Demon Days

Peach Momoko's Demon Saga

by Peach Momoko

Artist phenom Peach Momoko’s acclaimed reimagining of the Marvel Universe - presented in stunning black and white!

A wandering swordswoman with a psychic blade arrives at a village targeted by demons. One is black-and-white with a horrifying tongue, and another may be the strongest demon there is! Mariko Yashida hears mysterious voices and has strange dreams that feel real. Maybe her redheaded maid who dresses all in black might know more than she lets on? But as Mariko embarks on a wondrous journey, deadly creatures lurk in the woods — including a mysterious blue-skinned woman and a giant with super-strength and claws! Enter a creative and mysterious new world of demons, monsters, mutants and magic!

Demon X-Men (2021) 1, Demon Mariko (2021) 1, Demon Cursed Web (2021) 1, Demon Rising Storm (2021) 1, Demon Blood Feud (2022) 1, King in Black 4 (Demon Days Prelude), Black, White & Blood (2021) 4 (Demon Days story)

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Manga, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

205 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 25, 2022

Reviews

[Tawfek]

You might have noticed me putting weird Japanese collections in my to-read shelf and wondered how did he even find those?!
The last pages after the actual issues in this treasury edition included many profiles of actual Oni and Yokai from Japanese folklore.
I noticed the translator is really good since it seems Peach Momoko writes in Japanese, so I tracked him down to check what else did he do.
And picked one of his books.
Then they kept repeating the title of the old collection Konjaku Monogatari that supposedly has many supernatural tales from Japanese folklore and I thought I want to read that too!
Sadly it seems the entire Konjaku isn't translated but there are collections.
It might be because not all stories are interesting or supernatural.
Not a lot of people want to hear Buddhist religious articles if they were even included in the Konjaku but I just mentioned it as usually ancient collections in arab history also include a lot of Islamic articles pondering on certain things thatbturn me off from the entire thing or possibly could illuminati someone on a religious level who knows really.
Anyway, I have reviews over every single issue, and I'll say it again. We are very lucky to have Peach Momoko working on comics.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marvel characters reimagined as oni and yokai (basically Japanese trolls and demons). It's a story of Mariko finding the truth about herself while being pursued by a woman who wants to drink her blood. It's a muddled story lacking any kind of excitement.

[Drew Canole · Rating 2 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated volume that takes popular X-men characters and reimagines them as Yokai in a Japanese folklore tale. Worth taking a look just for the artwork. I'm not a big X-men fan so a lot of the references went over my head which took away from my enjoyment.

It seems very niche, fans of Japanese Mythology and X-men will perhaps love this.

For me it was a confusing tale that I found very little to grip on to. I stopped caring a few issues in.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

An orphan girl discovers her real heritage and that her birth family sucks in this "What If?" spin on the X-Men that asks, What if mutants were creatures from Japanese mythology? Familiar Marvel superheroes become yokai, oni, and kami, in a dull and muddled epic about identity that requires much fighting.

The version I read is an oversized treasury edition that is intended to highlight the art, but frankly Peach Momoko's work looks about as generic as manga art ever gets. Meh.

FOR REFERENCE:
Contains material originally published in magazine form as Demon Days: X-Men #1, Demon Days: Mariko (2021) #1, Demon Days: Cursed Web #1 (2021), Demon Days: Rising Storm (2021) #1, Demon Days: Blood Feud (2022) #1, King In Black (2020-) #4 [back-up "Demon Days Prelude" story only], Elektra: Black, White & Blood (2021-2022) #4 [back-up "Assassin" story only].

Contents: Demon Days: X-Men -- Yashida Saga Part One. Demon Days: Mariko -- Yashida Saga Part Two. Demon Days: Cursed Web -- Yashida Saga Part Three. Demon Days: Rising Storm -- Yashida Saga Part Four. Demon Days: Blood Feud -- Demon Days Prelude -- Assassin -- Yokai Files -- Variant Cover Gallery -- Design Variants -- Sketchbook

[Yaroslav Chernovol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Я не надто фанат Marvel, але ідея перенести супергероїв у світ фольклорно-феодальної Японії звучить заманливо. Ідею цю довірили художниці Піч Момоко — тож зустрічайте: Момоковерс, або ж українською «Дні демонів».

Історія починається з Маріко Яшіди — головної героїні, що бачить дивні сни та мандрує Японією у пошуках відповідей. Це лише вступ: згодом сюжет перетворюється в класичну драму — вбивство, помста, спокій?

Авторка вдало втілює знайомих героїв у японські легенди. Ми потрапляємо на гору Кірісакі, де мешканців непокоїть демон-оні, на ім'я Галкімару. Раніше люди і йокаї жили в мирі, але тепер території все частіше захоплюються людьми. Тим часом велетенський змій Орочі Веном захоплює храм. Загалом розуміємо до чого все йде. Тут тобі й боги, й ніндзя, й куноїчі, і йокаї. Чим далі розвивається сюжет, тим більше героїв ми бачимо.

Маріко пригадує своє минуле. Виявляється, в неї є сестра, яка тепер переслідує її. І вона має зустрітись з нею. (У голові грає музика з фільмів Куросави.)

Однак магія у деталях. Неймовірні ілюстрації Піч Момоко та колір просто вражають. Від першої сторінки до останньої неможливо відірватися — просто пливеш за історією сторінка за сторінкою. Персонажі перевтілені дуже органічно. Я зовсім не очікував побачити такого Нічного змія в такому вбранні (у синіх смужках), Ороро й Тор тут — богиня Фуджін і бог Райджін. А ще — вовк на ім’я Лоґан і мисливець Тораджин (Шаблезуб). 

Видання також містить невеличкий бестіарій японської мітології, скетчі та декілька додаткових історій.  

Окрема подяка — Олегу Редчуку за допомогу з японськими термінами.  

Очікуємо тепер на продовження серії видавництва «Варвар».

[Jiro Dreams of Suchy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am treating this like a multiverse story and I love it, a cool reimagining from an amazing artist and storyteller- I love the Japanese lore and the settings, I would recommend this to new or old marvel fans!

[Aidan Seidman · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Great art and very fun setting.

[Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ça se lit bien, les dessins sont beaux mais après je suis pas forcément convaincu par l’histoire de ce tome là

[Romain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Que fait une dessinatrice de comics japonaise, Peach Momoko, lorsque on lui laisse quartier libre ? Elle rapproche les deux univers qui la passionnent en transportant les héros Marvel dans l’univers fantastique du Japon médiéval peuplé de yōkai. Cet exercice de style m’en a rappelé un autre, 1602, dans lequel ces mêmes héros se retrouvaient dans une Amérique d’avant l’arrivée des colons. Ces transpositions, comme l’élaboration de scénarios alternatifs – j’en cite quelques-uns, Civil War, House of M ou encore le très réussi Superman Red Son –, sont une source d’étonnement car elles proposent au lecteur de retrouver des personnages familiers plongés dans des univers, ou des circonstances, qui ne le sont pas.

Il y a de la matière romanesque dans les légendes du Japon, mais malheureusement elle n’est pas bien exploitée dans ces histoires – une longue et d’autres très courtes – qui se contentent de proposer des scénarios ultra-classiques. De plus on dirait que l’éditeur – sous de louables intentions – a voulu rendre l’ouvrage plus épais qu’il n’aurait dû l’être en ajoutant tout ce qu’il avait sous la main, des carnets de croquis en passant par l’intégralité des couvertures sans oublier un petit guide sur les yōkai. Le seul point fort indéniable de l’ouvrage réside dans la qualité de ses dessins. Il n’y a rien à redire de ce côté là, il sont un vrai plaisir pour les yeux – et c’est déjà beaucoup.

Également publié sur mon blog.

[Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, I'm going to keep this brief for fear of hyping it up too much. In this series, Peach Momoko has given me maybe the coolest mashup I've ever seen in comics. Cooler than Marvel Zombies. More beautiful than Exiles. Momoko's story is intriguing. Her characters are fun and complex. Her art is watercolor perfection. The only hiccup is that it felt like it ended too quickly.

もっと、ください！

[Matty Dub · Rating 4 out of 5]

The love of Japanese folklore and how richly it’s applied is what makes this book worth it. I thought the story and character progression were a little confusing and under cooked but enjoyed the book regardless. The art is beautiful and every issue has a mini Yokai encyclopedia at the end, it was a treat!

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peach Momoko reimagines the Marvel Universe through the eyes of Japanese folktales, bringing familiar characters to an unfamiliar setting with beautiful artwork and a surprisingly deep story as well.

What's presented as a series of one-shots is actually one long story about Mariko Yashida, who may or may not actually be part demon. When her past comes back to haunt her, she faces off against a host of familiar-yet-different faces, with the ultimate goal being to confront the ghosts of her past, both figuratively and literally. Mariko's journey is well-realised, and the bit players, even those who only show up for an issue or so, have some surprisingly deep connections to tap into as well.

The art's fantastic, and the main draw for me here, but having read Momoko's Ultimate X-Men, I was aware that she could spin a yarn as well. Definitely wasn't disappointed here on any level.

Also, big fan of making Wolverine a grumpy old dog, that's just *chef's kiss*.

[Paul Butin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une réécriture de héros connus de l’univers Marvel dans un univers japonais qui prends ses racines dans le folklore japonais avec les oni et les yokai ! L’illustration est magnifique. C’était vraiment super, j’ai découvert l’autrice dans la série Ultimate X-Men et je suis heureux de découvrir son travail précédent avec la démon saga. J’ai hâte de découvrir Démon Wars maintenant !
Un point ultra intéressant est qu’à la fin du livre, on a un petit atlas sur le folklore japonais qui permet de mieux comprendre les références faites dans l’œuvre.
Je recommande même au non connaisseur de l’univers Marvel

[mairead · Rating 3 out of 5]

the art in this is so beautiful and i loved the way the author managed to reinvent the marvel universe in her own way, bringing in elements of japanese culture and folklore. its definitely inspired me to read more comics!

the only reason i rated it 3 is because i wasn’t a huge fan of the characters and i wasn’t very invested in the plot but it was overall a very good introduction to marvel comics

[Cristian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Storia nella norma, ma crea curiosità. Le illustrazioni sono bellissime, sicuramente lo riprenderò in mano spesso. Ottima scelta dei personaggi Marvel da calare nel folklore giapponese.

[Alejandro Ferrer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing rethinking of the Marvel Universe intertwined with japanese mythology. Heroes and villains become gods, ōni and yōkai in this amazing comic beautifully written and drawn by talented Peach Momoko.

[Geekaffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the Stormbreaker program, Marvel supports young, up-and-coming artists and puts them in the spotlight. In the class of 2020, Marvel also introduced Peach Momoko, an Japanese artist.
And one would like to both congratulate Marvel for signing such an outstanding artist and thank them for bringing her to the attention of a wide audience.

In addition to many variant covers, Peach Momoko has also got her own series, Demon Days.
In this she tells the story of young Mariko Yashida, who is caught up in mystical dreams. I deliberately don't want to go into detail about the exact plot, so as not to anticipate anything.
It should only be mentioned that the series is set detached from the regular 616 Marvel universe (it’s already called the Momokoverse), but of course characters appear that represent a corresponding counterpart to classic Marvel characters.

Weaving premium Japanese mythology with characters from the Marvel Universe, Peach Momoko creates something completely new and fresh. The story is excellently worked out, offers nice moments of surprise, has a pleasant pace and your‘re is always curious which well-known character will be reinterpreted next.
It should also be mentioned that the story can be read without any previous knowledge of the Marvel Comic Universe. In some places you may benefit from some prior knowledge, but most of it is now also known from a number of film adaptations.

To say that the drawings are the highlight of the volume would be unfair to the beautiful story. Nevertheless, Momoko's drawings are something very special. Each panel is a work of art in itself, worked out down to the last detail. The watercolor-like coloring with desaturated colors perfectly captures the influences of Japanese mythology.

All in all, a very special comic whose story and drawings are perfectly coordinated.

ありがとうございます

[Shu Wei Chin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely breathtaking!
Peach Momoko is a legend in this Japanese mythology re-imagining of the Marvel Universe ft. characters such as Venom, Thor, Black Widow, Storm and several more.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will never say Peach Momoko isn't a incredible artist, she has such a gift for style and color, but her plotting leaves a lot to be desired. This follows a original girl rediscovering her history with a background of Japanese folklore and marvel/X-men touches. It's hardly a X book, or have much meat on its bones story wise, but it is pretty to look at.

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tras intentonas previas de acercar el Universo Marvel al "Japonismo" como pudo ser la antología 5 Ronin. La irrupción de la artista Peach Momoko con sus atrapantes portadas alternativas (y posteriormente oficiales) redefiniendo tantos personajes Marvelitas, hacía evidente que Marvel buscase volver a intentar ese ejercicio en uno de los mejores momentos del interés japonés y anime a nivel global. Por supuesto, el pasar de covers o pin-ups a estar al frente de toda una narrativa comiquera, es algo en lo que Peach Momoko se le podrá ver con más o menos lupa en este Demon Days. Y si bien en este 1º ciclo, el hecho de que se presente una historieta previa en un Japón feudal para pasar a una saga en un contexto actual con otra protagonista y de nexo de unión la revisión de 4 patas de Lobezno, puede ser la mayor "pega" que ponerle. Yo agradezco que para internarnos en esta reimaginación Marvelita empecemos en el pasado para encarar un presente igual de mágico y maravilloso donde las "Maravillas" de héroes y poderes se presentan enlazados al folklore nipón de los Kamis y Yokais.

La propia Peach Momoko explica que su idea original de propuesta comiquera era el arco argumental de las Yashida. De forma MUY contenida en su emocional duelo fraternal. Pero que al pedirle ser más ambiciosa con los personajes y elementos a su disposición, pues sí que la historia se ha ido engrandeciendo para presentar una saga que lleva no solo a aprovechar esta estupenda revisión de la Mariko Yashida que fue parte clave de la recordada etapa de Lobezno en Japón. En los capítulos de la saga troncal, vemos a varios personajes que no solo muestran diseños geniales amoldados a este contexto y estilo particular de la artista (siendo más o menos reconocibles a sus contrapartes canon del Universo 616). Cada uno de ellos respira por su cuenta siendo algo más que un guiño cómplice al fan. Todos conforman este nuevo plantel que nos lleva a ser como la joven Mariko empezando a descubrir la naturaleza sobrenatural de todo cuanto le rodea.

Como si a Ghibli se le encargase una historia de Marvel. Peach Momoko se deja llevar también por ese puro naturalismo y espiritualidad de tantas grandes historias del corpus de Hayao Miyazaki y allegados. Conectando todo a un monte asociado a grandes leyendas que aún tiene que presenciar un encontronazo donde dos hermanas entrecruzarán antes aceros que palabras, debido a pasadas heridas que una no ha querido buscar cómo sanar. Dejando que la ponzoña del odio crezca hasta generar una inquina que la lleve a ser como una de los Onis más maléficos que aterraban a las gentes del pasado. Peach Momoko enfatiza este enfrentamiento como si de un "manganime" se tratase. Quizás siendo disruptivo de más para lectores totalmente habituados al enfoque comic book usa de estas arquitramas de acción y aventuras. En Demon Days, el sentimiento siempre va por delante del golpe.

Demon Days resulta una reimaginación más que adecuada a este contexto y llevada a un plano estilístico arrollador. Para lo cual se agradece la edición "Treasure" que extiende el tamaño de la pagina y otorga un papel offset para que las acuarelas y demás despliegue de trazo y color de este mundo luzcan más. También se añaden one-shots que Peach Momoko ha "colado" en otros comics de la compañía y del que destaca la historieta para la antología cromática de Elektra. También infinidad de pin-ups y un bestiario más interesante que lo habitual en estos ejemplos (recuerdo el del The Witcher: Ronin).

Ahora toca meterse en Demon Wars y descubrir si este Universo conseguirá la longevidad necesaria para trascender del todo.

[Yoshiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

POPKULTUROWY KOCIOŁEK: W centrum opowieści znajduje się Mariko Yashida – nastoletnia Japonka, która zaczyna doświadczać niepokojących snów, przepełnionych szeptami pradawnych duchów i wspomnieniami, które nie należą do niej. Gdy jej babcia decyduje się wyjawić prawdę o rodzinnych tajemnicach i mrocznych korzeniach, dziewczyna wyrusza na wyprawę ku górze Kirisaki – miejscu, gdzie rzeczywistość splata się z legendą. Na swojej drodze spotyka istoty wyjęte wprost z japońskiego folkloru. Każde spotkanie to starcie nie tylko fizyczne, ale również emocjonalne – z przeszłością, tożsamością i przeznaczeniem.

Peach Momoko nie tylko tworzy tu nowy świat – ona przepisuje na nowo całą galerię bohaterów Marvela, przekształcając ich w elementy japońskiej mitologii. Thor staje się gromowładnym bóstwem, Elektra pojawia się jako śmiercionośna wojowniczka, Psylocke – niczym wyjęta z feudalnej Japonii. Z kolei Venom i Hulk przybierają formy dzikich yokai, budząc lęk i fascynację. To pomysłowe podejście dodaje historii charakteru eksperymentalnego, stanowiąc zarazem ukłon w stronę fanów japońskiej kultury i tych, którzy szukają świeżego spojrzenia na superbohaterskie schematy.

Dni demonów to komiks, który bardziej przypomina wizualną poezję niż klasyczne opowieści superbohaterskie. Peach Momoko sięga po akwarelową estetykę, czerpiąc pełnymi garściami z klasycznych japońskich grafik ukiyo-e. Paleta barw jest miękka, lekko rozmyta, ale sugestywna, a każdy kadr przypomina ręcznie malowaną ilustrację z ekskluzywnego artbooka. Wydanie w powiększonym formacie pozwala w pełni docenić kunszt artystki – od subtelnych pociągnięć pędzla po bogato stylizowane projekty postaci inspirowane japońskimi legendami.

Choć album Dni demonów zachwyca pod względem wizualnym, to pod kątem narracyjnym trudno nie odnieść wrażenia, że mamy do czynienia z dziełem o bardzo zachowawczej strukturze. Fabuła – oparta na archetypicznej podróży bohatera – rozwija się w sposób przewidywalny, a poszczególne rozdziały są do siebie zaskakująco podobne. Mariko wędruje od lokacji do lokacji, napotyka nowe zagrożenie, konfrontuje się z nim, po czym idzie dalej – bez większych emocjonalnych lub narracyjnych konsekwencji. Brakuje tu dramatycznych zwrotów akcji, głębszych rozterek moralnych czy znaczącego rozwoju postaci, co może powodować znużenie u bardziej wymagających czytelników.

Narracyjny rytm komiksu jest również bardzo jednostajny. Brakuje wyraźnych punktów kulminacyjnych czy napięcia budowanego scenariuszowo – dramatyzm wynika głównie z wizualnych kontrastów, a nie z samej historii. Dialogi są zwięzłe i często nie niosą wystarczającej głębi, by w pełni uzasadnić decyzje bohaterki. W efekcie opowieść wydaje się momentami bardziej pretekstem do prezentacji kolejnych olśniewających ilustracji niż samodzielną, angażującą narracją. Gdyby nie oprawa graficzna Peach Momoko, która skutecznie maskuje braki scenariuszowe, Dni demonów mogłyby zostać odebrane jako produkt wizualnie imponujący, ale narracyjnie nijaki....

https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/japon...

[Matteo Calvano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peach Momoko has become a voice in Marvel Comics capable of building a solid, niche fanbase. A point of conjunction between the lovers of a type of narration and aesthetic typical of manga publication, unified with the iconic characters of the House of Ideas. A study on different cultures with the idea of talking about acceptance, about being part of something as a central pivot of an epiphany, inside a world never felt as correct, as the right in which being part. Demon Days is a re-telling of Superheroes in which figures like Hulk, Thor, Nightcrawler, Black Widow aren’t the saviours of humanity or the centers of everyone’s discussion, but outcasts part of a forgotten world of Yokai, Gods and Spies. This is maybe the central disruption of the canon of Marvel stories, around which a vengeance tale and origin story are created and personalized. In fact, the character design is fantastic in the way it grants peculiarity to these legends, inserting layers of creepiness or strangeness, turning them into the most exotic version of them, without any exploitation but with a true study of the common myths around the heroes we know and their eastern counterparts.
Demon Days talks a lot about an America which is not capable of understanding different cultures or inserting them inside everyday life as other countries have been capable of doing. Comics have the power to give a voice to the most popular members of society, working around communities which Demon Days studies and turns into big families in war one against the other, with their roots and point of contacts, with peculiar warriors who watched the world change and get worse without having the power of doing nothing (resembling a mix of The Old Guard and Devilman). The style of Momoko is captivating around single images, turning them into the center of attention of the reader as if you can be exported from reality and feel everything silenced around those specific moments, and this is immersive in a way few authors have been capable of in years of reading. Obviously, Demon Days suffers from the same problems of any other X-Men issues, in which there are too many stories being important to only one plot, turning the narrative into a confusing matter. Even the ending sees the same destiny, forced to introduce the next chapter (Demon Wars) without closing anything if not some circumstantial elements. Demon Days is the demonstration that Marvel can be interesting even for those readers who don't like the tradition of American comics, and despite all the problems it has, you can certainly be amazed by how emotional you can get around these abandoned, alternative individuals in other productions remembered as true icons of society.

FINAL VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mit dem „Stormbreakers artist program“ unterstützt Marvel junge, aufstrebende Künstler und stellt jedes Jahr eine Auswahl an Talenten aus der ganzen Welt vor und rückt deren Publikationen bevorzugt in den Mittelpunkt.
2020 war es dann der Japanerin Peach Momoko vergönnt, in diesem Programm zu landen und man möchte Marvel gratulieren, eine so herausragende Künstlerin unter Vertrag genommen zu haben, so dass ein breiteres Publikum ihre Werke genießen kann.
Neben vieler Variantcover hat Momoko nun auch ihre eigene Serie Demon Days bei Marvel herausgebracht, die sie auch als „momoko-verse“ bezeichnet.

Darin erzählt sie die Geschichte der jungen Mariko Yashida, die von mysteriösen Träumen heimgesucht wird und sie auf die Suche nach ihrer wahren Herkunft führen. Auf die genaue Handlung möchte ich bewusst nicht eingehen, um nichts vorwegzunehmen, es sei allerdings erwähnt, dass die Figuren in Demon Days losgelöst vom regulären Marvel-Universum sind, einige Charaktere bilden ein entsprechendes Gegenstück zu den klassischen Marvelhelden.
Durch die Verflechtung japanischer mythologischer Figuren mit denen aus dem Marvel-Universum schafft Momoko etwas erfrischend Neues, die Geschichte ist detailreich ausgearbeitet, bietet schöne Überraschungsmomente, ein kurzweiliges Tempo und es macht Spaß zu sehen, welche/r bekannte Marvelheld oder -heldin als nächstes neu interpretiert wird, daher sollte man sich schon etwas mit den bekanntesten Figuren von Marvel auskennen.

Ein absolutes Highlight sind die aquarellartigen Zeichnungen, die die Einflüsse der japanischen Mythologie anspruchsvoll einfangen.
Alles in allem ein bemerkenswerter Comic, bei dem alles perfekt aufeinander abgestimmt ist.

[Nicolo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marvel made a dumb decision by removing the colors of this edition of Peach Momoko's Demon Days, turning the vibrant watercolor art into a grayscale pages.

Peach works with watercolors in her art in both the cover and the interior pages, so the original intent of the artist was for full color. Thankfully, her storytelling is strong enough to overcome a massive debuff to her work.

I have read the original single issues which were in color, and reading all the chapters in one sitting worked really well for the reading experience.

As for the story, I really like the one-shot prologue Demon Days: X-Men #1, which introduced Peach's Sai, who really resembles Psylocke, but I hope was original enough to give her equity in a character that has already made its debut in a video game.

I really liked this issue that I have multiple copies of it and a signed one when Peach was a special guest at a comic convention in Manila during 2024.

The four-chapter Mariko arc was not as engaging as the Sai one-shot, but at least it had a character that bridged two stories set in different time period.

This collected edition also included two Demon Days short stories that appeared in two different books.

[Jim Reddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an oversized collection of the five part Demon Days series which reimagines Marvel characters in a world of Japanese folklore.

The stories range from 4 to 5 but I rate the art a 5.

In the first chapter, Sai (a reimagined Psylocke), her wolf companion Logan, and Hulkmaru the Oni help a village fight off Venom, a snake creature that has taken over a temple.

The next four chapters are about a young girl named Mariko who lives with her grandmother and a maid. Mariko begins having dreams about yokai and oni. She then learns about her true past and that someone wants to kill her.

The collection ends with two shorts. In the first one Sai is confronted by Yuki Onna The White Queen and her bodyguard, Jaga. The second short “Assassin,” is a silent story about Electra.

I loved the art. The brushwork and colors are stunning. I liked seeing all the yokai, oni, and kami versions of Marvel characters. I also liked the Yokai files and sketches included in the back.

I enjoyed the Mariko arc which is set in the present day, but my favorite stories are the first one and the shorts at the end which are set in the past. I would love to read more stories about Sai and Logan the wolf.

[Doc · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of bravery and blood

Collecting Demon Days: X-Men #1, Demon Days: Mariko #1, Demon Days: Cursed Web #1, Demon Days: Rising Storm #1, Demon Days: Blood Feud #1, as well as the materials from the comics King in Black #4, and Elektra: Black, White & Blood #4 this story sets the marvel universe in a world of mystics and myths as is depicted by the fantastic artist Peach Momoko.

Starting the journey of Mariko as she discovers her past and takes steps to heal misunderstandings from it this book conveniently collects and the various individual volumes in the correct reading order in a large Library Edition sized book. While looking into which volumes this book contained I found out there is another series following this one called "Demon Wars: The Iron Samurai" which had at least 3 volumes that came out in 2022. I hope they get a similar treatment as this book (or at least compiled in a single book) because I love the reimagining of the Marvel universe and style of artwork. :)

[CharlyyGentlePhoenix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un Marvel ! De 2021 ! Ça c’est mon, époque !! èé … Quand je vois écrit « Marvel » je suis plutôt content en général.

Lançons-nous !

On nous parle des Kamis, des Onis et de toute la démonologie Asiatique. On nous présente les démons et les humains comme pouvant tout deux être soit bons soit mauvais.

On se retrouve avec un crew qu’on vient tout juste de faire connaissance avec dans une lutte contre le grand démon Venom (Même boîte !! Que veux-tu ?!).

Page 34 retournement de situation … Je ne dirais pas un mot de plus !

Franchement niveaux graphismes il y a de trop belles images je me régale !
Un livre qui a su me surprendre !

Après au début de la deuxième moitié ça part en mode « genèse » alors que je trouve qu’on s’est pas encore attachés suffisamment aux personnages. Mais ce n’est que mon avis subjectif.

Des idées empruntés chez Marvel à Thor, Mystique, Tornade, Hulk…

Bref typiquement le type d’histoire qui commence fort mais s’essouffle peu à peu à partir de la moitié.

Une quête des origines…

La fin est meilleure que le milieu.

On va lui donner un bon 4/5 pour être au plus juste.

Je te fais une « Phoenix Biz » A+
Phoenix

[Andrea Ambroso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sono rimasto estasiato dalla lettura di questo volume! Devo dire che ho comprato a scatola chiusa: mi attirava la copertina e il concetto di base: super eroi Marvel rivisitati nella mitologia giapponese. La storia è molto intrigante, insieme a Mariko, la protagonista, si scopre il suo passato, le sue origini. Il tema del viaggio dell’eroe è principale, mentre scopre pian piano il suo passato, mettendo quindi in primo piano anche la famiglia, ad esempio è importante il rapporto tra Mariko e il villain principale, che fa capire molto bene il suo punto di vista, giustificando le sue scelte. Ultimo tema da citare è il razzismo: nel mondo di Mariko gli Oni sono relegati in posti remoti e lontani dagli insediamenti umani, in quanto la coesistenza tra le due razze sembra impossibile; la stessa storia delle origini di Mariko prende a piene mani da questa tematica. Menzione d’onore alle bellissime tavole piene di colore e dai bellissimi disegni di Peach Momoko. Ho trovato un nuovo artista da seguire sia per storia che per disegni. Assolutamente consigliato.

[Jonathan Romppel · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a big fan of both manga/anime and Marvel comics, this immediately appealed to me as a concept - a reimagining of the Marvel comics universe, in Manga style, infused throughout with Japanese mythology/folklore.

While still a nice read, it didn’t work as well as it could have in execution. Momoko’s art style is beautiful to look at, but she displays a poor understanding of how action is best framed in the medium, often resulting in a disorienting effect when trying to make sense of the changing perspectives between panels, which at times seriously disrupts the flow of scenes.

Similarly, the plotting seems somewhat confused as well. The story starts from a very standard manga setting, and has a lot of interesting ideas throughout, that unfortunately aren’t really well-developed enough to leave much of an impact.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art style of Peach Momoko speaks for itself and should be the force that draws you to this book. The story is an alternate version of X-Men and Avenger heroes collided with samurai/yokai/oni story, all illustrated in ink brush strokes and watercolor. The tropes of "wandering swordsman" and "gods in human bodies" (in this case, Storm and Thor as Fujin and Raijin) are both here. Though the story is primarily about Mariko, it does give off Psylocke vibes, but maybe that's only something I pick up as a long time X-Men reader.
Definitely check this out. This art style and artist should be a more regular staple of the comics community.
Strong recommend.