Heavenshield: Volume 1    by Ryu Blackman Order:  USA  Can TOKYOPOP, 2008 (2008) Paperback    Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto Post-apocalyptical worlds are common settings for SF manga, especially Original English Language ones such as Heavenshield by Ryu Blackman. War machines and lizard-like entities fill the pages of this story about Sepulveda Ramos (aka Carrot) as she and her band of mercenaries are hired by the government to stop a military coup. Of course, the fight of good versus evil rages on, complete with big explosions and many dialogue-less fight scenes. Blackman has a very distinct drawing style that readers will either love or hate. At some points, the shading almost overtakes his chisel-faced humans and sharp-edged machines, but he does keep the action moving, even if the storyline falls apart in places. One word of warning to potential readers of Heavenshield: the language in the story is very strong, warranting a higher age rating than the OT (16+) listed on the cover. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more SF books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews