Yasuko Aoike

It should be noted that this is the "Princess Comics Deluxe" version.
There is an earlier edition for this series. The ISBN is 978-4592117339, it's Hana to Yume Comics, and was printed in 03/1985.

There is a difference in the content included in the two different editions. The earlier edition includes a bonus comic that is about the author and her family, and a little talk of how she was into spy shows growing up.
The later edition doesn't have that chapter but it does have some full color pages that weren't in the original.

That aside, the stories here are generally darker than "From Eroica With Love". It focuses on some of the difficult missions Z undertakes and his conflicted feeling over deceiving people and then caring about them.

[SPOILERS]
In the first chapter a spy has disappeared and Z is sent to deceive the spy's former girlfriend. He falls in love with her and feels guilty that she's been lied to so much.
In the second chapter they're forced to work with another group of spies, but Z is more trusting and willing to give information to their allies than the Major is and he ends up getting caught.
The last story is less serious and is about Z having a bad day at work where everything seems to go wrong.
(And if you have the earlier edition there's a bonus chapter about the author).

This is a pretty good series. I'm not sure if I'd say it's as good as some of the chapters in "From Eroica With Love", but I think anyone who likes that series would probably enjoy "Z" as well. I liked being able to see the Major and Z interact, and the added tidbits about the Major. It's great when the Major does things like try to show Z how to get to the bathroom and back in a timely manner; but it's also nice to see when the Major takes it easier on him.

All in all, it's a short but good series of side-stories.… (meer)

Z is a very good series. I'm not sure it lives up to the better chapters of "From Eroica With Love", but it's worth reading. The stories are engaging, the artwork is great and we get to see more of Major Eberbach.

[SPOILERS]
I think the tone of the first volume is a little closer to "From Eroica With Love". In the first chapter Z goes up against a spy who is obsessed with roses and creating a blue rose. Being a newbie, Z goes through a lot of stress, gets yelled at a lot, but in the end it does take on a slightly darker tone with Z having to kill someone.
In the second chapter a woman's husband has died, leaving only a mysterious note to Major Eberbach and a screw behind. Z is sent to find out more information and keep an eye on the woman. He begins to care for her but it ends on a dark note again, when after finding and killing the culprit she takes her own life.
In the third chapter Z is given a mission to look after a certain important drunkard and protect the information he has. Z risks life and limb trying to fulfill his mission, only to discover is was fake. He tries to stand up to the Major about his treatment only to be shot down. In the end he goes along with the Major to catch a double agent and learns a little about him.
The stories are solid and entertaining even if they're heavier and involve more death than "From Eroica With Love". I liked the extra tidbit towards the end where Major Eberbach starts ranting about his former boss and how horrible he was, not seeming to realize how rough he is with his own men, and I like that it's implied the Major used to be like Z in his younger days but has grown into who he is after many long years of hard work. Although I doubt he was ever quite as kind as Z, I could see him being more naive and innocent and toughening up after going through some trying missions of his own.… (meer)

Yasuko Aoike starts off the series in a way that reminds me a little more of Patalliro!. Sometimes it's silly and over the top. She established three characters at the beginning in volume one who aren't too interesting.
She even seems to agree since she ditches those characters later and they never return to the story again.

That isn't to say the first volume is bad. Even though there are some scenes that are too goofy (such as the agent from Interpol and sometimes drawing legs as if they run like Sonic the Hedgehog) it's still a good read and trust me, it's worth sticking it out.
Dorian and Klaus both have very strong, opposing personalities and their fighting is amazing.
I never thought I'd love a character like Klaus so much. In reality it would be impossible to endure him for more than five minutes, but he quickly became my favorite character in the series.

If you read it and are bored by the first three characters introduced but enjoy Dorian or Klaus don't worry because they're the ones who end up carrying the rest of the series.… (meer)

[2007-05-13] Third in the long-running Cold War spoof series. Glamorous art thief Eroica and Nato intelligence agent Major Klaus Eberbach both sneak into Iran to steal something. Turns out that the microfilm Klaus is after is hidden in the art treasure that Eroica is after. That's bad enough, but when Klaus gets home, he finds himself on a new mission -- one where he's ordered to hire the best art thief in the world to steal something for Nato. Needless to say, Eroica takes the opportunity to flirt outrageously with the unfortunate Major.

http://julesjones.livejournal.com/152862.html… (meer)