Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Madness

This enjoyably frantic manga prequel to the anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners by Sztybor (The Witcher series) and Asano (BNA: Brand New Animal) bombards the reader with relentless action, foul-mouthed wit, and anarchic excess. In futuristic, crime-ridden Night City, gleefully violent Becca and her luckless brother, Pilar, struggle to prove themselves on the mean streets. They hope to become edgerunners like their father, who raised them on nuggets of wisdom like “This city’s a goddamn warzone! And wars aren’t won by cuddling dogs!” The volume doesn’t slow down long enough to unpack exactly what an edgerunner is or does, with little space for exposition as the siblings fight weirdo gangs, attempt heists, race through motorcycle chases and gunfights, and even, to Becca’s delight, rescue the occasional cuddly dog. The rampage is too frenzied for them to realize that the mysterious, mild-mannered fellow they’ve recruited into their gang is more dangerous than he first appears. The clean, cartoony art splays out on the page like an ultraviolent version of children’s manga, as if the human characters from Pokémon went on a crime spree. It’s a full-throttle sci-fi joyride. (Feb.)