Long Comics Bookclub

Ready, set, "Gyo"! It is spooky season again and so, as is becoming an annual tradition, we are going back to horror master Junji Ito for the "death stench that creeps". What if fish had legs? But not just any legs: robot legs powered by their own flatulence? This manga is not for the faint of heart, or sensitive of smell. For the first half of the show it is a bookclub discuss...

We've hit a bullseye with this episode as we talk about the modern day Robin Hood "Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters." This gritty 1987 reboot by Mike Grell is considered a turning point for the vigilante as he becomes more of an urban hunter facing social issues of the time. Politically charged and beautifully drawn, forty years later does it still hit the mark? For the first half of...

What happens when you combine Yuri (Girl Love) with quantum physics? Today we are talking about "Qualia the Purple" a sci-fi manga that ask the age old question 'what happens if your left hand was also a cellphone'? Pitched as the weirdest thing Spence has ever read, you know we are in for a journey. For the first half of the show it is a bookclub discussion of our Long Comic, an...

The first series of the popular "Absolute" DC Universe has concluded, and so now is the perfect time to talk about it! "Absolute Martian Manhunter" is a reimagining of the green gumshoe from top to bottom. This shapeshifting, mind reading, super powered superhero is reimagined as a cerebral entity inside the mind of trouble FBI agent John Jones. But all of that doesn't matter when the art (by Javi...

Dragon Ball is one of the most iconic titles in Manga and Anime, so what better series to come back to as part of our bookclub? After reading the first three volumes (Episode 14) we talked about maybe coming back to the series in the future and here we are! At this point in Dragon Ball we are jumping into the media defining tournament arc of the Tenkaichi Budōkai, and it's quite the spectacle...

It is anthropomorphic August here at the Long Comics Bookclub and we are celebrating the occasion with a bookclub discussion of the critically acclaimed "Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees" by Patrick Horvath. This new series has been taking the comic world by storm, and we want to see what all the hullaballoo is about. *Content warning* Gore and Violence For the first half of the show...

This week on the Long Comics Bookclub we are talking about "Ichi the Witch"! From the author of the hit series "Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-Kun" this manga follows Ichi, a wild child boy hunter who gains magical powers after defeating the King of the Majicks. As the only magical boy in a world of magical girls, what kind of mischief is he going to run into? For the first hal...

Spyder Spyder, burning bright, In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry? With "Spider-Man Brand New Day" swinging into theatres in the next few weeks we wanted to take a look at the famous web-slinger in comics. Today we are talking about "The Amazing Spider-Man: Kraven's Last Hunt". This 40 year old classic is considered by m...

"He kissed her thinking she was someone else She kissed him back not knowing they were once engaged" This episode we are all about VIBES with the first volume of the manga "Kowloon Generic Romance" by Jun Mayuzuki. This story introduces us to a pair of flirty real estate agents in a future-set Kowloon, the once most densely populated place on Earth. Part mystery, part romance,...

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow for our bookclub Long Comic today! With the upcoming Supergirl move coming out next week we wanted to look at the inspiration of the film, and talk about this new modern class "Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow". This sci-fi fantasy adventure sees the heroine flying through the stars in pursuit of a villain who leaves deat...

A magical space octopus comes to earth from the planet happy with the goal of bringing happiness to everyone! What could possibly go wrong? *CONTENT WARNING* This episode includes discussions around the following topics that are part of the discussed manga including: suicide, child abuse, and bullying For the first half of the show we are talking about "Takopi's Original Sin". We cover the themes...

This episode is out of this world, as we take a trip to "Planet Hulk". The planet of Sakar is rife with social and racial inequality, ruled over by the cruel Red King. But when the Green Scar aka. Hulku aka. the Incredible Hulk crashes on the planet things are about to be turned on their head. For the first half of the show we are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of this hit comic run, a...

A city made of gold? That's the Macht touch! This episode we are talking about the number one rated anime: Frieren Beyond Journey's end BUT we are picking up where the most recent season left off. That's right, we are moving into uncharted territory, as we learn about Denken, Macht, and a city turned to gold in Volumes 9 + 10 + 11 of the hit series. For the first half of the show we ta...

This episode we are celebrating Halloween in April! "Batman: The Long Halloween" is considered by many to be one of the foundational Batman stories that helped shape the caped crusader we know today. Following Batman in his third year of protecting Gotham city, this story shows the transition of city rule from the mafia to the super-villains, all framed by the emergence of 'Holiday&#...

Spence, as an owner of a Manga and Comics store, has a lot of insights and experience with the medium. So when he says "20th Century Boys" is his favourite manga you better bet it means we are in for a treat! This mystery-drama by Naoki Urasawa follow Kenji, the new owner of a convenience store, as he uncovers a world-ending plot put on by a cult that is somehow connected to him and his...

Here at Long Comics Bookclub we try and read books that are standalone, that can be enjoyed without any prior knowledge making them accessible to all. Unfortunately for me, April Fools day is around the corner. "Final Crisis" was intended to reboot the DC Universe by having all of the different heroes, villains, alternative universes, and whatever else falls within cannon come together f...

Today we are talking about "Another"! Another manga, Another horror story, Another episode, Another good time. For the first half of the show we talk about "Another" as our long comic for the book club, and for the second half of the show we discuss the anime adaptation as well as the Western version of "Another" aka. the Final Destination series. *Content Warning* De...

Happy belated Family Day (even though it's very Canadian specific and province specific)! To celebrate this family-focused holiday we are celebrating non-traditional families starting with "Coming Back" by Jessi Zabarsky. This graphic novel is intended for younger audiences, but with some interesting world building and themes it's a great topic for a bookclub conversation. For the second half of t...

Happy Lunar New Year! To celebrate the year of the horse we are back with a bonus episode of horse-related content. "Steel Ball Run" is Volume 7 of the famous JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series and is the story of an American transcontinental horse race (well for most of the racers) set in 1890. Spence is a JoJo fanboy, but I've only watched Season 1. Supposedly, you can dive into S...

Happy Valentine's Day! To celebrate this occasion we have decided to mark it with a romance story, and today that is "Emma" by Kaoru Mori. This love story of a maid and a merchant is NOT inspired by the Jane Austen novel despite sharing the same namesake, the same genre, same vibes. First half of the show we talk about Emma the manga as our long comic for the book club, and second ha...

After loving Absolute Batman are we back into the absolute universe? ABSOLUTELY. This episode we talk about the reimagining of the iconic female heroine in her new series, "Absolute Wonder Woman." With more magic, weapons, and might, does this Wonder Woman shine as brightly as her classic design? We also talk the new DC Cinematic Universe and who we want to see grace the silver screen. -...

This episode of the podcast is almost as long as the title of the Long Comic we're talking about! Tatsuki Fujimoto may be the greatest mangaka (manga author/illustrator) of the past decade with his popular works "Chainsaw Man" and "Fire Punch". But we're not talking about those today! Instead, we're taking a look at an anthology series of four series written while Fujimoto was between the ages of...

George R. R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" series is considered one of the greatest fantasy worlds of all time by many (this is the books, not the movies, chill out). But did you know that he also wrote a series of novellas about Dunk and Egg? The first of which was adapted into a graphic novel: "The Hedge Knight". This soon to be HBO series follows Dunk the Lunk as he sets out to earn valour and rep...

Happy Holidays! It's coming up on being a full year since we started the Long Comics Bookclub, and a full year since Spence opened Vesperia Manga and Comics. It's been a blast, and we want to take this bonus episode to celebrate some of the things we've accomplished, but also look forward to the future. And of course, any good end-of-year wrap-up needs a Top 5 ranking of our favourite...

Nirvana, Radio Head, Red Hot Chili Peppers. Every Japanese high schooler's favourite music bands right? Perhaps not, but it is the case for Aya who has developed a crush on the cute guy who works at the CD store. Little does she know that the cute CD guy is actually Koga, the girl who sits beside her in class! Will their shared love of 90s alt rock turn into a love for one another as well!? Romanc...