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Reviewed by Michael Deeley Earl Dorian Red Gloria has committed daring art heists under the name “Eroica.” During his latest caper, he meets Caesar Gabriel, a beautiful young man, and his two telepathic friends. When these three telepaths are suspected of being “Eroica,” they plan a trap to capture Dorian. The plan backfires, and the Earl kidnaps Caesar. His friends’ rescue attempt also gets them captured. Caesar surrenders himself to Dorian in exchange for their lives. Dorian releases all three, after a few reluctant kisses from Caesar. During the experience, Caesar falls in love with the Earl Dorian. Caesar’s telepathic abilities attract the attention of NATO. They send Major Klaus Heinz Von Dem Eberbach, an uptight soldier to capture and test him. He meets Dorian who’s plotting to steal Eberbach’s art collection. The two instantly dislike each other. A race to kidnap/rescue Caesar leads to all three men holding each other in Eberbach’s tank on a island in the North Sea. Eberbach displays a sense of beauty that Dorian can respect. He lets him take Caesar, but steals the tank. Eberbach and Dorian would cross paths again when the two men pursue a newly discovered statue of Achilles. Dorian wants it because it’s beautiful. Eberbach needs a microfilm hidden under its toga. Their pursuit leads them to a hijacked ship and ultimately, the British Museum. The story is continued next volume. Let me make this clear: This is a very gay book. Not only is Dorian gay, not only is his accountant jealous of his love for Caesar, not only is the “Eroica gang” made up of men who adore Dorian, not only does the only prominent female character disappear after the first story, but every young man looks like a woman! I’m serious! If a man doesn’t have a mustache or is over 30 years old, he has long hair, long lashes, eyeliner, and a tall, thin body. They look like women in drag! It’s a bit disconcerting. It’s also unusual, when you consider how Japanese society strictly defines the male and female gender roles. I think this was made for a young female audience. Young girls would like pretty, non-threatening men. But do they like gay men? I’m also bothered by Caesar’s love for Dorian. Caesar is described as brilliant, but sexually repressed. He’s never kissed a girl, let alone a man. So here he is, captured by a confidant, older man, who has the power to kill his friends. Caesar gives himself for their lives, whereupon he’s kissed for the first time in his life. Caesar’s female friend feels his mind “go blank.” Three kisses later, Caesar faints. I interpret that sequence as a form of mental torture. Here’s a sexually repressed man in a life-or-death situation being taken advantage of by a self-centered criminal. His mind “going blank” isn’t falling in love; it’s a psychotic break. It’s Caesar blocking out this experience for the sake of survival. We later see Caesar wearing Dorian’s gold chain bracelet. It’s supposed to be a symbol of his love. I see it as a symbol of Dorian’s enslavement of Caesar. Now, I’m not homophobic. I’m not comfortable seeing gay men kiss, but I don’t have anything against their gender. (It is a gender, not a “Lifestyle choice.") As a critic of comic books, it is my job to interpret and analyze any deeper meaning to the story and imagery. The preceding is a valid interpretation of the first chapter of Eroica, though probably not the one the author intended. Eberbach is clearly meant to be Dorian’s opposite number. He’s uptight, angry, has a sense of aesthetics based on practicality, and seems to be very anti-gay. Their meetings create humor and sexual tension. It’s the same kind of hate/love relationship in action movies where the hero is forced to work with a woman who hates him, but they end up falling in love. The same thing could happen with Dorian and Eberbach. Frankly, I’m hoping it doesn’t. It would completely destroy Caesar. The gay stuff aside, these are amusing stories filled with humor. The first story has a Scooby-Doo-like chase scene into another manga. Dorian’s and Eberbach’s assistants provide much of the comic relief and set up several embarrassing situations. Dorian’s rescue of an aged Duchess is a great reversal on the traditional heroic rescue. The art is clearly dated. Eroica was created in 1976. This is clear from the characters’ clothes and hairstyles. Scarves, pantsuits, and long hair were common on men in the 70s. Today, I only see them on women. Thus the men look even more effeminate than originally intended. One major story flaw is how much time the author spent describing Caesar and his two friends in the first chapter. The trio gained their telepathic powers, and other abilities, after a chance encounter with an old man in Peru. The three are different and interesting enough to sustain their own series of adventures. I was expecting to see them return in the next story, foiling the next “Eroica” theft, but never completely succeeding. I wonder if they ever return. Overall, I regret buying this book. While there is little technically wrong with it, I am clearly not the intended audience. Perhaps a teen girl would like it more, but I can’t see how. Also, the gay love scenes made me cringe. I’m open-minded; not open-bodied. Comment on this review of From Eroica with Love v1 on the Manga Life Forums. |
22 July 2008
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