cover image The Beginning of the Coffin

The Beginning of the Coffin

Dall-Young Lim. Infinity Studios, $9.95 (190pp) ISBN 978-1-59697-031-1

In this complex, difficult-to-pigeonhole tale, two siblings, younger brother Shuuichi Asakawa and older sister Sumire Asakawa, both with extrasensory perception powers (or ESP), managed to escape from a secret research lab when they were younger. They have been living with their younger sister Katsumi, until forced out of hiding by a clandestine organization of other ""espers."" Hunted by these mysterious agents, Shuuichi is forced to display his extraordinary powers-he can throw off a powerful force that can rip off the head of an opponent or rise up and stop suspended in mid-air-to deadly effect. Introverted, selfish and a bit cruel, Shuuichi is the book's not very likeable antihero. Maudlin and feckless, Sumire is equally flawed and the book's supporting characters are also marked by human imperfections. Based on a videogame, the story weaves sex and violence together to create unbearably uncomfortable situations-in one instance Sumire is stripped by a female villain in exchange for allowing Shuuichi to live-and there are hints of a sordid past for Shuuichi and his sisters, implying an incestuous relationship. And while the art is dynamic (though sometimes confusing), it's the blend of unsavory sexual undertones, atypical sibling relationships and cliched but stylish superpowers that imbues the book with an appealing intrigue.