Lone Wolf and Cub by Kazuo Koike

I don't want to start a huge debate about American foreign relations, but I can say that it is a shame that some Asians do not get the attention they deserve.

Before there was Jackie Chan and Jet Li and Lucy Liu, there was Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee was a monster martial artist. He trained himself in several disciplines. This included disciplines that had little to do with Kung Fu like boxing and fencing. He wanted to create what he felt was the perfect fighting system. He trained extensively and taught others when it was frowned upon to do so.

But Bruce Lee never really go this due. American television executives felt that we were not ready for Asian television stars. "They had Sulu [Star Trek: TOS], wasn't that enough?" When Bruce Lee created the television show Kung Fu, the title role was given to David Carradine, a white American. Bruce Lee was passed over for the role he was born to play and wrote for himself

I am in no way defending the television executives. Maybe they felt Pearl Harbor was too recent. Then again, Bruce Lee is not Japanese and... Well, there is just no excuse for that. David Carradine of all people?

I have to admit that television is a business and as frustrating as it may have been, I bet Bruce Lee understood that also. But if you make a decision like that, you have better be right. They were not. After 3 seasons, Carradine quit because the role was too physically taxing. Can you imagine the kind of stories and Kung Fu we would have gotten out of that show?

Because of attitudes like this we miss a lot of really good people and projects out of China, Japan, and other Asian countries.

If you have never heard of it, it is my pleasure to be the first to introduce you to Lone Wolf and Cub. Lone Wolf and Cub was created by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima. These gentlemen are the grandfathers of modern Japanese comics.

But do not get me wrong, Lone Wolf and Cub is quality through and through.

The Story
A Ronin (a masterless samurai) wanders through ancient Japan with his small child in a rigged babycart. He has as sign that says "son for hire, sword for hire". He offers his unique services those who need it. Once hired, he will do anything necessary to acheive his goal. The very idea of Ogami Itto and his son Daigoro gives hope to the desperate and vengeance for the disenfranchised.

They walk the path of meifumado. A path to Buddhist hell that will lead them to achieving their personal vendetta. The first book, "The Assassin's Road" sets the tone of the series. This volume contains nine stories.
1) Son for Hire, Sword for Hire.
2) A Father knows his Child's Heart, as only a Child can know his Father's
3) From North to South, from West to East
4) Baby Cart on the River Styx
5) Suio School Zanbato
6) Waiting for the Rains
7) Eight Gates of Deceit
8) Wings to the Bird, Fangs to the Beast
9) The Assassin's Road

Why is it so good?
At 28 volumes (5-10 vignettes per volume), this story is epic. Though is sounds expensive, a reader could collect Spider-Man for a whole year, spend as much money, but never get any closure. The year starts with Mary Jane held hostage, the year ends with Aunt May held hostage. Lone Wolf and Cub as a beginning, a middle, and an ending. And what as ending it is!

One of the strengths of this series is the attention to the minor detail of ancient Japanese life and culture. Each volume contains a glossary and several asides to explain certain differences between both modern vs ancient and Eastern vs Western attitudes.

These books are not for children. They contain many adult situations and graphic sword play.

Start with the first volume and you will be hooked!

The Punisher: Born by Garth Ennis

Born is another comic from Marvel's Max Line. It tells the story of Frank Castle's last days in Vietnam. The twist at the end will stick with you. Read this book.

Marvel's Max line of comics contains nudity, adult situation and adult language, reader discretion is advised.

Supreme Power by J. Michael Stracyznski

Squadron Supreme was Marvel's attempt to play with DC's characters. There was a "Superman", a "Wonder Woman", a "Batman", and even an "Atom". The comic was canceled and hasn't been seen in over a decade.

Recently Marvel relaunched this concept in it's Max line. Warning: the Max line is for mature readers only. This line includes nudity, adult language, and adult situations.

J. Michael Stracyznski's (Babylon 5 and The Amazing Spider-man) scribes Marvel's Squadron Supreme characters in Supreme Power. The US government finds in infant in a spacecraft and raises him to be completely loyal to the Red, White and Blue. As an adult, the child takes the name Mark Milton and becomes the super hero Hyperion. As the layers of deception begin to peel away, Mark must confront his superiors in the US government and find the truth of his existence.

He is not alone. There is a young man who can run at incredible speeds, a soldier who possesses a crystal from Hyperion's ship, the wealthy vigilante who only helps his own, a mermaid, and a mysterious warrior who has powers similar to Hyperion.

What makes this comic different is the realism. For Superman, things are not easy, but they have been done before. There were super-heroes in WWII and several mentors for Superman to work with. The same goes for the rest of DC's finest. Hyperion and company have nothing like that. They are young, sometimes stupid, ready to get paid, and most of the time they have only their best guesses to rely on.

J. Michael Stracyznski and penciler, Gary Frank create something special here. It's a page turner. Start with the first two graphic novels, they are the best stories. Later this year, Marvel will release a Hyperion and Nighthawk series. I recommend you take a look at these. Do not purchase the "Doc Spectrum" mini-series. It is not as good.

X-Men vs. Alpha Flight

If you have read comic books for any amount of time, you must have read a "who's the better" story.

• Who's faster? Superman or the Flash?
• Who's stronger? The Thing or the Hulk?
• Who's would win a fight between Superman and the Fantastic Four?

The problem with these types of stories is the weak setup. Superman and the Flash must race because some mobsters are holding their love one's hostage. Or, a group of heroes fall into a dimensional warp and fight another group because of a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding? Bah!

I like a good slug fest as much as the next fan, but without a solid reason, slugfests are a wastes of time.

X-Men vs. Alpha Flight was one of the first books to bring characters together in realistic manner. And baby, it is sweet....

Cyclops and his wife (yes, she was a clone of some sort, but we will ignore that) are lost during a snowstorm north of Canada. The X-men and Alpha Flight team up for the search. They find Cyclops alive and in complete control of his powers. In fact, all the humans in the group have super powers, too.

On the surface, it seems a gift from God (the gods, smirk). If everyone has superpowers, there is no need to fear or hate mutants? Why be afraid of your next door neighbor who can lift 20 tons, if you can run a 30 second mile. Instant equality.

But there is a price and the price may be too high.

Icon: A Hero's Welcome by Dewayne McDuffie

In 1839, an alien, intergalactic passenger liner explodes. One life boat crash lands in a cotton field in the Southern United States. The life boat technology recreates the alien's genetic structure to resemble the dominate lifeform. He is found by a black slave named, Miriam.

The alien is still with us today working as a lawyer and waiting for Earth's technology to catch up enough for him to go home. His secret is discovered by a young woman who convinces him to be a more active part of his "community"; to become the super hero Icon; and to take her as his sidekick Rocket.

Do not make assumptions about this book. Though there are similarities, this is not the Black Superman or some heavyhanded commentary on race relations. First and foremost, this is a good read. Ok, there is some social commentary, but it does not hinder with the story.

The Watchmen by Alan Moore

Alan Moore's Watchmen is a true masterpiece and every comic book collector must read this book. Like the Dark Knight Returns, The Watchmen helped redefined comic books for more mature, sophisticated readership.

Unlike The Dark Knight Returns, The Watchman doesn't use characters that readers are familiar with. No one has ever heard of Dr. Manhattan, Ozymandias, Rorschach, Nite Owl, Silk Spectre and the Comedian. After reading The Watchmen you will never forget them.

Someone is killing the former Crimebusters. The remaining members come out of retirement to find the killer or killers. The original publishing was very, very well paced 12 issue series, each installment made the reader hunger for more. Many say that The Watchmen deals with the fear ordinary people have of superheroes. You might agree, but mostly, I see a very thick mystery. You will not be able to guess the end.

In addition to the main plot, Moore added a section that fills in the back story using excerpts from biographies, interviews, and reports. In addition, The Watchmen includes sections of "Tales of the Black Freighter," a comic-book read by a child in the issue.

The Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect by Peter David

Future Imperfect is the quintessential Hulk story. In the future, someone has defeated all the heroes, conquered the world, and placed all the humans into slavery. Rick Jones gets his hands on Reed Richard’s time machine and sends his daughter to the present to enlist the help of the Incredible Hulk.

Why is this so good?
Some of the best Hulk stories are not about his rampages or the U.S. Army chasing him. It’s guilt. Each time Bruce Banner awakens from a rampage, he wonders how many homes he has destroyed and how many people have died…this time.

Here is Bruce Banner’s chance to save the world and maybe make up for the horrible things he as done. At least, that is what he hopes.

Peter David has written for the Hulk for several years. He also writes a series of Star Trek novels, New Frontiers.