TITLE: The Venus Wars Issue #1
YEAR: April 1991
COMPANY: Dark Horse Comics
Story and Art by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
Translation by Alan Gleason and Toren Smith
Lettering and Touch-Up Art by Tom Orzechowski
Editor-in-Chief: Katsunobu Suzuki
Editor: Masashi Narita, Chris Warner
Originally Published in Comic Nora by Gakken
From 1987 to 1990, “Venus Wars” by mangaka Yoshikazu Yasuhiko was serialized in Gakken Magazine’s “Nora Comics”.
After serialization, the manga received an English translation by Dark Horse courtesy of Alan Gleason and Toren Smith.
The main story is how in 2003, a comet designated as Apollon collided with the planet Venus. This collission let enough moisture to form acidic seas and speeded up its rotation to give it a day that matches its year.
Because of the comet collision with Venus, this led to human terraforming Venus and with the first manned ships sent in 2007 and colonizing by 2012, by the year 2089, Venus’ population was in the millions and was divided into two states, the northern continent of Ishtar and the southern continent of Aphrodia. And both happen to be in war with each other
The story shifts to Io, the capital city of Aphrodia and taking place at the Talak Battle Bike Stadium.
The first issue features military officials watching one of the racers named Ken and how he is very kamikaze and fearless. He doesn’t care if he lives or dies and they feel he would be perfect for the Army.
The two men approach Ken after his race and tell him if he’s willing to ride a one-ton bike and leave the racing scene at the Talak Battle Bike Stadium (not revealing that they are with the Army) and want him to answer their question.
Will Ken take up the two men’s offer?
For the most part, I remember “The Venus Wars” film back in the day and to be truthful, I do not remember anything about the animated film. And a video game for the NES was also released.
While the film was released on Blu-ray several years ago in America, the first issue really doesn’t give you insight too much of what the series is about.
Considering that it’s only one chapter and in today’s manga releases in America, a graphic novel consists of around seven or more chapters, could you imagine paying $2.75 on one issue and then not seeing it again at the store for months and when it did come back, it was issue #7. Frustrating times of an American manga fan of the early ’90s, when manga in America were comic books.
So, I missed out on “The Venus Wars” manga and was only able to read one issue. But I’m definitely interested in checking out the anime film again someday.