▪	RELEASED BY:		SEVEN SEAS
		▪	AUTHOR / ART:		EDWARD GAN / VAUN WILMOTT
		▪	FORMAT:		JAPANESE / B&W
		▪	PAGES:		192
		▪	RATING:		T
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		09/19/2007
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		12/19/2007
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		SCOTT CAMPBELL

There aren’t too many manga that could claim that Samuel L. Jackson had something to say about it. Mr. Jackson had the following comments to make about Outcast volume one: “I’m hooked on the concept, caught up in the story, and can’t wait for the rest of it to unfold. Vaun Wilmott’s virgin excursion is a trip worth taking! Lots of folks need to get on this ride and hold on!” If Samuel likes it, I like it - no questions asked!

It’s true to say that some sins can never be forgiven, and The Outcast is a story that has a lot to do with that very concept. There are fallen angels who live among us, who torment and tempt every person they encounter, looking for a weakness to exploit. Their sole purpose is to destroy lives wherever they can and Riley - a vulnerable girl with a tragic past - seems to be the perfect target. Or is she?

This story is great because it’s built to such a high point of drama by the end of the first volume that you’re begging to know what happens next. It’s like they give you everything and nothing and then cut you off before you get to make any real discoveries that could be considered concrete. There are a number of very strange things going on in Riley’s life, and it seems like it’s going to take some time to figure out exactly what fate has planned for her - but it is obvious that she is very special. Riley is actually a really sympathetic character - you grow to care about what she’s going through and feel badly when people are unkind to her because she is such a nice person herself. She’s a little unsure of herself and has had a tough time lately, but she never lets that get in the way of her wanting to be nice to everyone she meets. So how does such a nice girl get mixed into a high adventure with angels, demons and everything in between? Like any anti-hero - she just sort of falls into it - almost literally at a number of points! The Outcast is a blending of Indiana Jones and the concept of heaven and hell doing battle on earth - it could very well end up being a story of epic proportions.

The art is very well done, and really cute actually. Although the characters get themselves in plenty of perilous and unwanted situations, they never stop being cute and vulnerable in their funny little ways. Riley is especially like this - you just keep wishing that she could avoid the trouble she keeps finding herself in because she just comes off as someone who deserves a lot more. The art is clean and detailed - special emphasis being given to the characters and their expressions. The flow of the visuals works extremely well - never will you feel lost while reading this book. The text size is great to, but most manga these days have figured out how to present themselves in a way so they are tottally readable. As an added bonus, a huge amount of preliminary artwork is made available as an extra at the end of the book. It was really neat to see how some of the characters evolved and what they might have been otherwise if different decisions had been made by the artist. It’s one of the better bonus artwork I’ve seen in a manga - a real treat.

IN SUMMARY: 
The Outcast is driven by a number of great characters that are believable and likeable. The story is filled with mystery, and a high chance for adventure and some epic fights in the near future, if volume one is anything of a clue to what we will come to expect from this series. The Outcast is well-rounded, wholly entertaining OEL manga at its best.