Golgo 13, Vol. 2

This is Volume 4 out of 13 in the US GOLGO 13 series. in 1974, G13 is hired to knock a space satellite off-course before it causes international pandemonium. Then, in 1997, he's hired to pursue and eliminate Princess Diana's Middle Eastern lover. FILE13 at the end of the book focuses on the many ordinary and bizarre weapons G13 has used in his career, and the drawing of each weapon is amazingly accurate from tip to trigger. Personally, I enjoy G13 stories, however, this is material you'll either really like, or really hate. I don't think the G13 style melds as well with Western thought as some other spy stories. Like most of the other G13 stories, you'll either "get it" or you won't.

Golgo 13 has been one of the most popular action/adventure characters in Manga for years and now Viz is bringing back the world's greatest assassin for hire in some of his greatest stories for their Viz Signature line of Manga. The first volume features two Golgo stories. In the first story, originally from the mid 1990's, UN weapons inspectors in Iraq discover a truck carrying a special alloy pipe that they claim is to be used in the construction of a damn. Later, satellite photo surveillance reveals the pipe sticking out of an opening in the complete damn. Scientists soon discover that this is no pipe, but rather the barrel of a supergun, capable of firing a rocket into orbit and then hitting a target in the U.S., and it's aimed at Washington D.C. President Clinton and his staff find themselves in a quandary. If they call an airs strike against the weapon, it will destroy the damn and flood out thousands of Iraqis. This will make the U.S. the aggressor in the eyes of the world and get public opinion on the side of Saddam Hussein (who makes an appearance in the book). In order to try and draw a reaction from the U.S., Hussein goads them by violating the no-fly zone in the northern Iraq Kurdish province. Meanwhile Saddam only needs one shot with his supergun that can't be shot down with any anti-missile technology due to its speed. Thus they know the only means of destroying the weapon is by subterfuge and Golgo 13 is called in to handle the job. It's a bit eerie reading this story, especially due to the events of the past few years such as 911 and the Iraq War. Creator Takao Saito was certainly foreshadowing future events. In the shorter second feature, the fiancé of a private investigator and former police detective is run down by a hit and run driver and lies in the hospital near death. The PI soon discovers that the driver was a local organized crime boss named George Andreou but his people have already disposed of the car and the police have no evidence to go on. With no help from the police, the PI hires Golgo 13 to do what he can't...take that scumbag out! Soon word of the contract spreads so fast that even the boss's body guards quit rather than deal with the fearsome assassin. In addition to the two stories there is a section of supplemental information about the Golgo character that includes notes on his physical abilities, personal data, lists of aliases and cover occupations he's used, and various theories as to the origin of the name. A great introduction to the character if you've never read his exploits before. Reviewed by Tim Janson