Black Jack, Vol. 4

Black Jack in 17 volumes #4

by Osamu Tezuka, Camellia Nieh (Translator)

Black Jack is a mysterious and charismatic young genius surgeon who travels the world performing amazing and impossible medical feats. Though a trained physician, he refuses to accept a medical license due to his hatred and mistrust of the medical community's hypocrisy and corruption. This leads Black Jack to occasional run-ins with the authorities, as well as from gangsters and criminals who approach him for illegal operations.

Black Jack charges exorbitant fees for his services, the proceeds from which he uses to fund environmental projects and to aid victims of crime and corrupt capitalists. But because Black Jack keeps his true motives secret, his ethics are perceived as questionable and he is considered a selfish, uncaring devil. The Black Jack series is told in short stories. Each volume will contain 16-20 stories, each running approximately 20-24 pages in length.

Black Jack is recognized as Osamu Tezuka's third most famous series, after Astro Boy and Kimba, the White Lion.

Genres: Manga, Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Japan, Science Fiction, Fantasy

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Dr. Osamu Tezuka (手塚治虫) was a Japanese manga artist, animator, producer and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion. He is often credited as the "Father of Anime", and is often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, who served as a major inspiration during his formative years. His prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such titles as "the father of manga" and "the God of Manga."

Reviews

[ComicNerdSam · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, some great stories in here. Full of great characters.

[Lissibith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that we get a little more of Pinoko in this book, but more than that I love that we get a really nice cross section of the Doctor's somewhat unusual ethics and charity. It's not a sob story that will win him over - it's the will of the patient and the patient's family. The will to live, to get better, the will to better oneself that he responds to, and it can come in a variety of forms.

[Lecta · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you can get past the choppy nature of such short stories and the inappropriately timed gags, you'll find a really interesting true neutral character who you can never quite predict. As with the other volumes, the contents are thought-provoking and well worth the read.

[Suica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The endings seemed abrupt, but I think the stories work because of that.

[Quoc Tuan Dang · Rating 5 out of 5]

best book

I love this book I wish they where free though hope u enjoy it if you read it must read

[Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not like how Black Jack treated the dog in the last chapter

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

More stories about a brilliant but unlicensed doctor who performs miraculous surgeries for all sorts of unusual clients. This volume felt like it had a lot more stories with O. Henry-type twists than the previous volumes, like the one about the would-be revolutionaries who blow themselves up trying to take out their rivals, or the one about the cop who forces Black Jack to re-attach the fingers of his pickpocket arch-nemesis. Tezuka's storyboarding composition remains as strong as ever, and you get used to his cartoony style, with its outlandish caricatures, over time -- and then, just when you do, he'll throw in a graphically realistic drawing to shake you up.

[Julie]

One of the more interesting things that I noticed in this volume, as compared to other volumes was increasingly self-referential. At times, characters would rationalize their actions by explaining how it would save page length, or a traditional plot device. At other times, it would reference various other pop culture characters or well-known manga writers. This was fascinating to me because it not only allowed Tezuka to try some different things, but freed him up with a clever rationale for doing so. As always, Pinoko didn't disappoint, and I almost cried at the end.

[Dolores]

Black Jack, a brilliant doctor performs miraculous operations while hiding out on a little shack on a hill with his creepy doll-like assistant.

The local library only has Vol.1 and Vol.4 for some strange reason, but it doesn't interfere much with reading it. Tezuka's (he did Astro Boy!) cute-looking characters and uncluttered style are balanced with the dark themes he explores and the somewhat graphic images of surgery.

[Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this volume the doctor felt a little bit more harsh then in previous volumes. I guess the author is reminding us that even though he is a better person then he pretends to be, he is also a little bit bad. There were also a few hopeless cases in this one, making it sadder then some of the previous volumes. I still love Pinoko and generally like the series.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tezuka breaks the fourth wall once too often for my tastes, and he is straining against the page limit, which results in rushed stories and deus ex machina endings. But when art and story work together, as it does in "Pinoko Love Story" and "Burned Doll," Tezuka achieves greatness.

[Mary Goodnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ce quatrième tome regorge d'histoires fortes qui ne se laisseront pas oublier de sitôt. On est tour à tour violemment ému, révolté, et emporté par la lecture des aventures du chirurgien le plus secret du Japon.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, good series. If you like House, you'll like these books. The enigmatic Black Jack character continues to be defined a bit further. It hits some of the themes of earlier stories, but they're such good reads.

[Hillingdon Libraries]

Find this book at Hillingdon Libraries

[Ruz El]

Amazing volume with surprising stories and of course beautiful art. I'm hooked good on Tezuka now.

[Amaya · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story line seemed interesting, but- oh god. The art. I couldn't get past it.

[Fugo Feedback]

Último tomo que poseo (por ahora) de esta obraza de Tezuka. Espero conseguir los 13 siguientes sin problemas y sin que me saquen un ojo en el proceso.

[Aurelio Ippandoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining comic from the "God of Manga"Osamu Tezuka.

[Julio Vidal · Rating 4 out of 5]

luego de leer los 3 anteriores podría decir que este es el mejor por que algunas historias son oscuras y de un final abierto.

[Hân Lê]

Great!

[Ilib4kids · Rating 3 out of 5]

741.5952 TEZ V.4

[Peter Barr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel is about a surgeon in Japan, practicing without a license. He lives with an 18 year old living in a 1 year old body. It is a series of short stories where the doctor, BLack Jack usually gets the last laugh/final say. These are readable books.

[Maximus · Rating 4 out of 5]

very smart read.