A Midnight Opera
Encyclopedia
A Midnight Opera is an original English-language (OEL) manga
by Hans Steinbach
. It was published by Tokyopop in North America from November 8, 2005 to November 7, 2006.
Steinbach has been drawing since the age of ten and his art is influenced by manga artists
, particularly Go Nagai
and Akira Toriyama
. Additionally, he is influenced by classical
and metal music as well as the musician Yngwie Malmsteen and the bands Dark Moor
, Metallica
, Symphony X
, Iron Maiden
, Stratovarius
, Blind Guardian
, Rhapsody
, and Judas Priest
.
, A Midnight Opera was published in North America by Tokyopop
from November 8, 2005 to November 7, 2006. However, as of August 31, 2009, the series is out-of-print
. In New Zealand and Australia, the series is distributed by Madman Entertainment
. The series is also licensed in Germany by Tokyopop Germany, and in Hungary by Mangattack.
, I Luv Halloween
, and Riding Shotgun in summer 2007.
's Katherine Luther praised the series as "a gothic horror manga full of thrills, chills and okay, a little gore" and more appropriate for older readers. While noting that the plot and art lacked originality, KJB of IGN
stated: "Steinbach has managed to take all of those elements and create a final product that is interesting enough to sit through until the last page." Manga Life's Craig Johnson commented on the "brave and experimental" art and that "the story is not as revolutionary as the art...neither is it accessible." Zac Bertschy of Anime News Network
heavily criticized the series as "[h]orrifically cliched and hackneyed, with laughably bad dialogue and interior art", and wrote: "It's hard to tell if A Midnight Opera is an exercise in plain marketing hubris—pandering
directly to the Hot Topic crowd—or simply a case of the author taking himself and his work far too seriously and churning out cliché after cliché, convinced of his own genius, unaware of the tripe he's created."
Original English-language manga
Original English-language manga or OEL manga is the term commonly used to describe comic books or graphic novels in the "international manga" genre of comics whose language of original publication is English...
by Hans Steinbach
Hans Steinbach
Hans Steinbach is a German comic book artist, born in Damascus, Syria to a German father and a Syrian mother.He draws in a contemporary/gothic manga style....
. It was published by Tokyopop in North America from November 8, 2005 to November 7, 2006.
Development
Born in Syria, Hans Steinbach lived in many countries, including Germany, France, Turkey and Canada, before moving to the United States; there, he decided to submit a story idea to Tokyopop after seeing it was a major publisher in the States. Steinbach considered the story "a little too straight forward, too linear". Because it heavily focused on the missions Einblick carried out for the Catholic Church, Steinbech rewrote it, with help from his editor at Tokyopop, to allow Einblick's personality to develop. He changed Einblick from an assassin to "an undead, chain-smoking metalhead with a grudge". Steinbach was inspired by Phantom of the Opera, since it combined horror and music, something Steinbach wanted to do for A Midnight Opera. His goal for the series was "to combine fact and fiction, historical facts with fictitious (and not so fictitious) characters".Steinbach has been drawing since the age of ten and his art is influenced by manga artists
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
, particularly Go Nagai
Go Nagai
, better known by the penname , is a Japanese manga artist and a prolific author of science fiction, fantasy, horror and erotica. He made his professional debut in 1967 with Meakashi Polikichi, but is best known for creating Cutie Honey, Devilman, and Mazinger Z in the 1970s. In 2005, he became a...
and Akira Toriyama
Akira Toriyama
is a Japanese manga artist and game artist known mostly for his creation of Dragon Ball in 1984. Toriyama admires Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy and was impressed by Walt Disney's One Hundred and One Dalmatians, which he remembers for the great art...
. Additionally, he is influenced by classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
and metal music as well as the musician Yngwie Malmsteen and the bands Dark Moor
Dark Moor
Dark Moor is a Spanish power metal band from Madrid. Formed in 1993, they produced three full-length albums before undergoing a line-up change in which three members left the band to form their own project, Dreamaker...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Symphony X
Symphony X
Symphony X is an American progressive metal band from Middletown, New Jersey.Founded in 1994 by guitarist Michael Romeo, their albums The Divine Wings of Tragedy and V: The New Mythology Suite have given the band considerable attention within the progressive metal community...
, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Stratovarius
Stratovarius
Stratovarius are a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1984. Since their formation they have released 13 studio albums and one live album. Along with Helloween, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody of Fire and Gamma Ray, Stratovarius are considered one of the leading groups of the power metal and symphonic...
, Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres...
, Rhapsody
Rhapsody of Fire
Rhapsody of Fire is an Italian symphonic power metal band led by Alex Staropoli. Since forming in 1993, the band has released eight studio albums, one live album, two EPs, and a live DVD...
, and Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
.
OEL manga
Written and illustrated by Hans SteinbachHans Steinbach
Hans Steinbach is a German comic book artist, born in Damascus, Syria to a German father and a Syrian mother.He draws in a contemporary/gothic manga style....
, A Midnight Opera was published in North America by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
from November 8, 2005 to November 7, 2006. However, as of August 31, 2009, the series is out-of-print
Out-of-print book
An out-of-print book is a book that is no longer being published. Out-of-print books are often rare, and may be difficult to acquire.A publisher will usually create a print run of a fixed number of copies of a new book. These books can be ordered in bulk by booksellers, and when all the...
. In New Zealand and Australia, the series is distributed by Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...
. The series is also licensed in Germany by Tokyopop Germany, and in Hungary by Mangattack.
Volume list
Animated shorts
Menfond Electronic Art adapted A Midnight Opera into animated short episodes. The episodes premiered on My Space along with the short episodes of BizenghastBizenghast
Bizenghast is an ongoing original English-language manga series written and illustrated by M. Alice LeGrow. It is currently being published in North America by Tokyopop, which has released seven volumes as of July 2010, and is expected to conclude with the eighth book...
, I Luv Halloween
I Luv Halloween
I Luv Halloween is a horror-comedy original English-language manga written by Keith Giffen and illustrated by Benjamin Roman. In North America, Tokyopop released the series in three volumes from October 2005 to September 2007 and re-released it as one volume in October 2008. Menford Electronic Art...
, and Riding Shotgun in summer 2007.
Reception
A Midnight Opera received mixed reviews from critics. About.comAbout.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
's Katherine Luther praised the series as "a gothic horror manga full of thrills, chills and okay, a little gore" and more appropriate for older readers. While noting that the plot and art lacked originality, KJB of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
stated: "Steinbach has managed to take all of those elements and create a final product that is interesting enough to sit through until the last page." Manga Life's Craig Johnson commented on the "brave and experimental" art and that "the story is not as revolutionary as the art...neither is it accessible." Zac Bertschy of Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
heavily criticized the series as "[h]orrifically cliched and hackneyed, with laughably bad dialogue and interior art", and wrote: "It's hard to tell if A Midnight Opera is an exercise in plain marketing hubris—pandering
Pandering (politics)
Pandering is the act of expressing one's views in accordance with the likes of a group to which one is attempting to appeal. The term is most notably associated with politics...
directly to the Hot Topic crowd—or simply a case of the author taking himself and his work far too seriously and churning out cliché after cliché, convinced of his own genius, unaware of the tripe he's created."
External links
- A Midnight Opera at Tokyopop's website
- A Midnight Opera #1: Prelude to Good vs. Evil at YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....