TWIST,
TURN AND STRAIN:
STRAIN Volumes 4-5
Viz
Pulp Graphic Novel Review by: Troy
Brownfield
Story
by Buronson and Art by Ryoichi Ikegami
More information: www.viz.com
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 For
those unfamiliar with the Pulp imprint: Pulp is Viz Communications'
manga magazine for adults, reprinting some popular Japanese
strips in serial fashion. These strips are later gathered
into collections and released under Viz's Pulp Grahpic Novel
banner. The creators are top-notch; Strain itself comes
to us from the amazing team of Buronson and Ryoichi Ikegami,
who collaborated for the widely acclaimed Sanctuary.
Individually, Buronson wrote Fist of the North Star,
while Ikegami handled the art for Mai the Psychic Girl
and the immortal Crying Freeman.
When I reviewed the first three installments
of Strain, a neo-noir that begins with an easy
premise that quickly elevates into puzzles, mysteries, and
dizzying feuds within the upper echelon of Asian crime families,
I called it "a solid choice for fans of the two creators,
or for fans of slightly disturbing crime fiction in general."
I think I low-balled it.
In these final two volumes, Buronson and Ikegami amp their
narrative drive up to ridiculous levels. The intrigue and
suspense of the story build, collapse, and sneak off into
new directions. This isn't just steady plot construction;
this is master craftsmanship.
There's
really not much that you can say about Ikegami's art that
probably hasn't already been repeatedto the nth by his legion
of fans. With a deVinci-esque command of anatomy and cinematographer's
intimate understanding of how to stage a scene, each page
comes at the reader like a hand-held movie. Equally mammoth
praise can be dealt toward Buronson's plot and characterization;
nothing in the story is easy, and the answer is never what
you expect.
If I'm being circumspect about the narrative, that's entirely
intentional. As with most stories, the real joy is in uncovering
the plot yourself. Fans of dark crime fiction, tales of hitmen
nagged by honor and the complex lines woven between family
and duty will be riveted. This is champion storytelling, related
to the audience by two creators with fierce imagination and
tremendous communicative power.
So definitely give Strain a look, and by all means
investigate Sanctuary, Fist of the North Star
and Crying Freeman. Strain is a perfect bridge
between the American crime film and the best of manga. Use
it.
Troy
Brownfield is the Editor-in-Chief of Shotgun Reviews. His
favorite Strain is still Julie. Email him at psikotyk@aol.com
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