Thread: Ghost in the Shell - manga

Anyone here read the actual Ghost in the Shell manga?

I'll admit that I only got interested in Ghost in the Shell after watching S.A.C. (soooo good), so I figured I'd actually go out and buy the manga. I had seen the movie before....it was okay, but both the movie and Gits: SAC took elements from the manga and either lengthened them, or shortened them (shortened them for the movie, lengthened them for SAC).

That being said.....I was kind of disappointed after reading the manga. I sort of knew what was coming, and it was really good to start off with, but the ending just kinda.....sucked. SAC is more closer to the ending of the manga than the movie, but SAC incorperates it waaaaaay better.

Sadly, I also bought the second Ghost in the Shell Manga (Man-Machine-Interface) which, as I have now found out, has absolutely nothing to do with the original Ghost in the Shell. They don't even have Batou in it......BATOU!!
I figured I'd give it a try anyhoo, seeing as how I paid $30 bucks for the dang thing, and wow is it ever boring.....I highly doubt I will ever finish reading that, and don't feel propelled to read it.

Not that the manga was absolutely horrible, still a decent read, but I was expecting way more from it than what I got. I can honestly (yet sadly) say that I could very well do without both GitS movies, and the manga, as I find SAC far superior.


But enough of me rambling.....the main point is I want to know what others thought of the manga. Liked it? Didn't Like It? Yes, No? Mustard, Ketchup?