Has anyone else read this awesome series by Naoki Urasawa (creator of Monster, 20th Century Boys, etc…)? If you really want to be spoiled... here goes:
! Billy Bat is the villain to Chuck Norris' hero. JFK assassination? Billy Bat did it. The cold war? Billy Bat did it. Jesus of Nazareth nailed to a piece of wood and left to die? Billy did that too. This is so ridiculous but so awesome a concept that it must become a meme immediately.
I've been saying this for a long time. This series is truly good, but a lot of people seem to find either ridiculous or don't care about it.
I think it's 100% Urasawa. Maybe he's getting himself too deep into plot-convultedness, but there's so much awesome things happening that I just don't care.
Oh, and you forgot to add Ninjas. That's right: Ninjas and Jesus in the same manga.
I think it's 100% Urasawa.
It's a pity.
I was willing to give Urasawa another chance after 21CB, especially since BB was sold to me as him "ripping on Walt Disney" but it's already tapped its potential and has moved into retarded territory.
But the art's still good.
I finished reading Billy Bat not long ago and I had to agree with this:
http://apforums.net/showthread.php?p=1942099#post1942099
http://apforums.net/showthread.php?p=1942119#post1942119
Oh, well. I'm on chapter 37, and so far I'm enjoying it. Again, I have enjoyed everything by Urasawa that I've read (Pluto, 20th and 21st century boys and Monster), so maybe I'm a little bit biased with this manga, since I really like the man.
Again, if plot ploints are left unresolved again (I kinda recall 20th having quite a few loose ends), maybe I'll start changing my opinion. But above all, the man has his own style and I don't think he's lost his touch all that much.
The last half of 20th century boys was boring as sand.
This's about to sum up my opinion on Urasawa:
Naoki Urasawa; he makes a good gateway into serious material for people who are used to consuming childish stuff, but if you keep reaching for more and more provocative and challenging work, he'll start to get boring.
Billy Bat is still a good read though. Better than many current series.
This is an interesting series but I did get bored as fuck when he flashed back to the ninjas and then flashforward to random newly introduced characters in the 60s.
I really hope this ends with the JFK assassination or RFK and doesn't go in to Moon landing conspiracies, random famous serial killers, and then 9/11
Isn't there an anime series of this? I think it used to air on [as].
It doesn't have an anime.
@Zik:
This is an interesting series but I did get bored as fuck when he flashed back to the ninjas and then flashforward to random newly introduced characters in the 60s.
I really hope this ends with the JFK assassination or RFK and doesn't go in to Moon landing conspiracies, random famous serial killers, and then 9/11
Well we know this:
! The bat is somehow related to the moon, and the people who support the evil bat want to keep JFK from getting there.
I think there's a strong possibility that JFK won't be assassinated, and the story will mostly divert from real history at that point.
Well we know this:
! The bat is somehow related to the moon, and the people who support the evil bat want to keep JFK from getting there.
I think there's a strong possibility that JFK won't be assassinated, and the story will mostly divert from real history at that point.
You mean this series will become Fallout?
If Kenedy survives the main character will die.
So no.
If anything, this manga does sound hilarious, at least. Might read it on some free evening.
I had seen it's chapters being released for a while now and altough I liked the art I saw and was intrigued by the first description I read (which only talked about what happens in the first/second chapter) I only read it yesterday.
I love it. There is something about the thriller/suspense ambience mixed with the historical story and the sillyness of the bat that pulls all my strings. It's like this is why the ninth art was created, so stories completly absurd like this one can easily come to life.
hum. This is easy to read through, but not completely engaging.
I liked the parts with the mixed race couple, even if they don't seem to have much to do with the rest of the manga. And I especially liked how they actually survived, isntead of the baby getting killed or something. If this was a high school novel, that would've happened.
but the bat is just too ridiculous looking to take seriously most of the time. I'm interested to see whether this will follow history and the JFK assassination will happen, or whether it will end right there with Kennedy alive, Kevin dead, and the future bright.
Billy Bat is basically Urasawa's own derivative parody of himself and his manga.
Except I think he's honestly taking it seriously.
I think it was you (Holy Hell) that once said that Master Keaton is your favourite Urasawa work. I have not read it.
What is the difference between Keaton and the rest of his works? Cause I can see BIG similarities between Pluto, Billy, 20th and Monster in the way he handles the story, the characters, and the plot twists/cliffhangers.
I wanted to start Keaton once, but I declined the idea. . .I don't exactly remember why. Right now I left like 4 mangas mid-reading, one of them Billy Bat, but once I catch up, I'd like to give Keaton a chance.
Chapter 50 is out now.
! So I wonder how exactly Billy is going to convince Oswald that the human race ending earlier than expected is a good thing…
What is the difference between Keaton and the rest of his works? Cause I can see BIG similarities between Pluto, Billy, 20th and Monster in the way he handles the story, the characters, and the plot twists/cliffhangers.
Late pass, but Keaton was largely (but not entirely, depending on who you ask*) written by another author. Some things are constant with Urasawa's later works but in general it's more "scholarly." There is more background information about the history of the places and things that appear in the story, and less of the heavy emotional/psychological drama that makes Monster, 20th CB, et al. "suspense/thrillers."
That's some interesting info there, Stephen. Thanks.
Good series, strong characters, although there are only so many times when Urasawa can use the "Oh my God, it's the bat!" twist before it just becomes expected.
Chapter 51 is out.
http://mangastream.com/read/billy_bat/45533071/1
! So the JFK assassination may not occur after all?
I think it will..somehow.
I think what'll happen is that the JFK Assassination won't happen due to Kevin's intervention, but then RFK will become President in the alternate universe and get assassinated during his first term, which will put everything back to normal.
I called it wrong, so long ago. I guess this needs to be changed.
Foolishness.
Everybody knows that I am his kismesis.
It's a love-hate relationship.
We like to make bitter sweet hatred together.
With our tongues.
And there is a lot of noise.
That is one bad ass shouting contest, I tell you…
@Fire Fist:
I think what'll happen is that the JFK Assassination won't happen due to Kevin's intervention, but then RFK will become President in the alternate universe and get assassinated during his first term, which will put everything back to normal.
That sounds plausible but it's kind of hard to guess since anything could happen really. I thought Oswald was going to be shot, honestly.
I think it would be cool if the mangaka showed all possibilities. Like first when preventing JFK's assassination and then showing what happens if Kevin dies.
New chapter's out on Mangastream:
! Looks like he's trying to now trying to change the outcome of the Shimoyama incident, which would mean the loss of 30,000 jobs and could forever change the future of Japan's rail system… Why? I don't see how this would benefit anyone in any way... but I guess it's just to set up an alternate future.
I called it wrong, so long ago. I guess this needs to be changed.
@Fire Fist:
New chapter's out on Mangastream:
! Looks like he's trying to now trying to change the outcome of the Shimoyama incident, which would mean the loss of 30,000 jobs and could forever change the future of Japan's rail system… Why? I don't see how this would benefit anyone in any way... but I guess it's just to set up an alternate future.
remember, there are two bats. One bat is trying to help humanity, the other is trying to destroy it.
! I thought the Shimoyama incident had already occurred in current time-line?
I think the bat is trying to lead the girl to the location of the secret scroll/ancient text
^ Exactly.
But I think they'll need a more precise map…
Chapter's out.
http://www.mangaeden.com/En/Billy+Bat/53/
! Looks like Kevin's getting a new girlfriend.
"Danger is my middle name."
So this was the good bat right?
I can only assume so, since he doesn't seem to want the human race to die off. Of course, the black bat seems to lie if it suits him, so I don't think anyone knows for sure.
Is this the Billy Bat thread?
I dunno… it's a stupid title. Anyhow, I'm working with Muda Scans now to continue working on the series because I think it's good.
I think they've just got 1 chapter left to catch up on. Anyone at all interested in that?
http://www.mangareader.net/billy-bat/57
http://www.mangareader.net/billy-bat/58
I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL NEXT CHAPTER!
The president, is he ok? Is Kevin ok?!
Is it all over?!
Ah cliffhanger! I don't see the author having Kennedy shot or having Kevin save him, it just doesn't seem like something that this manga would do. I'm guessing it's something other than those two options. But what it is I have no clue.
I feel like this thread could benefit from a less terrible title
http://www.mangareader.net/billy-bat/59/
! JFK is assasinated, but Kevin saves his successor!
! See I KNEW that the manga had something else that was going to happen. I did not expect this at all. Can't wait for next chapter.
Chapter 60 is out. Going to read it now.
http://www.mangareader.net/billy-bat/60
Edit:
! I love that the manga uses stuff that actually happened in reality but puts a little spin on it for the purpose of the story. Like Oswald and the police officer he supposedly shot. And we find out what's going on with Kennedy's assassination next chapter.
I've started reading it. I'm really enjoying it so far.
Urasawa is boss. Plain and simple.
I'm waiting until there are a lot of chapters ready to read them all at once.
It looks like 60 is enough for me to storm through this series once again.
Chapter 61 is out.
Atlas, poor Oswald. We hardly knew ye.
Never thought I'd read something where afterwards my only thoughts are.
"poor lee harvey oswald"
From the title i thought it would be about baseball so i never bothered, ill read it now though
I actually got it mixed up with Paranoia Agent AKA Shounen Bat at first 
.
! Billy wants one of the Kevins to go to Japan. Also, Oswald's dead.
Oswald died! Holy crap what a twist, I didn't see it coming :ninja: .
13 chapters in and I am really enjoying this series
Let the beat build bitch
