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Milo Manara's Pandora's Eyes
An edge-of-your-seat international thriller spiced with Milo Manara’s gorgeous erotic sensibility.
Pandora is a beautiful young woman living with her adoptive parents in a major European city. Out of the blue, she learns that her real father might be a terrible mob boss wanted by the international authorities. When she is kidnapped and taken to Turkey, she is forced to confront her dangerous past and investigate the motives of the people closest to her.
Vincenzo Cerami, a screenwriter (Roberto Benigni’s international hit and Academy Award-winning film Life is Beautiful ), collaborates here with one of Europe’s greatest artists, Milo Manara.
Pandora is a beautiful young woman living with her adoptive parents in a major European city. Out of the blue, she learns that her real father might be a terrible mob boss wanted by the international authorities. When she is kidnapped and taken to Turkey, she is forced to confront her dangerous past and investigate the motives of the people closest to her.
Vincenzo Cerami, a screenwriter (Roberto Benigni’s international hit and Academy Award-winning film Life is Beautiful ), collaborates here with one of Europe’s greatest artists, Milo Manara.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Milo Manara
627 books363 followersMaurilio Manara – known professionally as Milo Manara – is an Italian comic book writer and artist, best known for his erotic approach to the medium.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 27, 2020
On the way out of her 18th birthday party Pandora is abducted and taken to meet - her real papa, who’s also a wanted international criminal! But little does she know that she’s being used in a dangerous game of cat and mouse…
On the one hand, I wish Amazon would sort out their Kindle Unlimited library so it would be easier to find books from specific publishers rather than wade through hundreds of dross also on offer that look like the cheapest, most off-putting amateur crapola just to find a worthwhile book (there doesn’t appear to be any quality control when it comes to getting included on Kindle Unlimited). And on the other hand, it’s kinda fun because you can randomly stumble across hidden books you wouldn’t otherwise consider - like Pandora’s Eyes!
I know of Milo Manara because there was some controversy a few years ago over a Spider-Woman cover he did for Marvel that was considered too risque and/or sexist, but I’ve never read one of his comics - mostly because he seems to largely draw the porns! But he is an undeniably gifted artist and cartoonist and Pandora’s Eyes is all the better for his contributions, even though, yes, some of the art is gratuitously pervy at times (though it’s a lot tamer than the stuff he usually draws!).
Vincenzo Cerami’s story reminded me of Tintin, albeit more adult. It’s a fast-paced, exciting story full of criminals, shoot-outs, chases, and unpredictable plot-twists set against a European background. I went in with no expectations and was surprised to be as gripped as I was at the well-told, compelling narrative.
The thing about Pandora’s nightmare of being caught between two thin walls felt like a trite and pointless detail (maybe the walls were meant to signify her two fathers?) and the ending was flat but overall I was really impressed and enjoyed this comic a lot.
Pandora’s Eyes is a riveting action/adventure with a great story and even better art. And it’s free if you’ve got Kindle Unlimited!
On the one hand, I wish Amazon would sort out their Kindle Unlimited library so it would be easier to find books from specific publishers rather than wade through hundreds of dross also on offer that look like the cheapest, most off-putting amateur crapola just to find a worthwhile book (there doesn’t appear to be any quality control when it comes to getting included on Kindle Unlimited). And on the other hand, it’s kinda fun because you can randomly stumble across hidden books you wouldn’t otherwise consider - like Pandora’s Eyes!
I know of Milo Manara because there was some controversy a few years ago over a Spider-Woman cover he did for Marvel that was considered too risque and/or sexist, but I’ve never read one of his comics - mostly because he seems to largely draw the porns! But he is an undeniably gifted artist and cartoonist and Pandora’s Eyes is all the better for his contributions, even though, yes, some of the art is gratuitously pervy at times (though it’s a lot tamer than the stuff he usually draws!).
Vincenzo Cerami’s story reminded me of Tintin, albeit more adult. It’s a fast-paced, exciting story full of criminals, shoot-outs, chases, and unpredictable plot-twists set against a European background. I went in with no expectations and was surprised to be as gripped as I was at the well-told, compelling narrative.
The thing about Pandora’s nightmare of being caught between two thin walls felt like a trite and pointless detail (maybe the walls were meant to signify her two fathers?) and the ending was flat but overall I was really impressed and enjoyed this comic a lot.
Pandora’s Eyes is a riveting action/adventure with a great story and even better art. And it’s free if you’ve got Kindle Unlimited!
June 12, 2023
18-year-old Pandora is kidnapped away from France to Turkey and learns that her family has been keeping a major secret from her. The thin, nothing plot is just an excuse for Manara to draw the woman on the cover in her skimpy dress and heels over and over again as she is passed between and runs from the evil forces that are using her and faces frequent physical and sexual assaults.
March 29, 2021
This gangster kipping of young girl it's nothing special but was part the omnibus I got of the other tales it's slow bit boring
September 5, 2012
like most people I snagged this book to appreciate minara's enviable figure and scene detail. what I got was a comic that read and looked like a movie, no doubt because of the collaboration. Humanoids seems to have their hands in a number of great artist/author collaborative works that Id definitely recommend getting into if you enjoyed this one.
January 30, 2018
Manara can still draw, but story is stupid and awful.
April 14, 2024
Manara klasiği olan, onun kadın vücudu ve çeşitli fantezilerini gösterebilmek için uydurduğu hikayelerden biri. Ana karakterimiz Pandora, 14-15 yaşındayken muhtemelen gusülsüz kuran ellediği ya da tuvalette ekmek yediği için türlü histeri krizlerinden muzdarip ve çareyi doktorlarda, terapilerde aramış ve artık 18 yaşında tedavisini bitirmiş, krizlerden kurtulmuş bir hanım kızımız. Manara'nın çizdiği her kadın karakter gibi, koltukta uzanışından kahkahasına kadar oldukça erotik bir imaj. Zaten hikayenin girişinde iki kez karakterin 18 yaşında olduğu vurgusunu da muhtemelen bu yüzden yapıyor Manara. Yani "bilader ben çoluğa çocuğa hallenmiyorum. Kızımız 18 yaşında. Senin de için rahat olsun. Okurken rahat rahat bak." mesajı veriyor.
Neyse, hikayeye dönelim.
Manara, kızımızın mağdur erotizmine düşmesi için naylondan bir aksiyon üretiyor. Kızı izleyen adamlar, kaçırmalar, kaçırma esnasında ilaçla (Nuri Alço?) bayıltmalar falan. Ne ararsan var. Kızın anası zamanında bir mafyaya vurulmuş, ondan gayrı meşru çocuk yapmış, Pandora aslında o mafyanın yavrusuymuş...İnterpol bu mafyaya ulaşmak için kızı kaçırıp adamı üstüne çekmeye çalışmış. Bi ara İstanbul'a falan düşüyor yolları.
Spoiler vermekten çekinmiyorum, genel olarak hikayenin ilerleyişi bu ama aslında hepsi boş. Çünkü hikayenin üstün körülüğünden, Manara'nın çok da hikayeyle ilgilenmediğini, bizim de çok ilgilenmemizi beklemediğini anlayabiliyoruz.
Hikayenin başında Pandora'ya giydirdiği bir süper mini seksi elbise var. Kız türlü badire atlattı ama ne o elbiseye bi şey oldu ne de kız o elbiseyle poz vermekten beri durdu. Herhalde dönemin porno ya da moda dergilerini referans kullanmak için (tabi tabi) bolca kullandığı için Manara karakterilerinde (bilhassa kadınlarda) sürekli bir yoğun poz çabası var.
Velhasıl, çizimler mükemmel. Özellikle İstanbul kısımlarında sanki Hakan Karataş'ın bir çizgi öyküsünü okuyormuş gibi hissettim. Onun dışında hikayede ve akışta bir nitelik tutarlılık maalesef yok. Zaten kitabın böyle bir amacı da yok muhtemelen.
Manara ve onun "göt gösterme" sevdasının bir değişik kopyası. Bunun eğlenceli olduğu hikayeler var. Gullivera bunun "komik" bir örneğiydi mesela. Ama tıpkı Indian Summer öyküsünde olduğu gibi, kadın bedeni teşhiri dışında fazla cüretkar(!) anlatılar var. Örneğin kapanışta, Pandora ve mafyatik babası arasında bir cinsel gerilim var ki Manara okumanın benim açımdan rahatsız edici, tiksindirici yanı bu.
Neyse, hikayeye dönelim.
Manara, kızımızın mağdur erotizmine düşmesi için naylondan bir aksiyon üretiyor. Kızı izleyen adamlar, kaçırmalar, kaçırma esnasında ilaçla (Nuri Alço?) bayıltmalar falan. Ne ararsan var. Kızın anası zamanında bir mafyaya vurulmuş, ondan gayrı meşru çocuk yapmış, Pandora aslında o mafyanın yavrusuymuş...İnterpol bu mafyaya ulaşmak için kızı kaçırıp adamı üstüne çekmeye çalışmış. Bi ara İstanbul'a falan düşüyor yolları.
Spoiler vermekten çekinmiyorum, genel olarak hikayenin ilerleyişi bu ama aslında hepsi boş. Çünkü hikayenin üstün körülüğünden, Manara'nın çok da hikayeyle ilgilenmediğini, bizim de çok ilgilenmemizi beklemediğini anlayabiliyoruz.
Hikayenin başında Pandora'ya giydirdiği bir süper mini seksi elbise var. Kız türlü badire atlattı ama ne o elbiseye bi şey oldu ne de kız o elbiseyle poz vermekten beri durdu. Herhalde dönemin porno ya da moda dergilerini referans kullanmak için (tabi tabi) bolca kullandığı için Manara karakterilerinde (bilhassa kadınlarda) sürekli bir yoğun poz çabası var.
Velhasıl, çizimler mükemmel. Özellikle İstanbul kısımlarında sanki Hakan Karataş'ın bir çizgi öyküsünü okuyormuş gibi hissettim. Onun dışında hikayede ve akışta bir nitelik tutarlılık maalesef yok. Zaten kitabın böyle bir amacı da yok muhtemelen.
Manara ve onun "göt gösterme" sevdasının bir değişik kopyası. Bunun eğlenceli olduğu hikayeler var. Gullivera bunun "komik" bir örneğiydi mesela. Ama tıpkı Indian Summer öyküsünde olduğu gibi, kadın bedeni teşhiri dışında fazla cüretkar(!) anlatılar var. Örneğin kapanışta, Pandora ve mafyatik babası arasında bir cinsel gerilim var ki Manara okumanın benim açımdan rahatsız edici, tiksindirici yanı bu.
July 17, 2023
Probably the most pointless graphic novel (actually a collection of Manara's drawings centred around a woman in various stages of undress) that I have seen ('read' wouldn't be applicable). Even said woman in skimpy dress wasn't there in most panels, with pages full of rubbish.
Utterly avoidable.
Utterly avoidable.
Read
January 9, 2021Interesting to see Manara apply his talents to a giallo-style set-up, with a young woman whose backstory fits of rage have finally cleared up suddenly kidnapped by people who may be able to explain them. In typical giallo fashion, the plot is more concerned with tension and sudden reversals than altogether making sense; in typical Manara fashion, everything looks gorgeous – and not just the lead in her inevitably quite small dress, but also the dusty streets through which she flees, the weatherbeaten faces around her...hell, even the hefty police chief who keeps popping buttons off his shirt such that they land comedically is not the gross-out he could easily have been in the hands of another artist. It doesn't really amount to anything, but it does so very prettily.
May 23, 2011
Bought for the art, which was delightful, but I enjoyed the story more than I thought I would too.
March 9, 2021
Manara's foray into noir--it is interesting and markedly less explicit than a lot of the work that made Manara famous. It has cinematic pacing and the art is stunning. Very enjoyable.
September 25, 2022
Currently available on Kindle Unlimited, this is an Italian kidnap / police sting / gangster thriller set in France and Turkey.
The art is superb throughout, although a little more attention than is necessary is given to the skimpily clad damsel in distress. Nevertheless, this is a lot tamer than the artist’s usual erotic fare, and is essentially mainstream.
The story on the other hand is full of plot holes, contradictions, and non-sequiturs. Despite all of the suspenseful set pieces it manages to be boring. This is because the overall story contents itself to pass the nubile and docile protagonist from peril to peril and captor to captor. But part of the premise is that she has inherited a propensity of violent fury from her previously unknown father who is revealed as a psychotic mobster, albeit with a sense of familial love and honour. There’s a philosophical question there: is evil a matter of inheritance or circumstance? Where did that aspect go to? Another part of the premise is the moral ambiguity of the police in using the girl as bait in a trap unbeknown to her, but that gets forgotten too. Then there’s the moral ambiguity of her supposedly gentle and loving family who knew the girl’s troubles came from her dangerous paternity, but only tried to cover that up. They let her suffer and treated her as mentally ill!
So many things that could have developed into a serious, complex Film Noir story, cast aside for the sake of a bit of titillation. What a waste.
The art is superb throughout, although a little more attention than is necessary is given to the skimpily clad damsel in distress. Nevertheless, this is a lot tamer than the artist’s usual erotic fare, and is essentially mainstream.
The story on the other hand is full of plot holes, contradictions, and non-sequiturs. Despite all of the suspenseful set pieces it manages to be boring. This is because the overall story contents itself to pass the nubile and docile protagonist from peril to peril and captor to captor. But part of the premise is that she has inherited a propensity of violent fury from her previously unknown father who is revealed as a psychotic mobster, albeit with a sense of familial love and honour. There’s a philosophical question there: is evil a matter of inheritance or circumstance? Where did that aspect go to? Another part of the premise is the moral ambiguity of the police in using the girl as bait in a trap unbeknown to her, but that gets forgotten too. Then there’s the moral ambiguity of her supposedly gentle and loving family who knew the girl’s troubles came from her dangerous paternity, but only tried to cover that up. They let her suffer and treated her as mentally ill!
So many things that could have developed into a serious, complex Film Noir story, cast aside for the sake of a bit of titillation. What a waste.
August 23, 2020
It was a fun, quick read. The best thing about the book was the family dynamics.
The plot wasn't anything original but the art and the settings made up for it- it felt like watching a 90's detective movie.
The ending was anti-climatic and left a lot to be desired. After a well-written plot, the ending came as a nasty piece of shock. So if that bothers someone, they shouldn't read this book.
The plot wasn't anything original but the art and the settings made up for it- it felt like watching a 90's detective movie.
The ending was anti-climatic and left a lot to be desired. After a well-written plot, the ending came as a nasty piece of shock. So if that bothers someone, they shouldn't read this book.
June 24, 2017
Sometimes I miss Heavy Metal. It introduced me to Milo Manara who draws some of the most captivating women. The dialogue in this one starts off a little odd but the show gets going somewhere in the middle. It would be easy to dismiss most of the Heavy Metal stuff as misogynistic eye candy and sometimes it is. But do the characters who are turned into kick ass people have to be unattractive in order be of worth?
Yeah, there is an over reliance on Hollywood glam bringing the bam. The Pam Anderson effect or the Charlie's Angel effect. But sometimes you have a Carrie Fisher.
So, this is about a kidnapped woman and how she starts out as a pawn and ends up being a player. Yes, some of it is played for fetish and eroticism but at its heart, I think this book means well. The artwork is at times stunning. The story could use a slight bit of work. Dialogue is sometimes choppy but it eventually gets there.
Yeah, there is an over reliance on Hollywood glam bringing the bam. The Pam Anderson effect or the Charlie's Angel effect. But sometimes you have a Carrie Fisher.
So, this is about a kidnapped woman and how she starts out as a pawn and ends up being a player. Yes, some of it is played for fetish and eroticism but at its heart, I think this book means well. The artwork is at times stunning. The story could use a slight bit of work. Dialogue is sometimes choppy but it eventually gets there.
August 22, 2020
Pandora is a teen that is recovering from trauma who gets kidnapped and becomes the pawn in a battle between investigators and her biological father, a wanted criminal. She is less a character than an object that is stolen, pointed, and set loose. She makes maybe two major decisions in the book, and everything around her is driving her path even then. There's a fair bit of flashback as we find out how her life ended up the way it did, and there are a number of extra pieces that are thrown at the puzzle but don't really fit in the driving plot.
The art is good throughout, although Milo Manara's style is very vertical in the way it presents people; everyone feels very tall with a lot of leg.
There's some triggering moments and unpleasant situations, but ultimately it's a story of family; coming to terms with who you are and what that means. It's not exceptionally deep, but it's a decent little crime drama with family issues as a driving force.
The art is good throughout, although Milo Manara's style is very vertical in the way it presents people; everyone feels very tall with a lot of leg.
There's some triggering moments and unpleasant situations, but ultimately it's a story of family; coming to terms with who you are and what that means. It's not exceptionally deep, but it's a decent little crime drama with family issues as a driving force.
June 27, 2022
What a wild story. I'm going through a Humble Bundle from Jodorowsky's Humanoids imprint and this is one of the books.
It's definitely an 'adult' comic but not expressly so like an x-rated one. I'd say the book would be an R if it were a movie. Not trashy, but serves the plot. Which you're going to see a lot in this bundle, whew boy.
The story is well done and the art serves its purpose though there are times when you get the "of course I know what a cat looks like" meme art because the artist has no idea how to draw faces head-on, like they're looking down the barrel of a camera. Looks more like the MCP from Tron to be honest.
It's definitely an 'adult' comic but not expressly so like an x-rated one. I'd say the book would be an R if it were a movie. Not trashy, but serves the plot. Which you're going to see a lot in this bundle, whew boy.
The story is well done and the art serves its purpose though there are times when you get the "of course I know what a cat looks like" meme art because the artist has no idea how to draw faces head-on, like they're looking down the barrel of a camera. Looks more like the MCP from Tron to be honest.
June 22, 2020
Old-school sin city
Old-school standalone story from a time when one album was a full arched story. Men are cruel, and lustful while women are weaklings. Violence is elegant but to the point. This could easily be a modern day sin city story. So if you liked that one, you will probably like this one as well.
Old-school standalone story from a time when one album was a full arched story. Men are cruel, and lustful while women are weaklings. Violence is elegant but to the point. This could easily be a modern day sin city story. So if you liked that one, you will probably like this one as well.
October 12, 2023
Eu sei, uma mão vai no gibi...
Mas até pra um gibi do Manara é ruim, nem sacanagem tem.
Pandora é uma mina gostosa - e essa é a única informação relevante sobre ela - que é raptada, a cada três páginas muda o motivo do rapto, aparentemente ela é filha de um criminoso turco ou coisa assim.
Em algumas páginas, devolvem ela par aos pais e meio que fica por isso mesmo.
Perfeitamente descartável.
Mas até pra um gibi do Manara é ruim, nem sacanagem tem.
Pandora é uma mina gostosa - e essa é a única informação relevante sobre ela - que é raptada, a cada três páginas muda o motivo do rapto, aparentemente ela é filha de um criminoso turco ou coisa assim.
Em algumas páginas, devolvem ela par aos pais e meio que fica por isso mesmo.
Perfeitamente descartável.
May 15, 2021
Som alltid, vackert tecknat. Milo är otrolig på realism. Historien är lite som ett avsnitt i en italiensk thriller-serie på 90-talet. Lite sexism, lite tunn historia men det är vackert och yviga handrörelser. Men summan av det är en underhållande historia.
October 6, 2023
Old fashioned but lovely simple story in a Godfather style way
Note it has some violence including murders and torture references although little blood and little torture shown. Despite the cover it isn't sexual at all. It captures time and place well. A quick easy read.
Note it has some violence including murders and torture references although little blood and little torture shown. Despite the cover it isn't sexual at all. It captures time and place well. A quick easy read.
December 23, 2017
3.5 really
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2018
Los tópicos de la trama no lo salvan ni los buenos dibujos de Manara. Olvidable.
June 14, 2020
Great art, but that’s it.
July 19, 2020
Sympa, sans plus, mais tout ce que touche Manara est par définition intéressant...
October 24, 2020
Manara is a brilliant artist and this story of crime and kidnap is excellent
December 31, 2020
An exploitation comic, or close to it, but I enjoyed the 1970s look of the artwork and the feel of the story.
January 2, 2021
Manara can always deliver a beautiful comic. But this was so... nothing.
April 16, 2021
While the art work is a fine example of Manara's work the plot by Vincenzo Cerami was milk toast at best.
October 5, 2021
Loved the art and story..
Interesting drama, but the (beautifully) drawn nudity didn't always serve the story. Definitely worth a read, for the art alone!
Interesting drama, but the (beautifully) drawn nudity didn't always serve the story. Definitely worth a read, for the art alone!
December 1, 2021
Doesn't really have much going for it apart from Manara's art, which is unusually plain and non-erotic compared to his more well-known work.
July 1, 2022
excellent adventure
Very different from Minara who usually does erotic graphic novels. He follows a week in the life of Pandora who unlocks a past she didn’t know she had.
Very different from Minara who usually does erotic graphic novels. He follows a week in the life of Pandora who unlocks a past she didn’t know she had.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews