Customer Reviews

Kabuki: Circle of Blood

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm sorry if this is long... but believe me, keeping it this small was incredibly difficult. please read on, I have tried to make this as complete and informative as possible.

Circle of Blood should be hailed as one of the great achievements of modern literature. It is certainly the best ever within the comic medium. I have not read David Mack's run on Daredevil, nor do I care to. I have, however, read every volume of Kabuki, and they blow me away. Circle of Blood is a story so amazing I can't believe a person wrote it. I once told David Mack that he is like a God to me. I could only explain why to someone who has already read Circle of Blood. I'll try to stick to things that are relevant to those of you who haven't.

David Mack's artwork is amazing. It is the most creative I have ever looked at. He tells the story as much with the pictures as with the text... its hard to explain, but once again I have to say you will only truly understand if you read it yourself. I'm sure some people might not like the artwork in Circle of Blood as much as the beautifully painted pages of Dreams, Skin Deep, or Metamorphosis (Kabuki volumes 2, 4, 5) because it is in strict black and white. not even shades of grey, just black and white. This is intentional and deliberate. It's not for budget or time constraints, its done for a very specific reason, and those who have read all the different Kabuki books know that Mack uses different mediums for different moods and different types of stories. Kabuki books are best read with close attention to detail... you get the most out of it if you take in the art slowly and attentively and look at everything on the page.

In response to another reviewer who found Mack's portrayal of Japanese culture offensive and ignorant, I have only to say that I understand why that reviewer had the opinion he or she did, if he or she thought that was David Mack's perception of what Japan actually is. However, this story is fictional, and set in a future timeframe that is not meant to reflect modern OR traditional Japanese culture, but rather a mixture of both, twisted and perverted into something new, dark, even evil.

To those of you with short attention spans, you'll probably find this book boring. But it is far from it. There is so much of the story devoted to introspective images and thought processes, memories and dreams, that you will know our heroine Kabuki intimately and personally. The result is that we feel her pain, and know her mind, and therefore the storyline and the ongoing events of Circle of Blood hold meaning for us, the readers, and not just the people drawn on the pages. Now don't get me wrong. If you're looking for action, you've got it by the cold-blooded cutting edge fistfull, but if thats the ONLY thing you want, look elsewhere. Kabuki is both delicate and hard-edged. elegant and obscene. beautiful and bloody.

Nothing in Circle of Blood can be taken at its simplest, face-value. The imagery interlocks and relates throughout the whole story, and you will see how interwoven and complex every theme is. Even the title "Circle of Blood" holds incredible significance and many different meanings. Kabuki is Inexpressibly intriguing.

The first five volumes of Kabuki tell a story you will never forget, But Circle of Blood by itself, being the first part, is definitely complete, and it is individually the best of them all. Read it, and be amazed.

I would like to address some issues with the reviews so far. I have this book, and the entire run of kabuki comics. I have not and will not read any daredevil stuff, I started reading kabuki long before that. This is not a story about superheros... so if you are into that type of thing, you might be disappointed.

If you are interested in a deep, emotional story, look no farther. This story delves into the main character, Kabuki, with a sensitvity towards the female psyche that few male authors have or dare to try.

The art in this novel is black and white, for reasons that Mack has stated in the GN itself. This is a story meant for black and white, it is introspective, violent, and part of Kubuki's past, if you will. Read the rest of his novels and you will gain a better appreciation of how Mack adapts his art to the story flawlessly.

To conclude, this entire series is gripping, masterful, and has some of the best art I have ever seen, inside comics or not. Enjoy it. :)

Kabuki is an outstanding story. The drawing, especially the figure drawing is great. The story - super-spy-babe on a mission of vengeance - has a used look, but Mack adds enough detail to keep it from looking used up. Best, Mack has put some real knowledge of Japanese culture and history into the story. It's not all pleasant history, but not all history is pleasant.

The artwork is all black and white. I like that, when it's used well, and Mack uses it to the fullest. The drawing styles are varied and expressive. My only complaint is that some of the white-on-black lettering eroded during reproduction. To print well using inexpensive paper and process, the white-on-black should have had a heavier line weight. Ink naturally bleeds into the white areas; bleeding in from both sides of the lettering's stroke made some of the text hard to read.

I almost gave this five stars. Mack has continued the Kabuki series, though, and it gets better as it goes along. He keeps raising the bar for comic excellence - this doesn't quite measure up to the later books in the series, either for art or for story. His later work beats just about every other comic out there, including this earlier work.

It's good, though, and a good intro to the later books.

I, like many others, picked up this graphic novel due to Mack's work on Daredevil. Mack's combination of intensive emotional study with abstract art was a shock to my system. No other graphic novel series could realistically be compared to this. The art is truly an aquired taste, and I (obviously) enjoyed the hell out of it. What really stands out, however, is Macks ridicuously well-crafted story. One could nit pick here and there about certain points, but, for me, the character of Kabuki is perhaps one of the best in the history of comic books. Most characters are kept at an arm's length in terms of comic book characters. Not many writers are willing to delve into the depths of introspection and emotional weakness that Mack has in this story. I hope that this does not come off as a "this is the greatest thing ever...KABUKI RULES!!" review, becasue there are things wrong with it. I dare not give them away for fear of ruining the storyline, but know that the good far outweighs the bad. It is on the level of Gaiman, Moore, and Miller in my mind, and I would really suggest it to anyone that likes the more character rich works of those writers. Warning: Do not buy this if you are expecting Manga. This is a work of fiction done by an American. The art is American, and the introspective story is that of an outsider looking in. My final suggestion is that you read it slowly. The art is not something that the reader should glance at while blazing through the story. Take your time with and study the many things to enjoy on each page. It's easily one of the most fullfilling stories I have read and suits its reputation as "the best graphic novel that no one has read".

I got interested in David Mack after readin his run on Daredevil for Marvel comics. I wish I had been quicker off the mark. Kabuki Volume 1; Circle of Blood is an excellent comic book, or graphic novel or whatever you want to call it. This book is extremely carefully put together, with a plot and subplot that flow and meld together. Mack seamlessly ties art, writing and poetry together to form a mature and sensible story. On the surface this is a story of a sexy Japanese assassin, but Mack goes beyond that. He makes us care for the characters, especially the Kabuki of the title, by telling us their back stories. He immerses us into his world, and doesn't force feed us the details. This book has a lot to show, and really rewards a number of readings. The opening sequence of each chapter provides a layer of background to this strange and alien world. What makes it all the more strange and alien is that it is a real world. Mack has just shown us what Japan is like today. It is his careful and subtle comparison of Japanese life and Western life that makes this world seem so distant. Multi-layered, intelligent, provocative, and that's just the story. The art is to die for too. I realise that I'm harping on, but read Kabuki and you will see why. You will not be disappointed.

I just finished reading this book and I can't find any better word to describe it than amazing. I started reading earlier today and could not stop until I reached the back cover. The way David Mack weaves this story so intricately is like nothing else. I don't understand why his writing doesn't get the same kind of recognition as someone such as Alan Moore. I was skeptical going in and the only reasons I ended up buying it was because David is a good friend of one of my favorite artists, Andy Lee, and he gave me the book himself for half price. But now I want to go back and give him the other $10 because he deserves every penny.

Not only is the writing incredible but the art is so unique for this graphic novel format. The page layout and design is like no other. On one page you feel like you're looking at some great historic painting and the next page it feels like you're watching the latest summer blockbuster.

The story has so much to offer and is so varied it's hard to compare it to other graphic novels. It's like Sleeper, meet V for Vendetta, meets Sin City... and some.

SOfar I have only read this book, but it sucked me right in. There's so much going on, and it's also interesting and fascinating. I'm rather picky about my graphic novels and manga, so I was surprised to enjoy this book so much. I will be buying the rest of the series!

I first read the Kabuki series where she was in the hospital run by the people who hired and trained her (and was blown away) so I was dying to read this earlier story that gives her back story. At first I was a little disappointed by the art (this is more comic book) but the story was more linear but very shakespearean (to steal from a reviewer before me). When she faces them down and bites off her own finger I was awed. It explained the hand injury from the prior book I read and was such a powerful play on the Yakuza chopping off the finger for forgiveness motiff. I loved this book. I can't understand why it is not being made into a movie by Quentin Tarentino or Mike Takeshi.

I love the new Kabuki series KABUKI: The Alchemy currently being published by Marvel Comics.
So I read this first volume to see where things started.
I was stunned at the level of emotion, characterization, and intelligence put into this work.

The story was fascinating and insightful. But most of all, I connected with the psychology and emotion of the main character. There are a lot of twists and turns that you would never expect. Sometimes the events were even shocking.

After reading this book, I bought and read all the other collected Kabuki volumes. And they continue to get better as the series goes. Highly recommended.

Mack's writing and art evolve and grow in sophistication in the later books, but this one still has a classic and timeless quality to it. You can't deny the raw power and emotion that is conveyed in this first volume. Even though this is Mack's first work, you can tell it is a legend in the making.

This book is grand and mythical in its scope. An epic scale like Watchmen. And the storytelling is truly innovative and ahead of it's time.
I can't recommend it enough.
As a writer, Mack's only peers in graphic novels would be Alan Moore, Neil Gaimen, and Grant Morrison.

its a beautiful book. The art work is a combination of the american comic book style with japanese traditional art. none of the manga crap. It in some places is hard to follow, but similar it makes beautiful references to childrens classics, and gorgeous metaphors.