But you don't have to take my word for it...

I never could get into manga. I like my comics just way I like my mass transit; American made and full of characters with borderline personalities in colorful costumes. It's what I was raised on. It's what my father was raised on. It's what my father's father was raised on. If it was good enough for them then it was good enough for me.

But something about Me and the Devil Blues intrigued me. Perhaps it was the part about it being "the unreal life of Robert Johnson." Maybe it was just the Robert Johnson part, y'know the legendary musician who allegedly sold his soul to the devil for the ability to play the blues. Or maybe it was the striking cover, which didn't look manga-esque at all.

Regardless, I picked it up and tried it out. And sure it took some getting used to. Ok, it took a lot of getting used to. Manga is printed reverse (right to left), so what we ignorant Americans would usually expect to be the last page, is actually the first. Furthermore, the panels are read right to left as well, as are the captions in the panel. It's an adjustment.

But Akira Hiramoto has crafted a masterpiece. Hiramoto imagines "RJ's" home life and crafts events that lead to him finding himself at the crossroads ready to deal with the devil. The story follows RJ from his humble beginnings to him honing his craft and then out into left field when he crosses paths with Clyde Barrow. It's a thrilling read which makes it so frustrating that ends on a cliffhanger.

Hiramoto pulls no punches with his stark depiction of life in the South during the Great Depression. The working of the land, the meager living conditions and the politics of race all are portrayed with gripping realism.

Hiramoto also manages to capture the electricity of live music, which seems odd considering it's a printed tale. But he really does convey artistry of the blues that RJ possessed. It's a testament to his skill as a storyteller that, despite not being able to actually hear any of the music being played, the reader still feels the essence of those scenes with the blues.

Speaking of his artistry, this manga isn't from the Pokemon/Dragon Ball Z school of art. Hiramoto's images evoke a realism that make it easy to fall into the story.

This is seriously a great read. It's almost one of those works, like The Watchmen, that transcends the genre. You need to own this book.

Seriously