Another nice volume. This one had a cute little Superman reference and a little crossover with Toriyama's previous popular series, Dr Slump.

I still really like the Red Ribbon army. They're such a goofy, low stakes enemy that seems really silly when you look back from the perspective of Z, with its world-destroying alien enemies. The RR Army is just a group of slightly superhuman bad guys. General Blue is just a strong guy. The plot is silly, and action-packed, and Goku never seems in any real danger.

As I read through the original Dragon Ball I'm comparing it more and more with Z (where my only experience is with the anime), and I think OG Dragon Ball might be winning. The humor and whimsy that aren't found in Z is in every chapter here, and while the fights are less bombastic they are drawn well. There's a lot of focus on characters that take a backseat in Z, and I really enjoy how well-built out the world is. My opinion might change as I get to the manga of Z and get a fresh perspective compared to the anime, but for now I'm liking the manga of Dragon Ball as much or more than the anime of Z.