Gunsmith Cats, Volume 1

July 1, 2007
A classic "girls with guns" manga, the original 1990s nine-volume series follows two winsome Chicago gun-shop owners and bounty hunters. Half Native American Rally is a dead shot and skilled street fighter, while tiny formerchild prostitute Minnie-May specializes in explosives. With wild action, shoot-'em-outs, masterfully depicted car chases, and more than occasional sexual content, the series retains lighthearted appeal despite a high body count and brutal villains like wily mobster Bonnie, who fits her prosthetic leg with a machine gun. The first volume of this new unflipped edition reprints original Volumes 1, 2, and half of 3. In the new series, "Burst", Rally confronts a fugitive who has headed into the Texas outback to pick up hidden mob money. After three mobsters intervene and take off with the cash, Rally, the fugitive, and mobsters' driver-for-hire "Bean Bandit" form an uneasy alliance. When all parties end up at a roadside inn, allegiances shift as fast as pages turn as Rally fights for custody of the fugitive, the innkeeper fights for her family's lives, and everybody else fights for the money. Things get even rougher when Rally learns her beloved car has been stolen for use in a terrorist attack. Sonoda's interest in cars and guns shows in detailed renderings and informative extras. For adult thriller fans.M.C.

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.