Nextworld, Vol. 2

Nextworld #2

by Osamu Tezuka

From the creator of Astro Boy and Metropolis, comes Nextworld part of Osamu Tezuka's cycle of original science-fiction graphic novels - including Lost World and Metropolis - published in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Fumoon, a creature with supernatural powers, discovers a colossal gas cloud approaching Earth that will completely disintegrate the planet! In preparation for our world's demise, Fumoon plans to rescue all of Earth's living creatures and transport them via flying saucer to a new home on another planet! A dazzling work of imagination - and guest-starring some friends you may recognize from Astro Boy - Nextworld is timeless graphic fiction from one of the medium's true masters, available for the first time in an English-language edition. Translation by Kumar Sivasubramanian (Metropolis, Lost World).

Genres: Manga, Comics, Science Fiction, Fiction

152 pages, Paperback

First published March 24, 1978

About the author

Dr. Osamu Tezuka (手塚治虫) was a Japanese manga artist, animator, producer and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion. He is often credited as the "Father of Anime", and is often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, who served as a major inspiration during his formative years. His prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such titles as "the father of manga" and "the God of Manga."

Reviews

[Gabriel Benitez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Next World, más larga que las demás, es también un poco más compleja en cuestión de que la narración, aunque lineal, cuenta con más hilos de historias que se tejen alrededor de la cuestión principal: primero el descubrimiento de una especie de nueva humanidad, una guerra entre dos superpotencias mundiales, después, la amenaza de estas criaturas superiores hacia nuestra especie y finalmente el descubrimiento de un desastre cósmico de grandes proporciones que amenaza con destruir a todo el planeta. Lo interesante es que aquí, la humanidad, hace todo lo posible por demostrar que merece ser destruida: ambición, poder y dinero, viejas amigas del diablo y de nosotros, son figuras presentes en la historia y nos hacen reflexionar sobre lo absurdo de nuestro proceder en nuestro propio planeta.
Finalmente, es interesante notar como la imagen de los ovnis y los extraterrestres que tenemos hoy en día, se representan también en esta obra, lo que indica que ya había todo un bagaje cultural al respecto de donde provienen esta mitología.

[Turniphead · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second part flows better than the first part. Cocoa's character development was kind of shallow and I wish that Poponya had a bit more depth, but it reminded me that I like sci fi comics, mainly from him. The more modern day Noah's Ark concept was really cool to me and I rlly liked the vibes altho I still wish there was more from what had been cut.

[ComicNerdSam · Rating 3 out of 5]

An early effort by Tezuka to reach for something higher. Has the same issues as most of his early work, but it also features and ending that I liked a lot.

[Aurora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is this about the same thing that the first one was about? This one I could kind of follow. Well, not really all the characters. But the story sort of made sense, and had an ending I liked. It's sorta worth looking at just because the art is so surprisingly sucky.