Black Lagoon Vol. 6 & Detroit Metal City Vol. 1 - Manga Review

The next vision of manga from Viz shows a deference of action with a known compadre but also an examination into the contradiction of identity with missed results.Black Lagoon Vol. 6 When we left our compatriots, the lead female gunslinger (Revy) and her cowardly but effective subordinate (Rock) were getting into a big angle of headed perspective that was hopefully building to a pinnacle in terms of sexual tension. This next volume does not answer that question. In fact, it pushes it all the way to the background. However the first half of this volume does not disappoint although there is a lack of character development which sometimes must be sacrificed for the greater good of action. Here Revy and the wonderful lead nun armed to the teeth go out and blaze through their enemies in a blaze of bullets trying to make their money while a known counterfeiter works with Rock and the IT guy to try to get access to what everyone is looking for (which is the templates). A kill squad made up of a Latino huntress and her boys sets out against Revy and the nun for an all out fight. It is a sinister and vicious fight that is sheer ectasy. The action and the way it is captured is fast blazing and knowing with the effectiveness of blazing past the eye with bullets and gun play at an all time high with the series. The second half of the volume is not as good though effective because it goes off topic. The maid who has been a fixture in previous outings gets a doppleganger that might or might not be the gunslinger in question. They key situation involves, according to the narrative, someone who might look vaguely similar to the wanted woman who shows up in a bar while Revy and Rock are doing reconnaisance. The flip gun draw frame of the maid in question is absolutely beautiful in its symmetry and execution but the aspects of what is actually going on is still confusing as to the actual identity of the assassin. The woman in the bar simply wants Revy and Rock to come see her young master. Sounds fishy.Detroit Metal City Vol. 1 This manga follows a death metal band that supposedly is the biggest Japanese act on that scene. The paradox is that the actual members of the band (especially the lead singer who is supposed to be the scourge of death) are actually geeks. They write these horribly misogynistic lyrics and then try to live a normal life. The one who has it worst is the lead singer who can hardly talk to women. The manager of the band is  a caricature of what the perception is inside the business which is underhanded and laughable to a point yet with some sliver of truth. What comes off at times in terms of character is just scitzophrenic with the lead singer/kid losing it half the time. He simply seems to have the need to be an attention getter when he just wants people to recognize his talents but does it in all the wrong ways. In all aspects, he simply has no spine but when he gets up on stage he transforms. The world that the manga shows is insanely hypocritical but the story itself is a farce projection of the scene even down to the band facing off against their American legend who lived the death metal lifestyle for most of his life. DMC is a tale of isolation featuring a personality who doesn't know what he wants and is confused by life in general. But he has his music even though that in itself is a paradox to him. Not very intrinsic as a story because the mythos or necessity of it is missing.