cover image Mpd-Psycho Volume 3

Mpd-Psycho Volume 3

Eiji Otsuka, Sho-U Tajima. Dark Horse Comics, $10.95 (184pp) ISBN 978-1-59307-858-4

Attention to detail makes the horror of this psychological detective series creepier. Its not just that we see a prisoner hanged; its that a panel is devoted to him soiling himself at the moment of death. Thats prelude to finding out that a group of criminals, as well as the title detective, are all marked by barcodes on the whites of their eyes and all are being investigated by an execution-happy justice minister. The case this time around involves a supposedly dead mass murderer playing deadly pranks (in a style reminiscent of Batmans Joker). As the number of crimes mount, the detective attempts to rescue his partner from a tanker-truck bombing. The varied personalities and plots can be confusing, but those whove been carefully following the series since the start will find their attention rewarded. The book has the fast-paced action of a movie thriller, exploring the boundaries of the human mind through extreme actions. Panels are light on text and designed so skillfully that the reader can take in events as quickly as they can turn the page. Adult comics readers looking for a manga they can sink their teeth into will find it here. ""(Dec.)"" .