Billy Bat is a new manga about a Japanese-american comic book artist, Kevin Kinji Yamagata.
Taking place after WW2 (I think in the late/mid 1940s), Kevin draws a comic book series called Billy Bat, starring an anthramorphic bat.
The series involves crime noir style stories and is a leading competitor to other popular series at the time.
Anyway the manga itself focuses on Kevin, when one night while in his studio 2 officers enter his workplace in order to investigate a person living nearby the studio suspected of being a Russian spy.
One of the officers takes a look at Kevin's work and reveals a shocking revelation: He has seen the character of Billy Bat in Japan!
Upon learning this, Kevin decides to return to Japan in order to find out what the deal is behind this bizarre occurance, and much like Urasawa's previous works, is more than what it seems.
The series just started a few months ago and so far 12-13 chapters got translated. If you liked Urasawa's previous work, I think you'll enjoy this one as well.
Billy Bat, from the creator of Monster, Pluto & 20th/21st Century Boys
-
-
I do really like this manga because the mystery just gets thinker by every chapter.
The character Billy Bat is for me the best. -
This is the first time I've read an Urasawa work as it's being released and it's really different than readin 60 chapters in a go. The story is definitely interesting and I'm curious to see how things go, but when a new chapter comes out I have to reread the previous chatpers to remember all the details.
But it's always worth it.
God I love Urasawa…
-
So i just read up til Ch. 23, and…WTF is going on here?
! Is the bat some kind of concept that has existed in man since the time of Adam such that when we see it's image it triggers our subconscious or something?
Really freaky shit people… -
I freaking love Naoki Urasawa's work. I should probably check this out next along with Monster. I've read his other work mentioned above.
-
I want to get current with this, but I'm following Pluto and 20th Century Boys right now. The last thing I want to do is overdose on Urasawa. When Pluto finishes, I'll start Billy Bat.
-
I hate Urasawa, and feel he is an overrated hack, but I found Pluto to be very enjoyable (Tezuka?) and did like Monster. But not 20CB, my god.
Would you say, given the twists, this series is closer to the former two, or the latter?
-
i have no idea what's going on in this manga.
-
I hate Urasawa, and feel he is an overrated hack, but I found Pluto to be very enjoyable (Tezuka?) and did like Monster. But not 20CB, my god.
Would you say, given the twists, this series is closer to the former two, or the latter?
Weeeeeell
! the mystery stuff seem 20th CB-ish, but you'll have to read it to find out. Really though if you liked Pluto, you'll prob. like this too.
…and I don't know why you see him as a hack...
He has done non-thriller/mystery stuff before 20 CB mind you; Yawara and Happy.
Gonna check my stash to see if I've got them.