Wow… is what I thought after reading this. I have been an avid fan of the anime Ghost In The Shell [GITS] and had been thinking of picking up the manga for a long time, guess the wallet held me back. I finally did get too reading a GITS book and it seems I choose a good one.

This is the opening issue to the new 11 book series produced by Dark Horse comics and written and designed by the legend behind the original GITS, Masamune Shirow. This book has been reversed for easier reading and has also been done in full colour; both of these are strange for normal manga. I think it was the fact that this was done by a so-called legend and that it was being delivered in colour that made me want to own it.

I was not disappointed in forking out the dough for this one, from the get go the production of this comic is top-notch. It is delivered in a prestige style format with no adverts to distract from some intense reading. A beautiful full-gloss cover opens up into a great introduction with some stunning graphic design layouts which really help to set the scene for the upcoming story. A forward from Shirow explaining the current storyline and any continuity confusion and then straight into the story you go.

The story seemed rather complex at first, with a lot of psychology and science mingled together to weave an intricate mix of eastern and western storytelling. Shirow seems to take pride in the details of his work. Intricate foot notes are found on many pages explaining some of the more interesting choices he might have made in art or storyline. All of the effort he has put in has paid off with what is easily one of the greatest books I have read so far this year.

The artwork is easily summed up in one word… stunning. If you are a fan of highly technically drawn mecha and of stunning women, this is for you. Shirow brings in a different twist to this book; he mixes 3-d rendered objects and environments with his pencil drawn characters, creating a cyber-world second to none in complexity. The 3-d is used so well that the book takes on a “real” feeling which helps to draw the reader into the story.

There are touches of comedy, lots of depth and a good amount of action in this issue. I can’t wait to see more of Shirow’s amazing artwork; he mixes graphic design and comic pencils so seamlessly together that it’s scary. Sign yourself up for this one, it rocks.

Score 10/10
Reviewed By:Iain Duncan