Shigeru Mizuki - Nonnonba

I got this book for Christmas off my brother and wasn't disapointed. I have also read his 'Onwards Towards our Noble Deaths' but the translation in this one was a lot better. It took me a few chapters to get into the book but then it all made perfect sense. The other book had so many characters that it was difficult to follow but this one only has a few, and they are a lot more distinctive.

Its the story of Shigeru as a young child growing up in the 1930's in rural Japan, and his elderly neighbour who he calls Nonnonba. She is always telling him stories about the yokai, which are ghosts and spirits. Its a pretty harsh world as kids are always dying from disease, and even being sold by impoverished parents. Shigeru is always drawing the yokai and trying to work out what they really look like so he can draw them better. His family are really well drawn, like his mother who is forever on about how her family used to be rich and have three storehouses, and his dad who was the first in the area to go to University and is a bit of a dreamer who wants to run a cinema. The kids fight all the time against neighbouring gangs in their 'kid army'. Its a really good read and is funny and sad. Highly recommended.

My Best of The Year List 2012

Here's my best of the year list from the Forbidden Planet Blog.

Here's the Cover for 'California - Part Two'

Here's the cover for 'California - Part Two'. It's all finished now. I'll bring it out in January.

A Row of Panels from Page Twenty Six of 'California 2'

Here's a row of panels from page twenty six of 'California 2'. Only a page and a hlaf to go now... I can't show a more exciting bit as I don't want to give the story away.

A Review of my Ice Cream

Here's a review of my ice cream from Matt Badham at the Forbidden Planet Blog. It's the first review of my ice cream! Once again though I have given out the wrong flavour, I must be more careful as this happens quite often...

A Bit from Page Eighteen of 'California - Part Two'

Here's a row of panels from page eighteen of 'California - part two'.

Comics in Shops

Last week I took some copies of 'California - part one', 'Segway' and 'It's a Man's Life in the Ice Cream Business - part one' to Travelling Man, Manchester if anyone wants to buy any.

'California - part two' is coming along. I'm up to page twenty so I'll draw some more next week and then do a bit of editing, there's a few things I want to change.

Reviews of 'California' and 'Segway'

Here's a great review of 'California - part one' and 'Segway' from Rob Clough at his High-Low blog. Thanks Rob!

I've got copies of these comics for sale in my website shop.

'California - Part One' Review

Here's a nice review of 'California - part one' from the Forbidden Planet Blog.