Dragon Head 7
August 20, 2007
Now, this is the Dragon I prefer (context: I just reviewed a volume of Dragon Ball Z)! I really, really, really, really like this series. It seems to move at a snail’s pace, but it’s just so incredibly cool, and it succeeds as one of the finest horror manga I’ve ever read for being absolutely terrifying.
They clear the town finally, but not before the black cloud creeps up again. The story actually advances quite a bit after stalling the past few volumes, but now Ako is haunted by Dragon Head the same way Teru is haunted by Nobu. We also… FINALLY figure out what happened. I didn’t think that would ever happen, or if it did, it would be in the last volume. I had it pegged pretty accurately, down to the location, but there’s a chance what it appears to be isn’t the whole story either, so we’ll find out if it goes anywhere else.
Currently the gang is headed to Tokyo, and I think they’ll probably get there next volume unless there’s another layover.
There’s a double-page spread of only black pages used in this chapter. My roommate and I had a deep and thoroughly geeky discussion about when this is awesome and appropriate and when it is lazy. We both agreed it was very appropriate in Dragon Head. I also said it was appropriate at the end of Death Note, while he maintained that no Shounen Jump manga could ever do that and not be lazy. If anyone can do it, I think it’s Takeshi Obata, but he does have a point.
August 20, 2007 at 11:54 am
[...] 4 of Elemental Gelade, vol. 18 of Detective Conan, vol. 2 of Innocent Bird, vol. 23 of Dragon Ball, vol. 7 of Dragon Head, and vol. 3 of Flower of Life. Whew! Leroy Douresseaux reviews vol. 1 of Missing: Kamikakushi no [...]
August 20, 2007 at 4:27 pm
I totally agree about the 2 (well, nearly 4 if you count the pages before) pages of ALL BLACK. I found it REALLY, REALLY scary and upsetting in Dragon Head 7. It was a super-effective use of black space (full-bleed and all), and summoned up semi-Lovecraftian fears about the ancient world, subterranean depths and our innate helplessness in the dark.
so awesome