Tekkon Kinkreet: Black and White, Volume 1 Book

"Tekkonkinkreet melted my mind. Originally published in 1993 it tells the story of two street orphans who control their piece of Treasure Town through a cheerful violence. It was for me a life affirming work as I, like Black and White, spent much of my time kicking mobsters in the teeth, hanging out on building tops and wrestling with which fucked up hat to wear. Fitting restlessly into the company of Oliver Twist and Tom Sawyer with a solid dose of The Five Deadly Venoms, it teaches that you can do whatever the fuck you want, and maybe even get away with it (if you don't mind occasionally getting the shit kicked out of you). Taiyo tells tale with sharp urgent playfulness, always keeping a grip on the two contrasting personalities of the boys, the naive yet insightful White, and the darkly driven Black. As Treasure Town is enveloped in a slow build fury of deep evil, the innocently vicious duo's connection to the city and its other denizens slowly unravels and the bond between Black and White crumbles. Does it end the tragedy? One of the best comics ever produced."

-- So sez comix visionary and Lightning Bolt drummer Brian Chippendale. He wrote a detailed appreciation of Taiyo Matsumoto's work that's worth a read and includes an appraisal of the even more amazing "Go Go Monster."

If you haven't read (m)any mangas, this would be a great place to start. It deftly balances action and character, employs an eccentric storytelling style that draws on European comics, and has fantastic art that mixes Moebius, Peter Max, and manga. Inventive and singular, it's also effortlessly enjoyable. I'm not quite as high on it as Chippendale -- the ending felt a bit rushed and simplistic, though I still found myself surprisingly moved. Bottom line: Matsumoto is a master and more people should be reading him.