Stores
All the places to find your funny books.

Forum
Comics, Comics, We all love Comics.

Reviews
Glorifications & Executions of the latest issues.

Fanboy Art
Put your penciling on display. Risk kicking ass or sucking it.

Order
Track down those hard to find comics from yesteryear.

Calendar
A comics related calendar. Covers release dates, conventions etc.

Getbackers Vol.1 & Vol.2

Creative Team: Yuya Aoki, Rando Ayamine
Publisher: Tokyopop

Reviewed by Rob Manuel

A funny thing happened while I was writing the review for the first volume of Getbackers; the second volume came out.  With a new series, publishers shovel out the first couple of volumes fairly quickly while sitting on the next couple of issues.  Although this might make for good marketing, readers will get stuck staring at old volumes for the next few months. Getbackers will probably fall into this same trap with two issues coming out less than a
month apart.  The two issues are average at best, but I have a feeling that readers will have to wait another couple of months before the story starts to pick up steam

While farmers farm and firefighters fight fires, the Getbackers– well – get things back. Ginji Amano and Ban Mido are a couple of recovery operatives with a 100% success rate - almost. Although they beg for change and live in a busted car, these two are far from ordinary.  Ginji controls electricity which shoots out of his hands.  Ban is the master of the evil eye” – the ability to create elaborate illusions.  Together, Ginji and Ban make quite a team when it comes to fighting schoolyard bullies or the Yakuza.  If you've ever lost something, the Getbackers will find what you've lost most of the time.
 
In the first two volumes, Ginji and Ban will go up against mafia bosses to get back a daughter to her father, a wicked doctor who steals patients for their  organs, and a group of super-powered teens who have stolen a priceless object.  The action is fast and furious with Ginji dishing out 10,000 volts, and Ban serving up a couple of mean left hooks of his own.  Problems arise when the action seems a bit repetitive; Ginji takes out the weaker attackers while Ban uses his wicked eye on the main bad guy.  By the second volume, rules come into play about the limitations of each of their powers.  Ginji needs the  occasional recharge while Ban's illusions only last for a short period. Overall, there's enough humor and plot to keep the story moving fairly smoothly.
 
My one main complaint about the story – other than repetitive action – is the misuse of one of the minor characters, Hevn.  Manga comics, in general, have their own cheap tricks to keep readers interested without putting forth a lot of effort.  One of these tricks is huge breasts.  It hits a two-fold plan of keeping young boys' attention away from sluggish storylines, and you can usually get a couple of good melon” jokes out of them per issue.  Hevn, a blond vixen nearly falling out of every garment she wears, seems to have little to do  with the storylines or the Getbackers; her sole purpose for existence seems to be just eye candy for the readers.  Don't get me wrong.  I have nothing against breasts, but I find Hevn's role in these stories pointless.
 
After getting that off my chest – sorry, couldn't resist – I think there's a lot of potential to the series as a whole.  The stories improve with every issue.  The second issue pits Ginji and Ban against a couple of power-wielding teens who have ways to get around each of their powers.  Flip through the first one just to get a feel of the story.  Sit down and read the second one.  This may be a series to keep an eye on, but I have a sinking feeling that it
could be a couple of months before the next one comes out. 

Rating: Vol. 1(2 out of 4 stars) Vol. 2 (2 1/2 out of 4 stars)