Venus Wars

Issues 1 - 10 (1992)

Dark Horse

Writer and Penciller Yoshikazu Yushiko

I bought the first issue when it first came out then promptly couldn't or didn't get any of the others. Adam was wanting to be rid of a vast swathe of books (most of which I grabbed). In among them all was the rest of the Venus Wars issues. So after 20+ years I finally get to finish the story. In this batching I read the first ten.

 Venus has been struck by a massive icy asteroid which changed it's rotation and made it terra formable. Of course humans colonize Venus and start a war. Our story is about a bike riding lunatic who is head hunted to join the army. - There is a 'Rollerball' style bike based sport that the main character is good at because basically he is a complete nutcase)

After a 'sports' game Ken Seno rides off towards the army base with the 'Queen' of his team in hot pursuit. She is heaping abuse at him because how dare he ride off! He is also following Cute Girl who was watching him perform bike sports. They follow an Army bike to the base, which promptly explodes. Ken Seno rescues a cute girl then we have some war exposition.

In the next issue Ken Seno is doing a stack of PT. We see a new character called Maggie who is trying to track Ken down but only finds his empty apartment. The army interviews the cute girl is interviewd and she is a representative from Terra milatary. The Queen had followed the cute girl and they talk. Ken Seno is part of The Hound Bike Intercept Squad. They drive off to intercept tanks threatening to attack the edge of the city.

 Ken Seno takes out a tank with his attack bike. The queen and Cute Girl escape from the hospital in a comedy sequence. Ken Seno is finally taken out by a tank but has no time to lick his wounds and is sent out to fight again. - He finally destroys a tank - Which means I was confused on the first few panels of the book that's for sure!

Okay, I finally get another MASSIVE info dump. This one is all about the running of the war and touches on things like logistics. Our Hero Team, Ken Seno, Miranda- The Queen, and Helen the Cute, steal some gas. I presume to escape. A section of Venusian society starts and uprising and we have the second massive info dump of the issue. After this one the General of one side of the war rides in front of his army on a sort of sled.
Ken Seno is then in a training montage. he talks back to his drill sergant and then is basically beaten up.
Top brass decides to beef up The Hound unit and the 'regiment' break into the brig and free Ken Seno.

Maggie has arrived at the army camp and visits with Ken. The Hound Regiment is set up for a massive attack on a huge fleet of tanks. The unit leaves for the front and Maggie says goodbye. As they are attacking they are attacked by their Kryptonite; helicopters.

There is a massed retreat. Maggie is attacked and there is an attempted rape scene. Ken Seno saves her and shoots her attacker in the head.

This book has nice art and the pencils were done by the writer. It's in black and white (originally a manga) and then it was made into anime. It's weakness is it's story. I never really hooked into the characters and the action and info dumps break up the story too much. Ultimately the scope is huge and the story never hooks you into any part of it. Much of the dialogue is very much like an anime and also doesn't help get you into each point of view.

I'd give it a qualified recommend if you are a HUGE manga fan, you really love the artwork or some reason like that. After 20 years it wasn't worth the wait. Otherwise not recommended.