MISC. MANGA, *Monsters Of Rock

Here's one worth looking in the back issue bins for. This one-shot spinoff of Saiko And Lavender by Michael Vega who co-created the original mini-series with Diana Sprinkle, Monsters Of Rock is a manga-styled mockumentary from Radio Comix about the forming of a rock band made entirely of genuine monsters.

It starts off telling about Vite, a young half-medusa(gorgon)who is shunned by her family and the other monsters. She takes her angst out by becoming a struggling musician with a guitar her human father gave her. Vite teams up with vampire debutante Nocturne who becomes her co-guitarist. They come across the zombie drummer Grave, and get the lord of Hell himself Dante to join to. Dante turns over control of Hell to a newbie who is the guy running the place seen in the Saiko And Lavender mini-series. Together, the four of them form the Monsters of Rock, and propel themselves to super stardom!

This made for an enjoyable bit for manga fans, especially the battle of the bands scene they have with a group of kaiju! Michael Vega co-wrote this with Kai Robertson who also corresponding with him on other projects like the one he had in Rising Stars Of Manga. Monsters Of Rock makes for an enjoyable update to Monster Mash and what Monster High SHOULD have been like!