Comic Book Review: Bully Eater by Raymond Brown
Disclosure: I received this book from a Goodreads Giveaway on the premise that I would review it.
Isao Akio has been bullied most of his life. Deciding enough was enough, he went out and got himself some martial arts training. This helped until he transferred to Longwei High, where the bullies have superhuman powers. Things are not entirely lost–there’s another new student who has personal reasons for standing up to the local bullies, and powers of his own. Can Tien Lung help make Longwei High a better place to get an education?
I like that Tien Lung is nearsighted; too proud to wear corrective lenses, but serious enough about his studies to want to see the chalkboard. It’s a nice touch.
This volume collects the first two issues of the comic book. While the series is clearly inspired by manga (Tenjou Tenge is a really obvious influence), I am more strongly reminded of the independent comics boom of the 1980s. It’s a labor of love, and the creator’s enthusiasm really comes through. But the pitfalls of a one-man show also are evident. The art is crude and graffiti-ish, the proofreading is poor, and the exposition is clumsy.
Most of the independent comics creators of the Eighties out out an issue or two, then vanished, but a few found fame and appreciation. This series does not look like it will be the breakout for Raymond Brown, but I hope to see improvement by his next effort.
