Mirth And Morality

Looking for a great comic? Just follow Buddha. Osamu Tezuka (1928-89), a pioneer of the manga (Japanese comic book) form, added his own characters and stories to the life of the great spiritual leader, creating a graphic-novel epic. Translated into English by Vertical Inc. as an eight-volume series of stylish, $25 hardcovers, the third installment comes out this month. Though Tezuka's characters are cartoonishly cute and he frequently inserts goofy humor, the series also explores adult themes of romance and violence. Literati and pop-culture mavens alike will enjoy this manga masterwork. By Andrew D. Arnold