Pulp (Vol. 6)

    (Viz, 2002)
TM and (c) Viz Communications, Inc.

Pulp is a huge anthology of comics for adults, direct from Japan. (A distinction must be drawn between “comics for adults” and “adult comics” equated with porn, which this is not.) The comics in Pulp are representative of a number of genres, most of which are truly cutting-edge. There are seven serialized features, some of which are quite far along (“Banana Fish” is up to Chapter 52; “Dance till Tomorrow” is up to Part 67). But have no fear, the contents page brings new readers up to speed.

Usamaru Furuya’s “Short Cuts,” while entertaining, does not reach the level of edginess and surrealism that the strip normally achieves. (Cut 18 is downright sappy.) Takekuma and Aihara’s “Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga,” a series of faux lessons for aspiring artists, provides plenty of laughs with its lessons on psychic manga and PR manga.

“Cinderella” by Junko Mizuno is a hallucinogenic fairy tale. “Uzumaki” by Junji Ito is a tale of horror. “Dance till Tomorrow” is a soap opera. There are straight tales and twisted tales, crime and drama, romance and terror, comedy and fantasy.

On top of all that, Pulp has reviews of film and manga plus an interview with anime director Kazuya Tsurumaki.

With a giant page count and so many styles of manga to choose from, the reader just can’t go wrong.

— Jack Abramowitz
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#3 (FLCL cover feature)

March, 2002
Cover Price: $5.95
1 copy available for $23.75 		Kentaro Takekuma, Usamaru Furuya, Junko Mizuno, Toyokazu Matsunaga, Junji Ito, Naoki Yamamoto, Akimi YoshidaKoji Aihara, Usamaru Furuya, Junko Mizuno, Toyokazu Matsunaga, Junji Ito, Naoki Yamamoto, Akimi Yoshida
#6 (Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix cover feature)

June, 2002
Cover Price: $5.95
1 copy available for $23.75 		Kentaro Takekuma, Usamaru Furuya, Junko Mizuno, Toyokazu Matsunaga, Junji Ito, Naoki Yamamoto, Akimi YoshidaKoji Aihara, Usamaru Furuya, Junko Mizuno, Toyokazu Matsunaga, Junji Ito, Naoki Yamamoto, Akimi Yoshida