Phoenix, Vol. 12: Early Works [Paperback]

Osamu Tezuka (Author), Frederik L. Schodt (Translator), Jared Cook (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 18, 2008

Phoenix: Early Works contains stories serialized from 1954 to 1957. This volume contains an early version of the story Dawn, as well as a chapter on ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome.

 

The stories collected here showcase an earlier phase of Tezuka's art and storytelling--and expose a more youthful, sweet side of the master creator. They also illustrate the link between early manga and American comics and cartoons, and reveal Tezuka's deep fascination with Walt Disney. The work was originally geared toward a younger audience than the Phoenix sagas, which began in the 1960s.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Regarded by many as the "God of Manga" Osamu Tezuka was born in 1928 in Toyonoka, in Osaka, Japan. A prolific author and artist, Tezuka is generally regarded as the single figure responsible for developing Japan's massive manga and anime industries. His cinematic art style and novelistic narratives have made his work as universally accessible and relevant now as when first published in Japan. A list of his well-known and universally loved work includes the classic JUNGLE EMPEROR LEO (also known as Kimba the White Lion), BLACK JACK, ADOLF, MIGHTY ATOM (known as ASTRO BOY in the U.S.) and METROPOLIS (recently made into a hit anime film). Tezuka continued creating comics until his death in 1989.

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; Original edition (March 18, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1421509741
• ISBN-13: 978-1421509747
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #909,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Osamu Tezuka (1928-89) is the godfather of Japanese manga comics. He originally intended to become a doctor and earned his degree before turning to what was then a medium for children. His many early masterpieces include the series known in the U.S. as Astro Boy. With his sweeping vision, deftly interwined plots, feel for the workings of power, and indefatigable commitment to human dignity, Tezuka elevated manga to an art form. The later Tezuka, who authored Buddha, often had in mind the mature readership that manga gained in the sixties and that had only grown ever since. The Kurosawa of Japanese pop culture, Osamu Tezuka is a twentieth century classic.

Customer Reviews

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4.0 out of 5 stars Too bad this was the last book, August 15, 2008

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M "CultOfStrawberry" (I wait behind the wall, gnawing away at your reality) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Phoenix, Vol. 12: Early Works (Paperback)

To be fair, this was written BEFORE the rest of the Phoenix series, so it kept me from being too disappointed when I read it. I rated it four stars to be fair, since this was some of his earlier works. I'm just sad that Tezuka died before he could write more, this series had enormous potential and if Tezuka hadn't died of cancer, I am sure he would have made a memorable ending to this fantastic series.