Master Keaton, Vol. 2 (2) Paperback – March 17, 2015

Master Keaton, Vol. 2 is a lot like the first volume. It consists of 12 short stories in just over 300 pages, all involving the half-Japanese, half-English insurance investigator and sometimes archaeology lecturer. There are common themes. He's divorced with a child, but he's still in love with his ex-wife. Some of the chapters feature his daughter, and one is about his father, a zoologist, taking one of Keaton's cases.It's refreshing to read manga that isn't thousands of pages long, with Byzantine story arcs about minor characters only tangentially related to the main story. Of course, I do like more traditional manga, as well. The mysteries that make up these stories vary in nature. Sometimes a person or item isn't what it appears to be. Sometimes an event happens that can't be explained. But most of all, this is good-old storytelling, with interesting characters that come into Keaton's life, mostly to leave shortly thereafter. ****1/2

I understand some might prefer a single, unified storyline and more consistent pacing, but the segmented yet loosely interconnected approach to the series works well. Similarly to volume 1 (my fav), it’s pretty fast paced and highly intriguing in a number of spots while more methodical, juxtaposed and introspective in others. It’s quirky yet cool. It definitely grows on you. Well worth the exploration.

Another series of cases for Mr KeatonAnd he comes to Mexico in one.Fun to read as a compilation