Commentary: "The Rock"

Commentary on "The Rock":

Page 1: Three panels, all sharing the date of November 2, 4:50 PM EST.

As Weisman mentioned, he kept scenes linear when the story required them to be and our shining example is this first page. A full page panel of Macbeth and Owen watching Goliath, with two panels at the bottom of the page: one more Macbeth's face, and one for Goliath's as he cracks out of his stone form. There's nothing of supreme thematic relevance here that I can detect, but the page serves its purpose as both an intriguing starting point and a much more intriguing situation.

Page 2: Four panels.

Panel 1 is November 2, 6:46 PM EST. David Xanatos is conversing with a (currently unknown) collaborator about the Coyote Diamond.

Panel 2 is November 15, 10:02 AM GMT. An officer is requesting backup from "the bomb unit."

Panel 3 is November 13, 5:37 AM GMT. Lexington is informing somebody "I'll call you Amp!"

Panel 4 is November 7, 2:21 PM GMT. Fox Xanatos is stepping into a shoestore at a currently unknown location, requesting black Manolos in a size 9.

The first properly nonlinear page, and I'm a bit stumped! The thematic ties here aren't as pronounced to me as a few other pages, though I definitely think there's a link. What's interesting to me is that each of the four characters (Xanatos, nameless officer, Lexington, and Fox) are all reacting to something, yet only the source of Xanatos's reaction speaks. I want to say the common link between these panels is the fact they're all, in one way or another, reaction shots. Xanatos is reacting to his collaborator, the officer is reacting to a perceived threat, Lexington is reacting to "Amp", and Fox is reacting to beautiful new shoes that she just must have! I can't think of anything else that really links these scenes together.

Page 3: Two panels.

Panel 1 is a circle on the top left corner of the page, dated November 4, 5:30 AM EST. Thailog is hot tubbing while Shari, his Illumaniti ally, begins to tell one of many stories concerning the origins of the Stone of Destiny.

Panel 2 dramatizes this story in a single, page consuming panel...though scenes are divided within the panel. It's a simple story recounted from Genesis, when Jacob has visions of angels when resting his head on a stone (the stone, we must currently assume, is the Stone of Destiny).

The link here is obvious. The first panel is Shari beginning her story, and the second panel is her story unfolding to her narration. But pay attention to that date...

Page 4: Five panels.

Panel 1 is Macbeth discussing the Stone of Destiny with the Manhattan clan. Dated November 2, 5:12 PM EST.

Panel 2 is Macbeth being crowned King of Scotland, swearing by the Stone of Destiny to protect and serve Scotland for all of his days. Dated September 29, 1040.

Panel 3 returns us to the present, specifically November 2, 5:14 PM EST, two minutes after Macbeth's explanation in panel 1. Brooklyn notes that the Clan has heard of the Stone; according to Macbeth, the English stole it...

Panel 4 clarifies with the English having taken it eight hundred years ago and now it's being returned. No change in date.

Panel 5 cuts to Goliath's surprised face, with a word balloon of Scottish origin asking Goliath to ensure the Stone gets to Scotland safely. No change in date.

This is interesting. Weisman, here, uses the nonlinear format of the story to explain to us why Macbeth would care about the Stone after so long. As a perceived Scottish artifact, Macbeth wants nothing more than to serve Scotland and help return the Stone back to its home- after all, he vowed to do so. This plays with the comic book medium quite a bit: while we as readers are given an absolute reason why Macbeth wishes to keep the Stone safe, the gargoyles do not have this luxury. Panel 2 helps establish mood (with a bit of help from inflections in the lettering of Macbeth's dialogue), specifically Macbeth's. By juxtaposing Macbeth's plea with this snippet from his more idealistic days, we can interpret sincerity from Macbeth's request. Because of this device, the present day scene can afford Goliath hearing legitimacy in Macbeth's voice and request...and we as readers are more inclined to believe it too. In a story full of ambiguity and uncertainty, it's a very powerful device that perfectly captures Macbeth's feelings without really spoonfeeding us much of anything.

Page 4: Five panels.

Panel 1 is Goliath asking Macbeth if he has...minions...for this. Macbeth denies. No change in date.

Panel 2 is Macbeth pleading further for Goliath to help protect the Stone. No change in date.

Panel 3 shows Goliath contemplating. No change in date.

Panel 4. Goliath is "healed, but not whole." Recent battles with the Quarrymen and Thailog have wounded his spirit. No change in date.

Panel 5. Goliath relays the duty to Brooklyn, Broadway, Angela, and Lexington. Broadway in particular exclaims, "Yeah, we're goin' to Scotland!". Crucial bit.

With no need to shift eras, we get a nice, casual reader friendly page of linear narrative. However, this doesn't mean that it's excluded from its own piece of the thematic pie. The impact of this page, and what it means beyond the events it tells, lies in the next page...

Page 5: Four panels. This entire page takes place on November 3, 3:00 PM GMT.

Panel 1 is a plane, landing in England.

Panel 2 shows Macbeth, under the alias of Lennox Macduff, being greeted by flight personnel.

Panel 3 has Macbeth declaring "pieces of art" in the ship's cargo.

Panel 4 reveals this art: The stone forms of Hudson and Lexington.

Another linear page, though under its own isolated place in time. This is interesting. I believe the main point of this segment is to begin a recurring juxtaposition: the clan proposed to go to Scotland is actively contrasted with the members of the clan who actually go. The contrast seems to be an active reminder that while all things are true, few things are accurate...or in clearer terms, things are not always what they seem to be.

Page 6: Three panels.

Panel 1 shows us Owen observing Macbeth and the Manhattan clan speaking to each other, presumably about the mission to protect the Stone of Destiny. Owen asks if he should stop them. November 2, 5:18 PM EST.

Panel 2 features Xanatos responding to Owen, telling him that he, as expected by any Gargoyles faithful, has planned for such a thing. No change in date, only in setting.

Panel 3 has Xanatos discussing shoeshopping with his lovely wife, Fox. "Darling, if you like the shoes, by them..." November 7, 2:18 PM GMT.

A fun little page that really isn't as complex as you would figure: Xanatos mentions a contingency plan, and we see it. We just don't get it explained. That's why we keep reading, folks.

Page 7: Two panels.

Panel 1 is Shari preparing another story for Thailog as he gazes out into the night sky. November 5, 5: 31 AM EST.

Panel 2 dramatizes this story, recalling Gathelus being entrusted with Jacob's pillow (the perceived Stone of Destiny) by Moses.

...Hmmm...that date is fishy.

Page 8: Four panels. The entire page takes place on November 2, 3:52 PM EST.

Panel 1 shows us Claw and Al looking down as someone asks "How is she, Doc?"

Panel 2 introduces Talon, Maggie the Cat, Elisa, and Dr. Sato. Dr. Sato explains that Maggie is healing fine.

Panel 3, however, then has Sato clarify that his expertise covers only so much-examining someone like a mutate isn't within his realm of ability. Or so he seems to imply.

Panel 4 has Elisa telling Sato he is the only one they can trust, with the affirmation that he is also a medical pioneer.

A nice linear panel that, at first glance, really seems out of place in this story. It's good to check up on the mutates since we last saw them in "Masque", but with the conflict for the Stone of Destiny as our primary concern, can't we wait until the next "mutate story" to know this, especially since they're fine?

Well, no. This scene is a pivotal set up on multiple levels, but we won't know until a bit later. But this page is the beginning of a sequence that compensates for new readers, enriches the central theme of Clan Building as a whole, and ties up an important arc begun in "Invitation Only". It may be one of the most significant pages in the story.

Page 9: Five panels.

Panel 1 greets us with Macbeth pouring some coffee out of a thermus. November 3, 4:30 PM GMT.

Panel 2 expands the shot as he drinks, showing us Lexington and Hudson in stone sleep in front of him. No change in date.

Panel 3 has Macbeth pouring more coffee, with Lexington and Hudson stone...at night?! Novemeber 3, 5:07 PM GMT.

Panel 4 is Macbeth drinking coffee. The gargoyles remain in stone sleep. November 3, 6:15 PM GMT.

Panel 5 has Macbeth rubbing his chin. Maybe he's getting bored; the gargoyles still haven't woken up. November 3, 7:01 PM GMT.

This page won't have its full effect until the next, but its a brilliant way to use the nonlinear format of the story. With so many events either happening out of sequence and precisely dated or happening IN sequence on a single date of time...multiple, dated instances very close to each other serve to show just how significant the effects "jet lag" has on the gargoyle sleep cycle. It's a great sequence and one of the more unique pages in a story full of very unique pages.

Page 10: Three panels. This page takes place on November 3, 7:45 PM GMT.

Panel 1 has Lexington and Hudson breaking out of stone sleep!

Panel 2 features Lex rubbing his head, feeling a bit out of it. "How long have we been asleep?"

Panel 3 has Macbeth clarify for us. The gargoyles have been introduced to the "wonderful world of jetlag", but their sleep cycles will probably have plenty of time to adjust before the Stone begins moving.

This is a fun page that follows up on the previous one and puts it to full effect. It's nice to be reminded that the gargoyle sleep cycle is a NATURAL, and not MAGICAL, process. These two pages also express just how random the panel sequence in this story ISN'T: The time skippy page before it establishes something to be followed up on once we get to the next page.

Page 11: Two panels.

Panel 1 shows Thailog and Brentwood looking for something unexplained, while Shari begins another story. November 6, 5:32 AM EST.

Panel 2 dramatizes this story. Gathelus and Scota flee Egypt, their twin children eventually being born with Scota supported by the Stone of Destiny (OR IS IT?).

...Hmmmm....Something feels...odd...

Page 12: Seven panels. My God.

Panel 1 has Hudson and Lexington keeping attentive for...somethin'. November 15, 5:32 PM GMT.

Panel 2 returns to Broadway's "FUCK YEAH SCOTLAND!" celebration. November 2, 5:15 PM EST.

Panel 3 has a pleading Brooklyn. If Goliath's recovering, Brooklyn should stay behind. No change in date.

Panel 4 has no dialogue, but Goliath realizing Brooklyn wants nowhere near the lovebirds. No change in date.

Panel 5, thus, has Goliath putting Hudson in charge of awesome adventures instead of Brooklyn. No change in date.

Panel 6, however, shows Broadway and Angela changing their minds and staying to help Brooklyn with the dangerous Manhattan. No change in date.

Panel 7...well, Brooklyn's about as happy as you'd expect. No change in date, for the panel or for Brookie.

Interesting. This page coming right after a Shari page brings some interesting implications. The story is told, though who could say if it be true? While the page headlines Lexington and Hudson taking part in the "expedition", the rest of the page shows the gradual unraveling of the plan as we initially saw it (which sets up "The Gate", the first part of the final portion of Clan Building). Does it foreshadow anything about Shari's own tale?

Page 13: Five panels.

Panel 1 features Lexington informing Macbeth, through earpiece, that things are "all clear." November 15, 5:22 PM GMT.

Panel 2 has Macbeth responding to Lexington. He isn't expecting trouble tonight, so naturally we'll probably see trouble on a later page. RUHT ROH! No change in date.

Panel 3 shows Lexington and Hudson inspecting abbey security. Hudson notes its as tight as a drum. Drum tight. No change in date.

Panel 4 gives us Macbeth assuring Hudson he knows how to break in. No change in date.

Panel 5 shows us a younger (relatively) Macbeth, about to break into the abbey at a far earlier date with some patriotic homeboys. December 25, 1950. Christmas day.

There's a reason for this Timedance back to the 1950's. We get a glimpse at Macbeth's past attempts to get to the Stone of Destiny. Though this seems odd at first, later panels (which I'll address as they come) serve to show us that not ALL of the factions after the Stone have to be going at it at present day. This panel serves to hint at the timelessness of the Stone (or rather, the timelessness of the Spirit of Destiny and the futility of trying to obtain the stone).

Page 14: Two panels. Because Shari.

Panel 1 is a night in the sky with Thailog, Brentwood, and Shari as she continues her story. November 6, 6:00 AM EST.

Panel 2 dramatizes her latest tale. Gathelus and family arrive in the Port of Gathelus (Portugal!), bringing with them the Stone of Destiny.

Hmmm...the dates on Shari's pages are oddly linear...

Page 15: Six panels.

Panel 1 shows us Lexington reporting to Macbeth through his headpiece, with Hudson wondering who exactly Macbeth is expecting. November 13, 11: 46 PM GMT.

Panel 2 brings us way back to Xanatos discussing the Coyote Diamond. He is praising it. His collaborator doesn't quite care. November 2, 6:47 AM EST.

Panel 3 has his collaborator wondering, agitatedly, if he truly has free will. Xanatos affirms that he does...while also wanting him to do a little something. No change in date.

Panel 4, Xanatos offers to deactivate this mysterious character's tracking unit. No change in date.

Panel 5 is a close up of the Diamond, inside the Coyote Robot, as Xanatos and collaborator speak. "Permanently?" "Permanently." No change in date.

Panel 6. All Xanatos asks in return is a single, tiny errand. No change in date.

Well, this page was fun! This page shows how well you can build suspense even WITHOUT chronologically accurate sequence. Even with all we know about what Xanatos is up to by now (admittedly, not much) and even knowing Hudson and Lexington arrive in England safely...we're seeing an event from roughly two weeks ago and it's built up in a way that's only significant NOW, thanks to Hudson's dialogue providing the leverage to switch scenes. And even then, this page still keeps some secrets from us. It's a wonderful use of the format.

Page 16: Three panels. No change in date.

Panel 1 shows the Coyote Diamond glow red within the Coyote Robot.

Panel 2 seals the Coyote Diamond within the Robot.

Panel 3 finally reveals our mysterious villain, Coldsteel, as he agrees to perform Xanatos's errand. Coyote the bot is standing by him, quite happy to be of service as well.

A great page that supports page 8, as we'll soon see, while also fulfilling the build up from page 15. Chronology when needed.

Page 17: Shari, so two panels.

Panel 1 is a cute little panel with Thailog typing to himself as Shari begins another story. Thailog's face in this picture is my favorite expression in the entire comic series. November 3, 5:29 AM EST.

Panel 2 recaps the medieval origins of Othello, Desdemona, and Iago AND their modern day transformations to Coldstone, Coldfire, and Coldsteel. Narrated by Shari.

Well now, THIS is interesting. Not only does it continue the sequence established by page 8 (which will be explained once we get to where we need to be), but it provides necessary recap for people just tuning into the franchise. Coldstone's origins are briefly glanced at the issue before this, "Reunion", but here we finally get the necessary bits of info laid out. And naturally, it's very significant.

But there's more. Notice the date. Shari's first page in the story occurs on November 4, with each subsequent page occurring at a later, but linear, date. Here is our first divergeance. Interestingly, it has NOTHING to do with the origins of the Stone of Destiny. While the rest of the story is presented in a seemingly random chronology, the Stone of Destiny's origins are presented to us in linear events of the past on linear dates in the present. And yet, as a contrast, we are consistently told THESE are the events we must put into question and take with a grain of salt.

Could it be that the only way to reveal the truths this story seeks to reveal is to present us with a fragmented sequence of events, and it is the linear comfort of Shari's stories that we must be wary of?

...Maybe! Let's keep reading!

Page 18: Six panels taking place on November 4, 9:48 PM EST.

Panel 1 opens with Shari's narration of "It's really a timeless love story.", with Goliath and Elisa atop Castle Wyvern as they discuss their relationship.

Panel 2 finds Goliath telling Elisa she doesn't need to be held to declarations from the heart as they were said when Goliath's life was in the balance. Goliath doesn't want Elisa's love by obligation.

Panel 3 asks us, through Elisa, "Even if I want to be held?"

Panel 4 begins a sequence. Goliath understands Elisa cares for him...

Panel 5 explains Goliath cannot give Elisa...

Panel 6's picnics, normalcy...

Beyond this just being a realistically written page between lovers of different worlds, it's also continuing page 8's build up that'll finally pay off on...

Page 19: Four panels.

Panel 1 returns us to Talon and Maggie the Cat because, pioneer or not, Sato informs us that Maggie's gonna need an OB. She's pregnant! November 2, 3: 53 PM EST.

Panel 2 has a smiling Elisa embracing the unique relationship she's in, because normalcy's overrated. November 4, 9:50 PM EST.

Panel 3 shows her jumping into Goliath's arms!

Panel 4, they kiss. Awww.

This is the end of a fantastic sequence. I'm a big theme guy beyond anything else. I like themes driving stories, asking questions. Characters, to me, are tools to explore these themes. They can be fascinating people in their own right (and here, they certainly are), but their purpose (to me) is to explore a question I'm asking or a question the story wants me to ask. This fragmented sequence connects Talon, Maggie the Cat, Coldstone, Coldsteel, Coldfire, Elisa, and Goliath in a way that does SO MUCH that we risk not appreciating. The love of Talon/Maggie, Coldstone/Coldfire, and Goliath/Elisa covers so many different ideas: love that is timeless, true, and altogether unique to each and every individual. But even beyond that, it carries us by progressing the larger arc of each character, Clan Building, and the internal Stone of Destiny story by allowing Coldsteel's presence to be known and implemented to help us gaze into the others. He's literally used here as the nexus that binds these elements together.

Clan Building's theme is also apparent. Goliath and the woman he loves are finally together again, restoring the strained relationship that would have hurt the clan. It has been built on.

Page 20: Two panels. What's the time? SHARI TIME.

Panel 1 has a chess game between Thailog and Shari. She begins her story again. November 7, 5:33 AM EST.

Panel 2 dramatizes her story. Gathelus dies, Scota travels with her boys (only to lose five of them) and eventually dies fighting in Ireland. Eremon and Eber Finn, her eldest and youngest son respectively, survive and Eremon is crowned king upon the Stone of Destiny at Tara.

Hmm...as the Stone's story continues, we revert back to safe, clear linear storytelling from Shari's perspective. So obviously, something's not right here.

Page 21: Six delicious panels taking place on November 13, 11:47 PM GMT.

Panel 1 shows Macbeth gazing at the security of the abbey, answering Hudson's question of "Who are we waiting for" with "Anyone. Everyone."

Panel 2, "Just stay alert."says Macbeth.

Panel 3 gives us a gaze.

Panel 4 has Macbeth trekkin'.

Panel 5 has a close up on Macbeth's gun as he prepares to pull it out.

Panel 6...lookin' down the stares.

Smooth, linear page that decides to do some good old fashioned moving forward for the story itself.

Page 22: Three panels. No change in date.

Panel 1 has Macbeth walking downstairs, wondering if he is on a wild goose chase.

Panel 2 stresses that, if he is, the gargs should get their wings down to the abbey...

Aaaand panel 3 gives us an "Oh shit, Arthur just snuck out of hiding and put a sword to my neck" moment for Macbeth.

More linear storytelling, but effectively so. We'll see why on the next page.

Panel 23: One panel. No change in date.

This singular panel shows us two new London Clan gargoyles (though we don't know that right now...spoiler!) gliding in on Lexington and Hudson.

How do you set up a cliffhanger for a story that isn't told in sequence? Bombard us with elements from all the snippets you didn't show at the very last minute!

With this effective cliffhanger set and new mysteries ready to be explore, "The Rock" closes on us to resume with issue 8, "Rock and Roll." Exciting!

Stone of Destiny

Over the next few whenevers I'm going to be doing an issue by issue commentary on the issues 7, 8, and 9 of "Gargoyles: Clan Building". The story is a fascinating, brilliantly written tale centered around an artifact known as the Stone of Destiny and the massive battle to obtain it.

This is my favorite story from my favorite writer, Greg Weisman. It hits everything I love about both "Gargoyles" and the art of writing in general. If someone were to ever point to my ideal piece of fiction, I would point to this story.

I am, above all else, an aspiring writer with comics of my own I want to create one day. When it comes to writing, I find myself to be the kind of guy who values the THEME of a work beyond everything else. Characters, to me, are devices to explore themes with. Plots are the catacombs I travel through to explore these themes and find the answers that come with asking these questions. If a story is not telling me something, it is (at best) a guilty pleasure designed entirely for me to experience when I don't want to think. But stories I read ask the questions I want to ask. And if they don't answer them, they give me a new perspective to think about.

This mini-arc is presented nonlinearly, with events out of sequence...instead of organization by chronology, the story's scenes are organized by thematic relevancy. So naturally, I adored it.

It's also such a genuinely "Gargoyles" story. Robots everywhere, Macbeth and King Arthur having coffee, and magic abound shows that this story presents the vast Gargoyles Universe is a single tale. It's a gorgeous story that both stands uniquely on its own as a short piece and as something that greatly enhances multiple, seemingly contradictory elements of a larger tapestry.

I'm looking forward to peering into it as deeply as it deserves.

What?! I'm a Tenth Generation Mafia Boss?!

Welcome, five people on the internet, to the first of what'll hopefully be a lengthy series that seeks to comprehensively review and critique each and every episode of the Japanese animated series "Katekyo Hitman Reborn", a boys' action series about Tsunayoshi Sawada, a middle school loser who discovers he's actually the heir to the Vongola Mafia family!

Needless to say, Godfather this ain't. The series starts out as an absurd, (largely) sexless teen comedy that goes from sitcom to full on supernatural (and sci fi) drama, while always keeping itself in check with plenty of absurdity along the way. Though, as we'll find out, the major appeal of the series (beyond its colorful cast of preschool vagabonds and retards) is its ability to completely embrace itself at every turn, giving the story an interesting development unlike the grand majority of animated, and just general, programming.

So, we have a lot of ground to cover. Let's dive right in.

Episode Title: What?! I'm a Tenth Generation Mafia Boss?!

Episode Number: 1

Important Character Introductions:
-Reborn
-Tsunayoshi Sawada
-Kyoko Sasagawa
-Haru Miura
-Takeshi Yamamoto
-Ryohei Sasagawa
-Hayato Gokudera
-Hibari Kyoya

Rating: 8/10

Summary: Reborn, at the request of Vongola IX, travels to Japan to tutor Tsunayoshi Sawada (or Tsuna, as most call him), a middle school student who is talentless and made of fail and AIDS. In order to prepare him for his training as a mafioso, Reborn unleashes the Deathperation Bullet, a bullet that temporarily kills its victim and then revives him as a new, energized human being...who, for a short period, can use his newfound powers to accomplish his dying will! Unfortunately, when Tsuna attempts to confess his love to Namimori Middle School's most beautiful girl, he finds himself challenged to a battle in the schoolyard by the Kendo team captain!

Review: Ah, here we are. The opening episode. And what an episode it is!

There's a lot to cover in this episode, just because so much happens in one half hour. Many relationships that will last throughout the entire series are subtly established and a grand majority of our central cast is upfront and center without really dominating the story. In fact, it's incredible that we learn so much about the characters despite how little they really do in this story. Just offhand:

We know that Yamamoto is a baseball player.
Ryohei excercises.
And Hibari takes his school...very seriously.

These particular traits, as trivial as they sound, are extremely significant pieces of information that are the focal points of each character. And yet they're all very casually and naturally addressed in this opening story without even being the focal point. It doesn't come off forced because it's all contextualized within what's directly going on with Tsuna. It's Tsuna's superpowered chase through the city to find Kyoko where we learn about Ryohei. It's Tsuna doing crazy batshit things that reveals Yamamoto's a good catcher. And finally, it's Tsuna not being in class due to his Deathperation rampage that Hibari's intense love of his school (and his status as head of the Namimori Middle Disciplinary Committee) first shows itself. This episode is ultimately Tsuna's story and all of what we learn about anyone else is through the prism of Tsuna's own experiences. A perfect way to open up the story.

Other characters, sadly, aren't quite as distinctive. The three above each have a unique quality about them that you could assign to their names...but our two female side characters (Kyoko and Haru) can only be described by whether or not they're attracted to Tsuna (Kyoko isn't, Haru is). On one level, this makes perfect sense: If we're seeing the characters through the prism of Tsuna's experience, then whether or not they dig him is a logical thing to explore. On the other hand...they literally don't do ANYTHING unless it's related to whether or not they like Tsuna. It's a little disheartening and a little TOO driven by the mind of a fourteen year old boy. For the sake of this single review, I'm going to count this as a minor flaw and give the writing the benefit of the doubt. After all, there's only so much ground to cover in 22 minutes, especially when you have to establish the premise of your entire series! We'll see how these characters grow as the story goes on, but I would've liked a plot important character like Kyoko to get the same characterization as incidental characters like Yamamoto or Ryohei did.

Though, considering Ryohei, it's rather interesting to see how different he is compared to the rest of the series. But we'll get to that when his focus episode comes up soon. But, for now, I'm just planting the seed.

Luckily, other things are smoother. The Deathperation Flame, the catalyst for a lot of Tsuna's actions this early in the game, is described quickly and concisely. Reborn's entire presence is mysterious, but properly so (and by the end of the episode, he explains his mission anyway, leading to a well done denouement). While Gokudera's appearance near the end, wondering about the 10th Vongola and if he's truly worthy, is a tad tacked on, it nonetheless plants the seeds necessary for us to have a continuing story.

So, all and all, this is a decent opener for the mammoth series. We meet a lot of characters in a short amount of time without anything feeling overbearing or TOO sloppy, the tone of the series as a wacky comedy is established VERY quickly, and it's a cute plot that isn't ambitious but does exactly what it needs to do: establish our series. So, all in all, I give "What?! I'm a Tenth Generation Mafia Boss?!" eight Deathperation Bullets out of ten.

Trivia of the Day: Notice, near the beginning, Vongola IX is explicitly referred to as "the Godfather." As far as my recollection goes, this is the ONLY instance in the entire series where he's called that! Every other mention is specifically Vongola IX or "the Ninth"!