Cherry is on an airplane watching a vampire movie. In the row across from him sits a girl who is exhibiting some strange behavior and gets up from her seat and heads for the restroom.
A bit later, everyone on the plane has fallen asleep including Charley and in comes one of my favorite characters, Rayflo who silently sits next to Charley. He starts messing around with Charley because he thinks Charley is asleep. He starts to fondle Charley a bit but to his surprise and disappointment Charley is awake and quickly stops Rayflo from sexually harassing him (his words not mines).
Meanwhile the girl is still in one of the restrooms and she’s messing around with bullets and drooling from the month. In a nearby restroom Charley and Rayflo are taking part in a little mile high action. Charley is sinking is teeth deep into Rayflo’s neck. Rayflo takes the opportunity to question Charley as to why they are taking this trip without Sacre (it’s obviously not a mission to hunt down vampires). Charley doesn’t reveal much to Johnny only that they are going to visit Cheryl. Rayflo has surmised that Charley is visiting Cheryl to question her about her ancestor Arnold Paole. VOLUME 1 NOTES: In the last volume, chapter 2 Cheryl had mentioned that she had inherited the blood and curse of Arnold Paole END NOTES. Rayflo then goes for Charley’s zipper and Charley starts to freak out. (more…)
So, I received my copy of Vassalord last week and finished it the following day. So, what can I say about it. Loved it!
Now with that being said let me clear up a few things. I love Vassalord because of the relationship between Charley and Rayflo but for me there wasn’t enough about them in this volume. I mean their in it and all but the story is starting to take another turn which I believe will tie back into the true identity of Johnny Rayflo but there wasn’t much interaction between Charley and Rayflo like it was in Vassalord Volume 1.
Volume 2 is basically a continuation of Volume 1, Chapter 2 Hierocles’ Delusion. Remember that chapter was about the slimy vampire priest Kazan, well that’s kind of where Volume 2 picks up but it’s now dealing with another character(s) and turning them into vampires.
We also have reoccurring characters: Cheryl is back along with a Rayfell. The small boy in the wheel church, Charley helped during the Neo Union Church gather is back (volume 1, chapter 2), and so is that rude cop (he a little less rude).
Then there is another story in the manga called Zoul Half which has nothing to do with Vassalord. It has different characters and a different story. I kind of wish more time had been spent on more Cherry and Rayflo stories but oh well.
I’ll try to get Chapter 4 up as quickly as I can. I had eye surgery last month so my eyes are still adjusting and I have to limit my time reading and staring at the computer screen for the time being (but I couldn’t let it stop me from reading this Volume. I know it was probably not in my best interest to do so but hey I couldn’t wait any longer to read it).
Well, until then
Take care!
Less than a week away for the release of Vassalord Volume 2. I can’t wait, can’t wait. In the meantime I’ve been finding it hard to pick another great manga to read. 
There are just so many to choose from. I’m up for any suggestions. What manga are you reading now or plan to read soon?
I’m always checking out Amazon’s best sellers list to get an idea of what’s hot but I haven’t been able to pull the trigger on purchasing any yet.
I’ve really enjoyed most of the ones I’ve read so far but I feel I have a way to go to be like other avid manga readers like Samantha and other readers whose sites I stumble up on, on the net.
I have thought about reading the volumes online instead of waiting until they become available in stores but it’s the waiting and anticipation of opening a new, fresh, crisp manga that gets me really excited and stops me from reading volumes online. It’s like a roller coast: finishing one volume is like climbing up the highest point of the ride but getting that newly release manga and reading it is like the thrilling ride down the hill. Ahh the butterflies and fun!
Oh well, that’s just me rambling . . . maybe I’ll give reading manga online a try someday, at least to see if I like a particular story or characters before making the actual purchase. Just a thought.
If you happen to have suggestions on entertaining relationship based manga that you’re currently reading, have read in the past or plan to read in the future post below. I’m always looking for the next entertaining story until my favs become available to buy.
Happy reading!
Chapter 3 Fleeting Dark Abba is a memory sequence chapter: It begins with a young boy telling his feelings about darkness to a nun. He explains how he has never been afraid of the dark because explosions and bloody people can not see “you” in the dark. So, when he meets this strange man, he isn’t afraid of him because this man is obviously a person of darkness (the man looks like Johnny Rayflo).
He continues by telling the nun how nice this gentleman was to him but in actuality the first words that came out of this stranger’s mouth were “Get Lost” The man goes on to describe how the abandoned church is his feeding ground and if the little boy doesn’t get lost he’s going to eat him up. Unfortunately for the man, the little boy’s stomach starts to growl (it apparently liked the way the man was describing how he was going to “eat” him up). So, the man gives the little boy a piece of old bread to eat and their relationship begins.
Rayflo (that’s what I’ll call him because his true name is never revealed in this chapter) tries several times to get the boy to leave but the boy won’t leave his side. So, they stay together and Rayflo does his best to provide him with “human” food but there’s a war going on so there isn’t much food or people around. (more…)
This chapter, Hierocles’ Delusion, begins with a flashback – it’s of Johnny Rayflo getting dressed in an all white outfit and a little boy, whose name is Chris, remarks how pretty the man looks in white (is this Chris the Charley we all know and love? Me thinks, yes).
Back to present time – Charley is returning to his hotel room to find his master looking out the window at all the prepping commotion downstairs. They both plan to attend the Neo Union Church party being held across the street. As Charley leaves the room to get dress he orders his master not to wear white at the party. For Charley the color white should be worn by holymen (and we all know Rayflo is not a holyman).
At the church gathering Rayflo sneaks away from Charley and starts flirting with a group of young ladies. Charley enjoys the party the best he can but he starts to feel a little hungry. He has been on a fast for 5 days and the smell of all that blood is starting to get to him. Charley steps out into the hallway to gather himself. While there, he assists a young boy back into his wheelchair. The boy politely thanks him (he thinks Charley is a reverend) and leaves. As soon as the boy is around the corner Rayflo unexpectedly appears. He catches a glimpse of the boy around the corner and drags Charley to a confession room. While the reverend is speaking the holy word, Rayflo and Charley begin their routine of feeding and satisfying one another. Just as Charley is about to feast on Rayflo, a little nun comes alone and whacks Charley on the head. She believes the two of them are vampires (and she’s right!) but she quickly apologizes when she sees Charley’s cross (he does looks like a priest). (more…)
The Confined Elagabalus begins with Johnny Rayflo getting out of his pool (naked) while talking on his phone discussing business. In the background there is something emerging from the pool. It’s Charley (aka Cherry). He takes his sword and plunges it into Rayflo’s back. Johnny scatters into several bats leaving Charley to battle the fighting maids.
The maids and Charley battle for quiet a while. Charley finally disposes of the maids and goes looking for Rayflo. He finds Johnny and readies himself to stab him again but the maids return and bombard Charley with a series of daggers causing Charley to collapse to the floor. As Johnny bends to face Charley, Charley pushes forth a metal stake and stabs Rayflo who is now underneath Charley. (more…)
I had another night of staying up late and reading manga. This time my late night reading pleasure was Vassalord.
It’s about a cyborg vampire, who works for the Catholic Church and his relationship with his master vampire Johnny Rayflo. I had originally read a snippet of the manga in an issue on Anime Insider and I was intrigued with what I read. However, I find now that the snippet I previewed and the summary on the back of the cover does not do the manga justice. I had originally thought it was this dark, bloody story about a vampire cyborg who is trying to destroy this other vampire who he is actually in love with.
It’s actually quite funny to begin with, they are vampires but the cyborg Charley isn’t trying to kill Johnny. They have a relationship and it’s the relationship between the two of them that I find really interesting and want to learn more about. Together the two of them, so far, solve these vampire related incidents. Their personal relationship is much more intriguing then the cases they solve together. It’s the kind of relationship where they suck blood and possible a few other things (I’m just assuming).
The issue I have with the manga is the drawing, particularly when it comes to the fighting/action scenes. They tend to be just a series of strokes and lines making it very difficult to see what is occurring in the panel (kind of messy and blurry). When there are no action scenes then I am able to get into the story but the minute a fight scene occurs I am completely confused as to who did what or how they did it. I have to read the next panel to piece it all together.
Overall, I really like Vassalord. I have to say I tend to have a bias opinion for manga with pretty, handsome guys but not always (for example Cain. I wasn’t feeling that one). I am looking forward to reading the next volume scheduled for release on November 11, 2008.
I am fascinated by vampires and relationships so the two come together nicely. Check out my Vassalord Volume 1 book summary coming up soon.
Book details:
Tokyopop
Age: 16+
Creator: Nanae Chrono
