Manga
King of Thorn: Volume 1
By Leroy Douresseaux
June 10, 2007 - 10:56

Tokyopop
Writer(s): Yuji Iwahara
Penciller(s): Yuji Iwahara
Cover Artist(s): Yuji Iwahara
ISBN: 978-1-59816-235-6



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Like just about everyone else, Kasumi and her twin sister, Shizuku, were infected with the Medusa virus, which slowly turns its victims to stone, and there is no cure.  Kasumi and a select few humans are put into a cryogenically frozen state until a cure is found, but when some of them awake, they find the cryo-chamber in ruins and overrun by giant thorny vines.  Kasumi and the rest of the risers are suddenly in an unfamiliar world of a not-too-distant future (but indeterminate amount of time) filled with terrifying beasts and one new mystery after another.  As she struggles to survive this treacherous and terrifying world, Kasumi mourns her sister, and is determined to learn her fate.

THE LOWDOWN:  King of Thorn, Vol. 1 may remind readers of Planet of the Apes or any number of stories in which humans awake from suspended animation or cryogenic sleep to find the world so drastically changed and filled with strange new humans and beasts.  While that may put off some readers, King of Thorn succeeds on execution.  Manga-ka Yuji Iwahara has the story literally hit the ground running in the kind of frenetic sci-fi/action story that manga does so well.  It’s like a summer potboiler novel mixed with a sci-fi fantasy video game and a big budget Hollywood CGI spectacular.  The only thing that might slow this down is the strong fantasy elements that started creeping into the story at the end, and may dominate the second volume.

FOR READERS OF:  Fans who like weird futures sci-fi comics of the EC variety may very well enjoy this, which is the reason I’m a fan of King of Thorn.

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King of Thorn: Volume 1