Draft:Keyman: The Hand of Judgement

KEYMAN -THE HAND OF JUDGMENT- (Japanese: キーマン・ザ・ハンド・オブ・ジャッジメント, Hepburn: Kīman za Hando obu Jajjimento) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Warainaku. It was serialized in Monthly Comic Ryu from June 2011 to February 2017. Drawing heavy inspiration from American superhero comics, the series is recognizable for its extensive use of English onomatopoeias, anthro characters, references to Christianity, the occult, as well as the topic of racial segregation in the US.

Setting
Set in an urban fantasy version of 20th-century United States where humans coexist alongside humanoid animals, the Beast Race (獣人種, Shishi Jinshu) that began to be born 40 years before the series' events, the story takes place in the fictional City of New Hope Lockville (ニューホープ・ロックヴィル市, Nyūhōpu Rokkuviru-shi), protected by a masked superhero known as Keyman.

The series' magic system heavily relies on access to a dimension known as the "Double Helix World", from which all forms of life are said to originate from. By tampering with its properties, humans are able to either create or become Keymen (キーマン, Kīman) - modified human beings with keyholes on their bodies that possess extraordinary strength, endurance and abilities such as shapeshifting.

Premise
Alex Rex, a detective working for the fictional Lockville Police Department, is tasked with investigating the murder of the city's superhero, the titular Keyman. Following a meeting with his alleged killer, a witch calling herself "Dr. Necro", a much greater conspiracy begins to unfold, involving the city's elites and an anti-Beast Race hate group, the Superiority of Species (スピリオリティ・オブ・スピーシーズ, Supirioriti obu Supīshīzu).

Characters
Alex Rex (アレックス・レックス, Arekkusu Rekkusu)

A disgruntled anthropomorphic tyrannosaurus and an inspector for the Lockville City Police Department. Thoroughly devoted to his job as a police officer and possessing a strong sense of justice, he believes Keyman to be little more than a nuisance that undermines the public's belief in the law and the police force's usefulness as a whole. Although he often comes off as cynical, he tends to be jovial and cares deeply for his subordinates and coworkers alike. Largely due to his size, he possesses superhuman strength, additionally enhanced by his powerful claws and tail.

Dr. Necro (Dr.ネクロ, Dr. Nekuro)

Real name Devonea Violet (デボネア・ヴァイオレット, Debonea Vaioretto) is a 118-year old witch born in Cornwall to a family with long-running tradition of practicing witchcraft, disguising herself as a young girl. Partially due to her age, she tends to act condescending and manipulative towards people around her, including Alex - this is, however, eventually revealed to be a facade she puts on to hide her true self, a deeply remorseful woman weighed down by her past mistakes. Due to possessing access to the Double Helix World, she's capable of shapeshifting, creating fake bodies and appendages, becoming a being made out of ectoplasm, as well as extending her own life.

Keyman (キーマン, Kīman)

Also known as the First Generation Keyman (初代キーマン, Shodai Kīman), real name Clint McCoy (クリント・マッコイ, Kurinto Makkoi), he was a sick child who eventually underwent magic surgery to become a superhero. Although he protects the city from various threats, he tends to overdo things and violently punish criminals, caring little for their life or death and prioritizing theatrics. Despite the two cutting ties upon Clint's apparent "death" from sickness, his father, Titor McCoy, is responsible for financing his endeavors and provides him with costumes, as well as a hideout.

PHANTOM

A masked, mute man who hunts down the Keymen, as well as a prime suspect in the Keyman murder case. He collects mementos of every Keyman he kills under his coat, using meat hooks to store parts of their bodies. Despite never making his intentions clear, he often protects Alex and Necro from harm.

Pete Knight (ピート・ナイト, Pīto Naito)

One of the youngest recruits at the Lockville City Police Department, working under Alex's command. Obsessed with Keyman and collecting pieces of merchandise related to him, he becomes emotionally invested in the Keyman murder case following his death. Having grown up on a farm where humans and beastmen lived together, he has a fondness for their kind, as well as a weakness for busty women. Despite often finding his superhero fascination irritating, Alex is shown to have a strong paternal instinct towards him, always keeping him out of harm's way.

Sally Charlton (サリー・チャールトン, Sarī Chāruton)

An anthropomorphic caracal and reporter for the Lockville Post magazine who manages to come into possession of Keyman's diary. However, her findings are largely ignored by her racist higher-up, who refuses to publish any of her findings. She's also the ex-wife of Alex (although the two aren't formally divorced), whom she often mocks and teases, forcing him to humiliate himself in public in order to get access to her materials. Upon meeting Necro, she develops a strong maternal instinct towards her, being unable to see her as anything more than a little girl no matter how hard she tries to convince her otherwise.

Aaron Woodfield (アーロン・ウッドフィールド, Āron Uddofīrudo)

An anthropomorphic hawk, the Superintendent of London Police, hailing from a family of British policemen who have been trying to arrest Dr. Necro for three generations. He agrees to aid Alex in return for letting him take Necro back to England once the investigation into Keyman's murder is over.

Flor (フロル, Furoru)

A meek and gentle policewoman, as well as one of Alex's subordinates. Despite her timid nature, she's kind and helpful. Over the course of the story, she develops a romantic relationship with Pete.

Walter Gordon (ウォルター・ゴードン, Worutā Gōdon)

An anthropomorphic gorilla and Alex's coworker who joined the police force at the same time as him. He tends to have a more level-headed approach to things than Alex, with Necro trusting him more to hand-pick officers that would aid them in the investigation, as well as protect her body when she temporarily leaves it in ectoplasm form. Much like Alex, he cares deeply for his coworkers and subordinates and possesses superhuman strength.

Jack Bicle (ジャック・バイク, Jakku Baikuru)

An anthropomorphic turtle and a forensic pathologist for the Lockville City Police Department, tasked with handling Keyman's autopsy. He is a member of the oldest generation of the Beast Race and proposes to qualify Keyman as a third species, distinct from humans and the Beast Race.

Freddy (フレディ, Furedi)

An anthropomorphic spinosaurus, running a cabaret named "HOLWOOD", where Beast Race members, especially LGBT ones, can find shelter and employment. He speaks in an effeminate manner. Prior to the story's events, he was a small-time robber who teamed up with Necro to rob banks, although he has since lost all his earnings by gambling in casinos. Following a police raid at Hraesvelgr, another club in the red light Harlequin District of Lockville which he claims "has some nasty rumors surrounding it", he takes in a small cat beastwoman and acts as her guardian.

Frank Violet (フランク・ヴァイオレット, Furanku Vaioretto)

One of Necro's students, as well as her only son. Having been subjected to many violent rituals by his mother and being given a vision of his future daughter Misery being born as a disfigured Beast Race member, he has grown resentful of their kind, being the man who created the Superiority of Species movement, believing their existence to be a mistake. After his wife is killed by the British and his daughter's body is stolen by Necro, he cares little for his subordinates and allies save for Birdie, his butler, whom he's romantically involved with.

BIRDY

Also known as Birdie, he is Frank's butler and lover. Capable of shapeshifting to a degree, following the first Keyman's demise, he takes on the Keyman mantle.

Norma Crossford (ノーマ・クロスフォード, Nōma Kurosufōdo)

One of Dr. Necro's past students and a Keyman, operating under the codename EAGLE and serving under Frank, although her affection towards him is extremely one-sided. An arrogant and easily angered woman, she owns and runs a bar where brutal shows involving Beast Race women are organized to entertain Superiority of Species-affiliated patrons. Although she sees herself as a witch of equal power to Necro, claiming to have gotten access to the Double Helix World just like her, she is capable of little more than shapeshifting, much to Necro's amusement.

Misery (ミザリ, Mizari)

Frank's daughter, an innocent and naive little girl whose body and soul are stolen by Necro in retaliation for her son killing her after she tried to help him. Sally quickly develops a bond with her, feeling even more of a maternal instinct towards her than she did with Necro.

Butler (バトラー, Batorā)

The overarching villain of the story, resembling a human skeleton in a suit and with an eyepatch on his right eye, having ties to both Dr. Necro's past and the existence of magic in the human world. He is explicitly stated to be the biblical Devil, resentful of humanity for stealing away God's affection towards him and scheming to bring forth humanity's extinction by aiding genocidal movements like the Superiority of Species.

Laszlo (ラズロ, Razuro)

One of Norma's subordinates, a cruel brute who tortures Beast Race women held captive at Hraesvelgr. Despite his criminal past, he claims to be a "good Christian who says all these dumb prayers everyday". He is eventually recruited by Butler and becomes a black Keyman, becoming even more violent and arrogant. His appearance bears heavy resemblance to the Popeye character Bluto.

Publication
First serialized in Monthly Comic RYU starting in the June 2011 issue, the manga was collected into 13 tankōbon volumes, published by Tokuma Shoten under the RYU Comics label. The author's debut manga, Magoichi ga Ikusa (孫市がいくさ), which had previously won a Silver Ryujin Award, was bundled with the second volume.


 * Volume 1 was released on November 30, 2011 ( ISBN 978-4-19-950273-6 )
 * Volume 2 was released on March 2, 2012 ( ISBN 978-4-19-950289-7 )
 * Volume 3 was released on September 13, 2012 ( ISBN 978-4-19-950308-5 )
 * Volume 4 was released on February 13, 2013 ( ISBN 978-4-19-950326-9 )
 * Volume 5 was released on August 12, 2013 ( ISBN 978-4-19-950352-8 )
 * Volume 6 was released on March 13, 2014 ( ISBN 978-4-19-950387-0 )
 * Volume 7 was released on August 12, 2014 ( ISBN 978-4-19-950410-5 )
 * Volume 8 was released on January 13, 2015 ( ISBN 978-4-19-950432-7 )
 * Volume 9 was released on June 13, 2015 ( ISBN 978-4-19-950458-7 )
 * Volume 10 was released on November 13, 2015 ( ISBN 978-4-19-950481-5 )
 * Volume 11 was released on May 13, 2016 ( ISBN 978-4-19-950508-9 )
 * Volume 12 was released on October 13, 2016 ( ISBN 978-4-19-950533-1 )
 * Volume 13 was released on March 13, 2017 ( ISBN 978-4-19-950559-1 )