Bloody Mary Vol. 1

Gr 7 Up—Priest Maria is being stalked by a vampire, the 400-year-old "Bloody" Mary, who yearns for Maria to kill him. Unfortunately, Maria has no idea how to use his inherited powers to give Mary the death that he seeks. So Maria offers Mary a deal: if Mary can protect him from other vampires and help him unlock the secrets of becoming an exorcist, Maria will use his power to grant Mary's wish and end his life. There are a great many unanswered questions in this first volume, with numerous intriguing hints that suggest a far more complex story line to come. Though dark, this series also includes some humor: Mary's stalking and pleading to be killed are often ridiculously comic. The artwork and character designs, however, are where the manga truly shines. While the story is somewhat confusing and the jokes sometimes fall flat, the visuals are quite lovely. All of the main characters have a bishonen look, and many of the panels use the sparkle and floral screen tone designs that characterize a shoujo series. At first glance, this manga seems to be flirting with the theme of love between boys, but it never actually crosses that line.