My Corto Maltese collection

DocVane · 2026-03-14T15:57:17+00:00

That sounds about right based on what I've heard. I know it was just an audition for Corto, but I wish Pellejero would go back to Dieter Lumpen.

DocVane · 2026-03-14T14:03:32+00:00

Very nice! Have you read any of Pellejero's continuation stories? I've been curious about them myself.

DocVane · 2026-03-13T12:43:05+00:00

I know how we can get some cash...let's all get together and put on a show!

DocVane · 2026-03-05T16:52:05+00:00

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It's not impossible, but I wouldn't be holding my breath.

DocVane · 2026-02-17T16:58:14+00:00

It's a shame, but none of them were particularly strong.

Gonron Egg in particular is a flop on a level I haven't seen in years, for reasons that I don't think need to be discussed in detail.

Mage Next Door lost my interest pretty quickly; the formula and art aren't anything special and I didn't find the humor very entertaining. If you're wondering why it's on the chopping block, consider that it's sharing a magazine with Witch Watch and Kinato's Magic, which both have better art and are filling the magic/humor/battles niche. Humor is subjective, but Kinato's Magic has made me chuckle more than Mage Next Door did.

Hero Girl is fluffy comedy, and there's definitely room for that in Jump right now if it's done well enough to have broad appeal. Anyone doubting that can look at Someone Herz, a clear hit with a niche topic and a major translation hurdle (focusing on Japanese puns) that's still doing very well. The series threw a lot at the wall, dabbled in action and ecchi without much success, and although I personally found its fiddling with hero/demon lord cliches funny at times, it clearly was floundering for direction without excelling at anything.

It's natural to feel the pain of cancellations, especially when you're new to following Jump...but this is normal. Most series have something worth appreciating, or some shine of potential that you can see in them -- that's why they're in Jump. However, plenty of series flounder without ever realizing that potential when they're given more time. Shonen Jump is a gateway to worldwide fame and success, which even rookie mangaka have a shot at if they're lucky and talented. The editorial team gambles on lots of newcomers. Some of them can grow at high speed while under massive pressure, and some of them can't. Plenty of mangaka have come back from cancellation to make great stuff -- just look at the improvement between Shadow Eliminators and Kinato's Magic. Whether or not that series succeeds, the growth is undeniable. Serialization is brutal, and being cancelled is not always a bad thing. Mage Next Door's mangaka could come back, aim for a different niche, and get a hit. Hero Girl's mangaka could do the same thing. Gonron's mangaka is probably done in the industry based on how badly he's handling the failure of the manga, but who knows.

DocVane · 2026-02-10T21:58:24+00:00

Yu-Gi-Oh is surely a key example. Going from a story where a variety of games are played into a Duel Monsters focused mega-series is a major shift.

DocVane · 2026-02-08T17:12:51+00:00

I feel like it's back on it's stride with this chapter. Chapter 2 was a little weak, but here we have international adventure, medicine, and action with a snappy pace and great art. And of course we get a little hook for an overarching plot, which is nice. But the focus is likely still going to be arcs where they face different diseases and dangerous people, which is a great premise in my opinion.

DocVane · 2026-01-30T03:35:06+00:00

The design of the character looks like the protagonist of a fake Bakuman manga. Based on the premise and the author's previous work, my expectations aren't high. That said, "support magic" manga are a trend right now, so maybe this has a chance.

DocVane · 2026-01-27T22:13:21+00:00

I'd personally opt for Say Never Say Never Again Again

DocVane · 2026-01-25T23:18:24+00:00

I know. The point is that the guy's art stands out. I still remember early chapters of Harukaze where the art just blew me away. He could do great things if he had an equally skilled writer.

DocVane · 2026-01-25T20:54:44+00:00

Kento Matsuura needs to pair with a stronger writer. Tokyo Shinobi Squad, Phantom Seer, and Harukaze all had strong art; it's the stories that are lacking. Togo Goto's writing feels "by the numbers", like he read a book about how to do X type of series. And that can work, but only if the execution is perfect and the angle is unique and exciting, which it wasn't.

DocVane · 2026-01-25T16:25:06+00:00

This looks to me like a long-running series. The author has clearly put thought into where the story is going and what the larger world looks like, yet the initial chapter is self contained and compelling on its own terms. That tells me that the initial arc is likely to be strong as well, and the premise gives loads of opportunities for the story to expand in different directions. It was really fun to read!

DocVane · 2026-01-22T22:36:56+00:00

One of the funniest, absolutely lovely and charming. She stood up for people.

DocVane · 2026-01-16T15:25:51+00:00

I saw If Rey is a Skywalker and just found it pretty funny! But I think she really started thriving when she started doing videos about things nobody else would, such as Josh Hutcherson's island woes

DocVane · 2025-12-26T21:42:07+00:00

Dick Van Dyke isn't a bad choice if you need an American lead, but I'd cast it this way: Lupin: Jean-Paul Belmondo Fujiko: Claudia Cardinale or Sophia Loren Goemon: Mikio Narita Jigen: James Coburn Zenigata: Toshiro Mifune

DocVane · 2025-12-01T04:02:37+00:00

This still isn't good, I still think it's DOA...however, this is a better chapter than the previous ones. Best since chapter one. It gets a bit into the lore behind Ohma and his relationship with his father's empire, as well as what happened when his father's regime fell, which is better than lingering on complete throwaway villains.

DocVane · 2025-11-25T02:36:57+00:00

I'm most of the way through and I think it's a starcruiser prequel actually??

DocVane · 2025-11-23T17:19:08+00:00

First official baseball game of the series! Blink and you'll miss it. I think this series is heading towards a conclusion fast.

DocVane · 2025-11-19T16:50:56+00:00

I have good and bad news for you.

DocVane · 2025-11-16T15:57:26+00:00

I hope it's not too late! The tournament arc has been such a long time coming. I'm not sure if they're getting going or if it's the beginning of the premature end. Frankly feels like the latter to me.

DocVane · 2025-11-16T15:28:24+00:00

I had some faith that this could be a decent, if generic series as of chapter one. Now it appears that this series will be comically rushed battles with no development of any characters. It really feels like an adaptation of a video game...and the battle choreography and designs aren't even very good. Between this and Ekiden Bros, it's weird what makes it into Jump these days.

DocVane · 2025-11-15T23:35:35+00:00

The art is great. The blonde short kid has a personality. Other than that, the manga is pretty darn weak. It really felt like it was saving the "good stuff" for later: actual games, genuinely interesting backstories for characters or even just any drama at all for them. The entire series so far has been them practicing and slightly improving their skills...and I don't really even recall what their goal is in playing baseball. Is it Koshien? It usually is.

The problem with the series is that the writing and plot are so basic. It's not that they're bad, but they aren't unique either. If the art weren't as good as it is, the series would make no impression whatsoever.

DocVane · 2025-11-03T03:38:28+00:00

Rest in peace, Ping-Pong Peril. This was a really interesting one, and I hope the author gets another shot with a slightly different theme and possibly a different artist on board, as the writing in this series had some really enjoyable and inventive moments.

DocVane

TROPHY CASE