Manga Review: Tezuka Hits Sweet Spot With Black Jack Vol. 1

Almost everyone who loves Japanese comics knows that Osamu Tezuka is the godfather of modern manga. But many Western comics fans find themselves sheepishly confessing that Tezuka's mix of cute characters, his quirky, self-referential humor and episodes of dark, disturbing drama can be a tough pill to swallow.

As he veered from the earnest innocence of Astro Boy to the dark depths of human nature with MW, I found myself wondering if Tezuka ever found the right balance of darkness and light. Now I know that he did -- in the pages of his medical manga series, Black Jack, now available in a new paperback and limited hardcover edition from Vertical.

Black Jack is a mysterious, unlicensed doctor who can perform near-miracles on the operating table. Curing the incurable, saving the lives of the gravely injured is his specialty. But in exchange, he usually demands a steep fee. If his patients can meet his price, both the wicked and the innocent receive his care. However, Black Jack has a strong sense of right and wrong, and he metes out his own brand of justice in unpredictable but satisfying ways.

What sets Black Jack apart is how Tezuka seems to have finally found the right mix of humor, heart and engrossing drama. The surgery scenes are often quite graphic, but they're not gratuitous. Watching Black Jack slice, amputate, drill and sew limbs and tissue can be a queasy experience, but it's also fascinating, as Tezuka offers painstakingly-drawn depictions and descriptions of real-life medical procedures.

But there's more than gore in Black Jack. Even considering that many of these stories were written over 30 years ago, Black Jack features some inventive plot twists that are reminiscent of current medical TV dramas like House or horror movies like The Eye.

Check out my review of Black Jack Volume 1 by Osamu Tezuka from Vertical Inc. and find out why it's likely to become your new favorite series from the godfather of manga. Also, check out preview chapters of Black Jack Volumes 1 and 2 at Vertical's website.

Image credits: © Tezuka Productions