Tokyo Days, Bangkok Nights

Written by Jonathan Vankin
Art by Seth Fisher and Giusseppe Camuncoli & Shawn Martinbrough

I didn't pick up the original Vertigo Pop! mini-series, because at the time they came out, I was trying to cut back on my purchases, and because I wasn't very familiar with any of the creators involved. Since then, I have gained an appreciation of Seth Fisher (too little, too late), and have been following Camuncoli's career since his work on the brilliant "The Intimates".

This trade presents two mini-series, unrelated to each other except by themes and hemisphere. The Tokyo story is about Steve, an American in Japan who gets swept up in a weird tale of pop stars, Yakuza, family stife, and hot teenage girls. It's a fun story, and Vankin makes good use of Fisher's strengths - namely kooky detailed settings, bizarre action, and cartoon expressions. This half of the book was highly enjoyable.

The Bangkok story is about an American girl, the American actor boyfriend she treats horribly, Thai prostitutes, Western sexual exploitation, and sacred elephants. While on paper it sounds almost as madcap as the Tokyo half, it's a much darker tale, lacking in satisfying outcomes for anyone (except maybe the elephant).

What's interesting about placing these two tales together is the way in which they portray Americans as insensitive, greedy tourists, who expect that the entire world should adhere to their values and social mores. While I would never defend the things that go on in Bangkok, it can't be a coincidence that Tuesday, the main character, identifies best with an elephant, as she is the one that is trampling all over everyone and everything she sees.

This is a great collection, worth the price just for Fisher's artwork, although I think it is the Bangkok story that will stick with you much longer.