F | By Imai Arata | Glacier Bay Books – Japan’s triple disaster of 2011 has understandably influenced the creative output of the country’s artists, both directly and indirectly, but I haven’t encountered anything quite like the underground manga F before. Originally self-published under the title I Am John Cantlie, Imai portrays a Japan in which the devastated Tōhoku region has declared its independence but struggles to maintain it amidst increasing violence and terrorist influences. The story follows a war photographer who gains entry to the area using a fake passport and is ultimately taken hostage. The horror of what he witnesses and is subjected to is chilling, especially knowing that Imai is drawing upon the reality of actual events. Accompanying the manga is an extensive essay by the volume’s...
Jan 5, 2022 • Subscribe
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