From Eroica With Love

Perhaps you've seen From Eroica With Love on the shelves, taken one look at the retro shoujo artwork and hastily reshelved the volume without a second thought. And if so, you're missing out on one of the most delightful manga titles to be translated into English -- in any genre. This shoujo classic deserves a second look from anyone with even a passing interest in light-hearted adventure, laugh-aloud humour and attractive men in pursuit of beauty and duty.

Eroica comes by its art style legitimately, since mangaka Aoike Yasuko first published volume one back in the mists of time -- er, 1976 -- when this style was the norm. Yes, you read that right, 1976! With the exception of a seven year break between 1988 and 1995, Aoike has been producing this manga for nearly 30 years (and 30 volumes!), developing quite a devoted following among English-language fans along the way. And now, thanks to CMX, a wider audience has a chance to enjoy this classic.

The basic premise is simple: take one gorgeous, flamboyant, openly gay English lordling -- who by night is an infamous thief of all things beautiful -- and one uptight, straight-laced, chain-smoking German NATO officer devoted only to his work and pit them against one another to humorous effect. And thus we have Earl Dorian Red Gloria (who goes by Eroica when thieving) and Major Klaus Heinz von dem Eberbach engaging in their own special brand of Cold War antagonism. The hedonistic Dorian, in pursuit of beautiful art, and dutiful Klaus, NATO officer extraordinaire, cross paths the world over, getting in one another's way, sparring verbally, and generally getting under one another's skin.

Aoike's plotlines are often way over the top (e.g., Klaus must retrieve microfilm vital to preventing a U.S.-Soviet Union war that has been hidden in Dorian's unmentionables), but as watching Dorian and Klaus wrangle is the series' big payoff, the more outlandish the situation, generally the more amusing the results. The dynamic between these two men is vital to the series' ongoing success, and it's marvelous indeed: their frequent clashes are chock full of intelligent, witty dialogue and simmering sexual tension.

Dorian makes no bones about his sexual orientation, a fact that appalls the seemingly asexual Major to no end, though amusingly, both have their own "harems" of young men at their beck and call: Dorian's faithful followers and Klaus' agents, one of whom is a plausible cross-dresser. It's worth noting that Aoike based Dorian on Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant, with his band mate Jimmy Page joining him as utterly devoted, penny-pinching accountant James (John Paul Jones and John Bonham, the two other band members, are also among Dorian's followers). It's doubtful Dorian will ever land Klaus, but who cares -- the joy's in the pursuit!

CMX is on a bi-monthly release schedule for Eroica, which means readers can continue to enjoy this series for several years to come.