Sarah Boslaugh reviews a trio recent all-ages releases: IDW's Astro Boy: Official Movie Prequel #1 and "cine-manga" editions of Cartoon Network's Ben 10 Alien Force and Bakugan Battle Brawlers.

Astro Boy: Official Movie Prequel #1 (IDW)

32 pgs., color; 3.99

(W : Scott Tipton; A: Diego Jourdan)

Ben 10 Alien Force: Ben 10 Returns vol. 1 (Del Rey)

96 pgs., color; 7.99

(W & A: Cartoon Network, adapted by Elizabeth Hurchalla)

Bakugan Battle Brawlers: The Battle Begins! (Del Rey)

96 pgs, color; 7.99

(W & A: Cartoon Network, adapted by Elizabeth Hurchalla)

Here's a look at some new all-ages comics and graphic novels. To begin at the beginning, the first issue of Astro Boy: Official Movie Prequel hit the stands on May 13, in anticipation of the 3-D animated film due to be released this October. The original Astro Boy was created in the 1950's by Osamu Tezuka and featured in a series of works which established many of the conventions of manga  and anime. The stories are set in a future world where androids and humans coexist, and Astro Boy was built by the scientist Umataro Tenma as a replacement for his human son who was killed in a car accident.  Astro Boy has a number of superpowers, including jets in his legs which allow him to fly and eye-lamps so he can see in darkness: for this reason he's often called upon to perform Superman-like good deeds. In prequel #1 he saves the citizens of Metro City from a monster with a drill for a nose, then from a series of earthquakes: the latter takes him deep underground where he encounters a shadowy figure with a big net and not the friendliest of intentions. The art is very clear and colorful (the clear line style and bright colors remind me of coloring books: but in the context that's perfectly appropriate) and create a real sense of motion and excitement. A preview is available at http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0905/06/idwfirsts.htm.

Ben 10 Alien Force: Ben 10 Returns is a graphic novel adapted from the Cartoon Network series Ben 10: Alien Force which is a sequel to the  series Ben 10.  The hero Ben Tennyson is now 15 and living the life of a normal teenager, playing soccer and flirting with girls. But not for long: Grandpa Max  (a "semiretired member of an interplanetary police force) has been kidnapped and Ben has to fight off a DNAlien lying in wait in Grandpa's trailer. After consultation with his shapely cousin Gwen (also 15) Ben decides to return to superhero duty, so it's on with the Omnitrix, which is like Dick Tracy's watch only better: it allows Ben to transform himself into various superheroes with special powers. Ben 10 Returns  is a hybrid graphic novel created by adding word balloons and narration to stills from the television show. The art is very colorful and distinct but the storytelling falls short and the whole volume feels sort of like a Cliff's Notes rather than an original work. Kids who are fans of the television series may enjoy it, but everyone else might want to wait for the original manga which is due to be released in Fall 2009.

Bakugan Battle Brawlers: The Battle Begins! is also adapted from a Cartoon Network series, in this case Bakugan which began on Japanese television; there's also a strategic game based on the Bakugan universe. The story involves a group of friends who call themselves the Bakugan Battle Brawlers since they are involved in a battle against the evil Bakugan Naga, when they're not holding matches among each other (the battles involve balls and cards: if you don't already know how it works you won't find out in this book). As with Ben 10 Returns, The Battle Begins is constructed from television stills with word balloons and narration added, so it doesn't really qualify as a manga but is more like a filmstrip version of the original program. The art is lively and colorful but the quality is lower than in Ben 10: in particular many of the shots are out of focus. Kids who like the television series and the game might enjoy this volume, but it's fairly impenetrable to anyone not already familiar with the Bakugan universe. | Sarah Boslaugh

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