▪	RELEASED BY:		SEVEN SEAS
		▪	AUTHOR / ART:		COOPER JOHNSON / JHOMAR SORIANO
		▪	FORMAT:		JAPANESE / B&W
		▪	PAGES:		192
		▪	RATING:		OT
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		09/17/2007
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		12/21/2007
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		SCOTT CAMPBELL

Mr. Grieves (as they call him) is a cold, calculating killer of the utmost proficiency. He used to work for the mob and was the best cleaner there was; but now he’s dead and works for an organization far more ominous. And if he doesn’t do his job exactly as he’s told, there will be hell to pay – because when you work for the devil, the job of Hell’s cleaner can become quite difficult to keep up. The only question then is whether his co-workers keep up with him?

This manga is an OEL (Original English Language – a term used to refer to manga made originally by an English speaking artist outside of Japan), but sticks with the Japanese format of right to left reading. It’s as close as we can get to the concept and style of actual Japanese manga, but with a different sort of North American touch to it. It’s an enjoyable change from Japanese made manga in many ways – but most of that appreciation revolves around the concepts and design of Mr. Grieves. The setting is a large, metropolitan U.S. city for the most part and the characters are more like the kind of people we would see ourselves on a day to day basis – minus the demons, contract killers, devil worshippers, etc. of course. It’s just a change of pace – a not so Japanese setting or concept. A change can be a breathe of fresh air – especially when it’s as good as Mr. Grieves is!

The art and the visual style of this manga really make it stand out right away from the first few pages you read. It’s dead serious for the most part – especially since so many people and demonic creatures seem to end up dead when they cross the path of Grieves and his wild assortment of weapons and other… tools of the trade. See there’s something especially strange, maybe even special, about the kind of cleaning work Mr. Grieves tends to do. He never leaves the scene of a crime without ensuring that it can’t ever be traced back to him, or anyone else who’s actually alive. We wouldn’t want to ruin all the surprises though, so just know it has a lot to do with severed hands and a collection of glass containers. Anyhow, the visuals have a great flow and are exceedingly well drawn. The style is really mature, but still holds a well-rounded “comic book” feel to it.

The story isn’t overly complicated so far, but it is involving. There are lots of things that need figuring out or explanation about what is going on in this manga. It’s not completely clear who or what Grieves is and what his true motivations in life… or death… are exactly. And some people seem to be losing their minds – making deals with the devil, or some other form of evil that just can’t seem to keep its promise. The story gets pretty violent, pretty often. Expect some entrails here and there. It’s a battle between good and evil and everything in between, so you know there’s going to be some conflict. No problems there though, right? That’s what we’re looking for, and trust me, Mr. Grieves finds plenty!

IN SUMMARY: 
Mr. Grieves is a gritty series with a lot of promise. The situations this guy gets into are grievous, (excuse the intended pun)  and you know it’s only going to get worse for him and better for us! One of the better North American made manga style books I’ve read this year – totally worth a read.