Hyde & Closer, Vol. 2
3 journalers for this copy...
Went into my Manga/Manhwa bookbox.
I'm taking this book from AlterEgoZoe's Manga/Manhwa bookbox. I'd never heard of this one before so I thought I'd give it a try; boy-wizard with teddy-bear protector sounds... interesting!
Later: The book opens with a story-so-far paragraph that helps set the scene. Apparently our hero, Closer, is from a bloodline that's very, very appealing to sorcerers, as they would gain great power by devouring his heart! Luckily for him, his grandfather provided the enchanted, tough-talking teddy bear Hyde as his protector. (Part of Hyde's plan involves making Closer watch tough-guy TV shows by way of teaching him how to be a tough guy himself, but Closer's really not into that...)
The story's full of slapstick humor, but when the bad guys start showing up at Closer's school things get rather scary - and there are some interesting twists, as when one villain takes the form of a wayang kulit shadow-puppet, very stylized and creepy.
Later on Closer learns some lessons about the difference between thinking he's being cool and actually doing something worthwhile, when he tries to save a small child from bullies (and winds up taking some damage himself); nice little moments there (with some flashbacks to his early childhood with his grandfather). That's not the only how-to-be-a-man lesson, either; Hyde tries to teach a low-level yakuza member how to protect his family without leading a life of crime. [Remember, these lessons are coming from a cigar-chomping teddy bear in a fedora.]
Near the end of this volume, another bad-guy battle turns up a surprising ally - apparently a sorcerer that Closer fought in the previous volume - and whose beloved curse-doll he spared - is now willing to defend Closer.
I enjoyed this quite a lot, and will definitely pick up more volumes if they come my way!
[The TV Tropes page has some entertaining info on the series.]
Later: The book opens with a story-so-far paragraph that helps set the scene. Apparently our hero, Closer, is from a bloodline that's very, very appealing to sorcerers, as they would gain great power by devouring his heart! Luckily for him, his grandfather provided the enchanted, tough-talking teddy bear Hyde as his protector. (Part of Hyde's plan involves making Closer watch tough-guy TV shows by way of teaching him how to be a tough guy himself, but Closer's really not into that...)
The story's full of slapstick humor, but when the bad guys start showing up at Closer's school things get rather scary - and there are some interesting twists, as when one villain takes the form of a wayang kulit shadow-puppet, very stylized and creepy.
Later on Closer learns some lessons about the difference between thinking he's being cool and actually doing something worthwhile, when he tries to save a small child from bullies (and winds up taking some damage himself); nice little moments there (with some flashbacks to his early childhood with his grandfather). That's not the only how-to-be-a-man lesson, either; Hyde tries to teach a low-level yakuza member how to protect his family without leading a life of crime. [Remember, these lessons are coming from a cigar-chomping teddy bear in a fedora.]
Near the end of this volume, another bad-guy battle turns up a surprising ally - apparently a sorcerer that Closer fought in the previous volume - and whose beloved curse-doll he spared - is now willing to defend Closer.
I enjoyed this quite a lot, and will definitely pick up more volumes if they come my way!
[The TV Tropes page has some entertaining info on the series.]
Journal Entry 4 by GoryDetails at Monadnock Plaza (see notes for details) in Peterborough, New Hampshire USA on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Released 11 yrs ago (3/23/2013 UTC) at Monadnock Plaza (see notes for details) in Peterborough, New Hampshire USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
I plan to leave this book in or near one of the restaurants in the plaza at around 5 or so; hoe the finder enjoys it!
*** Released as part of the 2013 Places We Can Go release challenge, for Hyde Park. ***
*** Released as part of the 2013 Places We Can Go release challenge, for Hyde Park. ***
Found this outside as I was getting my lunch today. Found it entertaining that a book was outside like that. I definitely plan on passing it on once I'm done reading.