Staff Picks (October): Kaijumax TP

Did you watch the new season of Orange Is the New Black this summer and think “Hmm…you know what would make this better -- if everyone was a gigantic monster!”

Kaijumax scratches that itch. This story packs emotional prison drama told from the perspective of delinquent kaijus of all shapes and sizes. The monsters are held prisoner on an island penitentiary, lorded over by Ultraman-like prison guards, and dealing with unending confinement.

While the characters are monstrosities and convicts, you can’t help but sympathize. Whether separated from family or wrongfully convicted, characterization is emphasized over action. You will feel for these brutes as they go through tough times. Plenty of action is still to be found, but it takes a secondary role for the personal beats, and makes the story powerful for doing so.

Zander Cannon is one talented fellow, taking on both writing and art duties. The personality given to each character is meticulous and deep, while the dialogue has moments that will make you laugh out loud or fill you with sadness. The art style is reminiscent of everything that made the classic kaiju movies great -- epic in scale and fantastic to look at.

Prison dramas unearth an entirely new level of emotion. Can you trust anyone once inside? Will you ever get out? What was life like before confinement? They give us tragedies of spirit, and Kaijumax is a perfect example of story done well.

—Jonathan McKinney

Publisher: Oni Press Item Code: OCT151567 Release Date: 2/24/15 SRP: $9.99