Shigeru Mizuki!

Expect to hear a lot about Shigeru Mizuki in the coming months. At age 89, he is considered to be the most preeminent cartoonist living in Japan today - a true living legend. He is years ahead of anyone else in the world as being very likely the creator of the first full length graphic novel with the publication in 1971 of his Hitler biography. This was followed in 1973 by Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, a memoir ("90% fact," according to Mizuki) of his time served in the Imperial Army during World War 2.

Remarkably, Mizuki's wartime memoir is the first of his books to be published in English. Here's an excerpt, be sure to read from the top right corner to the bottom left hand corner:






Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths will appear in stores within the next two weeks; its U.S. debut will be at this weekend's MOCCA show in New York.

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