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MANGA REVIEWS

Darkstalkers's Revenge: The Comic Series
Copyright © Capcom 1994, 1995
Copyright © Ishida Run





—by Charles McCarter

So what do you do when you've spawned three successful video games and an OVA series? A manga series, of course! Viz has begun releasing the manga version of NIGHTWARRIORS in the United States in their monthly comic format, completing their hold on the DARSTALKERS franchise in the USA.
  The first installment is very similar to the OVA series. Vampire Lord Demitri Maximoff wakes up to find himself challenged by the beautiful succubus Morrigan. Morrigan is bored, it seems, and she spends her time searching for a worthy fight; she has found one in Demitri. Of course, Demitri is a little cranky since he just woke up and isn't perhaps as susceptible to Morrigan's charms as he might normally be.
  Almost the entire issue is taken up with the introduction of Morrigan and Demitri and the ensuing battle. This will go over well with their fans, but fans of the other Darkstalkers may sigh yet again as some of the other characters have yet to make their appearance (the next issue promises the appearance of Lord Raptor and of course Felicia). Still, if this is anything like the anime version, fans of Sasquatch, Bishamon, and Rikuo may have a long wait to see the debut of their favorite characters.
  Art is handled by Ishida Run, who also did some art for PRINCESS MINERVA. The art is nicely detailed, and the female characters of course look gorgeous. However, in some of the panels Demitri looks a bit too young. However, Ishida is very good at drawing the characters, and is especially good at drawing action poses and displays of their special abilities. Especially beautiful is Ishida's rendering of Morrigan's Soul Fist. Characters in action are the hardest to draw, but Ishida has done an exceptional job with this series.
  The one thing that I must admit bugs me a little is the sheer amount of fan service that went into this series. Not only is Morrigan one of the main characters, but it seems like she is drawn from the most awkward positions at times for no purpose other than fan service. Yes, she shows a lot of cleavage, but we don't need to be reminded of that fact in every other panel. And let's do something with some of the other, less clothing-impaired characters. (And hey, isn't Sasquatch naked under all that fur?) Still, this quibble is minor at best, and I doubt that few fans of the series (and Morrigan) will share it.
  So far the story seems to be paralleling the OVA series relatively closely, but some things are presented differently. However, these differences will not present a problem for DARKSTALKERS fans. If you can't get enough of Capcom's denizens of the night, then you'll find this comic to certainly be to your liking.

Released monthly by Viz Comics
B/W, 32 pages
$2.95
Available Now
Where to buy


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