for Batman and Superman where there heads looked comically tiny compared to their massive chests. (That I will acknowledge is a frequent problem in comics as well.) Overall, I can see the value, and I would love to hear from the Naruto/Bleach/One Piece crowd about how they engaged with the material, but this wasn't for me.
September 28, 2021
(Source)
This had to be the blandest Batman story I have ever read. And after Batman: The Dark Prince Charming that's really saying something.
Meet the MC: a bland ass kid who comes to Gotham from Japan to find his parents who supposedly died in this explosion. Oh and he's the stereotypical naive, mentally feeble, yet semi-badass MC from most manga I read, unfortunately.
Of course, Batman had to be involved in this kid's story because-oh no!- Joker has this very mysterious and magical (?) Japanese lady imprisoned and is selling (somehow legally?) this strange juice that makes everyone go crazy. What a mystery!
Superman and Lex Luther are also in here because...?? I honestly have no idea. Lex and Joker use most of their page time to be the oh so amazing mustache twirling villains and to explain their evil plans in great detail while the heroes go: "oh no! What does he mean? What ever will we do?!" And so on...
Oh! Almost forgot to mention: Ocean Master is in here as well because....??? He looks cool on paper? Fuck it, at this point they could have Riddler show up and I wouldn't bat an eye.
The art in this ranges from amazing to everyone looks like a child, specifically the male characters. The females all look GREAT. Wonder Woman looks like a badass and Harley looked AMAZING, while the male characters look like 12 year olds without their costumes on. I seriously thought Clark was this random bystander kid until he ripped off his shirt revealing his Superman logo. WTF?
Ah whatever, I already wasted a library loan on this book, I don't wanna waste any more of my time. I would only recommend if you want a good laugh.
April 2, 2019
Great mashup - DC characters as anime!
September 5, 2018
Justice League done in a manga style? Yes, please!
A young boy from Japan comes to Gotham City looking for his missing parents, and becomes the unwitting victim of a devious plot involving the Joker. Only Batman and the Justice League can solve the mysteries of the boy's missing parents, and the enigmatic power leaking from magical ley lines around the globe.
I enjoyed reading this manga of the Justice League!
However, I didn't like some of the characters. Batman has never been my favorite, and I HATE the Joker. I can't even look at his ugly face. But I liked the story and the other characters. I would enjoy reading it more if it focused more on Superman, who is a favorite superhero of mine.
The artwork is wonderful and full of interesting angles! The black and white panels do a good job of keeping things clear, but some of the action scenes were too busy for the eye to make sense of what was happening in each panel. I mostly skipped over the fight scenes.
The plot kept me interested, and I especially loved the mystery of the missing parents, because it was heart-wrenching and emotional. I would like to read the rest of the volumes to find out what happens with those magical ley lines too.
Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
A young boy from Japan comes to Gotham City looking for his missing parents, and becomes the unwitting victim of a devious plot involving the Joker. Only Batman and the Justice League can solve the mysteries of the boy's missing parents, and the enigmatic power leaking from magical ley lines around the globe.
I enjoyed reading this manga of the Justice League!
However, I didn't like some of the characters. Batman has never been my favorite, and I HATE the Joker. I can't even look at his ugly face. But I liked the story and the other characters. I would enjoy reading it more if it focused more on Superman, who is a favorite superhero of mine.
The artwork is wonderful and full of interesting angles! The black and white panels do a good job of keeping things clear, but some of the action scenes were too busy for the eye to make sense of what was happening in each panel. I mostly skipped over the fight scenes.
The plot kept me interested, and I especially loved the mystery of the missing parents, because it was heart-wrenching and emotional. I would like to read the rest of the volumes to find out what happens with those magical ley lines too.
Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
October 18, 2024
My local used bookstore had this at a perfect price that curiosity won. The story sounded generic, and it was. It was fun seeing the characters in an anime set, but there wasn’t much here beyond that.
The main character is visiting Gotham from Japan, on a journey to track down his missing parents. The cab driver is so scared of Gotham, he won’t even drop the rider in town, instead letting what appears to be a defenseless foreigner who says his English isn’t great, off at a bridge that crosses into the city. 1/5 stars for the cab driver.
When he is immediately robbed, he turns out to be super badass but completely unwilling to fight. Also he somehow got a sword on a plane in his backpack, which he doesn’t use and begs the robbers not to take because it means a lot.
Batman battles The Joker, very typical dialogue.
The volume ends as soon as Superman and Wonder Woman are shown, but I can’t see so far how they’ll factor into this. I probably won’t as well, but I’ll likely google it to continue to satisfy my curiosity.
The main character is visiting Gotham from Japan, on a journey to track down his missing parents. The cab driver is so scared of Gotham, he won’t even drop the rider in town, instead letting what appears to be a defenseless foreigner who says his English isn’t great, off at a bridge that crosses into the city. 1/5 stars for the cab driver.
When he is immediately robbed, he turns out to be super badass but completely unwilling to fight. Also he somehow got a sword on a plane in his backpack, which he doesn’t use and begs the robbers not to take because it means a lot.
Batman battles The Joker, very typical dialogue.
The volume ends as soon as Superman and Wonder Woman are shown, but I can’t see so far how they’ll factor into this. I probably won’t as well, but I’ll likely google it to continue to satisfy my curiosity.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2023
I feel personally attacked because I think the author knows I have a thing for black hair….
All of the Justice League members (outside of Aquaman) have black hair…. You thought I fainted at the sight of Batman? Honey… Clark Kent showed up and I swooned in milliseconds.
Back to the plot lol. It’s good so far & im really interested in the next volumes (Vol. 2 is in my cart lol). Honestly, it’s super enjoyable and nothing gets a crack out of me more than when Alfred said, “Mister Superman” instead of “Mister Clark” / “Mister Kent”. 😂
All of the Justice League members (outside of Aquaman) have black hair…. You thought I fainted at the sight of Batman? Honey… Clark Kent showed up and I swooned in milliseconds.
Back to the plot lol. It’s good so far & im really interested in the next volumes (Vol. 2 is in my cart lol). Honestly, it’s super enjoyable and nothing gets a crack out of me more than when Alfred said, “Mister Superman” instead of “Mister Clark” / “Mister Kent”. 😂
January 19, 2025
It's an interesting mix of two worlds.
Teshirogi has a very unique art style that merges classic shonen elements with a slightly shojo style, i.e. masculine poses and paneling with femenine aesthetics. This works surprisingly well with the kind of story she's telling.
It's a classic Batman vs Joker tale with arresting fantasy twists and the added bonus of the rest of the Justice League showing up to up the ante.
Teshirogi has a very unique art style that merges classic shonen elements with a slightly shojo style, i.e. masculine poses and paneling with femenine aesthetics. This works surprisingly well with the kind of story she's telling.
It's a classic Batman vs Joker tale with arresting fantasy twists and the added bonus of the rest of the Justice League showing up to up the ante.
August 13, 2018
3 1/2 Stars.
Review to follow
Review to follow
March 2, 2020
I absolutely love the blend of taking an American comic and reimagining it into manga form. The storyline is great and I am looking forward to the next volume.
April 12, 2020
I can't even begin to describe how happy I am. A DC sanctioned manga? Hell. Yeah. Oh my gosh the art is amazing, I'm completely blown away. This might be the best thing ever.
December 21, 2018
A DC-Manga Gateway For Young Readers
Not a great deal stuck with me following my finishing of this one. I was originally quite excited by the idea of the Justice League interpreted in the manga style, after all, Marvel’s Manga-verse went down pretty well within my purview, however, I was somewhat let down. I liked the artwork even if I thought the characters themselves looked … strange, in this style.
The story was fairly basic and easy to follow and I liked that it was told from a young person’s perspective but as a fairly new reader of Manga, a common theme I’ve seen in the few books I’ve read have moral grey areas? This book very much stuck to the clearly defined ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’, there was no ambiguity or depth, it just was.
This key aspect is what marked the book as clearly for a younger audience and I personally think if you know a very young person, aged 6 to perhaps 10, who liked comics but wanted to try out manga (or vice versa) or liked anime and superhero movies and you wanted to encourage them to read more, this would likely be a great book to start on (or, you know, Marvel Manga-verse). It has all the big JLA players, the Joker and a little kid who can get a samurai sword through airport security – what else would a kid need?
...
To read my full review visit my blog, Bloodthirsty Little Beasts.
I received a copy of this book from DC Comics via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Not a great deal stuck with me following my finishing of this one. I was originally quite excited by the idea of the Justice League interpreted in the manga style, after all, Marvel’s Manga-verse went down pretty well within my purview, however, I was somewhat let down. I liked the artwork even if I thought the characters themselves looked … strange, in this style.
The story was fairly basic and easy to follow and I liked that it was told from a young person’s perspective but as a fairly new reader of Manga, a common theme I’ve seen in the few books I’ve read have moral grey areas? This book very much stuck to the clearly defined ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’, there was no ambiguity or depth, it just was.
This key aspect is what marked the book as clearly for a younger audience and I personally think if you know a very young person, aged 6 to perhaps 10, who liked comics but wanted to try out manga (or vice versa) or liked anime and superhero movies and you wanted to encourage them to read more, this would likely be a great book to start on (or, you know, Marvel Manga-verse). It has all the big JLA players, the Joker and a little kid who can get a samurai sword through airport security – what else would a kid need?
...
To read my full review visit my blog, Bloodthirsty Little Beasts.
I received a copy of this book from DC Comics via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2018
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
3/5 stars.
Considering this world and the characters coming from this world are coming from an american comics format transforming into manga is quite a different approach. I liked the art style for the most part but, there were a few hiccups here and there they I felt pulled me out of the story, I think my bias was from not seeing these characters portrayed in this style before but it was well done.
The story line we follow merges Batman and Superman when the Joker teams up with Lex Luthor in Gotham city to 'play' with ley lines. The story felt very in character except for the Jokers part in it as I believed he would react in different ways.
Overall it was a fun, fast read but I wasn't enthralled to keep reading.
3/5 stars.
Considering this world and the characters coming from this world are coming from an american comics format transforming into manga is quite a different approach. I liked the art style for the most part but, there were a few hiccups here and there they I felt pulled me out of the story, I think my bias was from not seeing these characters portrayed in this style before but it was well done.
The story line we follow merges Batman and Superman when the Joker teams up with Lex Luthor in Gotham city to 'play' with ley lines. The story felt very in character except for the Jokers part in it as I believed he would react in different ways.
Overall it was a fun, fast read but I wasn't enthralled to keep reading.
August 27, 2018
Eu tinha grande expectativa para ver esse mangá desde o anúncio do Levi na ComicconRS. A capa é bonita e a arte, bacana. Infelizmente a história é fraca e o personagem de ligação entre a cultura japonesa e a Liga é ruim. Situações mal escritas, a história é jogada. No quarto final melhora um pouco quando surge o Mestre dos Oceanos atacando Gotham. Estou pensando se vale a pena comprar a continuação e dar uma segunda chance. Uma decepção.
March 26, 2022
I've never both hated and loved a manga more than this one.
Was it the hilarious story of a Japanese kid using ninja techniques in Gotham? Yes.
Was it the questionable anatomy and design of the characters? Absolutely.
Was it so bad it was good? The jury is still out on that.
Was it the hilarious story of a Japanese kid using ninja techniques in Gotham? Yes.
Was it the questionable anatomy and design of the characters? Absolutely.
Was it so bad it was good? The jury is still out on that.
December 28, 2018
সাধুবাদ জানালাম।
January 2, 2024
Typical storyline. No surprises or anything new so far.
If you wanted to see the Justice League twink-ified this is the book for you. Wonder Woman is hot as always.
If you wanted to see the Justice League twink-ified this is the book for you. Wonder Woman is hot as always.
January 9, 2026
the character designs are so cool
October 29, 2018
A solid start that sets up some future story threads with potential. I hope the other members of the justice League play a bigger part in the next part.
April 10, 2020
This manga is a bit of an odd breed. Not for bringing in this kid and have him be in the story with the Justice League, the odd thing is that this kid from Japan does not know about Gotham City. After all, he did come to America to search for his parents and this did lead him straight to Gotham and didn't he look it up? This is a crime ridden city, possibly the most crime ridden, so why does he have no information?
That the kid is some Ninja of sorts was also pretty damn clear from the start. Maybe that is not what he was supposed to be, but it is quite close to it.
And the almost bishonen faces work with Wonder Woman as she is female, kind of with Batman because of the mask, but this boyish looking face just doesn't fit Superman in my mind, he has way too many muscles for that. And all these muscles look odd on his way too long legs and arms, and his head looks way too small, giving him an almost freakish experience.
And strangely, not only is Gotham City unknown to our protagonist, but so are the superheroes, which is especially odd, as his tourist guide showed an advertisement for Superman and Metropolis, and Batman is unknown in Japan? And the Justice League apparently saved the world several times and yet they are unknown to him?
But despite these oddities, the familiar characters that we do meet, Batman, Superman, Joker, Alfred, seem to be accurately captured. So the author did do his homework. However, the way the Joker adressed Batman as his archenemy, makes it sound as if this comic is supposed to be some introduction to this world. On the other hand, this does include the death of Jason Todd, which is however not given the time it needs to have an impact on new readers unfamiliar with the story. So, it is kind of mixed as to what this is. On the one hand the manga is written as an introduction, on the other it is written as if for people being familiar with this universe and these characters.
I am also not quite sure how some of this here works. You see, if the Gaia juice does extract information from the people of Gotham, why does it make them more aggressive as well? How is one connected to the other?
And why does the protagonist tell others over and other that he is Japanese? What is it with this author and having the boy say that he is Japanese all this time? And not just that, but there is this demon/god guy called Akuro-Ro and the Joker's statement that the japanese have always been a self-sacrificing people (his examples are human sacrifice and kamikaze attacks). Is this parody or nationalism? And keep in mind, this is not the only example. We get told by Gordon that Rui (the protagonist) is not very reserved for a Japanese, and Bruce talks about the famous politeness of the Japanese when Rui is polite. Does the author has to compensate for something? Because, that is not normal. I read tons of Japanese Manga and no one talks like this, so why does the author write her characters this way?
Not to mention, that I have seen countless examples were stereotyping like this was considered racist over here, but yet when this Japanese author does it, it is totally ok?
Compared to this, Luthor just telling Rui his world reforging plan (the whole ideal world thing) and Rui being mentally and genetically superior to his mother and so will be the perfect vessel for the information of the ley lines sounds almost sane and mundane.
In the end, the story was not just odd to me, but did not manage to wake my interest at all.
That interview with the author did not help at all. I wish I could have gotten an explanation from her as to why she had all these Japanese remarks in here, but I got nothing.
And one thing I forgot: Why can Superman's x-ray make him see ley lines? If he can see them, shouldn't everyone be able to detect them with x-rays or other equipment?
That the kid is some Ninja of sorts was also pretty damn clear from the start. Maybe that is not what he was supposed to be, but it is quite close to it.
And the almost bishonen faces work with Wonder Woman as she is female, kind of with Batman because of the mask, but this boyish looking face just doesn't fit Superman in my mind, he has way too many muscles for that. And all these muscles look odd on his way too long legs and arms, and his head looks way too small, giving him an almost freakish experience.
And strangely, not only is Gotham City unknown to our protagonist, but so are the superheroes, which is especially odd, as his tourist guide showed an advertisement for Superman and Metropolis, and Batman is unknown in Japan? And the Justice League apparently saved the world several times and yet they are unknown to him?
But despite these oddities, the familiar characters that we do meet, Batman, Superman, Joker, Alfred, seem to be accurately captured. So the author did do his homework. However, the way the Joker adressed Batman as his archenemy, makes it sound as if this comic is supposed to be some introduction to this world. On the other hand, this does include the death of Jason Todd, which is however not given the time it needs to have an impact on new readers unfamiliar with the story. So, it is kind of mixed as to what this is. On the one hand the manga is written as an introduction, on the other it is written as if for people being familiar with this universe and these characters.
I am also not quite sure how some of this here works. You see, if the Gaia juice does extract information from the people of Gotham, why does it make them more aggressive as well? How is one connected to the other?
And why does the protagonist tell others over and other that he is Japanese? What is it with this author and having the boy say that he is Japanese all this time? And not just that, but there is this demon/god guy called Akuro-Ro and the Joker's statement that the japanese have always been a self-sacrificing people (his examples are human sacrifice and kamikaze attacks). Is this parody or nationalism? And keep in mind, this is not the only example. We get told by Gordon that Rui (the protagonist) is not very reserved for a Japanese, and Bruce talks about the famous politeness of the Japanese when Rui is polite. Does the author has to compensate for something? Because, that is not normal. I read tons of Japanese Manga and no one talks like this, so why does the author write her characters this way?
Not to mention, that I have seen countless examples were stereotyping like this was considered racist over here, but yet when this Japanese author does it, it is totally ok?
Compared to this, Luthor just telling Rui his world reforging plan (the whole ideal world thing) and Rui being mentally and genetically superior to his mother and so will be the perfect vessel for the information of the ley lines sounds almost sane and mundane.
In the end, the story was not just odd to me, but did not manage to wake my interest at all.
That interview with the author did not help at all. I wish I could have gotten an explanation from her as to why she had all these Japanese remarks in here, but I got nothing.
And one thing I forgot: Why can Superman's x-ray make him see ley lines? If he can see them, shouldn't everyone be able to detect them with x-rays or other equipment?
October 6, 2018
*I received this as an ARC through NetGalley. My opinions are all my own and are not influenced in anyway*
I loved this American Manga version.
I do not read comics/graphic novels/manga regularly but I am trying to "catch up" on it all since our Teen Population here at my work place LOVE manga. The Artwork was amazing. Again, I am not fully versed in the various types etc, so I don't have the educated mindset on the topic to completely judge it "accurately" .
The story-line flowed well, the sketch-work was amazing, and I am excited to read the next installment of the series.
I loved this American Manga version.
I do not read comics/graphic novels/manga regularly but I am trying to "catch up" on it all since our Teen Population here at my work place LOVE manga. The Artwork was amazing. Again, I am not fully versed in the various types etc, so I don't have the educated mindset on the topic to completely judge it "accurately" .
The story-line flowed well, the sketch-work was amazing, and I am excited to read the next installment of the series.
October 24, 2018
Batman and the Justice League Vol 1 has Batman, Superman, the Joker and Lex Luthor set in a Japanese manga-style plot.
A young Japanese man, Rui, goes to Gotham City to find his missing parents. His cab driver, in a VW bug (?), warns him of the city’s high crime rate and drops him off at the edge of the city. When beset with corrupt police, Rui uses his ninja-like skills to defend himself but refuses to kill. Batman rescues him. Commissioner Gordon tells Rui to leave town but he refuses. Run-ins with DC heroes and villains ensue.
Merging my two favorite graphic novel styles—manga and comics—was great fun! It took me a minute to realize that the book reads front to back (like comics) but each page reads right to left (like manga). In addition, the plot was altered slightly because it was originally written for a Japanese audience. The Joker’s new sidekick is a Japanese goddess/demon called Akurou. Using a Japanese hero, Rui, is brilliant. The fish out of water outsider viewpoint works well to emphasize new points of the Batman and Justice League’s story. The artwork also merges manga-style for Rui but only manga-style hair for the American characters though they all look much younger than they are usually portrayed in the comics.
The merging of the two styles makes Batman and the Justice League Vol 1 a great choice for both manga and comics readers. I loved it! 5 stars!
Thanks to DC Comics and NetGalley for an advance copy.
A young Japanese man, Rui, goes to Gotham City to find his missing parents. His cab driver, in a VW bug (?), warns him of the city’s high crime rate and drops him off at the edge of the city. When beset with corrupt police, Rui uses his ninja-like skills to defend himself but refuses to kill. Batman rescues him. Commissioner Gordon tells Rui to leave town but he refuses. Run-ins with DC heroes and villains ensue.
Merging my two favorite graphic novel styles—manga and comics—was great fun! It took me a minute to realize that the book reads front to back (like comics) but each page reads right to left (like manga). In addition, the plot was altered slightly because it was originally written for a Japanese audience. The Joker’s new sidekick is a Japanese goddess/demon called Akurou. Using a Japanese hero, Rui, is brilliant. The fish out of water outsider viewpoint works well to emphasize new points of the Batman and Justice League’s story. The artwork also merges manga-style for Rui but only manga-style hair for the American characters though they all look much younger than they are usually portrayed in the comics.
The merging of the two styles makes Batman and the Justice League Vol 1 a great choice for both manga and comics readers. I loved it! 5 stars!
Thanks to DC Comics and NetGalley for an advance copy.
December 28, 2020
My sister got me a Justice League manga for Christmas, which I didn’t even know existed, and was ready to laugh how goofy and bizarre it would be. Except I’m three chapters in and it’s actually pretty good. Apparently it just came out this year and is ongoing in Japan.
The premise is kind of weird and everyone talks like they’re in a melodramatic shonen anime, but other than that all the characters so far have been faithful recreations. The story is even set in comic continuity, taking place soon after Death in the Family.
As hilarious as it is that the art accompanying Luthor’s speech about how great he is displays a human brain in gift wrapping with a bow, I absolutely believe that it was Lex Luthor in that scene. As both a comic and a manga nerd, I’m genuinely impressed.
I expected a half baked cash grab coasting on name recognition, but this is actually a decent bridge between mediums that is accessible to newcomers from either manga or comics. It does exactly what it sets out to do.
The author is clearly a fan of the comics these characters are from, even if she chooses to draw men a lot more lithe than Americans do, and I can easily see this manga getting people curious enough to check out other stories.
Update: Finished volume 1 and am interested in reading 2 to see what happens next. It’s a slow pace with surprisingly little action, but is progressing naturally towards a logical climax as it gradually introduces the characters.
The premise is kind of weird and everyone talks like they’re in a melodramatic shonen anime, but other than that all the characters so far have been faithful recreations. The story is even set in comic continuity, taking place soon after Death in the Family.
As hilarious as it is that the art accompanying Luthor’s speech about how great he is displays a human brain in gift wrapping with a bow, I absolutely believe that it was Lex Luthor in that scene. As both a comic and a manga nerd, I’m genuinely impressed.
I expected a half baked cash grab coasting on name recognition, but this is actually a decent bridge between mediums that is accessible to newcomers from either manga or comics. It does exactly what it sets out to do.
The author is clearly a fan of the comics these characters are from, even if she chooses to draw men a lot more lithe than Americans do, and I can easily see this manga getting people curious enough to check out other stories.
Update: Finished volume 1 and am interested in reading 2 to see what happens next. It’s a slow pace with surprisingly little action, but is progressing naturally towards a logical climax as it gradually introduces the characters.
December 19, 2019
In classic manga style, the story has a slow build-up and ends leaving you wanting more!
Shiori really took her time writing the plot and developing the world in which this version of the Justice League exists. From the beginning there was a good blend of Japanese and American culture. You can see this specifically in the character development of Rui, as he travels to Gotham to find his parents.
I love that Shiori does not try to throw all the members of the Justice league at the reader in the first volume. There is a good balance of introducing the primary heroes and their arch nemesis. The reader gets a feel for Batman's backstory and Superman's role in this universe.
I have never read any DC comics so all my knowledge really comes from the TV series and movies. Regardless of my lack of understanding of the classic comics, I really enjoyed this first volume! The manga format definitely makes me bias.
Shiori really took her time writing the plot and developing the world in which this version of the Justice League exists. From the beginning there was a good blend of Japanese and American culture. You can see this specifically in the character development of Rui, as he travels to Gotham to find his parents.
I love that Shiori does not try to throw all the members of the Justice league at the reader in the first volume. There is a good balance of introducing the primary heroes and their arch nemesis. The reader gets a feel for Batman's backstory and Superman's role in this universe.
I have never read any DC comics so all my knowledge really comes from the TV series and movies. Regardless of my lack of understanding of the classic comics, I really enjoyed this first volume! The manga format definitely makes me bias.
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