 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | DARK HORSE | | | ▪ | AUTHOR / ART: | | KAZUO KOIKE / SEISAKU KANU | | | ▪ | FORMAT: | | JAPANESE / B&W / COLOR | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 416 | | | ▪ | RATING: | | 18+ | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 05/07/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 08/03/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
In a storm off the shores of Japan two slaves break their chains to find freedom in the Land of the Rising Sun in this all new one-shot manga from the author of Path of the Assassin. The year is 1783 and runaway slaves, George and King, try to lose themselves amongst the calamity and upheaval of the times. Between catastrophes and uprisings, they will encounter dangers at every fork of their road. On the path to find or forge a place where they can be free, these two men will find their mettle tested and their honor as men forged in the heat of battle, the grief and tragedy they face, and the hard-won triumphs. Like all of Kayuo Koike’s writing, Color of Rage shows an economy of language and a riveting tale told with arresting imagery. Thanks to Seisaku Kanu’s intense and graphic art work. Color of Rage is a manly story of friendship found in dire circumstances, one that defies status and all odds. King is not the usual type expected in a feudal Japanese drama. He is the escaped slave from a plantation from the American colonies. He must rely heavily on George’s knowledge of Japan and the Japanese language to help them survive. Being a black man, King must cover his face to avoid detection, alarm or attacks from the isolated and highly superstitious Japanese people of the time. Staying together, George and King overcome cultural differences to face Yakuza, a corrupt casino, nobles with no respect for life, and a frame-up by an entire town. They sleep, eat and fight together and each adversary they meet solidifies their bond while cementing their goal to find a place where no one is subjugated by another. It is a dream they believe is worth living for, worth dying for. The stand alone story also has a bonus tale about a street thug who abhors weakness. In Crybaby Ishimatsu, the title character has his ways challenged when he runs into a samurai. It reveals Ishimatsu’s sad tale and his choice to confront his past.
IN SUMMARY:
Color of Rage is Pulp Fiction meets Ninja Scroll. Two men defy their station in life to face violence and form a stoic friendship as they search for freedom in an age of brutality. |
