*Join the brand new Patreon to support the channel: www.patreon.com/fortheloveofcomics, or become a RUclips Member by clicking the 'Join' button above! * As promised at the end of this video, the deep dive into the Gallery Edition of Lone Wolf and Cub is here: ruclips.net/video/80xuzpRV2l8/видео.html
Just watched and enjoyed both of your Lone Wolf videos. As a longtime Lone Wolf fan I’d like to make a couple of comments: With regard to the First Comics editions it’s interesting to compare the translations. They are a bit different. I think the Dark Horse edition is a bit better and clarifies a few things. Also, the First Comics edition skips over a few of the stories at the beginning of the series and puts others out of order. Don’t know why. With regard to the ending did you notice the foreshadowing of the end when Obama executes Kaii the poisoner. He says the order of death of the three of them and also says his part in killing Kai is a part of the demands of Karma. I would think Karma demanded Daigoro kill Yagyu and his recognition of that was why he allowed Diagoro to kill him. I saw Daigoro’s limp body at the end as a sign that he too had died. I also saw Yagyu calling him “grandson of my heart” as a indication that he saw Ogami as his son. I think this added depth to the story as a father son battle. My only disappointment in the gallery edition was its focus on the later stories. I would have like to have seen some of the earlier art, particularly from my favorite story in the series, “Performer”.
Thank you so much for those wonderful observations. Especially with the First Comics editions - I would love to get my hands on a bunch of those to do a comparison of the translations! I definitely felt that father-son connection between Yagyu thanks to that exact comment you mention, and I also got the sense that Yagyu felt he had reached the end of his journey too. I guess I didn't think that Daigoro was dead because of that same thing - I suppose I was looking at it as a passing on/ inheritance sequence. With Ogami Itto gone, Yagyu now skips a generation and Daigoro continues. But of course you're absolutely spot on with your interpretation as well - a kid like Daigoro wouldn't necessarily go limp only because he was exhausted or overcome at that time, it could easily be said. Man, now I want to go back and read that issue immediately 😁
Discovered your channel when I was researching Usagi Yojimbo before buying into it...and I am so happy I'm now a Yojimbo fan. How does Lone Wolf compare to Usagi? I ask because some of the elements you mentioned I see a bit in Yojimbo (except for the nudity and sex scenes)
@@BluGiant14 Welce to the channel and glad you're having a good time! One Wolf and Cub is definitely more 'adult' in the sex and violence way as well as the themes of vengeance, corruption, damnation and all that. Usagi, while it can be serious and have a lot to say, tends to be more of an adventure. The other major difference is of course that Lone Wolf ended with a definite conclusion (although there was a sequel series of sorts) while Usagi Yiojimbo is still running! 😁
Finally some love for manga. Your providing deep insight on these wonderful series that not many have done before. Would love to pick your brain on other series as well.
Thank you so much! Which other comics would you like to see talked about? I'm always looking for suggestions, although there's no telling when I will feel ready to actually tackle them. And although it seems like it's finally some love for manga (and I am woefully underread there), I started this channel with two videos on the Akira Box Set, and manga does appear on my shelf videos and my Top 10 Sci Fi Comics, so I'm doing my best! 😀 Glad you liked the video and let me know what else you're interested in!
@@ftloc I don't think you would be able to cover everyone's requests but as long you have them on your "list" :P Yes watched the Akira boxset video, would like to see a similar analysis treatment for it. I just love the film and envy you for that cool-ass box set, I just couldn't find it anywhere. You also have the Nausicaa boxset, there's also that. Got mine last week. I'd like to know more about Alan Moore's other works. Been a fan of Watchmen ever since I watched the Dir Cut of the film and after watching your vid, ordered one for myself. :)
@@suklabhowmick6140 I guess the beauty of manga/anime is there's always something for everyone and not necessarily Shōnen but I understand what you mean.
It was the first manga i ever read and i loved it. It immediately caught my eye when i was browsing through amazons book collection. I think it's on par with the films of Akira Kurosawa in the fact that it represents samurai culture and combat so perfectly.
Yes, he was definitely influenced by the cinema of Kurosawa, but what was particularly marvelous was the way he adapted it to comics vocabulary, representing zooms, closeups, 'slow motion' in ways that were truly unique. You're absolutely right about how perfect the representation of the culture and combat both are - I, for one, learned so much from these comics and I am sure that holds true for many many people all over the world!
Great analysis of an amazing Odyssey in feudal Japan....I really cherish this manga, in particular and also your joy when explaining what it means to you.
@@ftloc It's pretty great, much more violent than Lone Wolf and primarily short story in style like prisoners confessing their crimes to the hero before death.
Another fantastic video, love your analysis of Lone Wolf & Cub and reminds me that I need to get back to it. I have had the first 5 volumes sitting on my shelf for years, but never got around to reading them for whatever reason.
Always a good time for a new read! You've got more than enough to indicate whether or not you love it; I'd be interested to know what you think of you give it a shot!
Man... you make fantastic videos. Love the format, and your take on things. You are so insightful and erudite. I hesitate to dig into your other videos because you are a darn compelling salesman, and I'm broke as a joke! :) I was around 12 when i first found LW&C. I got all the First Comics editions at $0.25 a copy from the bargain bin. What attracted my attention initially was the Frank Miller cover art. And of course the paper-route-budget-friendly price. I felt grief to never know how the epic ended (First Comics went kaput), and then, a decade later, I felt like I was dreaming when I first saw those lil' baby Dark Horse books at Barnes and Noble. I was sad to see the smaller size page, but MAN, I was ECSTATIC to see the story through after a decade of hopelessness.
Thank you so very much! I do hope you check out the other videos and enjoy them too! If you live in a place with good libraries, as I know some viewers do, you don't have to buy in order to read what strikes you as interesting. And that return to Lone Wolf sounds lovely, a true comics reader's fairy tale! 😁
@@ftloc What a great idea! I live one block from the library and borrow 100+ books a year but comics never crossed my mind. /facepalm As my first.... I've already placed a hold on The Incal. It's been on my mind since I saw it in "Jodorowsky's Dune" (great documentary!) and your recent video piqued my interest again. Thank you!!
@@ihatefanserviceanime364 It has a great conclusion but it's old and very episodic If you can deal with that then yeah it's pretty much one of the best
Having a glossary at the end of each volume was very helpful to me in making sense of all the customs and honorifics from that time in Japanese history. After getting into this manga I watched the movies and then moved on to watching and collecting old samurai movies in general
Yes, great point about the glossary and notes. I also like how subtly those are woven in, with no forcing of information but still contextualised. Lovely to hear about it as a gateway, it's pretty similar to how it worked for me, although anime did run in parallel to manga as a foundational force as well. Cheers!
No gutter loss that affects the images, thanks to the margins. This is true even towards the end of the book, when the right hand has the bulk of the pages.
Wonderful and deeply passionate review dude. I'm looking into getting manga and came across LW&C as one of many possible starting points.Thank you for helping me make my decision
This was one of my first and favourite Mangas I read. Used to have them at my local library. Now I’m older I might have to finish the series and buy the whole set.
Haven't read any manga before and only recently found out about this series but I appear to be a little too late since most of the omnibus editions are OOP. I'm thinking about picking up vol 1 since it's still in stock and hoping for maybe some library editions by Dark Horse covering the whole series.
That's a dream worth holding on to! If it ever happens, I will snap them up on day one - given how fast the Blade of the Immortal deluxes went OOS, and Dark Horse's spotty history with this series, I won't be taking any chances!
I have no idea how it is other than a couple of friends telling me its very good. It's exactly because I wasn't sure/ knew nothing about it that I was undecided about getting the LEs but now I guess the point is moot!
Every time that I watch one of your videos, I have the need of buy that new comic :) You have a gift of how to explain and talk about each comic. Lone wolf and cub was always in my watching list but never decided if get it or not. Now I need it! Thanks :)
Always glad to help someone toward something I really love! And I'm always interested to know what someone reading something for the first time thinks, so do let me know how it goes!
For your recommendations, I bought "what I did" from Jason and I can't stop recommend it to everyone. Now I'm reading the Incal and is mind-blowing! But for the lone wolf I will need to wait some time before buy it. My list of books to read is too long to buy more for now :)
@@SrMarkavian Jason is just one those artists you *have* to recommend, isn't he? 😁 Glad you're enjoying these books. But yes, taking the time to read what you've not is the whole point and it's a good idea to take a break from the acquisitions (advice I'm good at giving but not necessarily following!) Building a wishlist and moving things and up and down it is also fun, though!
Can't wait to get something else from Jason! Also I ordered "upgrade soul". Got me really intrigued about it and I read few more opinions and all are good. Now I need to finish Incal and continue with Sandman before you release the video! Can't wait to hear your wife's opinion about it
There are scanlations of Ashita no Joe available online. To be resorted to only if there is no way to get your hands on a physical copy. Something about old school manga that is very direct, expressive and honest.
@@sca8217there is a distinct Disney influence on early manga like joe and tezuka. So in some ways it can seem livelier and more dynamic than largely flat, decorative modern styles.
Oh yes! And Road to Perdition, if you've seen that movie/ read that book, is another of many works influenced by this classic series. Just out of curiosity - how are you reading Lone Wolf: are you able to get your hands on the older volumes/ recent omnibuses? Or are you reading them digitally?
Very good analysis. I just started reading the manga and I'm already very impressed. I have also got to commend your video production, very well done, keep up the good work!
Thank you so much and I'm so glad you liked it. I'm trying to learn more about video and get better at it, so I really appreciate you commenting on it. 😁
I read this 1st in the 80s and fell in love straight away. It immediately became my favourite comic of all time. Also I find the cinematography in the films gorgous, I stopped reading comics in the early 90s and only got back into them after finding a haul at a boot sale around 3 years ago. I made sure 1 of the 1st things I did was was got the full collection. I was a little dissappointed by the size because in the 80s it was standard U.S. comic book size and as I get older my sight gets worse. It has now entered one of the greatest comics of all time for me because I read Punisher Max. My favourite thing about this comic is how it tells a story you understand with what feels like very little effort. Using few words and dramatic but not flamboyant art. Also as with the films you get a peek in to a world that is completley unfamiliar.
I disagree when you say there is a lot of exposition. The writing in Lone Wolf is very frugal, something that make it stand out. Point of fact just after you said there was a lot of exposition you showed a page with no text. Just saying.
You're absolutely right, the frugal use of text over many many pages is a hallmark of this series, and I go into it in even more detail in my look at the Gallery Edition of Lone Wolf, which contains the final, near wordless chapter of the saga. However, here I was referring to the exposition of situation and scenario that works as setup or backdrop, including historical footnotes, cultural viewpoints, ethical arguments and more. In a small example, people often say aloud the name of a weapon, a stance, or they express verbal surprise at a trick and technique. These are expository techniques to not just help us the reader understand what has occurred, but also to reiterate and echo the central themes of the stories. By noting this I am not being critical - far from it: I'm trying to show how both showing and telling stand side by side in this magnificent series.
Congrats for a very comprehensive review of this manga. This also, reminds me where Frank Miller's Ronin came from. So, in a way this was my first contact with Lone Wolf trough a filtered vision of an artist. Yes, I've never read this manga, but Akira and Domu by Katsuhiro Otomo must be also a good entry to the genre, right?
I've only read the first volume of Domu but Akira is definitely a masterpiece and a great one to start with too! 😁 Hopefully you try out Lone Wolf and let me know what you think!
I love Lone Wolf & Cub! Thanks for the review. I hope many people see this and start getting into the manga. This is also my first manga. What's a good second manga to read for adult readers. 20th Century Boys? Akira?
I don't think one can go wrong with either of those. Pluto is my favourite Urasawa comic, and I think A Brides Story is 8ncrwdibly appealing to those looking for something less 'genre'. For new readers to manga, so much depends on what folks are looking for, but i think many works by Jiro Taniguchi, especially Summit of the Gods and A Distant Neighbourhood, may appeal to people not really looking for My Hero Academia or similar works.
We need Lone Wolf and Cub in hardcover so bad! My house is not that big for all the comics I need in my life, so I had to draw a line: I will only buy hardcovers! Here's hoping for Planeta Cómic to print a hardcover version in Spanish. Great video, as always!
Do You have the other books they made like samu Executioner, path of the Assassin and Lady Snowblood ? Love to se videos on those as well. Love Lone Wolf as to me it is perfection when it comes to the Graphic medium. Thanx for the great video ❤️
No I do not have nay of those. I started Samurai Executioner once, many years ago, but it didn't grab me the same way Lone Wolf did, so I didn't keep going. That was probably an unfair comparison - do you think its good enough to give another shot?
Well i have not red them my self yet. I have a couple of volumes of Executioner and Assassin but have not had the time yet. The artwork looks just as beautiful so think you should give it a try 😁
Thank you so much and welcome to the channel😊! Here's hoping you continue to find a lot to enjoy, and I'd always love to get any feedback/suggestions you may have! Cheers!
I got the pdfs of this from Humble Bundle and I can’t put it down. This is some amazing work. It makes me sad that it will end and I will have to wait to find something else I’ll enjoy as much. I have never been much of an Anime and Manga guy.
It's such a remarkable work that it truly transcends the superficial things that may discourage people. I find it has become one of those touchstones, something so original that many other things are 'reminiscent of Lone Wolf and Cub'
@@ftloc that’s interesting because in a way it’s not original at all, there have been many Samurai stories over the years, the panels are very influenced by Kurosawa and westerns, and as you said, the wandering traveler trope is very common. The only thing that feels original is the fact that the lone wanderer has his son with him. It’s a powerful image and unlike the movies the comics don’t rely on gimmicks like the boy flipping switches to help his father kill. (I know it happens in the comics but they wait until later issues and it gives it more impact). The biggest reason why it works is in the execution, it knows exactly how to make comics work, the pacing, the mystery, the fact it’s an epic saga paced out in bite size chunks rewarding you for either reading for 10 minutes or 2 hours. I could go on forever.
I always feel that way! 😁 The editing and technical aspects of these videos is still something I'm trying to get a grip on. Ideally I'd love to spend as long on a video as it needs, but there's also this thinking that it's better to (broadly) stick to a weekly schedule than to take three four weeks to edit a single video. As I get better and faster, I'll keep incorporating what enhancements I can, but for now I'm giving myself a 'finish a video per weekend' deadline to force myself to put out something up even if I am not good enough 😋
I just got the first 38 of the first publishing (a few issues missing in between) I’ve been debating how I wanted to purchase them. But the comic booth I bought them from gave them for an amazing deal for 50 cents each. I might continue collecting this version and continue the omnibus after the original run. (Will most likely collect all omnibus versions afterwards too) It’s great to see the art in a large comic version. But any version is great overall with how amazing this story is.
That is a great deal! I think even the omnibuses are smaller than the American floppy reprints from First Comics, so you're on the largest size I've seen in English, barring the Gallery Edition...
Wow, ...I see you have done this "presentation" thing before, lol!, so it goes w/out saying, me then say'n "You already know!" LOL!! Such great work, thank you! My vids are low brow, armature, comic book collection shares and buys, so I hope you dig some of my finds, as I am a new subscriber... At the very least, my playlists rock. Thanks, I love learning and teaching. Peace
I picked up a couple of additions of the original smaller books OG Darkhorse comics, used for really cheap Elsa picked up a couple of the “new lone wolf and cub“ thank you for the video it was very informative
I was hoping you might give your thoughts on the First Comics format of individual issues of Lone Wolf and Cub...I started buying and reading them shortly after they began their run in 1987. They are the only format in which I've ever read LW&C.
Ooh I grabbed a few of them without knowing anything about them, and ended up loving them! I wanted to get my hands on more but they seem hard to come by and I heard that they were cancelled after just getting a quarter (or even less) of the way through the epic journey. I would love to show the couple I have on a video though, and this comment may be just the nudge I need to do it! Thank you! 😁
@@ftloc Thank you! Finding your channel and this video specifically made me start digging through my comic boxes to find them. I think I had the entire run of them at one time but have only found the first ten so far. I’ve been re-reading them since so the search is on hold until I’m through the ones in hand! 😂
Thanks so much! Check out the other videos on our 'intro to classic comics' playlist, among others, and I'd love any feedback, suggestions or recommendations you may have!
Just bought this Vol 1 - LOVE IT!! One question: Can you read this series as seperate stories as in do you really have to read book 2 to get to book 3? Or can you just read them as seperate stories? I have Vol 1 and Vol 2 is just too exepnsive now that it is out of print so I want to just move on to Vol 3 you know what I mean? Thanks for the great review!! :)
Excellent stuff! So glad you enjoyed the series (and the video!😋) I'd say yuu can just go ahead to Volume 3 no problem. The stories are pretty episodic and self contained and although there is a larger arc you won't be lost or confused if you miss a few here and there. I myself have not read every single volume there is and I think one's appreciation of the series isn't affected by that. There is a definite ending, though, so make sure to grab the last two or three volumes whenever you get a chance, even if you don't read them until later. Hope that helps and happy reading!
Another great video! I was given the first manga in this series from a friend as a gift. Loved what I read. Haven’t finished the series yet but it is superb. I’m missing 4 volumes (the small version) then I’ll have it complete
So glad that you liked the video and congrats on putting together that great collection - those smaller books are much harder to get nowadays and that's already quite an achievement in gathering them up! Such a wonderful series, isn't it?
Have you ever read Vagabond, by Takehiko Inoue? It's reminiscent of Lone Wolf and Cub in its setting. Vagabond has some of the most beautiful and unique art I've read in a comic, and tells an engaging story that subverts a lot of tropes from modern manga. It isn't finished, and probably never will be, but it's still one of the best things you can read. I'd highly recommend it.
I've heard about Vagabond, but always very general praise. Your brief but eloquent description has now awoken my curiosity, even though I worry about starting something that may not finish. Thanks!
Finally, a video on my all-time favourite graphic novel/manga and the reason why I started collecting in the first place! Speaking of samurai films like those by Kurosawa and Kobayashi, did you get a chance to watch any of the original Lone Wolf and Cub films? There's six of them in total and they're all fantastic. Criterion has a beautiful box set containing the entire film series: www.criterion.com/boxsets/1217-lone-wolf-and-cub There's also a really cool video by Criterion about the series if you scroll to the bottom of the page. I'm obsessed with anything samurai related and the Lone Wolf manga is the best literary piece of work on the subject I've ever read. Also, Kobayashi's Harakiri is my favourite samurai film by far.
I love the Lone Wolf movies and have been sorely tempted by that Criterion box for a while now. If only I could stop spending all my money on comics... Have you had a chance to catch the Lone Wolf Gallery Edition video? I tried to talk a little bit more on my love for this series in that one and I'd love to get an expert opinion on my ramblings there! 😁
For the Love of Comics I've had that Lone Wolf Gallery edition video of yours on my Watch Later playlist. Looking forward to watching it tonight. I've been hesitant to dive into the Criterion Collection too because I know the collector in me won't be able to stop at just one title. I'm already short on cash every month due to my manga and vinyl record collections.
Try Samurai Executioner, new lone wolf and cub by the same Mangaka. One of the best Samurai Manga. The best thing about these three Manga is that the insight it gives on the Tokugawa era, the way of life, terminology etc...
I tried a few stories from New Lone Wolf which definitely continued with the excellence in research and cultural depiction you point out, but didn't have the same urgency and classic feeling charm of Lone Wolf. But it is unfair to compare, perhaps. I will give Samurai Executioner a shot!
Just found this channel! I loved reading this series. What would you recommend to someone who is a big fan of this series and has already finished New Lone Wolf and Cub?
If you're willing to try something that isn't manga, and are not put off by an 'animal' comic, I cannot recommend Usagi Yojimbo highly enough. If interested, check out my videos on this excellent series, especially 'What is Usagi Yojimbo?' and 'How to get started reading Usagi Yojimbo', both part of this playlist here: ruclips.net/p/PLf2B7UoR9NKUr6U1OYHyUIwBarLkRU5ek
A few months ago someone was going through all my videos and any that 0 dislikes was being tagged with a dislike, like I got 15 or 16 in a hour. So I decided to test a theory and disable them to see if not seeing the results of their work would discourage them (I still get to see them in the back end) and it did! They stopped! 😋
Great review and you are correct anyone who hasn’t read Lone wolf and Cub should really give it a try, I was fortunate enough to have read them when they were published by First Comics in 87’ they were in a square bound format comic book size and they also had some of the best covers by Frank Miller, Bill Sienkiewicz, Matt Wagner, and Mike Ploog. Unfortunately I have not read the whole saga as First Comics had financial troubles and only published 45 issues but they made their impact on me and are still in my collection to this day.
For the Love of Comics, The print and paper are very good, cover are a nice card stock, you should check out www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=138371, they have them there very inexpensive, between 2-3 dollars per issue cannot go wrong for that price, really undervalued book.. Good Luck on the hunt
For the Love of Comics I’m glad I was able to entice, I mean help you in some small way, please let me know what you think of them when they arrive.. Take care 👍🏼👍🏼
I love your work, this channel and the depth of your content. Keep up the fantastic work. I just felt I had to say that as I've been enjoying your videos for months now.
Comments like these just make my day! Thank you so much and I hope you keep enjoying the channel - as long as you keep watching them, I'll keep making them! 😁
That's terrific! Go with the velocity and see how many volumes you remain hooked for. Some of the later volumes seem to be getting hard to find, unfortunately 😔
Hey did you check this new graphic novel from a Kickstarter campaign its name is "Dani and Ramen: A Nomad’s Tale Vol.1" ? If you did can you please review it
Another well produced interesting video. Still not enough people know how good lone wolf and cub is. We have alot to thank Frank Miller for here. I got lucky and got the first publishing issues 1-41 from a garage sale. Yay
That's terrific, congratulations! I've ordered a few of the First Comics issues just to compare and experience them, and a friend of the channel has just generously gifted us a trade collection of their first issues, so I envision another Lone Wolf and Cub video, on that particular format, somewhere down the road!
When I was 12 I got my hands on the first omnibuses (I was 5'8 at least and most confused me for a high schooler or a college freshman), but I never got my hands on the further ones. I found our recently they're all back in stock. I'm busy with Vinland Saga and intend to read my Hellboy box set afterwards so here's hoping the omnibuses stay in stock until then
That's a very young age for Lone Wolf! What did you think of it at the time? And yes, I am really going to use this reprint opportunity to try and get all 12 of the omnibuses finally in my hands, let's see if I can manage it!
@@ftloc I was astonished by the art and how different it was from most of what I had read. It was originally gekiga if my memory serves, although that seems to have been assimilated into manga in the form of seinen and josei series such as Berserk and Midnight Diner. I was also intrigued by how it explored violence and how Ogami is simultaneously repulsive and sympathetic. I was also amazed by the reconstruction of the time period
Sadly I will never have it in physical format! :( - In my country there are no stores that sell this. - In bookdepository this series is unavailable only in omnibus format also not all volumes (just some) - Amazon is super expensive with shipping. One manga volume will cost 24.90$ with shipping of course so yeah. - Also same goes for ebay the shipping on everything is expensive 20,40 even 60$ so free shipping is good. - THE CHEAPEST I FOUND THIS WHOLE SERIES IS 500$ WITHOUT SHIPPING. I can spend this money on other Amazing Series, for example BOM Deluxe Editions, Berserk Deluxe Editions. P.S It's too bad that I don't have a manga store near me(well we have one in my country but like with 4-5 manga series that's it) the closest one with a decent collection is like 430-450 miles away.
I know what you mean - even I am unable to get my hands on more than a handful of the omnibuses nowadays. But maybe Dark Horse will reprint them one day and they'll therefore be available at more reasonable prices!
@@ftloc I Hope So. Imagine Dark Horse Releasing Lone Wolf And Cub In Deluxe Format just like Berserk,Blade Of The Immortal And Hellsing. Now that would be *Insane!*
I recently found this amazing channel while searching about Little Nemo in Slumberland on RUclips. While this was a fantastic review, I hope you also check out Blade of the Immortal which is peerless in its storytelling
Thank you so much - and so great to hear you're enjoying the channel! I've been on the lookout for Blade of the Immortal for a while now. While the first volume of the Dark Horse Omnibus seems to be available, the subsequent volumes appear hard to find here. I was worried about not being able to continue, but I think I'll take the plunge to read the first volume now and deal with the availability (or lack thereof) of the next volumes later.
@@ftloc Yessir. And if you don't mind sailing the high seas, you can google mangasee123 and read the complete series on that website. It has pretty HQ scans
Back in the late 80's, First Publishing started reprinting the series in traditional comic book form. I guess due to low sales, they had to stop short, but I believe I have every issue they printed.
I've managed to get my hands on a couple of the those issues from First, and I have to say I love them! The full US comics size really does the art justice, and I like the newsprint feel - it matches the story and atmosphere wonderfully. I really wish they had completed the series in that form!
That's a real pity but I think the episodic nature of the series means that it can still be enjoyed in oieces. There is a definite end that would be nice to have, but otherwise any volumes one can get should still be more than worthwhile, would you agree?
Haha oh wow, I don't know if I've heard it being called a total letdown before, although I know several people who don't love it. I guess expectations also have something to do with it - for me it was like very little I'd read before, but very reminiscent of things I'd watched before, so the cinematic use of the comics medium, to points where I could almost hear music or wind, definitely played a big role in my love for it.
This is the most compelling case made for LW&C which makes me want to pick up this book, which has long intimidated me due to its size. However one can only read so much, in so little time. 😓 P.S. Has this ever been colored and collected in an HC format? 😜
There's always so much to read, as there is to watch, but if you've made the time for Sanjuro and Yojimbo, give the first couple of volumes of this a shot. The length is intimidating, but until the climax the series remains mainly episodic, making it easy to pick up and out down. Many people I know have actually read the series out of order , based only on which volumes they were able to find, and have still enjoyed it fine. As I mentioned, there have been some limited ed hardcovers that are hard to find, but I don't think it has ever been coloured. I don't see how they would do it, what with all the washes and painted Grey's, but I guess it's possible?
It's terrible that these are out of print, but Dark Horse still sells them in 28 volumes in digital format, and the image quality seems to be excellent - probably much better than the original 28 volume set. I know you don't read digital comics, but still, I think reading this on a nice tablet would be a good experience, at least for me. At least I hope so, since I have no other option!
That actually sounds quite tempting. I agree with you that the original printing can be quite muddy at times, and with proper page layout replication , these smaller volumes shouldn't suffer too much digitally. Still, i hear the omnibus volumes are headed for a reprint this year, so hopefully I'll still have a print option to fill out the volumes on my shelf! If not, I'm going for at least certain volumes digitally! 😁
@@ftloc Apparently they don't collect all the individual stories. As per Wikipedia (and some of the descriptions on Dark Horse's website) some of the volumes were only "partially" collected.
@@TheTopseat The First comics series did one or two short stories per issue, and never completed the series. The smaller, thicker volumes have more stories per volume, and collect the entire saga. I hope that helps!
Another great manga about a wandering samurai is Rurouni Kenshin (also known as Samurai X) and I really recommend it. The story and art are great, action is a lot more exaggerated in a typical anime fashion instead of the realism of Lone Wolf and Cub, and is just an allround great read.
@@ftloc definitely worth checking out. It’s 28 volumes in total. The first 6 are fairly short stories building the world of Kenshin. Volume 7 starts a great long story arc mixing historical accuracy with fiction and from volume 18 onwards starts a great personal arc for our main character. Sadly, the series got some negative publicity because of the author’s personal indiscretions (to put it mildly), but for me it doesn’t change how great the story is. Just a little more difficult for me to go back to.
Yes, First Comics never finished the series - Dark Horse was the first to do it in English in its entirety, as I mention here. They're the same, I think, but I'll see if I can find any differences, and if I do, I'll make another video!
Manga is more a form that can be about any genre at all, but there are a lot of people who can't get into some of the more common or popular styles, so I understand your point. I may have been the same way at some time - I thought they were all full of shouting and broad emotions, and I probably got that idea from childrens anime. However, the more I read, the more I grow to enjoy it, and it all started with Lone Wolf!
@@ftloc haha, I have 7 volumes of MHA and 4 volumes of One punch. Also own 2 volumes of Vagabond, 4 volumes of Attack on Titan and 1 volume of No Guns Life.
@@ftloc you should check out Vagabond, it's also a Samurai Manga. The art is godly. Story is very engaging but nothing out of the ordinary. For me atleast.
is the sequel, new lone wolf and cub, worth it? i feel like the original was a masterpiece with one of the most perfectbendings, im afraid more would ruin it....
Honestly, I've heard people praise it, but I was/am of the same mind as you - I read through the first volume and while the art is great it cannot avoid comparison to the previous work that ended so well, and suffers in comparison. If you are able to put the original series out of your mind, I am sure NLWaC could have a lot to recommend it, but I couldn't, at least the time I tried.
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As promised at the end of this video, the deep dive into the Gallery Edition of Lone Wolf and Cub is here: ruclips.net/video/80xuzpRV2l8/видео.html
Just watched and enjoyed both of your Lone Wolf videos. As a longtime Lone Wolf fan I’d like to make a couple of comments: With regard to the First Comics editions it’s interesting to compare the translations. They are a bit different. I think the Dark Horse edition is a bit better and clarifies a few things. Also, the First Comics edition skips over a few of the stories at the beginning of the series and puts others out of order. Don’t know why. With regard to the ending did you notice the foreshadowing of the end when Obama executes Kaii the poisoner. He says the order of death of the three of them and also says his part in killing Kai is a part of the demands of Karma. I would think Karma demanded Daigoro kill Yagyu and his recognition of that was why he allowed Diagoro to kill him. I saw Daigoro’s limp body at the end as a sign that he too had died. I also saw Yagyu calling him “grandson of my heart” as a indication that he saw Ogami as his son. I think this added depth to the story as a father son battle. My only disappointment in the gallery edition was its focus on the later stories. I would have like to have seen some of the earlier art, particularly from my favorite story in the series, “Performer”.
Thank you so much for those wonderful observations. Especially with the First Comics editions - I would love to get my hands on a bunch of those to do a comparison of the translations! I definitely felt that father-son connection between Yagyu thanks to that exact comment you mention, and I also got the sense that Yagyu felt he had reached the end of his journey too. I guess I didn't think that Daigoro was dead because of that same thing - I suppose I was looking at it as a passing on/ inheritance sequence. With Ogami Itto gone, Yagyu now skips a generation and Daigoro continues. But of course you're absolutely spot on with your interpretation as well - a kid like Daigoro wouldn't necessarily go limp only because he was exhausted or overcome at that time, it could easily be said. Man, now I want to go back and read that issue immediately 😁
Discovered your channel when I was researching Usagi Yojimbo before buying into it...and I am so happy I'm now a Yojimbo fan. How does Lone Wolf compare to Usagi? I ask because some of the elements you mentioned I see a bit in Yojimbo (except for the nudity and sex scenes)
@@BluGiant14 Welce to the channel and glad you're having a good time! One Wolf and Cub is definitely more 'adult' in the sex and violence way as well as the themes of vengeance, corruption, damnation and all that. Usagi, while it can be serious and have a lot to say, tends to be more of an adventure. The other major difference is of course that Lone Wolf ended with a definite conclusion (although there was a sequel series of sorts) while Usagi Yiojimbo is still running! 😁
"Masterpiece" really does sum up _Lone Wolf and Cub_ . Over all the years of reading comics, this one stands out above almost all the others, for me.
I absolutely agree; in spite of so many imitators, it remains unparalleled !
Revisiting the series now. Outstanding. Enjoying every chapter again like it was new👏🏻
Finally some love for manga. Your providing deep insight on these wonderful series that not many have done before. Would love to pick your brain on other series as well.
Thank you so much! Which other comics would you like to see talked about? I'm always looking for suggestions, although there's no telling when I will feel ready to actually tackle them.
And although it seems like it's finally some love for manga (and I am woefully underread there), I started this channel with two videos on the Akira Box Set, and manga does appear on my shelf videos and my Top 10 Sci Fi Comics, so I'm doing my best! 😀 Glad you liked the video and let me know what else you're interested in!
@@ftloc someone's first manga should be a shonen... i.e. Death note, Naruto, one punch man, etc.
@@ftloc I don't think you would be able to cover everyone's requests but as long you have them on your "list" :P Yes watched the Akira boxset video, would like to see a similar analysis treatment for it. I just love the film and envy you for that cool-ass box set, I just couldn't find it anywhere. You also have the Nausicaa boxset, there's also that. Got mine last week. I'd like to know more about Alan Moore's other works. Been a fan of Watchmen ever since I watched the Dir Cut of the film and after watching your vid, ordered one for myself. :)
@@suklabhowmick6140 I guess the beauty of manga/anime is there's always something for everyone and not necessarily Shōnen but I understand what you mean.
It was the first manga i ever read and i loved it. It immediately caught my eye when i was browsing through amazons book collection. I think it's on par with the films of Akira Kurosawa in the fact that it represents samurai culture and combat so perfectly.
Yes, he was definitely influenced by the cinema of Kurosawa, but what was particularly marvelous was the way he adapted it to comics vocabulary, representing zooms, closeups, 'slow motion' in ways that were truly unique. You're absolutely right about how perfect the representation of the culture and combat both are - I, for one, learned so much from these comics and I am sure that holds true for many many people all over the world!
Great analysis of an amazing Odyssey in feudal Japan....I really cherish this manga, in particular and also your joy when explaining what it means to you.
So glad you enjoyed the episode! It is indeed a very special manga.
Have owned the whole series 2x. First physical, and then when Humble Bundle put up a works of Kazuo Koike..... yeah.
This was my first manga and still my favourite. I also read Koike and Kojima's Samurai Executioner which was also excellent.
I have yet to try out Samurai Executioner!
@@ftloc It's pretty great, much more violent than Lone Wolf and primarily short story in style like prisoners confessing their crimes to the hero before death.
Another fantastic video, love your analysis of Lone Wolf & Cub and reminds me that I need to get back to it. I have had the first 5 volumes sitting on my shelf for years, but never got around to reading them for whatever reason.
Always a good time for a new read! You've got more than enough to indicate whether or not you love it; I'd be interested to know what you think of you give it a shot!
I’m very happy I stumbled across this review. Thank you very much. This was an excellent primer. So good that I have subscribed.
Thank you and a warm welcome to the channel! I hope you find plenty more to enjoy here!
Man... you make fantastic videos. Love the format, and your take on things. You are so insightful and erudite. I hesitate to dig into your other videos because you are a darn compelling salesman, and I'm broke as a joke! :)
I was around 12 when i first found LW&C. I got all the First Comics editions at $0.25 a copy from the bargain bin. What attracted my attention initially was the Frank Miller cover art. And of course the paper-route-budget-friendly price. I felt grief to never know how the epic ended (First Comics went kaput), and then, a decade later, I felt like I was dreaming when I first saw those lil' baby Dark Horse books at Barnes and Noble. I was sad to see the smaller size page, but MAN, I was ECSTATIC to see the story through after a decade of hopelessness.
Thank you so very much! I do hope you check out the other videos and enjoy them too! If you live in a place with good libraries, as I know some viewers do, you don't have to buy in order to read what strikes you as interesting.
And that return to Lone Wolf sounds lovely, a true comics reader's fairy tale! 😁
@@ftloc What a great idea! I live one block from the library and borrow 100+ books a year but comics never crossed my mind. /facepalm
As my first.... I've already placed a hold on The Incal. It's been on my mind since I saw it in "Jodorowsky's Dune" (great documentary!) and your recent video piqued my interest again.
Thank you!!
@@virus2003 glad I could help! Public libraries in other countries always make me so jealous! Let me know how you find the Incal!
Just finished this manga. All I can says is WOW. One of the greatest manga I read. A timeless masterpiece.
I completely agree! 😁
Better than vagabond?
@@ihatefanserviceanime364 I stopped reading vagabond the second some guy started bouncing off of trees in order to escape.
@@ihatefanserviceanime364
It has a great conclusion but it's old and very episodic
If you can deal with that then yeah it's pretty much one of the best
Having a glossary at the end of each volume was very helpful to me in making sense of all the customs and honorifics from that time in Japanese history. After getting into this manga I watched the movies and then moved on to watching and collecting old samurai movies in general
Yes, great point about the glossary and notes. I also like how subtly those are woven in, with no forcing of information but still contextualised. Lovely to hear about it as a gateway, it's pretty similar to how it worked for me, although anime did run in parallel to manga as a foundational force as well. Cheers!
@@ftloc yeah then my love of Samurai films led me to Yakuza films which then led to Pinky violence, Bancho, and Sukeban movies.
Really enjoyed this! Is there gutter loss in the newer, bigger versions?
No gutter loss that affects the images, thanks to the margins. This is true even towards the end of the book, when the right hand has the bulk of the pages.
Well done sir, loved this series. This was the first manga I read as well and it is now one of my favorite stories of all time. Subscribed.
Welcome to the channel and I hope you find a lot to enjoy here!
Best review/recommendation for Lone Wolf and Cub on RUclips! Great job! This review has actually convinced me to slowly read this.
Thanks so much! And that's lovely to hear - do let me know what you think of it if you try it out!
best review of my favorite piece of storytelling in any medium
Thank you, and yes, _Lone Wolf_ a great accomplishment!
Wonderful and deeply passionate review dude. I'm looking into getting manga and came across LW&C as one of many possible starting points.Thank you for helping me make my decision
I'm so glad you enjoyed it; thank so much! 😁
This was one of my first and favourite Mangas I read. Used to have them at my local library. Now I’m older I might have to finish the series and buy the whole set.
Completely worth seeking out, I'd feel! 😁
I'm thankful it's available on digital. Don't have the room for the physical volumes. Makes me wish stuff like Pluto and Akira were on digital too.
I'm surprised to hear Pluto and Akira aren't available digitally! I wonder what the reasons are...
About time i got a notification from you! RUclips had unsubscribed me from all the channels that i had subscribed to.
Oh no! I'm glad that hasn't happened here - just technical problems keeping me from my schedule!
Thanks for this great introduction to this series, I will surely pick this up.
So glad you enjoyed the video, and I'd love to know what you thought of the series!
Haven't read any manga before and only recently found out about this series but I appear to be a little too late since most of the omnibus editions are OOP. I'm thinking about picking up vol 1 since it's still in stock and hoping for maybe some library editions by Dark Horse covering the whole series.
That's a dream worth holding on to! If it ever happens, I will snap them up on day one - given how fast the Blade of the Immortal deluxes went OOS, and Dark Horse's spotty history with this series, I won't be taking any chances!
@@ftloc is Blade of the Immortal deluxe worth picking up? I don't know really anything about it.
I have no idea how it is other than a couple of friends telling me its very good. It's exactly because I wasn't sure/ knew nothing about it that I was undecided about getting the LEs but now I guess the point is moot!
Every time that I watch one of your videos, I have the need of buy that new comic :)
You have a gift of how to explain and talk about each comic. Lone wolf and cub was always in my watching list but never decided if get it or not. Now I need it! Thanks :)
Always glad to help someone toward something I really love! And I'm always interested to know what someone reading something for the first time thinks, so do let me know how it goes!
For your recommendations, I bought "what I did" from Jason and I can't stop recommend it to everyone. Now I'm reading the Incal and is mind-blowing! But for the lone wolf I will need to wait some time before buy it. My list of books to read is too long to buy more for now :)
@@SrMarkavian Jason is just one those artists you *have* to recommend, isn't he? 😁 Glad you're enjoying these books. But yes, taking the time to read what you've not is the whole point and it's a good idea to take a break from the acquisitions (advice I'm good at giving but not necessarily following!) Building a wishlist and moving things and up and down it is also fun, though!
Can't wait to get something else from Jason! Also I ordered "upgrade soul". Got me really intrigued about it and I read few more opinions and all are good. Now I need to finish Incal and continue with Sandman before you release the video! Can't wait to hear your wife's opinion about it
100% agree! Love your analysis and detailed description. I’m hooked! Found complete collection in omnibus. Also have the DVD collection.
Thank you and wow, that's terrific! Great grab!
This and Ashita no Joe are pure masterpieces when it comes to manga.
I haven;t read Ashita No Joe, but I will definitely agree about Lone Wolf, as is perhaps obvious! 😁
I don't think that ashita no joe get licensed in english
@@youssefgo783 No it didn’t
There are scanlations of Ashita no Joe available online. To be resorted to only if there is no way to get your hands on a physical copy. Something about old school manga that is very direct, expressive and honest.
@@sca8217there is a distinct Disney influence on early manga like joe and tezuka. So in some ways it can seem livelier and more dynamic than largely flat, decorative modern styles.
My friend, incredible review. Thank you so much!
Thrilled you enjoyed it, thank you!
i’m so glad i watched this before i bought someone’s entire collection. you really know how to sell a story but the story truly sells itself hahaha
Haha thank you, and you're right, _Lone Wolf and Cub_ needs no salesmen! 😁
I just started reading this series. Now I totally see where the Mandalorian got its style.
Oh yes! And Road to Perdition, if you've seen that movie/ read that book, is another of many works influenced by this classic series. Just out of curiosity - how are you reading Lone Wolf: are you able to get your hands on the older volumes/ recent omnibuses? Or are you reading them digitally?
Very good analysis. I just started reading the manga and I'm already very impressed. I have also got to commend
your video production, very well done, keep up the good work!
Thank you so much and I'm so glad you liked it. I'm trying to learn more about video and get better at it, so I really appreciate you commenting on it. 😁
I read this 1st in the 80s and fell in love straight away. It immediately became my favourite comic of all time. Also I find the cinematography in the films gorgous, I stopped reading comics in the early 90s and only got back into them after finding a haul at a boot sale around 3 years ago. I made sure 1 of the 1st things I did was was got the full collection. I was a little dissappointed by the size because in the 80s it was standard U.S. comic book size and as I get older my sight gets worse. It has now entered one of the greatest comics of all time for me because I read Punisher Max. My favourite thing about this comic is how it tells a story you understand with what feels like very little effort. Using few words and dramatic but not flamboyant art. Also as with the films you get a peek in to a world that is completley unfamiliar.
I disagree when you say there is a lot of exposition. The writing in Lone Wolf is very frugal, something that make it stand out. Point of fact just after you said there was a lot of exposition you showed a page with no text. Just saying.
You're absolutely right, the frugal use of text over many many pages is a hallmark of this series, and I go into it in even more detail in my look at the Gallery Edition of Lone Wolf, which contains the final, near wordless chapter of the saga.
However, here I was referring to the exposition of situation and scenario that works as setup or backdrop, including historical footnotes, cultural viewpoints, ethical arguments and more. In a small example, people often say aloud the name of a weapon, a stance, or they express verbal surprise at a trick and technique. These are expository techniques to not just help us the reader understand what has occurred, but also to reiterate and echo the central themes of the stories. By noting this I am not being critical - far from it: I'm trying to show how both showing and telling stand side by side in this magnificent series.
Congrats for a very comprehensive review of this manga. This also, reminds me where Frank Miller's Ronin came from. So, in a way this was my first contact with Lone Wolf trough a filtered vision of an artist. Yes, I've never read this manga, but Akira and Domu by Katsuhiro Otomo must be also a good entry to the genre, right?
I've only read the first volume of Domu but Akira is definitely a masterpiece and a great one to start with too! 😁
Hopefully you try out Lone Wolf and let me know what you think!
Waiting since 3 weeks for the next video btw I would to hear your thoughts on manga climber
Sorry, I had a brief note up on our community page - taking a small break
ruclips.net/user/FortheLoveofComicscommunity
See you soon!
Sorry i haven't seen that post i understand the situation will wait for your return ❤
I love Lone Wolf & Cub! Thanks for the review. I hope many people see this and start getting into the manga. This is also my first manga. What's a good second manga to read for adult readers. 20th Century Boys? Akira?
I don't think one can go wrong with either of those. Pluto is my favourite Urasawa comic, and I think A Brides Story is 8ncrwdibly appealing to those looking for something less 'genre'. For new readers to manga, so much depends on what folks are looking for, but i think many works by Jiro Taniguchi, especially Summit of the Gods and A Distant Neighbourhood, may appeal to people not really looking for My Hero Academia or similar works.
We need Lone Wolf and Cub in hardcover so bad! My house is not that big for all the comics I need in my life, so I had to draw a line: I will only buy hardcovers! Here's hoping for Planeta Cómic to print a hardcover version in Spanish. Great video, as always!
Thank you! And yes, I too would have to make some room if they ever decided to give Lone Wolf the Berserk treatment!
Do You have the other books they made like samu Executioner, path of the Assassin and Lady Snowblood ? Love to se videos on those as well. Love Lone Wolf as to me it is perfection when it comes to the Graphic medium. Thanx for the great video ❤️
No I do not have nay of those. I started Samurai Executioner once, many years ago, but it didn't grab me the same way Lone Wolf did, so I didn't keep going. That was probably an unfair comparison - do you think its good enough to give another shot?
Well i have not red them my self yet. I have a couple of volumes of Executioner and Assassin but have not had the time yet. The artwork looks just as beautiful so think you should give it a try 😁
Great review of the series! I stumbled upon the channel only a couple of days ago but I'm already loving it! Keep it up!
Thank you so much and welcome to the channel😊! Here's hoping you continue to find a lot to enjoy, and I'd always love to get any feedback/suggestions you may have! Cheers!
I loved your work here. Earned a quick sub and new fan!
Thank you so much, and a very warm welcome! I hope you enjoy this little channel for a long, long time 😁!
I have not read this but the premise sounds excellent! Will get the first Omnibus ASAP! Thanks for picking this up!
It's a classic - you will not regret picking it up, I have the feeling 😁!
You have a philosophy to reading manga. Love it. Just bought the entire 28 vol set! Awesome vid!
Thank you! And what a terrific pickup of all the volumes in one go - I'm sure you'll love the journey!
Where did you purchase entire vol set if you don’t mind?
@@chriskersey11 local pick up on OfferUp. Was VERY lucky. All under $250.
I got the pdfs of this from Humble Bundle and I can’t put it down. This is some amazing work. It makes me sad that it will end and I will have to wait to find something else I’ll enjoy as much. I have never been much of an Anime and Manga guy.
It's such a remarkable work that it truly transcends the superficial things that may discourage people. I find it has become one of those touchstones, something so original that many other things are 'reminiscent of Lone Wolf and Cub'
@@ftloc that’s interesting because in a way it’s not original at all, there have been many Samurai stories over the years, the panels are very influenced by Kurosawa and westerns, and as you said, the wandering traveler trope is very common. The only thing that feels original is the fact that the lone wanderer has his son with him. It’s a powerful image and unlike the movies the comics don’t rely on gimmicks like the boy flipping switches to help his father kill. (I know it happens in the comics but they wait until later issues and it gives it more impact). The biggest reason why it works is in the execution, it knows exactly how to make comics work, the pacing, the mystery, the fact it’s an epic saga paced out in bite size chunks rewarding you for either reading for 10 minutes or 2 hours. I could go on forever.
You too huh? :)
Subscribed. Meifumado for life. Cheers sir! Ant thank you for educating.
Welcome aboard! Thank you so much and hope you find plenty more to enjoy here!
Excellent overview! I'm sold
Glad to hear it! And thanks for the kind words! I'd love to hear what you thought of it once you get to read some.
Excellent video! If I could change one thing I would have shown more pages during the commentary
I always feel that way! 😁
The editing and technical aspects of these videos is still something I'm trying to get a grip on. Ideally I'd love to spend as long on a video as it needs, but there's also this thinking that it's better to (broadly) stick to a weekly schedule than to take three four weeks to edit a single video. As I get better and faster, I'll keep incorporating what enhancements I can, but for now I'm giving myself a 'finish a video per weekend' deadline to force myself to put out something up even if I am not good enough 😋
Absolutely fantastic review. Your videos are addictive!
Thank you so much! Long may your enjoyment continue! 😁
I just got the first 38 of the first publishing (a few issues missing in between)
I’ve been debating how I wanted to purchase them. But the comic booth I bought them from gave them for an amazing deal for 50 cents each.
I might continue collecting this version and continue the omnibus after the original run. (Will most likely collect all omnibus versions afterwards too)
It’s great to see the art in a large comic version. But any version is great overall with how amazing this story is.
That is a great deal! I think even the omnibuses are smaller than the American floppy reprints from First Comics, so you're on the largest size I've seen in English, barring the Gallery Edition...
Wow, ...I see you have done this "presentation" thing before, lol!, so it goes w/out saying, me then say'n "You already know!" LOL!! Such great work, thank you! My vids are low brow, armature, comic book collection shares and buys, so I hope you dig some of my finds, as I am a new subscriber... At the very least, my playlists rock. Thanks, I love learning and teaching. Peace
Thank you so much, and I'm definitely checking out your channel! Cheers!
I picked up a couple of additions of the original smaller books OG Darkhorse comics, used for really cheap Elsa picked up a couple of the “new lone wolf and cub“ thank you for the video it was very informative
Glad you enjoyed it! How did you like New Lone Wolf?
discovered your channel today, Great production, great taste in books.
A warm welcome to the channel and thank you so much! I hope you find plenty to enjoy here and for a long, long time 😁
I was hoping you might give your thoughts on the First Comics format of individual issues of Lone Wolf and Cub...I started buying and reading them shortly after they began their run in 1987. They are the only format in which I've ever read LW&C.
Ooh I grabbed a few of them without knowing anything about them, and ended up loving them!
I wanted to get my hands on more but they seem hard to come by and I heard that they were cancelled after just getting a quarter (or even less) of the way through the epic journey.
I would love to show the couple I have on a video though, and this comment may be just the nudge I need to do it! Thank you! 😁
@@ftloc Thank you! Finding your channel and this video specifically made me start digging through my comic boxes to find them. I think I had the entire run of them at one time but have only found the first ten so far. I’ve been re-reading them since so the search is on hold until I’m through the ones in hand! 😂
Great review, i look forward to more detailed reviews. Keep it up!
Thanks so much! Check out the other videos on our 'intro to classic comics' playlist, among others, and I'd love any feedback, suggestions or recommendations you may have!
Just bought this Vol 1 - LOVE IT!! One question: Can you read this series as seperate stories as in do you really have to read book 2 to get to book 3? Or can you just read them as seperate stories? I have Vol 1 and Vol 2 is just too exepnsive now that it is out of print so I want to just move on to Vol 3 you know what I mean? Thanks for the great review!! :)
Excellent stuff! So glad you enjoyed the series (and the video!😋) I'd say yuu can just go ahead to Volume 3 no problem. The stories are pretty episodic and self contained and although there is a larger arc you won't be lost or confused if you miss a few here and there. I myself have not read every single volume there is and I think one's appreciation of the series isn't affected by that. There is a definite ending, though, so make sure to grab the last two or three volumes whenever you get a chance, even if you don't read them until later. Hope that helps and happy reading!
Another great video! I was given the first manga in this series from a friend as a gift. Loved what I read. Haven’t finished the series yet but it is superb. I’m missing 4 volumes (the small version) then I’ll have it complete
So glad that you liked the video and congrats on putting together that great collection - those smaller books are much harder to get nowadays and that's already quite an achievement in gathering them up! Such a wonderful series, isn't it?
@@ftloc It is an awesome series! I haven't finished it yet but I am loving it. Would like to find New Lone Wolf and Cub after I finish the first set
Love the channel. Subscribed!
Thank you and welcome! Let me know of any suggestions or feedback you may have!
Have you ever read Vagabond, by Takehiko Inoue? It's reminiscent of Lone Wolf and Cub in its setting. Vagabond has some of the most beautiful and unique art I've read in a comic, and tells an engaging story that subverts a lot of tropes from modern manga. It isn't finished, and probably never will be, but it's still one of the best things you can read. I'd highly recommend it.
I've heard about Vagabond, but always very general praise. Your brief but eloquent description has now awoken my curiosity, even though I worry about starting something that may not finish. Thanks!
Finally, a video on my all-time favourite graphic novel/manga and the reason why I started collecting in the first place! Speaking of samurai films like those by Kurosawa and Kobayashi, did you get a chance to watch any of the original Lone Wolf and Cub films? There's six of them in total and they're all fantastic. Criterion has a beautiful box set containing the entire film series: www.criterion.com/boxsets/1217-lone-wolf-and-cub
There's also a really cool video by Criterion about the series if you scroll to the bottom of the page.
I'm obsessed with anything samurai related and the Lone Wolf manga is the best literary piece of work on the subject I've ever read. Also, Kobayashi's Harakiri is my favourite samurai film by far.
I love the Lone Wolf movies and have been sorely tempted by that Criterion box for a while now. If only I could stop spending all my money on comics...
Have you had a chance to catch the Lone Wolf Gallery Edition video? I tried to talk a little bit more on my love for this series in that one and I'd love to get an expert opinion on my ramblings there! 😁
For the Love of Comics I've had that Lone Wolf Gallery edition video of yours on my Watch Later playlist. Looking forward to watching it tonight. I've been hesitant to dive into the Criterion Collection too because I know the collector in me won't be able to stop at just one title. I'm already short on cash every month due to my manga and vinyl record collections.
@@mutton7891 I'd have to save up for the whole box - getting just one or two wouldn't cut it! So I feel your pain.
For the Love of Comics That's true. I know this channel is meant for comics but I'm curious to know what some of your favorite films are.
Try Samurai Executioner, new lone wolf and cub by the same Mangaka. One of the best Samurai Manga. The best thing about these three Manga is that the insight it gives on the Tokugawa era, the way of life, terminology etc...
I tried a few stories from New Lone Wolf which definitely continued with the excellence in research and cultural depiction you point out, but didn't have the same urgency and classic feeling charm of Lone Wolf. But it is unfair to compare, perhaps. I will give Samurai Executioner a shot!
One of my favorite chapters is when Itto gets his boy a dog and subsequently uses it in an assassination.
I love that story. Oh, that incorrigible Itto! 😋
Hunger Town, right?
Great vid you explain it in a way where I want to watch the whole video. Keep up the good work
Thanks so much, glad you liked it! Have you read the series or are interested in starting?
@@ftloc It sounds interesting after watching the vid
If you do check it out, I would love to know what you think!
This is so great. Thank you
So glad you enjoyed it, cheers!
Just found this channel! I loved reading this series. What would you recommend to someone who is a big fan of this series and has already finished New Lone Wolf and Cub?
If you're willing to try something that isn't manga, and are not put off by an 'animal' comic, I cannot recommend Usagi Yojimbo highly enough. If interested, check out my videos on this excellent series, especially 'What is Usagi Yojimbo?' and 'How to get started reading Usagi Yojimbo', both part of this playlist here: ruclips.net/p/PLf2B7UoR9NKUr6U1OYHyUIwBarLkRU5ek
@@ftloc Thanks for the suggestion. I've read a couple of volumes, but never found myself able to invest completely in Usagi Yojimbo.
I also recommend death frenzy.
First time on this channel. Excellent review. Got yourself a new subscriber
Thank you and a very warm welcome - I hope you find plenty to enjoy on this channel! 😁
Why are likes and dislike disabled? Can't imagine this video having a bad ratio, it's a good video.
A few months ago someone was going through all my videos and any that 0 dislikes was being tagged with a dislike, like I got 15 or 16 in a hour. So I decided to test a theory and disable them to see if not seeing the results of their work would discourage them (I still get to see them in the back end) and it did! They stopped! 😋
Amazing review Sir, loved your review and comparison. Subscribed.
Welcome to the channel! Hope you find more stuff to enjoy!
@@ftloc Thank you Sir, for responding. I am an artist and would love to hear your feedback on my recently completed comic.
@@AakashSingh-cl5sc send me a link! Ftlocomics@gmail.com
@@ftloc Mailed you the link Sir. Thank you.
Great review and you are correct anyone who hasn’t read Lone wolf and Cub should really give it a try, I was fortunate enough to have read them when they were published by First Comics in 87’ they were in a square bound format comic book size and they also had some of the best covers by Frank Miller, Bill Sienkiewicz, Matt Wagner, and Mike Ploog. Unfortunately I have not read the whole saga as First Comics had financial troubles and only published 45 issues but they made their impact on me and are still in my collection to this day.
I'd love to get my hands on some of those issues. How is the paper and print quality? Just the size itself is alluring to me! 😁
For the Love of Comics, The print and paper are very good, cover are a nice card stock, you should check out www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=138371, they have them there very inexpensive, between 2-3 dollars per issue cannot go wrong for that price, really undervalued book..
Good Luck on the hunt
You tempted me and now I have spent money! I hope you're happy! 🤣 Jokes aside, thanks so much for the tip!
For the Love of Comics
I’m glad I was able to entice, I mean help you in some small way, please let me know what you think of them when they arrive..
Take care 👍🏼👍🏼
I love your work, this channel and the depth of your content. Keep up the fantastic work. I just felt I had to say that as I've been enjoying your videos for months now.
Comments like these just make my day! Thank you so much and I hope you keep enjoying the channel - as long as you keep watching them, I'll keep making them! 😁
@@ftloc Well, I'm here to stay!
Great analysis!
So glad you liked it!
You should review Blade of The Immortal, another fantastic manga. Would love to hear your thoughts on it
I'm on the lookout for some easily available editions of that, having heard a lot of great stuff about it!
Knew of this manga from Harmontown. Dan Harmon talked about it. After watching this I bought the first omnibus and can't wait to start
I'm sure you'll have a blast!
Got the first omnibus in the mail yesterday. I love it. Thanks for the recommendation.
That's terrific! Go with the velocity and see how many volumes you remain hooked for. Some of the later volumes seem to be getting hard to find, unfortunately 😔
love your passion, Keep up the great work!
Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the channel, and let me know of any suggestions or recommendations you may have!
Hey man have u read attack on Titan manga. If yes what are your views
I have read two and a half of the Colossal Editions and I love it. Very smart, very exciting.
Thank you so much for this Video! I will get myself the Manga!
Thank you and so glad you liked this video! I'd love to hear what you thinknof Lone Wolf once you get to check not out!
@@ftloc I will! i guess I will present it on my Channel! I heared Frank Miller talk alot about this Manga!
@@ftloc It's on its way to me! I will give you a feedback!
Interesting to see a manga fan who seems like he could actually get women in the world outside of comic/anime/gaming cons. Fun and refreshing video!
Well I don't know about all that but I got the one that counts, I guess! 😊
Glad you liked the video!
Hey did you check this new graphic novel from a Kickstarter campaign its name is "Dani and Ramen: A Nomad’s Tale Vol.1" ?
If you did can you please review it
No, I haven't! I'm not very aware of Kickstarter comics unfortunately, other than Rick Geary's. Maybe I'll take a look!
R.I.P Kazuo Koike
Another well produced interesting video. Still not enough people know how good lone wolf and cub is. We have alot to thank Frank Miller for here. I got lucky and got the first publishing issues 1-41 from a garage sale. Yay
That's terrific, congratulations! I've ordered a few of the First Comics issues just to compare and experience them, and a friend of the channel has just generously gifted us a trade collection of their first issues, so I envision another Lone Wolf and Cub video, on that particular format, somewhere down the road!
When I was 12 I got my hands on the first omnibuses (I was 5'8 at least and most confused me for a high schooler or a college freshman), but I never got my hands on the further ones. I found our recently they're all back in stock. I'm busy with Vinland Saga and intend to read my Hellboy box set afterwards so here's hoping the omnibuses stay in stock until then
That's a very young age for Lone Wolf! What did you think of it at the time?
And yes, I am really going to use this reprint opportunity to try and get all 12 of the omnibuses finally in my hands, let's see if I can manage it!
@@ftloc I was astonished by the art and how different it was from most of what I had read. It was originally gekiga if my memory serves, although that seems to have been assimilated into manga in the form of seinen and josei series such as Berserk and Midnight Diner. I was also intrigued by how it explored violence and how Ogami is simultaneously repulsive and sympathetic. I was also amazed by the reconstruction of the time period
I found the VHS tapes of the six film series first, then later the manga. Love them all
I've seen three of the movies and really enjoyed them. I should seek the rest out. But the comics are just terrific, aren't they?
Sadly I will never have it in physical format! :(
- In my country there are no stores that sell this.
- In bookdepository this series is unavailable only in omnibus format also not all volumes (just some)
- Amazon is super expensive with shipping. One manga volume will cost 24.90$ with shipping of course so yeah.
- Also same goes for ebay the shipping on everything is expensive 20,40 even 60$ so free shipping is good.
- THE CHEAPEST I FOUND THIS WHOLE SERIES IS 500$ WITHOUT SHIPPING.
I can spend this money on other Amazing Series, for example BOM Deluxe Editions, Berserk Deluxe Editions.
P.S It's too bad that I don't have a manga store near me(well we have one in my country but like with 4-5 manga series that's it) the closest one with a decent collection is like 430-450 miles away.
I know what you mean - even I am unable to get my hands on more than a handful of the omnibuses nowadays. But maybe Dark Horse will reprint them one day and they'll therefore be available at more reasonable prices!
@@ftloc I Hope So. Imagine Dark Horse Releasing Lone Wolf And Cub In Deluxe Format just like Berserk,Blade Of The Immortal And Hellsing. Now that would be *Insane!*
@@Tealius-W I'd love a format similar to Berserk, especially the larger size
@@ftloc Yeah that would be so cool. But only time will tell.
I recently found this amazing channel while searching about Little Nemo in Slumberland on RUclips. While this was a fantastic review, I hope you also check out Blade of the Immortal which is peerless in its storytelling
Thank you so much - and so great to hear you're enjoying the channel! I've been on the lookout for Blade of the Immortal for a while now. While the first volume of the Dark Horse Omnibus seems to be available, the subsequent volumes appear hard to find here. I was worried about not being able to continue, but I think I'll take the plunge to read the first volume now and deal with the availability (or lack thereof) of the next volumes later.
@@ftloc Yessir. And if you don't mind sailing the high seas, you can google mangasee123 and read the complete series on that website. It has pretty HQ scans
@@glipk I usually fare terribly with on-screen reading, so I'll hold out for the hardcopies for now...
Back in the late 80's, First Publishing started reprinting the series in traditional comic book form. I guess due to low sales, they had to stop short, but I believe I have every issue they printed.
I've managed to get my hands on a couple of the those issues from First, and I have to say I love them! The full US comics size really does the art justice, and I like the newsprint feel - it matches the story and atmosphere wonderfully. I really wish they had completed the series in that form!
Does anyone know if Lone Wolf & Cub will be printed again in the USA?
I'd like to know the answer to this too, since even the omnibus volumes seem to be drying up!
@@ftloc, indeed they are. I got a copy of the first two Omnibus only to find out that several of those volumes are out of print.
That's a real pity but I think the episodic nature of the series means that it can still be enjoyed in oieces. There is a definite end that would be nice to have, but otherwise any volumes one can get should still be more than worthwhile, would you agree?
@@ftloc, I guess it depends on the person. For me it was a total letdown, but maybe I'm being too dramatic.
Haha oh wow, I don't know if I've heard it being called a total letdown before, although I know several people who don't love it. I guess expectations also have something to do with it - for me it was like very little I'd read before, but very reminiscent of things I'd watched before, so the cinematic use of the comics medium, to points where I could almost hear music or wind, definitely played a big role in my love for it.
This is the most compelling case made for LW&C which makes me want to pick up this book, which has long intimidated me due to its size. However one can only read so much, in so little time. 😓
P.S. Has this ever been colored and collected in an HC format? 😜
There's always so much to read, as there is to watch, but if you've made the time for Sanjuro and Yojimbo, give the first couple of volumes of this a shot. The length is intimidating, but until the climax the series remains mainly episodic, making it easy to pick up and out down. Many people I know have actually read the series out of order , based only on which volumes they were able to find, and have still enjoyed it fine.
As I mentioned, there have been some limited ed hardcovers that are hard to find, but I don't think it has ever been coloured. I don't see how they would do it, what with all the washes and painted Grey's, but I guess it's possible?
Excellent as always!
Much appreciated! Are you a fan of the series?
@@ftloc I am! But your videos are always great!
It's terrible that these are out of print, but Dark Horse still sells them in 28 volumes in digital format, and the image quality seems to be excellent - probably much better than the original 28 volume set. I know you don't read digital comics, but still, I think reading this on a nice tablet would be a good experience, at least for me. At least I hope so, since I have no other option!
That actually sounds quite tempting. I agree with you that the original printing can be quite muddy at times, and with proper page layout replication , these smaller volumes shouldn't suffer too much digitally.
Still, i hear the omnibus volumes are headed for a reprint this year, so hopefully I'll still have a print option to fill out the volumes on my shelf! If not, I'm going for at least certain volumes digitally! 😁
Honestly I don't get why the omnibus editions aren't complete.
I believe they are - they go up to Vol 12 and contain the whole series. It's just me who hasn't been able to get my hands on all of them yet...
@@ftloc Apparently they don't collect all the individual stories. As per Wikipedia (and some of the descriptions on Dark Horse's website) some of the volumes were only "partially" collected.
How are the smaller books different from the comics edition?
The American sized comics from First Comics? Or did you mean the omnibus editions?
@@ftloc America stlye comics
@@TheTopseat The First comics series did one or two short stories per issue, and never completed the series. The smaller, thicker volumes have more stories per volume, and collect the entire saga. I hope that helps!
子連れ狼は映画もTVドラマも漫画も全て大好きです。
映画にもTVドラマにもならなかった漫画だけの素晴らしく胸を打つ物語があります。「雨の日に」という小題でした。何度読んでも涙が出ます。貴方は読まれましたか？
One Rainy Day (in English) is truly a lovely, sad story. I love it.
早速のお返事ありがとうございました。結局「子連れ狼」とは……大五郎の成長物語だったのだ……と思います。
一刀が死にかけてる時の大五郎が魚を釣り看病するシーン，有名スリ女から盗んだ財布を「誰にも言うな」と言われて預かり捕まり折檻されても口を割らない大五郎。
大五郎は父親を見てどういう生き方が「拝家」がするべき行動なのか、少しずつ少しずつ理解して成長している姿に胸が熱くなります。
幼いながらただの子供でなく「一刀」の相棒でもあるのです。
私はTV版の「拝一刀」役の「萬屋錦之介」さんのファンです。彼は若い頃はアイドル的な可愛さで人気があったそうです。年代が違うので初めて彼を観たのは再放送のTV版の「子連れ狼」でしたので，そこから遡り昔の映像をどんどん観ました。彼の盾は素晴らしいです。死臭すら漂う様な「錦之助」さんの「拝一刀」は漫画同様素晴らしかったです。観られましたか？
映画版の「若山富三郎」の「拝一刀」は力ずくで彼が主役をもぎ取りました。「若山富三郎」が漫画の原作者の「小池一夫」宅に押し入り一刀役を自分にさせろと，直談判してその場でトンボ返り等を見せたそうです。
私としては「拝一刀」役は「萬屋錦之介」さん，大五郎役は映画版の子役が好みで，漫画に近いと思っています。
ちなみにTV版の「拝一刀」役が自分でない事に「若山富三郎」が激怒して大暴れしたとか！怖い 笑
当時，映画界で「若山富三郎」と実弟の「勝新太郎」は権力を握っていたので、それはそれは怖かったでしょうね 笑
弟の「勝新太郎」さんとは「座頭市」の「イチ」役で有名な人気役者です。
「座頭市」は映画版もTV版も「勝新太郎」が演じています。「勝新太郎」以外の役者も座頭市を演じましたが比べる余地もありません。勝新太郎の座頭市は唯一無二です。
Have you raed Berserk or Monster?
I'm reading Berserk currently thanks to the deluxe HCs but have not yet got my hands on Monster. I need to correct that!
@@ftloc that's cool. Monster is one of my favorite manga series for its suspense and realistic characters.
Another great manga about a wandering samurai is Rurouni Kenshin (also known as Samurai X) and I really recommend it. The story and art are great, action is a lot more exaggerated in a typical anime fashion instead of the realism of Lone Wolf and Cub, and is just an allround great read.
Thanks, I'll see if there's a good way for me to check it out!
@@ftloc definitely worth checking out. It’s 28 volumes in total. The first 6 are fairly short stories building the world of Kenshin. Volume 7 starts a great long story arc mixing historical accuracy with fiction and from volume 18 onwards starts a great personal arc for our main character.
Sadly, the series got some negative publicity because of the author’s personal indiscretions (to put it mildly), but for me it doesn’t change how great the story is. Just a little more difficult for me to go back to.
I got from usagi to this one
Thanks for the video
So glad you liked it/ them! Cheers!
Which one to read the dark horse version or the first comics version ? Is there any difference between them ?
There are 45 issues in first comics. But I have heard their company shut down before completing the series.
Yes, First Comics never finished the series - Dark Horse was the first to do it in English in its entirety, as I mention here. They're the same, I think, but I'll see if I can find any differences, and if I do, I'll make another video!
@@ftloc I was waiting for your decision to start reading. Thanks for replying this quick.
Glad I could help! 😁
羽斗玄武 黒門固メ煙止メ衆
子連れ狼は小池一夫原作
画像は平田弘史で見たかった！
what is the name of the last chapter of omibus 1?
It's the classic 'Half Mat, One Mat, A Fistful of Rice'
@@ftloc Thank you😄😁
I don’t love manga as a genre BUT lone Wolf is truly essential
Manga is more a form that can be about any genre at all, but there are a lot of people who can't get into some of the more common or popular styles, so I understand your point. I may have been the same way at some time - I thought they were all full of shouting and broad emotions, and I probably got that idea from childrens anime. However, the more I read, the more I grow to enjoy it, and it all started with Lone Wolf!
For the Love of Comics
SAMURAI EXECUTIONER - blood and guts
PATH OF THE ASSASSIN - super horny
LONE WOLF AND CUB - historical thriller
Do you read shonen mangas like One Punch Man and My Hero Academia?
Two volumes of MHA, none of One Punch yet. I got distracted by Berserk! 😁
@@ftloc haha, I have 7 volumes of MHA and 4 volumes of One punch. Also own 2 volumes of Vagabond, 4 volumes of Attack on Titan and 1 volume of No Guns Life.
@@ftloc I plan to buy all 4 deluxe edition of Berserk when deluce edition volume 4 comes out on March 10th, 2020.
@@ftloc you should check out Vagabond, it's also a Samurai Manga. The art is godly. Story is very engaging but nothing out of the ordinary. For me atleast.
@@bodolandmoviehero6315 I've heard good stuff about Vagabond and will definitely check it out as soon as I can!
Gotta pick this up.
Definitely worth a look! Let me know what you think of it if you do.
is the sequel, new lone wolf and cub, worth it? i feel like the original was a masterpiece with one of the most perfectbendings, im afraid more would ruin it....
Honestly, I've heard people praise it, but I was/am of the same mind as you - I read through the first volume and while the art is great it cannot avoid comparison to the previous work that ended so well, and suffers in comparison. If you are able to put the original series out of your mind, I am sure NLWaC could have a lot to recommend it, but I couldn't, at least the time I tried.
Very interesting and accurate!!!
Thank you! Are you a fan of the series?
For the Love of Comics yes, even if i didn’t read it yet, i’m waiting a reprint here in Italy😁!
I’m sold
Yay! It's really an excellent series, even if you don't get every single story.