Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs: The Manga (A Family Comic Friday Extra!)

We've got a book that will appeal to a variety of fans. Devotees of Manga, dogs and Wes Anderson films will delight in this Family Comic Friday Extra! Join us as we examine Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs: The Manga! 

Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs: The Manga

Written and Illustrated by Minetaro Mochizuki
Published by Dark Horse Manga
Pages: 80 Pages
Retail: $19.99

(Warning: The subject matter of this review may be considered to insensitive to others due to the recent epidemic of the Coronavirus. Please keep in mind that Family Comic Friday agreed to review Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs prior to such recent events. The reviewer and staff of Outright Geekery are in no way attempting to make light of this virus that has killed hundreds of innocent lives.)

In the metropolis of Megasaki City, a mysterious virus has resulted in the banishment of all canines to a massive atoll of refuse called Trash Island. The orphaned Atari has just lost his best friend, Spots, who was sent away to Trash Island for simply being a dog. Determined to get back his puppy pal, Atari makes his way to the makeshift key. 

While on Trash Island, Atari is cornered by several dogs. It looks that Atari is about to become the canines next meal. However, when the boy begins to show kindness to these strays, Atari forms an amazing bond with a mongrel named Chief. Together, the pair team must avoid other wild packs, enemy drones seeking to eliminate Trash Island's canine population and other dangers in order to reunite with Spots. It will be the ultimate test of trust and endurance between a boy and a dog.

I've seen my share of comic book and graphic novel adaptations of TV and movies. For the most part, they look nothing like the characters on screen! Not here! The artwork of this Manga was fantastic. Minetaro Mochizuki (Dragon Head) illustrates this book so marvelously. It looks just like black and white stills of Wes Anderson's 2018 animated movie!

Isle of Dogs was an enjoyable fable. But reading it at this time in history was a little eerie. Currently, China is ground zero for the mysterious coronavirus. Thousands have became sick and at the time of writing this review, at least 600 have perished. With scientists blaming everything from bats to snakes, the level of hysteria in this book is almost like the daily news. So, if the young reader in your life is terrified of getting coronavirus, you might want to hold off on letting them read this. However, this adaptation might be a great gateway to use as a teachable moment about viruses and illness prevention. It's your call.

In other terms of age appropriateness, Isle of Dogs has a couple of mild swears. There is implied violence against dogs by both humans and other dogs. But this is a relatively safe story that children 9 and up will enjoy.

Oh, and one more thing. This book is a Manga. Published in the traditional Japanese style, the reader needs to consume this book from right to left. It's not just the pages. This format includes the panels too! If your child has never read a Manga, you'll need to explain this to them. Thankfully, Dark Horse had the smarts to include a couple of pages that explains how to read this type of book.

A well crafted story that is based on the timeless relationship between a boy and his beloved pooch. It's also classic Wes Anderson. But it's also a tale that families can enjoy. Isle of Dogs is thought provoking. I just bet you didn't think that the issues brought to light would reflect so much of today's international headlines.

Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs: The Manga will debut in print and digital formats on February 25th, 2020.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.