MISC. MANGA, *Sand Land

Akira Toriyama, the maker of Dragonball, did this short series collected in Viz's magazine, Shonen Jump. It was eventually collected into a single one-shot graphic novel.

Taking place on a post-apocalyptic Earth, a down and out sheriff named Rao teams up with Beelzebub, the prince of all demons, and his sidekick Thief. They set off into the desert to find a long lost lake to help the thirsty humans and demons who are under the tyranical rule of a greedy king and his army. Rao turns out to be an retired soldier from the royal army, but is going against the system to help his people. After hyjacking a tank, they run into opposition from the army itself, and a strange band of desert bandits called the Swimmers who dress like they're going to the YMCA pool. Beelzebub has it out with a giant insect before the lake is found, and they day is saved.

Sand Land is a fun adventurous romp which harkens back to some of Toriyama's older works like Dr. Slump and Dragon Quest. It's for sure worth a look, even if just for the sense of nostalgia.