Reality Check 1

This series is really just cute and full of entertainment. I still get re-read value out of this series, and I've owned it for over four years. It's also a great spike of sci-fi fantasy- the system the characters use is really ingenious and creates great adventures. Not to mention the plot is just awesome. Otherwise the art is cool- kind of a early nineties style rarely seen but retains its uniqueness, and there's bonus material between the pages and in the back. It's well thought out and I really just love it.

Reality Check comes from Rikki and Tavisha Simons, the creative team behind their latest series Shutterbox. While Shutterbox is a Goth Romance series, Reality Check is a much more light and cheerful comic. In volume 1, we are introduced to 10th grader Collen Meeks, a geek who longs to access the Virtual Internet System (VIS) in the year 2012. After receiving his True Virtual Reality Helmet (TVR), Collen finally manages to access the VIS...until his cat Catreece also logs on as well. In Real Time, Catreece is a small, cute, annoying cat...on the VIS, she's like the annoying sibling you wish you didn't have! Thus, all sorts of crazy adventures (and misadventures) occur for our computer nerd and his bubbly, ditzy cat. One thing that stands out when you dive into Reality Check is the wonderful art. Orginally, RC was published in color (the color edition has long been out of print, but you can still find new/used copies at certain stores). TokyoPop has decided to publish RC in their standered B & W format, but it still doesn't take away the amazing detail that Tavisha has done! All the characters (major and minor), backgrounds, ect. are full of life and personality. You can help turning the page to see what they are up to next! I also like the story that the Simons have written. It creates a fun enviroment that possible might happen in the next several years. The story line never lets you down! It makes you keep on reading to find out how Collen and Catreece will get out of thier scraps on the VIS. Also, all the characters don't have 2D personality, so they are easily likeable and charming! Plus, as an added bonus, this volume includes are nice gallery of the Simons concept art for the RC series, a treat for fans and newbies alike! So if you enjoied Shutterbox, give Reality Check a try...it's just a fascinating and great as SB. For anyone wanting to see what American-based manga is all about, the Simons are the perfect team to go to!

This is a great read. It takes your standard, boring, overthinking guy, and makes him deal with a high-tech world that everyone, even cats, can deal with better. It is hilarious seeing him deal with situations that he and his cat, Catreece, stumble into.