Mark of the Succubus, Book 1

Unmotivated high school student Aiden meets Maeve, a succubus-in-training sent from the demon homeland to learn about humans in this OEL manga. Just when the situation is getting interesting, with Maeve being told to target Aiden, the book ends with a promise of more to come next volume. Aiden's got a neglectful father who wants him to ignore his music and go to law school. Aiden's best friend, Devin, hates his pushy girlfriend (who's more demonic than Maeve and jealous of her). Maeve's being spied on by a former teacher, convinced she'll break the rules by becoming attached to a human. Too many elements like these are raised but not sufficiently dealt with. The character design varies from panel to panel—classical fantasy, cartoony exaggeration, thick-outlined oversimplification, old-fashioned big-eyed manga—but somehow it all hangs together, even though the artist hasn't yet synthesized all of her many visible influences into her own style. She also can't pull off sexy well enough for the subject matter; instead of looking seductive, her scantily dressed Maeve resembles an overstuffed sausage bursting from her clothes. (It doesn't help that she looks about 12.) The boy's very cute, though, and very realistic in his attitudes and poses. (Dec.)