In Review: Yoko Tsuno - The Dragon Of Hong Kong

Roger Leloup's tales of the adventures of Yoko Tsuno, a female Japanese electronics engineer, began in Spirou magazine in 1970 and while set in the modern day they can veer between full on science-fiction and more realistic straight adventure. The Dragon Of Hong Kong, despite its title and cover, is one of the straight adventure stories. The 16th of the 24 Franco-Belgian Yoko Tsuno albums, this is the Cinebook's 5th Yoko Tsuno book and the first time that the story has been published in English.

Yoko has travelled to Hong Kong to visit with Chinese relatives and while sailing in Victoria Harbour her junk is attacked by a lizard-like sea monster. Surviving the attack, Yoko sets about locating the huge lizard and discovers that an orphaned child, Morning Dew, has befriended it. Morning Dew lives with her frail grandfather who gives his permission for the child to go with Yoko to search for the lizard.

During this search their boat is attacked by a different monster that breathes fire and nearly kills them. Morning Dew's grandfather tells Yoko that the two monsters were created to star in a film The Dragon Of Hong Kong which leads Yoko to a businessman with a surprising secret.

Yoko Tsuno is very much a adventure series for children with Yoko something of a Nancy Drew like character. For this particular story, which ran in in Spirou between issues 2527 and 2536 in 1986, there is no great need for Yoko to have an electronics background. What she does have is a logical mind and a need to understand the unnatural beasts she comes across coupled with the desire to set things to rights. That also includes protecting Morning Dew from the deaths of those she loves which includes legally adopting the girl. Roger Leloup's story is decidedly upbeat with Yoko being a positive role model throughout whilst his artwork is effective on his monsters and accurate on his ships and planes.

With the story nearly a quarter of a century old it takes place in British Hong Kong rather than Chinese Hong Kong but that is irrelevant to the plot and the only thing that noticeably dates it is when Yoko is taken to the computer room of a bank, with its tractor-feed printers, when she is trying to find the businessman. The reasons behind the creation of the two sea monsters are childishly effective, if somewhat far fetched for an adult, but I do like Leloup's concept of an oriental monster movie being shot on location with full size creatures rather than men in monster suits like the Toho Gojira/Godzilla movies, as impractical as it would be in reality.

Yoko Tsuno - The Dragon Of Kong Kong is a well executed adventure story for children, perhaps of more interest to girls with the two female lead characters, but the two monsters should be more than enough the keep boys interested as well. This would certainly make a change from buying daughters and nieces manga books as birthday or Christmas presents.

• There are more details of the English language Yoko Tsuno books on the Cinebook website.

• There are more details of the French language Yoko Tsuno albums on the official Yoko Tsuno website (in French).

Manchester Uni to put bande dessinees under microscope for 2011 event

(updated 1 Augsut 2010): Manchester Metropolitan University will play host to an academic conference on bande dessines next year - and the call is out for papers.

The International Bande Dessinee Society and the peer-reviewed Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics and Intellect's Journal of Comics Studies are hosting a joint conference focusing mainly on two areas of research - Space and Time, and audiences and readership.

The organisers say they also welcome submissions from other areas of research such as manga, African, Latin American, Asian, Eastern European comics; and the connections between comics and other media.

Abstracts of approximately 250 words should be submitted in English (French is acceptable for articles submitted to the International Bande Dessinee Society) and sent to Matthew Screech (m.screechATmmu.ac.uk), a Senior Lecturer in French at the University, David Huxley (d.huxleyATmmu.ac.uk), comics writer and artist, Senior Lecturer in Film and Media Studies and joint editor of Routledge's Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics; and Joan Ormrod (j.ormrodATmmu.ac.uk), also a Senior Lecturer in Film and Media Studies, by 1st December 2010.

Papers will be considered for publication in Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics and Liverpool University Press's European Comic Art.

• The Joint International Conference of Graphic Novels, Bandes Dessinees and Comics will be held at Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester. Graphic Novels and Comics will take place 5-6th July and the International Sande Dessinee Society event on 7th - 8th July 2011.

• You can read the first issue of Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics free online here

Johnston to promote Dead Space at next Expo

Promotional art for Dead Space 2. © EA Games

British comics writer Antony Johnston will be on hand to help promote the new EA Games title Dead Space 2 when it's trailed at the next London MCM Expo, which will be held at Excel on 29-31 October 2010 and closes out the month-long London Games Festival.

By then, his new Dead Space graphic novel, drawn by Christopher Shy and published by IDW, may also available - if not, check out the official Dead Space web sites.

The Dead Space 2 game ramps up the horror action even further than the original, as lone survivor Isaac Clarke struggles to keep his sanity while taking on relentless necromorph onslaughts. EA say players will be kept on the edge of their seats as Isaac fights bigger, scarier and more epic battles than ever before aboard an all-new space installation known as ‘The Sprawl’.

Having trailed the original Dead Space at London MCM Expo, Midlands MCM Expo and Memorabilia, the videogames publisher returns to offer show visitors an über early sneak peek of the much-anticipated sequel, set to hit shelves in January 2011.

London MCM Expo is also delighted to announce that award-winning British author Antony Johnston, whose has written several Dead Space projects, will also be attending the show.

His latest Dead Space story is Dead Space: Salvage, a self-contained 120-page graphic novel, billed as a “sidequel” and taking place between the first and second Dead Space games. It tells the story of the missing, necromorph-infested planet-cracker USG Ishimura, presumed lost and drifting somewhere in the Aegis system.

Then the ship is discovered by a band of ‘magpies’ -- unlicensed miners and salvage merchants -- who quickly realise it’s not the bountiful haul they were hoping for.

Anthony also wrote the Dead Space webisodes based on the saga and the Dead Space: Extraction comic and graphic novel.

Christopher Shy, who is illustrating the new graphic novel, is the founder of Studio Ronin and an accomplished film and concept designer, whose graphic novel projects include Silent Leaves, Soul StealerAscend, Good Apollo, work for Marvel, DC, as well as set design for concerts, and film.

Recently, Studio Ronin and Christopher Shy completed work on the graphic novel Pathfinder, released by Dark Horse Comics, which was made into a film directed by Marcus Nispel. Studio Ronin handled design on the film in almost every aspect, from simple sword and helmet designs, to miniatures, and customs concepts, as well as the promotional materials, including the international and domestic movie poster.

• For more MCM Expo information, visit our new website at: www.londonexpo.com

• Click here to visit the official EA site for Dead Space

Garry Leach Marvelman art auction begins

British comics guru Dez Skinn is running an auction for a rare piece of Marvelman art by Garry Leach.

On offer is Marvelman Episode 3, page 1 (which first appeared in Warrior Issue 3).

"As an experiment, partially because of resenting the massive percentage eBay takes and partially because it's on behalf of a friend, this will be a public auction done through my Wall on Facebook, along with Paypal for the winner," says Dez. "Once in Facebook, enter "Dez Skinn" to view.

The auction is now open and will finish on August 8th at 10.00pm (British Summer Time).

"It's an experimental use of Facebook Events, so apologies in advance if you encounter any difficulties finding it," says Dez. "If you don't wish to join Facebook, email me directly for progress reports [via Dezskinn1ATyahoo.co.uk] and bidding information. Updates to all interested parties who ask for such will be sent out every few days."

The opening bid for is £200.

• This auction will close promptly at 10.00pm British Summer Time, Sunday August 8, 2010. Payment by Paypal only. Post free internationally, recorded delivery. For more info on the auction outside Facebook, visit Dez's blog here