Review Corner: Martin and John
Sep. 1st, 2008 03:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jukebox_csiTitle: Martin & John
Manhwa-ka: Hee Jung Park
Publisher: Tokyopop
Grade: A
From the back cover: Three different stories about three different men named Martin and three different men named John...Confused? So are they...about love, relationships and especially their feelings. This collection of stories take place in different places, in different times - all about a man named Martin and a man named John and the struggle for love between them. Three Martins, three Johns, three emotionally charged stories of family, romance and, well....Martin and John.
As the cover suggests, there is more than one story in the first volume. The initial tale is where we meet the first Martin and John. In the beginning, I have to admit I was a little confused as the scenes begin with a vision and then flash back and forth between present and past. The vision starts the story with both characters in some future, or possibly alternate, world. John is some kind of sand prince, and Martin is his pet. They stumble across an old piece of technology, a television, and speculate on how it was used to help humans forget their problems; how obsolete it now is, as much as they themselves will soon be obsolete. The discussion continues with how Martin chose to be a pet with blind subordination, and it apparently lowered his status in this realm. John, however, does not want a pet. Because, no matter how well treated, love can not exist between a human and a pet. John challenges Martin to become human again, as punishment for contemplating things a pet shouldn't. As he says, not all human loves are senseless jokes. From this complex vision, the story moves into the switches between present and past. In the first few pages after the vision, the reader sees Martin die after being hit by a car. But all is not really what it seems. Basically, John and Martin were dearest friends and roommates, and both were gay. It is because of Martin's love for John that he never sleeps with his friend, and ultimately moves out to marry Mari. After six months, though, John received a call he never expected, but it isn't necessarily what the reader thinks. Eventually, Mari meets with John and they discuss Martin, all the while John remembers snippets of his life with Martin. It never actually comes out to say what is wrong with Martin, but it is apparent that he has some type of blood disease that, while not caring that he may pass it on to random strangers he sleeps with, he doesn't want to give to John. Why he chose to marry Mari is never really discerned, as it is apparent he had some feelings for her as well. The tale is tragic and emotional, John's vision in the beginning symbolizing his fondest desires and true loneliness he has without the one he loves in his life. And the phone call? When learning the true reason behind the phone call, the poignant last line of "I shouldn't have answered" becomes all too clear, leaving the reader feeling saddened and numb.
The second story in this book is incomplete, to be continued in the next volume. John is a handsome, popular vocalist and guitarist in an amateur band. He exudes a cold exterior, though he is actually a softie, and enjoys the freedom to pursue his interest of having sex with every beautiful woman that catches his eye. One day, though, he is contacted by his estranged father's lawyer and learns that his father is dead. It's not so much that he cares, having lost touch with his father many years before, but he has inherited something he never expected - a younger brother. Martin, the young boy, comes to live with John, and begins to turn the man's life upside down. John's best friend, who is ironically also named Martin, is there to lend an ear when it becomes too much for John. On the one hand, the little boy is adorable and has wormed his way into John's heart. On the other hand, he can be a holy terror that interferes with John's chances at sexual release on a regular basis until the group of women that John always shuffled have all left him high and dry. In the meantime, his friend Martin, whom he discovers is gay, continues to encourage John and listen to his woes. After all, the young boy is just too adorable and sweet to be turned away from the only family he has left. But then, John learns of the inheritance from Martin's mother, the step-mother John never knew. Just when things seem to be looking up, John learns that Martin is not truly the step-mother's son. And though he stands to inherit the estate of the woman, Martin's birth mother comes forth to demand the return of her child - and of course, the money. It sets the stage for a custody battle in which nothing is guaranteed. And does John truly want to fight for the boy? After all, with the boy out of his life, he can return to his hedonist ways. But John finds out that Martin has a history of being abused, not to mention the birth mother is a drug addict. Can he, in good conscious, subject the boy to a possible future of pain and torment?
The artwork is aesthetically pleasing to my eye. They are beautiful characters, with eyes that seem to glitter. The stories in the book are both emotional and engaging, Despite the fact that the title is released under the Tokyopop name, it is definitely shounen-ai tales of the love between the various Martin and John characters. Tokyopop did a fine job on this title. The cover is thick, but almost seems cloth-like in touch and texture. The paper is also quality, and includes a color insert. Though there are not too many sound effects in the book, they are all translated, much to my delight.
I truly hope that Tokyopop will continue with this series. Between the angst-filled stories and the gorgeous artwork, as well as the reasonable price for a quality product, I am looking forward to purchasing the remaining volumes that they (hopefully) will release.
Manhwa-ka: Hee Jung Park
Publisher: Tokyopop
Grade: A
From the back cover: Three different stories about three different men named Martin and three different men named John...Confused? So are they...about love, relationships and especially their feelings. This collection of stories take place in different places, in different times - all about a man named Martin and a man named John and the struggle for love between them. Three Martins, three Johns, three emotionally charged stories of family, romance and, well....Martin and John.
As the cover suggests, there is more than one story in the first volume. The initial tale is where we meet the first Martin and John. In the beginning, I have to admit I was a little confused as the scenes begin with a vision and then flash back and forth between present and past. The vision starts the story with both characters in some future, or possibly alternate, world. John is some kind of sand prince, and Martin is his pet. They stumble across an old piece of technology, a television, and speculate on how it was used to help humans forget their problems; how obsolete it now is, as much as they themselves will soon be obsolete. The discussion continues with how Martin chose to be a pet with blind subordination, and it apparently lowered his status in this realm. John, however, does not want a pet. Because, no matter how well treated, love can not exist between a human and a pet. John challenges Martin to become human again, as punishment for contemplating things a pet shouldn't. As he says, not all human loves are senseless jokes. From this complex vision, the story moves into the switches between present and past. In the first few pages after the vision, the reader sees Martin die after being hit by a car. But all is not really what it seems. Basically, John and Martin were dearest friends and roommates, and both were gay. It is because of Martin's love for John that he never sleeps with his friend, and ultimately moves out to marry Mari. After six months, though, John received a call he never expected, but it isn't necessarily what the reader thinks. Eventually, Mari meets with John and they discuss Martin, all the while John remembers snippets of his life with Martin. It never actually comes out to say what is wrong with Martin, but it is apparent that he has some type of blood disease that, while not caring that he may pass it on to random strangers he sleeps with, he doesn't want to give to John. Why he chose to marry Mari is never really discerned, as it is apparent he had some feelings for her as well. The tale is tragic and emotional, John's vision in the beginning symbolizing his fondest desires and true loneliness he has without the one he loves in his life. And the phone call? When learning the true reason behind the phone call, the poignant last line of "I shouldn't have answered" becomes all too clear, leaving the reader feeling saddened and numb.
The second story in this book is incomplete, to be continued in the next volume. John is a handsome, popular vocalist and guitarist in an amateur band. He exudes a cold exterior, though he is actually a softie, and enjoys the freedom to pursue his interest of having sex with every beautiful woman that catches his eye. One day, though, he is contacted by his estranged father's lawyer and learns that his father is dead. It's not so much that he cares, having lost touch with his father many years before, but he has inherited something he never expected - a younger brother. Martin, the young boy, comes to live with John, and begins to turn the man's life upside down. John's best friend, who is ironically also named Martin, is there to lend an ear when it becomes too much for John. On the one hand, the little boy is adorable and has wormed his way into John's heart. On the other hand, he can be a holy terror that interferes with John's chances at sexual release on a regular basis until the group of women that John always shuffled have all left him high and dry. In the meantime, his friend Martin, whom he discovers is gay, continues to encourage John and listen to his woes. After all, the young boy is just too adorable and sweet to be turned away from the only family he has left. But then, John learns of the inheritance from Martin's mother, the step-mother John never knew. Just when things seem to be looking up, John learns that Martin is not truly the step-mother's son. And though he stands to inherit the estate of the woman, Martin's birth mother comes forth to demand the return of her child - and of course, the money. It sets the stage for a custody battle in which nothing is guaranteed. And does John truly want to fight for the boy? After all, with the boy out of his life, he can return to his hedonist ways. But John finds out that Martin has a history of being abused, not to mention the birth mother is a drug addict. Can he, in good conscious, subject the boy to a possible future of pain and torment?
The artwork is aesthetically pleasing to my eye. They are beautiful characters, with eyes that seem to glitter. The stories in the book are both emotional and engaging, Despite the fact that the title is released under the Tokyopop name, it is definitely shounen-ai tales of the love between the various Martin and John characters. Tokyopop did a fine job on this title. The cover is thick, but almost seems cloth-like in touch and texture. The paper is also quality, and includes a color insert. Though there are not too many sound effects in the book, they are all translated, much to my delight.
I truly hope that Tokyopop will continue with this series. Between the angst-filled stories and the gorgeous artwork, as well as the reasonable price for a quality product, I am looking forward to purchasing the remaining volumes that they (hopefully) will release.
