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BANYA-THE EXPLOSIVE DELIVERYMAN (VOL. 2) |
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Monday, 26 February 2007 |
 | | ▪ | PUBLISHED BY: | | DARK HORSE | | | ▪ | ART/AUTHOR: | | KIM YOUNG-OHA | | | | ▪ | FORMAT/COLOR: | | KOREAN FORMAT / BW | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 184 | | | ▪ | RATED: | | 16+ | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 12/08/2006 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 02/27/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | CHRISTOPHER SEAMAN |
It is a world right out of MAD MAX. He is a character who would be right at home in it. He is the explosive deliveryman. He is Banya and this manhwa is his story.
There’s a teaser for you. Imagine the quick cuts in the trailer for a movie with taglines like these. Imagine the eye-popping visuals and visceral action bursting with bone-crushing, vein splitting, brain bursting combat from beginning to end. Imagine all that and you get a pretty good idea of what this manhwa from Dark Horse has to offer. BANYA is a great chase, rich in combat and light in chatter. There’s little in the way of monologues and weighty exchanges between characters on matters of global importance. No one character is likely to be held up as a model for readers to follow in terms of good behavior. This is a story that delivers great drawings, fast paced battles, cool monsters and cheeky one-liners in a manner that, like the motto of the Gaya Desert Post Office, is “Fast. Precise. Secure.”
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, BANYA is about the adventures of the title character, an employee of the Gaya Desert Post Office, who pledge no allegiance to any country or king, and are bound together with the pledge only to deliver their goods...no matter what. Working in a world torn by a war between humans and monsters, Banya, the craziest and craftiest of the bunch, is known, for good reason as the "Explosive Delivery Man" as a result of his balls-to-the-wall-go-getting-never-say-die attitude and impeccable record. In Volume Two, Banya has his hands full with monsters closing in on all sides, a partner to rescue, and another, his associate Young Kong, trusted with a delivery of great importance. The battles start before the title page on the inside of the book, as Banya turns his opponents on each other before making his move to free Mei, one of his traveling companions, who has fallen captive to them. Smart mouthed in the face of great odds, Banya feints, leaps, and dashes about insanely to outwit his enemies and save the day for all concerned. No sooner does he get the job done…yup, he’s back at it again, this time getting caught up in a conflict between warrior priests and vicious Torren fighters while making a delivery to a sacred temple. Heads are rolling, and so is the action in this story as Banya hurtles into danger once again.
The artwork in this manhwa is exciting to behold. Drawn with great energy and expression, the characters have an edgy appearance to them that easily holds the attention of the reader. There are several places in the work where no dialogue exists over several pages, and we are treated to rapid fire action, cut with the precision of a high octane movie thriller. The use of tones and screening by the artist is expertly handled, giving the images richness in their texture that makes for greater realism than one would find in some other titles. BANYA is an exciting read and fast to get through if you are looking for something that has a quick kick to it.
IN SUMMARY:
BANYA- THE EXPLOSIVE DELIVERYMAN goes off with a bang that reverberates until long after the last page is read. The dust never settles in the Gaya Desert with guys like Banya on the job. It’s all go, all the time! |
