KOSEN

Windrose is an ongoing series by Studio Kôsen, a Spanish creative team made up of two comics artists: Aurora García and Diana Fernández. Kôsen has had several comics as well as an artbook released in English in the past, including Saihôshi: The Guardian (my introduction to the team's work), Stallion, and Daemonium. Currently, both Windrose and Kôsen's previous work Lêttera are being serialized online through Chromatic Press' multimedia magazine Sparkler Monthly. I was very excited when Windrose was first announced–I love Kôsen artwork and am a huge fan of Chromatic Press and Sparkler Monthly–and even more so when it came time for the first volume to be released in print. Windrose, Volume 1, completed in 2015, collects the first six chapters of the comic originally serialized between July 2014 and May 2015, as well as some additional notes from the creators about the comic and its historical setting.

On the day of her seventeenth birthday, Danielle received a strange gift from her father, a French merchant who has been away from their Barcelona home for months. Inside the secret compartment of a cleverly designed puzzle box is a miniature astrolabe and a letter asking her to keep it safely hidden away as his own life is in grave danger. Instead passively waiting for more information, Danielle decides to leave her Spanish mother behind in order to search for her father in France. Danielle's mother never approved of Danielle's more adventurous nature, trying with little success to raise her daughter to act like a proper lady. And Danielle's journey to Marseille is not without incident–it's dangerous for a young woman of the upper class to travel alone in the seventeenth century. After pirates attack the ship she is sailing on, Danielle is rescued by two fellow travelers, Angeline and Leon, whose reasons for helping are less than virtuous. Danielle may be in well over her head in more ways than one.

After only a single volume of Windrose I'm already absolutely loving the series. In fact, Windrose may very well be my favorite work by Kôsen to date. The art in the comic is gorgeous, and the inkwork in particular is especially striking. Kôsen has also made the effort to research the time period, including its clothing. The resulting character designs are wonderful in their details, whether the attire called for is intricate formal wear or simpler, more practical dress. Already the story of Windrose has moved through a wide variety of settings which Kôsen has expertly conveyed without visually overwhelming the scenes. There are countryside estates and lavish manors, docks and seafaring vessels, shady bars, dark alleyways, and even an abbey complete with secret passages. And of course there are the exceedingly attractive protagonists and antagonists of the series, too, each with their own distinct personality and ways of expressing themselves.

In addition to being beautifully drawn, the characters themselves are a large part of why I'm enjoying Windrose so much. At first Danielle seems to be sheltered and naive to the ways of the world, but she's intelligent and learns quickly. She also has a particular talent for solving puzzles and riddles, encouraged and instilled in her by her father. Not much has been revealed yet about Angeline and Leon's pasts, but they make a strong impression from the start. Angeline is a brash young woman with an aggressive streak which, when combined with her sword skills, allows her to pose as a man if it happens to be convenient or serve her purposes. Leon, while just as beautifully handsome as Angeline, has a more reserved and cautions nature which helps to balance her hotheadedness. The three of them together make a somewhat peculiar trio, but already Danielle is starting to rely on the other two even if she can't quite trust them. With spectacular artwork, engaging characters, and exciting adventure, Windrose is off to a magnificent start.

Experiments in Manga… (més)

Yaoi Press has been hit or miss for me with manga. I loved Winter Demon Bundle and Saihoshi The Guardian Omnibus (Yaoi), but didn't care for the Yaoi Hentai or Dark Prince series. So, when I saw that they were releasing prose short stories that continued with characters from the two series I did enjoy, I ordered immediately. Saihoshi Redemption centers on Sastre and Kaleth, who are now living together in an isolated cabin after the events in the manga. Sastre deserted from the guardians to be with Kaleth, and that choice will come back to haunt him as the story for Redemption. Readers need not have read the manga to follow this, but it would help.

As I had hoped, this story has a hot sex scene (which also appears in a glorious full color illustration!) that I expect from hard yaoi. Readers also learn the two men are having some communication issues, resulting in an argument that sets the scene for a cliffhanger ending. The prose is simple and well written.

My only concern is the potential cost. Yaoi Press also released Incubus Master Part 1 (Yaoi) (a continuation of Figaru's story from Winter Demon) as a prose "sequel" to that manga. And it's also very good. However, so far that has seven parts - at $2.99 each after the first one. Saihoshi Redemption could end up having as many parts, and be as costly. I like the story and have purchased part 2. But, I am not sure I want to commit to $20+ on another series of short stories that are really one novel. Recommended, and for 99 cents worth trying out part 1, but readers should take into account the possible number of parts and how long it will take for them to be released.… (més)

First I have to say that I like the classical Japanese yaoi manga´s, but I also jump at any possibility to read a yaoi in a fresh setting. Like this one. The book consists of three stories.

The story 'Stallion' is set in the Wild West. Stallion (native american) and Josey (cowboy) both have enough reason to hate and want to kill Bill (no pun intended) (also cowboy), as they were both raped by him. But as they begin hunting Bill together they realize that there are more important things in life than revenge. I liked the story, even though the revenge thing is not new, but the drawings again are beautiful. I really like everything by KOSEN.

The second shorter story 'Eien' is about a vampire and a vampire hunter. The vampire hunter Ashen is hunting a vampire who has killed his father. Will he get his revenge and for what price? Again the revenge theme, but this time with a twist. Even though this is an older work by KOSEN, the drawings are already very good.

And the third story 'Cancellation of Darkness' is about a young men who is haunted by a demon. Kai is haunted by a demon since he was a little boy. Bradley, an expert in everything paranormal, wants to help him get rid of the demon and he succeeds, or does he? The drawings by Amelia Woo still seem strange to me at first, but as this is the second story by her I've read, I begin to like her style.

An overall enjoyable read with very good drawings.… (més)