Mecha Manga Bible Heroes

Co-posted at The Sci Fi Catholic.

We just got a press kit from JMG Studio, which is producing a new comic that might interest our readers. Here's the press release with some illustrations:

THE COOLEST COMIC BOOK YOUR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER EVER CONFISCATED!

New Comic Series Brings ‘New Twist’ to ‘Old Testament’

FLANDERS, NJ (February 5, 2008) – JMG Comics, a division of JMG Studios is pleased to announce the upcoming release of its first comic book series, MECHA MANGA BIBLE HEROES.

MECHA MANGA BIBLE HEROES brings classic bible heroes to life in a whole new way! Drawn in the popular manga style and featuring “mecha” (robots), a mainstay of manga, this new series is sure to satisfy fans of imaginative action and adventure. The characters, themes and stories remain the same, only the setting has changed – to a futuristic world of aliens, robots and advanced technology!


“Just like modernized versions of Shakespeare's plays, by taking a solid, meaningful story and translating its elements as faithfully as possible into a new setting, we hope to bring out some of the more amazing details that might get missed by today's readers,” said co-writer Tom Hall.

The first issue, shipping in May, re-imagines the legendary tale of David, the shepherd boy who took down the giant, Goliath. The 32-page, full-color comic book retails for $2.25 US.

“David is a young kid who has to go toe-to-toe with a giant super robot covered in every conceivable type of weapon,” said Hall. “Other than that, everything is what the Bible describes, down to the small details that most versions of the tale gloss over.”


“The series is designed to appeal to anyone, whether religious or not” said Managing Editor Paul Castiglia, a veteran comic book writer and editor who has worked for Archie Comics among other notable comic publishers. “Our aim was to create an all-ages series with broad appeal, so that even those who consider the bible ‘mythology’ on par with Greek and Roman legends may embrace it.”

“The stories of the Old Testament are universal – they can be found among several religions and cultures. Our creative team consists of Christians who approach the material with a Christian worldview and we’ve strived to make this the coolest comic book your Sunday School teacher ever confiscated!”


He added that the series is meant to appeal to anyone who enjoys manga (especially “mecha”), video game heroes like Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man, Transformers and other robot toys, and the animated versions of DC and Marvel superheroes.

The creative team for MECHA MANGA BIBLE HEROES #1: DAVID VS. GOLIATH includes writers Tom Hall (King, Robot 13) & Joey Endres (Megazeen), with pencils and inks by Thom “Kneon Transitt” Pratt (Disney) and colors and letters by Daniel Bradford (King, Robot 13). Also included are bonus comic strips by popular Australian writer/artist Dean Rankine. Each issue features fully painted covers by fan-favorite Jeff Slemons, who has done covers for several comic book publishers and whose work has been featured in successful ad campaigns. The series is edited by Paul Castiglia (Archie, DC, Dark Horse, Antarctic Press). JMG Studios owner John-Marc Grob (Marvel, owner-producer of FriendFish and various animation projects) is editor-in-chief.

Future issues will present the the further adventures of David as well as classic tales of such bible heroes as Daniel, Joseph, Jonah and others. Other series are in development, including “Beyond,” a horror/sci-fi/fantasy anthology aimed at older teens and beyond.

ANCHOR DISTRIBUTION is the exclusive distributor for the initial launch of MECHA MANGA BIBLE HEROES. Anchor will handle distribution for comic shops, Christian bookstores, libraries, churches, schools and other retailers. JMG Studios will provide flyers and wall posters for free upon request, and a customized ashcan at a portion of cost to help promote the comic book. For ordering and promotional information email paulc@jmgstudio.net

While Anchor will also handle reorders, JMG Comics is currently exploring partnering with additional reorder distributors.

MECHA MANGA BIBLE HEROES can be found on the Internet at http://www.mmbibleheroes.com/ and www.myspace.com/mechamangabibleheroes

For press, licensing/merchandising, movie/TV rights and all other inquiries, please email paulc@jmgstudio.net

MECHA-MANGA BIBLE HEROES 1: DAVID VS. GOLIATH, ships May, 2008. 32-page, full-color comic, $2.25 US.

MECHA MANGA BIBLE HEROES Copyright © 2007, 2008 by Paul Castiglia, Tom Hall, Joey Endres, Jeff Slemons, Thom Pratt, Daniel Bradford. All rights reserved.

Okay, I can see this. Bible comics are nothing new, and Christian Amerimanga is nothing new, either (see Serenity if you don't believe me).

If I were to make a complaint, something I probably shouldn't do about a press release, it is that they are telling the stories as authentically as possible but giving them a sci-fi veneer. The introduction of mechs into the biblical world, however, would produce a number of complications; I would prefer a comic that elaborates the sparse biblical tales in order to explore the alien setting more fully. That being said, I am eagerly wondering how they will depict Deborah. I'm also thinking I should mention this to Old Testament Space Opera.

Warrior Nun Areala

The Sci Fi Catholic peeks into the seamy world of Catholixploitation comics.

Warrior Nun Areala Color Manga #1, written and illustrated by Ben Dunn. Antarctic Press (San Antonio): 2005. ISBN: 1-932453-82-2. $9.99

Ben Dunn is known in some circles as the "godfather" of American manga, mainly for founding Antarctic Press and for creating Ninja High School. His artwork is impressive and sometimes innovative, and his writing is at least slightly above average. Warrior Nun Areala is possibly his second-best-known title.

The comic opens in Norway in 1066 where a nun is running from a group of especially ugly Vikings. Just as the Vikings are about to finish her off, a Valkyrie named Areala appears and announces that she has left "Valhalla to serve the only true God!" She then infuses her power into the nun and gives her a magic sword. After kicking some serious Viking butt, this "Sister Areala" goes on to found the order of Warrior Nuns. The story moves from there to the present, when the Warrior Nuns' mission has changed somewhat. No longer permitted to kill regular human enemies, they instead battle demons who have found their way to the material plane.

The central character is Sister Shannon, a novice Warrior Nun recently assigned to New York where she takes up residence at St. Thomas' Church and meets Father Terrance Gomez, a kindly, overweight priest who occasionally packs a flamethrower when the situation calls for it. Other characters make regular appearances, including Shotgun Mary, a motorcycling vigilante who left the Warrior Nuns because of her "unorthodox" demon-slaying methods, and Father David Crowe, with whom Sister Shannon had a romantic relationship before they both dedicated their lives to the Church (if we believed comics, we'd think every nun has an unrequited love interest somewhere). Father Crowe is a "Magic Priest," member of an order that provides spiritual and magical aid in the various battles while the Warrior Nuns provide the muscle. Hovering in the background is the demoness Lillith, an ambiguously evil but unambiguously goofy character whose motives are vague (and whose name is misspelled).

The Warrior Nuns work in standard, goofy comic book ways. To prepare for battle, Sister Shannon recites a Hail Mary (incorrectly), and then a magic sword appears in her hands while her regular habit is replaced by--*ahem*--a less restricting outfit. If you're annoyed that the nuns in your area wear pantsuits, you can at least be glad they don't dress like this.



Early in the story, Sister Shannon loses her left hand and has it replaced with a cyborg arm. She also becomes the new bearer of Areala's spirit, though that doesn't seem to mean much. She also gains access to the "God Armor," a magic armor suit with possibly the dumbest name of any magic armor suit ever, which she can make appear instantly at any time.

The world of Battle Nun Areala is a simple one where magic is commonplace, slavering demons show up out of nowhere to make trouble, the best way to fight villainy is in tights or leather, and simple-minded villains bent on taking over the world always speak in exposition, as in, "NO! Without that we can't infiltrate the Vatican's 'Gabriel'! As long as that computer is in operation we will not have total control of the Earth!"

The story could have been significantly cooler if Dunn did a little research. Apparently, Warrior Nuns govern certain "sectors" in which they are responsible for keeping demonic activity in check. If Dunn referred to dioceses, deaneries, and parishes instead of sectors, I might have believed he knew what he was talking about. A few references to actual Catholic practices or maybe a little use of Vatican politics might have enriched the story immensely. For example, instead of creating an oddly named order of Magic Priests, Dunn could have assigned magic powers to our exorcists, who already have less spectacular demon-fighting rituals.

It's hard to say from this first volume exactly what the comic's attitude is toward religion in general or Catholicism in particular. It seems to be taken for granted that Heaven and Hell exist, that the universe is monotheistic, and that Catholicism is the true religion, though creatures from a number of other religions and folkloric traditions comfortably coexist, but the comic doesn't seem particularly interested in religion as such; rather, it uses it as an excuse for its plots. Similarly, putting the word "Warrior" in front of "Nun" is probably a gimmick meant to grab the eye, much as putting "Battle" in front of "Pope" grabs the eye. We can also guess from the lurid, bloody, and sometimes sexualized artwork that Dunn isn't on a particularly holy mission.

And really, if you're planning to exploit a religion for a comic, Catholicism is an obvious choice. For one thing, we've already got the monster-fighting equipment: as I write this, I have a full bottle of holy water at my elbow in case the vampires or zombies show up, I have several icons nearby, and I can lay my hands on a rosary or crucifix pretty quickly if the situation calls for it. It's also easier to imagine the Catholic Church with a supercomputer and demon-tracking satellite network than it is to imagine, say, the Conservative Baptist Association with the same (though some author should get on that). However, I can't help but think the Catholic Church has by now been a little over-exploited. As I read Warrior Nun Areala, I kept thinking to myself, "Didn't we cover this same ground in Hellboy?"

I'm also displeased with the costuming. I'm displeased with women's costumes in comics generally, but I'm extra displeased with this one. In addition to wearing a goofy Warrior Nun outfit, Sister Shannon appears naked in a quick panel whenever she changes into the God Armor. Oh, pardon me--I thought I was reading about a nun, but it seems I've accidentally stumbled into an episode of Cutey Honey. Come on, Dunn: even if you won't show her some respect as a woman, at least show her some respect as a religious or even as a warrior. I invite all comic illustrators to pay attention to what actual soldiers in combat wear. You will notice they don't run around with bare legs or exposed cleavage. There is a practical reason for this.

The last time I was in the Shady Bookstore Down the Street, I walked into the comics section and looked around. From every shelf, I saw lascivious women giving me come-hither gazes while their volcanic bosoms exploded from their metal or leopard-print bras, and I said to myself, "I'm bored." I'm bored! I came here to get a good story, not an anatomy lesson. I already know women have breasts; the fact does not fascinate me. Comics are so rife with this garbage, whenever I find an author--especially a male author--who can actually create strong, well-realized female characters instead of taking the easy way out and sticking them in bronze bikinis, I instantly latch onto and adulate him. Ben Dunn could learn a lot from the likes of Jeff Smith, Paul Sizer, and James Robinson. If you're wondering why the comics industry has drooping sales or why it isn't attracting women and children, try not writing crap for a change and see what happens.

Okay, I realize it's my own fault. After all, I of my own free will picked up a comic with the words "Warrior" and "Nun" both in the title, so I get I what I deserve. But it's a mistake I won't likely make twice.