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· 119 ratings · 19 reviews
Start your review of Me and the Devil Blues: The Unreal Life of Robert Johnson, Volume 2
The things about Volume 1 that drew me in - the blues, biographical elements of Robert Johnson's life, and a smidgen of historicity - are barely present in Volume 2, which devotes itself entirely to RJ and Clyde's struggle to escape from Mr. McDonald's creepy little town.This change in focus is common in long-running manga series, but becomes even more frustrating because the original effort appeared to be a genuine attempt to tell a (fictionalized) version of Robert Johnson's life and career as
The things about Volume 1 that drew me in - the blues, biographical elements of Robert Johnson's life, and a smidgen of historicity - are barely present in Volume 2, which devotes itself entirely to RJ and Clyde's struggle to escape from Mr. McDonald's creepy little town.This change in focus is common in long-running manga series, but becomes even more frustrating because the original effort appeared to be a genuine attempt to tell a (fictionalized) version of Robert Johnson's life and career as a bluesman. In this volume, he remains a second banana to (an even more fictionalized) Clyde Barrow.
The artwork continues to be great, and the writing is at times brilliant; however, violence seems to occupy a good third of the book, leaving little room for actual character development and dialogue. Without spoiling anything, I can also say that the horror element is more present in this volume.
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This series just gets more and more interesting as it progresses. It also, naturally, strays further and further away from the historical aspect of Johnson's life, but that's all part of the fun. If fun is the right way to describe a gritty, violent story set in the virulently racist deep south of the 1930's. But then, that's the reality creeping back in. The setting is completely believable, the characters are, for the most part, actual personages from Johnson's life and the mythos of Johnson's This series just gets more and more interesting as it progresses. It also, naturally, strays further and further away from the historical aspect of Johnson's life, but that's all part of the fun. If fun is the right way to describe a gritty, violent story set in the virulently racist deep south of the 1930's. But then, that's the reality creeping back in. The setting is completely believable, the characters are, for the most part, actual personages from Johnson's life and the mythos of Johnson's craft is used so cleverly that the fantastical elements of the story become believable too. I've never read a manga set in America, let alone a historical period with a character that may not even be fully understood in Japanese culture. Fascinating. ...more
For the first quarter of this graphic novel, it was on course for a four-star rating. Akira Hiramoto's artwork was emotive and breathtaking, as always, but the plot was taking too long to get moving. Once the story arc kicked in, however, things began rocketing along at breakneck pace, with hellhounds and lynch mobs pursuing bluesman RJ, the book's main character. The quality of storytelling and artwork throughout is faultless. Truly great books leave you wanting more, which was indeed the case For the first quarter of this graphic novel, it was on course for a four-star rating. Akira Hiramoto's artwork was emotive and breathtaking, as always, but the plot was taking too long to get moving. Once the story arc kicked in, however, things began rocketing along at breakneck pace, with hellhounds and lynch mobs pursuing bluesman RJ, the book's main character. The quality of storytelling and artwork throughout is faultless. Truly great books leave you wanting more, which was indeed the case here. The tension has built to an almost unbearable level. I can barely handle the wait for volume three. ...more
The continuation of RJ and Clyde stuck in a town with a very dark secret. Artwork is still great, story line is ok. I just wish there was more story line about RJ. Still interesting enough. Looking forward to book three to see how it is all concluded.
The art and storytelling of RJ is completely amazing and keeps you reading
The talk on places like Amazon and etc was that this doesn't live up to volume one, and that certainly seems true. I think I'll try to write about this, probably for guttergeek, because there's a lot in it, but most of the notable material is in the first omnibus volume.This whole volume is given over to developing the story with Mr Anderson and the dry town he watches over. What started out as a sort of picaresque through the rural south gets seriously slowed down in this volume, and Hiramoto s
The talk on places like Amazon and etc was that this doesn't live up to volume one, and that certainly seems true. I think I'll try to write about this, probably for guttergeek, because there's a lot in it, but most of the notable material is in the first omnibus volume.This whole volume is given over to developing the story with Mr Anderson and the dry town he watches over. What started out as a sort of picaresque through the rural south gets seriously slowed down in this volume, and Hiramoto seems to lose track of what's really most interesting about this story. It feels, alternately, like a lot of padding in this volume, or else he's really taken with this story that doesn't seem all that close to the core thematic material of the book-- something along the lines of whether the blues is technique or something inside, or maybe an exploration of criminality v. race.
The art is also pretty ropey here, where it just looks underdone at times, revealing what might be the photoreference underneath the layouts? It's hard to say. But a really surprisingly disappointing follow-up to an introductory volume that was pulpy but had lots of promise and with craft chops to burn. And it looks like we won't see volume three, which maybe is for the best.
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i thought the first volume was bizarre. i was wrong. volume two is truly bizarre. set almost completely in the white world, the plot involves RJ very little. the sick southern town starts festering and secrets start coming out. secrets i still don't completely comprehend. whatever quirks the plot might take, the art is amazing with interesting perspectives and artful shading. the panels are frequently awesomely arrayed.why this series hasn't gotten more acclaim perplexes me. although the crazy c
i thought the first volume was bizarre. i was wrong. volume two is truly bizarre. set almost completely in the white world, the plot involves RJ very little. the sick southern town starts festering and secrets start coming out. secrets i still don't completely comprehend. whatever quirks the plot might take, the art is amazing with interesting perspectives and artful shading. the panels are frequently awesomely arrayed.why this series hasn't gotten more acclaim perplexes me. although the crazy cover of this volume doesn't help. i think perhaps it's stuck between genres. manga readers in the US wouldn't necessarily like it. graphic novel readers might be turned off by the right-to-left orientation. blues lovers might be off-put by the historical fantasia. i'm interested to see if the series will continue.
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Je n'avais pas encore fait le lien entre Clyde du manga et le "légendaire" Clyde, mais maintenant si.
Que dire de ce deuxième tome ? Bah, rien de spécial. A part que toute cette histoire est très étrange.. RJ a 10 doigts à la main droite ? o_O J'ai envie de dire "WTF ?!"
En tout cas, il me semble qu'on a la base (le début quoi) d'une amitié entre Clyde & RJ (sinon il ne serait pas aller le chercher) chose incroyable pour l'époque de l'histoire du manga.
Là, encore, c'est une des choses que j'aime Je n'avais pas encore fait le lien entre Clyde du manga et le "légendaire" Clyde, mais maintenant si.
Que dire de ce deuxième tome ? Bah, rien de spécial. A part que toute cette histoire est très étrange.. RJ a 10 doigts à la main droite ? o_O J'ai envie de dire "WTF ?!"
En tout cas, il me semble qu'on a la base (le début quoi) d'une amitié entre Clyde & RJ (sinon il ne serait pas aller le chercher) chose incroyable pour l'époque de l'histoire du manga.
Là, encore, c'est une des choses que j'aime dans ce manga: on nous présente l'Amérique (ou plus précisément les Etats-Unis) des années 20-30. Et on n'en a pas "le droit" souvent :D ...more
Well, although I thought the first volume was ok, the series kind of jumped the shark in the second. This one is waaaaay too into itself as some kind of hyperstylized action movie with close-up after close-up of people's bulging eyes and a lot of hinting around to establish a general atmosphere of evil and menace (even going so far as to include cliche of cliches child sexual abuse), but there's nothing really going on underneath all of that. Well, although I thought the first volume was ok, the series kind of jumped the shark in the second. This one is waaaaay too into itself as some kind of hyperstylized action movie with close-up after close-up of people's bulging eyes and a lot of hinting around to establish a general atmosphere of evil and menace (even going so far as to include cliche of cliches child sexual abuse), but there's nothing really going on underneath all of that. ...more
I wondered where things would go from the first book and .. never would have thought of all this. I enjoyed it thoroughly, but as the remaining pages dwindled I kept wondering how it could possibly reach a satisfying conclusion. Then the final page and the "to be continued..." Grrr... slightly disappointed since I can't find any more of them out there. But hopeful that the next one(s) will be just as good if/when they materialize! I wondered where things would go from the first book and .. never would have thought of all this. I enjoyed it thoroughly, but as the remaining pages dwindled I kept wondering how it could possibly reach a satisfying conclusion. Then the final page and the "to be continued..." Grrr... slightly disappointed since I can't find any more of them out there. But hopeful that the next one(s) will be just as good if/when they materialize! ...more
This is excellent! Even better than book one. It explores the darkest aspects of American society: racism, greed, violence, and warped morality. BUT, I did not know that there are still two more books in this series and that they have not been translated yet! DAMN IT!!! That's why I'm giving it four stars rather than five. I'm annoyed that I have to wait, and so like the mature adult that I am, I'm throwing a tantrum. This is excellent! Even better than book one. It explores the darkest aspects of American society: racism, greed, violence, and warped morality. BUT, I did not know that there are still two more books in this series and that they have not been translated yet! DAMN IT!!! That's why I'm giving it four stars rather than five. I'm annoyed that I have to wait, and so like the mature adult that I am, I'm throwing a tantrum. ...more
Vaikka sivut kääntyvät ihan kivuttomasti, niin suuret odotukset eivät täyty toisessakaan osassa. Lisäksi on syytä tiedostaa, että tarina jää pahemman kerran kesken, sillä sarjakuvan julkaiseminen lopetettiin kai kaupallisista syistä tähän. Ei siis jatkoon.
I really liked the first volume of this series, but the second seemed to lose its focus completely. Unfortunately, just as it starts to get back to talking about The Blues, the book ends, and it doesn't look like volume three is going to be published in the US. Oh well. I really liked the first volume of this series, but the second seemed to lose its focus completely. Unfortunately, just as it starts to get back to talking about The Blues, the book ends, and it doesn't look like volume three is going to be published in the US. Oh well. ...more
Extremely violent, gorgeous artwork and engrossing storyline. My only question is - when is &*$ v.3 coming out? I hate it when they leave you hanging. I couldn't find anything about when the third volume will be published in the U.S. Extremely violent, gorgeous artwork and engrossing storyline. My only question is - when is &*$ v.3 coming out? I hate it when they leave you hanging. I couldn't find anything about when the third volume will be published in the U.S. ...more
Great transition from Book 1 into Book 3.
This volume is better than the last... but still not fully developed. I was hoping for more of a blues story and less of a bizarre alt-history adventure.
Perhaps this volume should have been called the "Unreal life of Clyde Barrow?" Very little Blues or Robert Johnson in it at all... still a good comic. Fun to read right to left for a change. Perhaps this volume should have been called the "Unreal life of Clyde Barrow?" Very little Blues or Robert Johnson in it at all... still a good comic. Fun to read right to left for a change. ...more
Very little about RJ, or Clyde. The book was dominated by the town, Mr. McDonald and RJ and Clyde being chased by dogs. Even the art was less impressive. 7/19/09
AKA 平本アキラBorn in 1976.
Debuted in 1995 with "Sono Tomodachi ni Gimon Ari" story in Weekly Young Magazine under pen name Hiramoto Akira (平本明).
AKA 平本アキラBorn in 1976.
Debuted in 1995 with "Sono Tomodachi ni Gimon Ari" story in Weekly Young Magazine under pen name Hiramoto Akira (平本明).
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