Juror 13 [Paperback]

D.j. Milky (Author), Makoto Nakatsuka (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 10, 2006

With the arrival of a mysterious jury summons, a man's life is thrust into a dizzying downward spiral: his fiancée leaves him, he has problems at work, and his best friend is suddenly nowhere to be found. As the jury trial approaches, who can he trust? Why does he suddenly feel that he has to defend his every move? And who exactly is 13? Juror 13 follows one man's fight for sanity in world dripping with paranoia. It's a tale that will open your eyes...but can you trust what you see?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Taut, terse and unrelenting, this one-shot volume comes as a breath of fresh air in the glutted manga market. While the art is standard for the genre, the story rules supreme here as readers are dragged into the life of insurance claims investigator Jeremy Rosen, a life that inexplicably spirals down a path of suspicion, betrayal and an eventual horrifying murder. His fiancée dumps him, an unctuous lothario of a best friend appears to be setting him up to take a fall for corporate embezzlement, and federal enforcement agents dog his every move—all of which raises the question "Why?" Getting to that answer is a harrowing ride that leaves the reader right alongside the protagonist as the walls close in around him. Unpredictability and a feeling of crawling paranoia provide a smorgasbord of fear within a mundane, nine-to-five world that seems utterly plausible and equally inescapable. To reveal more would ruin a shocking plot twist, so suffice it to say that this volume is an unsettling nail-biter that will leave readers shaken when all is revealed. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: TokyoPop (January 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1598163957
• ISBN-13: 978-1598163957
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,404,669 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Predictable tripe, May 7, 2006

By 

J. Sinnott "videophile" (Gainesville, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Juror 13 (Paperback)

Wow, you'll be hard pressed to find a more cliched and do-it-by-the-numbers comic. And that's saying a lot. This 'manga' (it wasn't made in Japan so it's really stretching the definition)involves an idiotic claims adjuster, Jeremy, who is being framed for fraud by his best friend, Jake. When he finds out, what does he do??? Appologizes for tearing up Jake's office looking for proof and helps him clean it up, then takes one of Jake's cases to make up for it. There is no suspense, tension, or intrigue in this dull and flacid book. The plot obvious and the characters all act like they have the intellegence of preschoolers. If you're looking for something creative, entertaining, or interesting, look elsewhere.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hung Jury, February 18, 2007

By 

J. Sherman "The Critic" (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Juror 13 (Paperback)

Created by the team of D.J. Milky (creator of Princess Ai) and Makoto Nakatsuka, this one-shot manga is a rare instance of true Japanese artwork combined with American storytelling. The story follows Jeremy, a meek insurance claims investigator who's life is in a downward spiral. His fiancee has dumped him, he keeps screwing up on the job, and now he's been summoned for jury duty. In terms of the story, business doesn't pick up until after Jeremy's day in court. Suddenly, he's got his best bud Jake at his throat and two federal agents at his back. As the walls in Jeremy's world close in, his desperation soon pushes him over the edge.

To make a long story short, "Juror 13's" execution brings nothing new to the mystery & suspense department. While OEL manga usually has its share of upstarts, it's a smart move to bring an experienced artist like Nakatsuka to the table. And while the story has its moments, and the climax has a clever twist to it, you won't be feeling any triskaidekaphobia any time soon. Basically, Milky takes a page straight from the Twilight Zone; he tells a standalone story that's worth hearing at least once. Hopefully, Milky's other works receive a more favorable verdict. This manga also features a sneak-peek at the Tokyopop original, "Riding Shotgun."

This book is rated OT for Older Teen: Violence, Adult Language, Adult Situations

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A SUSPENSEFUL MANGA, January 16, 2006

By 

Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Juror 13 (Paperback)

Now here is an interesting Manga...inside Juror 13 you won't find any wizards or princesses...no demons, devils, dragons...no robots and not a single martial arts move in the entire book. Juror 13 is a dramatic thriller that doesn't have any of the usual Manga trappings and pulls off its complex story through strong characterizations and a tightly wound plot. Also unusual is that Juror 13 is a one shot, self-contained story.

Jeremy Rosen is an insurance investigator for Occidental Insurance Company. Things are not going very well for Jeremy. He's struggling in his job, always late and getting chewed out by his boss. His personal life is no better as his girlfriend Dawn has broken up with him and wants nothing to do with him. To top it all off, Jeremy has just received a jury duty notice.

His best friend Jake tries to help him by taking him out for a night with the boys and later taking him to a strip club, but Jeremy's depression won't be shaken. He keeps his jury appointment and is finally called and referred to as Juror 13. But back at work, things are getting worse. The Feds begin investigating some of the company's claims suspecting fraud and someone has forged Jeremy's signature on the claim forms. Who is framing Jeremy and why?

Juror 13 has a very cinematic feel to it, like watching a good thriller. You find yourself wondering if Jeremy is truly the victim of a frame up or has his depression pushed him over the edge into delusion? Like any good thriller there are twists and turns and surprises in store for the reader. Written by D.J. Milky with art by Makoto Nakatsuka, Juror 13 is a step out of the box from traditional Manga...perhaps some might find a bit too Americanized with its plot and characters, but I found to be very refreshing. This is a Manga for people who are not necessarily Manga fans.

Reviewed by Tim Janson