Eagle

Eagle 1-5

This is the comic book version of West Wing; something I can always pull off of the shelf if I need something good to read.  It’s comfort food at its best.  

The comparison to West Wing is no mistake.  The presidential campaign of Kenneth Yamaoka, the first major Asian-American candidate, is startlingly similar to that of Matt Santos, the first major Latino-American candidate.  All fictional, of course, but both mirror President Obama’s run as well.  It’s wonderfully told, and if the re-read exposes some of the weaker storylines (the scandal with Rachel’s mother, the conspiracy with Yamaoka’s father-in-law), it also reaffirms Eagle as one of my top five manga.  (Sanctuary, Firefighter Daigo, Cross Game, and Dragonball Z are probably the others.)  

I would have loved to see Kaiji Kawaguchi take a stab at the actual Yamaoka administration.  Heck, I’d settle for reading some of his other works, but things like Silent Service haven’t been published in English.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Really good