Agatha Christie - The secret adversary - a graphic novel review

7 May 1915, the First World War is in full swing. On board the Lusitania, a spy trusts a folder of secret documents to a woman. Then the Lusitania goes down and the man drowns. It's 1918 and the war is over and the documents seem to be forgotten until a woman disappears without a trace. Tommy and Tuppence start snooping around.

I must honestly say that I did not know the Tommy and Tuppence detectives from Agatha Christie until I came across this album in 1996. I had totally forgotten about it until I saw Partners in crime on television last year (2015). And remembered the comic when I saw that the main characters were Tommy and Tuppence. The first story, which consisted of three episodes, was also called The Secret Adversary. After seeing this series I read the comic again. All known names and the same offender had done it. But there is a world of difference between the television series and the comic strip and so I suspect the original book. I will not list all the differences because that’ll take a while, but I will limit myself to the biggest differences (without explaining too much of the story). To begin with, the television series is set in the 1950s and the comic strip in the late 1910s. The original book was first published in 1922. In the series Tommy and Tuppence are married and have a son, in the comic strip they are clearly not (yet) married, let alone have a child. In the series, it's about a film rather than a document. Do not get me wrong I certainly enjoyed the television series, but I suspect the strip is more faithful to the book. And I should like to pay tribute to scenario writer François Rivière who has done a great job at turning this complicated story to a comic. The story and the plot twists are easy to understand.

The beautiful realistic drawings are from Frank Leclercq. He has given each character his own characteristics and has an eye for detail, which is reflected in the decors.

All in all, I think this is a successful album.


---

Detective
Links:
Frank Leclercq wikipedia
Frank Leclercq comiclopedia
François Rivière wikipedia

Agatha Christie - Death on the Nile - a graphic novel review

This story of the world's most famous detective writer, Agatha Christie, needs no introduction. Like the first part of the series, Detective Comics introducing Agatha Christie, "this is another story with the equally famous detective Poirot in the lead. During a trip along Rhine ..., oh no correction, a trip on the Nile, an extremely rich young woman is killed. It's up to Poirot to unmask the killer and in the Agatha Christie tradition there is no shortage of suspects.

This story has been filmed twice, once in 1978 with Peter Ustinov in the role of Poirot and once in 2007 in the television series, Agatha Christie's Poirot with the great David Suchet in the lead. The 1978 version could count on a star cast with Jane Birkin, Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, David Niven, Maggie Smith and Angela Lansbury. Although I enjoyed this film, I found Ustinov to act too comically. David Suchet does this in my eyes better and his Poirot is more like he’s in the books. Funny fact is that Angela Lansbury would take Miss Marple's role on not much later, in 1980, and again, later, she would play detective Jessica Fletcher in Murder she wrote. This series is written in the same way as Agatha Christie did in her early period.

But now I'm deviating. I must of course talk about the comic. François Rivière has a great book to make it a comic book. He had to take into account the fact that he had to tell the book in 46 pages. A whole task seems to me. He had to leave a lot of thing out no doubt, but all the necessary elements are in it, yet the story is good and logical and does not seem to be rushed or too compact.

The realistic drawings are made by Jean-François Miniac, aka Solidor. He not only devotes much attention to the different characters, but also to the beautiful decors.

All in all, a very nice album.
---

Genre: Detective
Links:
Agatha Christie wikipedia
Solidor wikipedia
Solidor comiclopedia
Murder on orient express comicreview

Cannon - a comic review

Cannon has been so thoroughly brainwashed by the communists that he does not have any feelings anymore. They also trained him so that he seems invulnerable, so he has become a perfect Soviet spy. Once back in the US he is captured and brainwashed back, but it is not possible to undo his insensitivity. The US secret service only sees this as a plus and Cannon starts working for them. He is sent on various missions and has only one real enemy and that is the Chinese Madam Toy. Where Cannon is America's best secret agent, Madam Toy is the best of China.

When Wallace Wood writes this story in 1981, the James Bond's film "For your eyes only" is playing in the cinema. This film, with Roger Moore in the role of the most famous secret agent ever, is already the 13 th James Bond movie. The James Bond episode 'Casino Royale' (1954) from the TV series Climax! Not included. Although "For your eyes only" did not bring as much money in the till as "Moonraker" from 1979, James Bond was still unprecedented. It is therefore not so strange that there was a demand for comics with a secret agent in the lead. But Wallace Wood made his own secret agent. Cannon is more serious and violent in this three-part comic series. But violence is always justified. Women are not saved in these scenes. Madam Toy knows, although she's almost always scarcely clothed, knows how to fight.

That brings me to the drawing of Wallace Wood. Who knows the ‘Sally Ford' comics knows that he has a love for beautiful women, but although the men are less scarcely dressed in the story, they are also beautifully drawn. Wood makes good use of black and white and some grey tones through grids.

My final conclusion is that this is an album with a good story that is told with speed and supported by beautiful drawings. However, I must warn the fanatic feminists that the nudity, although beautifully pictured, is not always functional.

---

Cannon on Catawiki
Wally Wood on Wikipedia
Wally Wood on the Comiclopedia

Lady Justice - a comic review

‘When an innocent woman is horribly wronged, she can be possessed by a spirit of justice that will empower her to seek justice she deserves by any means possible.’

This is written on the back of this bundle of Lady Justice comics. If I had read it a little better before I bought it, I had thought twice about buying it. But I got into the commercial trap that blinded me. I only read Neil Gaiman's name on the front. I knew him from "Signal to Noise" and I read somewhere that he wrote a Doctor Who episode. So that must be good, I thought. But when I opened the album at home and read the title page, I started to doubt my purchase. It says; 'Based on a concept created by Neil Gaiman. C. J. Henderson and Wendi Lee writers'. Nevertheless, I began to read with great readiness and thought these two, to my unknown writers, deserve a chance. But it did not matter, I reached with a lot of effort page 168, about halfway through the comic. Sorry superhero lovers, all the violence sickened me. It's not so much that I'm against violence in comics, but this comic is filled with violence that comes from revenge. A better title would be Lady Revenge instead of Lady Justice.

There are several stories in this album. Although every woman has her own reason for her revenge, the end of the story is always the same. The repetitions become boring. Perhaps this genre in America is popular because the police and justice often fail in its task. Perhaps it has to do with the second amendment in the US Constitution that states that everyone has the right to carry a weapon. I do not know, but it will be clear that this is not the genre I love. I can only hope that most parents of the children who read this show their children that revenge is not the right way to resolve conflicts.

Is there really nothing positive about this album? Yes, the realistic drawings are reasonably good. And I have to admit that, due to the dynamic composition of the drawings make the action splash of the pages. Beautifully done. The Americans are very good at that, I do not know any European comics aren’t more drawn that way.

But the beautiful drawing can not hide the terrible story.

---

Links:
Lady Justice wikipedia
Lady Justice goodreads
Neil Gaiman wikipedia
Lady Justice catawiki

Mother War - a graphic novel review

January 1915. In the heart of the poor Champagne region. Six months already, Europe is burning and is bathing in blood. Six months that has caused thousands of deaths. But at the front it is the bodies of three women who distress the army.
Three women, killed in cold blood. On their bodies ... every time ... a farewell letter. A farewell letter written by their killer. A farewell sealed with the trench mud, ... a last resting place, unthinkable to those who are the symbol of safety and security, the ultimate foundations of humanity.
Women ... Impossible. Everything would collapse. Or else is it the war itself that’s being killed…

This is written on the back of this album. I could not have said it better myself. When I began to read in this graphic novel, it became clear that words and sayings are used that are unknown to me. At first I thought it was a bad translation, but I soon understood that the Dutch translation of this originally French graphic novel was made for the Flemish market. Once I had accepted that fact, I was immediately sucked into the story.

The main character, Lieutenant Vialatte, was assigned to the military police after he was rejected for the army. When he is charged with the investigation of the murders, he decides to go to the front trenches to find out how the women got there. He wants to taste the atmosphere of the war to find out about the motives of the perpetrator. But this graphic novel is not just a search for the killer, we also get to know Vialatte very well. Long he stays optimistic. Nevertheless, the war will also have an effect on him.

The descriptions of the war I think are very beautiful, they really make me feel for Vialatte. Dialogues are very realistic. I can imagine vividly that when you are in the misery that the soldiers  are in you have developed a cynical sense of humor. Without that, it seems difficult to survive.
There is one comment. When soldiers in a train see strung up soldiers on a tree someone calls: "Hey guys, look outside! Through the war, the trees bear strange fruits!” This reminded me of a song that Billie Holiday has sung: Strange Fruit. Only in this song is about black men in South America in the 30s. A song I still get goose bumps from.

When it comes to World War I, you can hardly ignore the master of this subject, Jacques Tardi. A comparison is therefore made quick. What I notice is that Tardi's reflection of WOI is more unilateral than the image Christophe Goret, alias Kris, outlines in this book. Tardi mainly shows the soldiers who want to kill their superiors and want to desert or commit mutiny. Kris also shows this side, but he also tells about the soldiers fighting for loyalty to the soldiers who are in the same shit. They are fighting because they can not do anything else because the home front does not understand them and they fight because they owe it to the comrades who have been killed.

The drawings by Martin Leclerc, alias Maël, do not compare with that of Tardi. The lines appear scratched loosely on paper. I can imagine that a soldier made them in a trench. The coloring also deserves a mention. At first I thought it was watercolor, but looking at the intensity of the colors, I think it's done with ecoline. The violence and the blood splashes off the pages. This will drag you right into the story.


---

Genre: War, Detective
Links:
Mother War catawiki
Martin Leclerc on comiclopedia
Kris on wikipedia

Weird Fantasy no 13 - a comic review

In this American comic there are four science fiction stories.
The first 'The End' is about a radioactive comet that approaches the earth. Fortunately, the comet burns into the atmosphere, but radioactivity has caused all mammals to become infertile. Can humanity still be saved?
In 'The Trip!' Doctor Masterson falls in love with his assistant, Miss Fuller. Love is mutual, but Masterson's wife does not want to divorce the doctor. If Masterson goes to the space colonies, he decides to take his lover with him. But this is not so simple because unmarried women may not go to the colonies. But soon he knows a solution for this. Will they finally be happy?
'Home to stay' is about astronaut Dan Fawcett. He is happily married and has a nice son. But he follows his heart and goes away for space travel for long times on end. As his son Jimmy sees a falling star he makes a wish. He does not know that his wish will be cruelly granted.
The last story 'Do not count your chickens ...' is about a boy who finds a strange colored egg at Easter. When it is hatched, a strange creature comes out who gives assignments to the boy. Could the world ever be the same again?

The original of this comic appeared in 1951, but I read the reprint from 1973. Apart from Doctor Who, I'm not that into science fiction, but this comic featured such fun stories that I had a great time reading it. The stories have a strange kind of dark humor that I love.

The artist of the issue is Al Feldstein. In addition to his work for EC comics, this publishing company of this comic, he was also editor of the satirical magazine Mad. Usually he wrote and drew one story per comic. But probably for this comic he only wrote the scenarios. It’s almost certain that he has made the cover.
'The End!' And 'Home to stay' are drawn by Wallace Wood, of course we all know of his ‘Sally Ford' comics. Wood later distinguished himself by drawing strange aliens in his comics. But regrettably there are none of those in this comic. The drawing for this comic is, understandably, still very studio-like.
'The Trip' is drawn by Jack Kamen. He started his career as an assistant sculptor. After the Second World War, he began to draw comics for Fiction House and the Eisner & Iger studio. Feldstein, who also worked for the Eisner & Iger studio, brought Kamen to EC comics.
'Do not count your chickens' was drawn by Joe Orlando. In the early 50's he was Wallace Wood's assistant. His first story under his own name appeared in 1951. In the 1960s he went to work for DC Comics.

Although I'm not very focused on American comics, I think this is a very nice comic. The quality of the stories rises far above the average Superman comic. Although the drawing is very studio-like, in which there is little freedom for self-interpretation by the draftsman, I think it is well-drawn.


---

Genre: Science Fiction
Links:
Al Feldstein on the Comiclopedia
Wallace Wood on the Comiclopedia
Jack Kamen on the Comiclopedia
Joe Orlando on the Comiclopedia
Joe Orlando on Wikipedia
Jack Kamen on Wikipedia
Wallace Wood on Wikipedia
Al Feldstein on Wikipedia
Weird Fantasy on Catawiki

Asterix and the missing scroll - a comic review

The story in a nutshell. Caesar wrote a book, a papyrus, about his Gallic conquests. His adviser Promoplus advises him to leave one chapter out. This is the unfortunate village of Asterix and Obelix. Polemix has gotten hold of this chapter and wants to publish it so the world will know about it. With the Romans on his heels he flies to the village of Asterix. The Gallians do not believe in the written word. They think that Caesar's book is quickly forgotten. But they see the importance of having the chapter in collective memory. In the Carnuten forest, druid Archeopterix lives. He is a kind of human Wikipedia. So Asterix, Obelix and Panoramix leave for the forest. Polemix remains in the village.

The story has a lot of word jokes and fighting. The story is from Jean-Yves Ferri and the drawings are from Didier Conrad. The duo has also made the previous Asterix album. I already thought that was a nice album and this album does not disappoint eighter. There are many funny references to the present. One important thing is that Polemix is based on Julian Assange, the man behind Wikileaks. The character should first be called Wikilix, but because of the rights, it could not be used. That’s a shame, because that made the link more clear. I did not get it at first now. I read it in another review. But when I knew, I was going to see this comic in another daylight. It's my first time reading an Asterix that has a political theme. I’d like them to do that more often.

The drawings are also good, totally in the style of Uderzo. Just fine.

I therefore highly recommend this album.

---

Genre: Humor
Links:
Asterix and the missing scroll on Catawiki
Jean-Yves Ferri on the Comiclopedia
Didier Conrad on the comiclopedia

Franka - L’oevre d’art - a comic review

In this second Franka album, Franka's neighbour Raphael Reghenboogh disappears. Raphaël is a painter who usually only makes advertising signs. When he gets a commission for a real painting, he lends Franka's car to deliver the painting to the client. Raphael disappears. Franka, obviously, wants her car back and goes out to research for him. Where is he and why has he disappeared? On those questions you will receive an answer after reading this album.

This is the third Franka album I read. Although the end of ‘L’oevre d’art’  made me think of the ending of a Hitchcock movie, I think this is the best Franka album I've read so far. As with all Franka albums, this part is also drawn and written by Henk Kuijpers. He writes an exciting and original story. The drawings are also sublime, he has an eye for detail. Franka lives in Groterdam, but Kuijpers has taken Amsterdam as a model for this city. You can clearly recognize the canals.

It's a very nice album, I can recommend anyone to Franka comics.
---

Genre: Detective
Links:
Franka wikipedia
Franka catawiki
Henk Kuijpers wikipedia
Henk Kuijpers comiclopedia

Click! - a comic review

In Manara’s ‘Click!’ a receiver is implanted in the brain of Claudia, a frigid woman, without her knowing it. When a switch on a remote controle is turned on, she becomes horny. The remote controle is in possession of an impotent, voyeuristic man. He turns on the switch at every time he likes. This produces hilarious moments.

This is the second Manara album I read. The first was 'The journey of G. Mastorna’, this is an album in which, especially for Manara, there is little sex. But when reading this album, I learned to appreciate Manara's style of drawing. Still, it took me years before I actually started to collect Manara comics.

Manara provided the story for ‘Click!’ as well as the drawings. Usually the stories of erotic comics are not very good. Often it is a sequelae of sex scenes that are placed in random order. ,Click!’is an exception. It's not just a logical story of a woman who flies for the switch that makes her horny, but it's also a funny story. I really have to laugh at a scene where Claudia, at a party, in a horny mood puts a candle with a 14-piece diamond on it in her ass. The birthday girl, for whom the diamond was intended, doesn't stop calling: ‘My gift! My present!'. A count and other guests at the party try to retrieve the diamond in all sorts of maners. But the horny Claudia does not really gives them any cooperation.

It's a fun album.

---

Genre: Erotic / Humor
Links:
Click! on Stripinfo.be
Click! on Wikipedia
Milo Manara official website
Milo Manara on the Comiclopedia
Milo Manara on Wikipedia

Spaghetti et l'emeraude rouge - a comic review

Spaghetti rings unsuspectingly at the house of Mr Strikdas to sell him some household equipment. The miracle happens, Mr. Strikdas wants to buy one on condition that he looks after an emerald for a month. The unsuspecting Spaghetti does not know that the emerald damnes everyone who comes near it. When a bunch of criminals want to make use of this, Spaghetti is in trouble.

This is already the fourteenth Spaghetti album that appeared in 1974, but it's my first acquaintance with the funny little clumsy man. I had bought it because René Goscinny wrote the scenario. Everyone knows his great sense of humor of the Lucky Luke and Asterix comics. His humor is unusually funny and this album does not disappoint. It's funny to see that anyone who comes close to Spaghetti gets an accident or an almost accident. For example, a painter falls from his scaffold and hangs on his brush while saying, "Fortunately, I use paint that dries quickly!”

The cartoon-like drawing are from Dino Attanasio. He is an experienced draughtsman. His first drawing he published in the magazine Tintin in the late 40's. Later he collaborated with Martin Lodewijk on the Johnny Goodbye comics. More realistic drawing of him was Bob Morane.

I think this is a nice album and I'm sure I will collect more Spaghetti albums.
---

Humour
Links:
René Goscinny on Wikipedia
René Goscinny on the Comiclopedia
Dino Attanasio on Wikipedia
Dino Attanasio on the Comiclopedia
Spaghetti on Catawiki

Sherlock Holmes & the vampires of London 1 & 2 - a graphic novel review

May 1891. Sherlock Holmes dies at the Reichenbach Falls when he is opposed to his worst enemy, Professor Moriarty. Or that’s what the press tells the people. A made up story, because Holmes is alive and wants to take advantage of his supposed death to travel around the world. But ordinary mortals can easily fool, others will not be convinced. Holmes sees his plans crossed when London vampires find his trail in Paris …

Here starts the adventure of Sherlock Holmes. Holmes is hired by vampires to disarm a vampire that has gone out of control. You must have noticed that this is not an ordinary Sherlock Holmes detective. This is my first encounter with Sylvain Cordurié who took care of the scenario. Although I love more of the old Hammer horror than today's bloody horror, I think this is a very good comic. There are some bloody scenes in this comic, but it's not an excess of violence. I call it functional violence. There is also depth in the story, Holmes asks a female vampire whether she did not feel hate for those who took her life away. She answers that she has lost her life to gain eternity, gain a broader view of the world and experience more intense feelings. Unlike Holmes's life, the emptiness of her existence has been transformed to fulfillment and a sense of abundance.

For Watson, Holmes's sidekick, there is no place in this album. On the one hand, I think that is a pity, but on the other hand, I do not have to hear the statement; ‘Elementary, my dear Watson’ either. I have been annoyed by that statement many times in the Sherlock Holmes movies. Especially because Conan Doyle never wrote this. But now I wander off.

The illustrations by Vladimir Krstic, alias Laci, are very realistic. He also has an eye for detail, interiors and buildings are also beautifully drawn. The violent scenes are very intense. There is a lot of dynamism.

However, I have to mention that the cover was drawn by Jean-Sébastien Rossbach. Also beautiful done by the way.
Axel Gonzalbo also deserves a mention for the coloring of this album. He uses shades that show the time of the gas light.

This comic in two parts is from the collection 1800 of Daedalus publishing company. They've put in a lot of effort to give this comic a luxurious look. It is printed on good quality paper (coated paper) and the hard cover is treated with spot protection (partially shiny).

This is my first acquaintance with this new genre that blends detective with horror and it makes me want for more.

---

Horror detective

Links:
Sherlock Holmes wikipedia
Arthur Conan Doyle wikipedia
Sherlock Holmes & vampires of London Goodreads
Sherlock Holmes & les vampires de Londres stripinfo.be
Sylvain Cordurié wikipedia
Vladimir Krstic on the comiclopedia
Vladimir Krstic on wikipedia

Cinebook recounts - The Wright Brothers - a graphic novel review

As the title suggests, this album is about the construction of the first plane. The brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright have begun as bicycle repairmen, but since childhood they are captivated by the phenomenon of flying. Once they have grown up, they chased after this dream. They are convinced that man will be able to fly in the future and they are the appropriate people to prove this. As the world was on the verge of, what would later be called, the First World War several countries had an interest in a plane. But it would take more than ten years before the First World War broke out.

You have to give it to Wright's brothers, they had perseverance. More perseverance than I have had while reading this album. Because the story is so dry that I didn’t finish this album in one go. It is mainly a summary of technical data. That's probably interesting for anyone who is interested in flyingtechniques, but for me, although I'm really interested in this topic, it's not that interesting. I miss the tension in the story. There is a moment in the story where the brothers tell the press that they soon will succeed in the first manned flight. In reality, they are still far from it. That could have been an exciting twist in the story, but it stays with only a mention. Also, little is said about the relationship between the brothers and the home front.

This is a comic made after a book by the English pilot and creator of Biggles stories William Earl Johns. I am not familiar with his work or the work of Jean-Pierre Lefevre-Garros who has written the comic scenario. The latter does not have many comics to his name and what he wrote has been limited to Biggles stories.

Are there any positive comments about this album? Yes, I like the realistic drawings of Marcel Uderzo very much. 'Uderzo? Uderzo?' I hear you think, is that not that Asterix's draftsman? Uderzo is indeed the draftsman of Asterix, but not the draftsman of this album. Albert Uderzo did draw Asterix and this album is by his brother Marcel. Although Marcel has been drawing comics since 1976, his oeuvre has remained limited. Remarkably is that his first comic was an Asterix story.

This is definitely an interesting album for anyone who is professionally engaged in flying. Anyone looking for an exciting or engaging story does not have to purchase this album.


---

Historic biography
The Wright Brothers on Stripinfo.be
The Wright brothers on Catawiki
The Wright brotheres on Wikipedia
William Earl Johns on Wikipedia
Biggles on Wikipedia
Marcel Uderzo on the Comiclopedia

Sherlock Holmes - Jack the Ripper - a graphic novel review

It is 1888 and London is is in terror because of the bloody murders of Jack the Ripper. Sherlock Holmes is the appropriate person to unmask this murderer who kills prostitutes in a horrific maner.

Here, writer and creator of Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle, has been inspired by the real live killer Jack the Ripper who lived in London in 1888. This infamous Jack the Ripper has never been caught and so far it is still uncertain what the true identity of Jack the Ripper is. At the time, many letters were sent to the police who were signed with Jack the Ripper. But there was one that contained information that was not brought out by the police and thus could only be know to the perpetrator.
In 2002, writer Patricia Cornwell claimed in the book ‘Portrait of a murderer’ that the painter Walter Sickert might be Jack the Ripper. Cornwell examined the case and did DNA testing on letters from both Jack the Ripper and the painter Sickert.
British businessman Russell Edwards said in 2014 to have proof that the perpetrator was the Polish Jew Aaron Kosminski. This man had been a suspect at that time, but no evidence of his guilt could be found. With newer techniques, DNA was recovered on a scarf most likely to be found next to the body of Catherine Eddowes. Besides Eddowes's blood (making sure that the scarf was present at the scene of crime), sperm was also found on the scarf. By comparing DNA from semen with DNA from Kosminski's descendants, Edwards concluded that the Polish immigrant had to be Jack the Ripper. His DNA could now be linked to one of the murders.

I am more likely to believe the theory of Cornwell. The theory of Edwards does not seem convincing to me because the sperm could have ended up on the scarf at any time before the murder.

But Doyle never knew all these things and created his own offender. He shows the atmosphere of that time very well. Everyone was scared and everyone distrusted each other. Doyle said, at that time, that the perpetrator could be a woman. It would’ve been interesting if he had used that in his story, but he didn’t. I think that’s a pity. The only women in his story are the prostitutes. In May 2006 a DNA study was conducted on some of the stamps that were on a number of Ripper letters. The DNA examination was found to be from a woman. But if the letter with the specific perpetrator knowledge was examined I do not know.

André Duchâteau did a great job at transforming Doyles story to a comic. It stays thrilling right up to the end. The realistic drawings are from Luc van Linthout.

Although the story might have been even more interesting, I certainly find this a very good album. I think this is the best Sherlock Holmes (from the collection detective comics) comic that I've read so far. In short, it's worth reading.


Genre: Detective
Sherlock Holmes on wikipedia
Arthur Conan Doyle on wikipedia
Jack the Ripper on wikipedia
André-Paul Duchâteau on wikipedia
André-Paul Duchâteau on the comiclopedia
 Jack the Ripper comics on catawiki

Under a far sky - a graphic novel review

The brothers Pietro and Luca love the same woman. This woman breaks the engagement with Pietro and chooses Luca.

You would expect this to be a story about jealousy and unfaithfulness, but this is not the case. Pietro is full of understanding and puts his own happiness aside and wishes the couple the best. This could be the end of the story, if this story didn’t take place during World War II and both brothers serve in the Italian army and have to fight in Africa. Pratt, who is responsible for both the story and the drawings, knows how to expose a side of the war that you do not often see in comics, books and movies. This is the side of the Italians, who were the bad guys in this war. We see that Pietro is friends with an English soldier just before the war. Through the war, they have become enemies against their own will.

Because Pratt elaborates the character of Pietro, the story gets an extra dimension this way. The love story, the friendship with the English soldier and the war come together at the end and get a deeper meaning. Pratt makes sure that the story is not entirely set before hand, he ensures that there is room for the reader to interpret the story as he / she sees it. I think that is so admirable to Pratt. My interpretation of this story is that there is no good and bad, there is only humanity.

Beautiful album, definitely recommended. Although I think it's less suitable for young readers. I think many children will not see the deeper layer in this graphic novel.

Under a far sky at Catawiki
Hugo Pratt on Wikipedia
Hugo Pratt on the Comiclopedia

Woogee - The city of the angels - a graphic novel review

  

In the first part we get to know Woogee. He was taken by inspector Knickerbocker to keep him on the straight and narrow. He got Woogee a job at the a Hollywood filmstudio.
In this story in two parts Woogee meets the beautiful daughter of a gangster boss. If this gangster is eliminated by his rivals, the daughter is no longer sure of her life. Woogee feels obligated to take her to safety. This is not only dangerous for himself, but also for his friends.

I found the first part of Woogee great and this second story does not disappoint me either. Because this story is spread over two albums, there is more space for the development of the story. I always find that very nice. In the first part, we see how the film industry operates and how the mafia runs its business. We see that Woogee has received shelter from a successful scenario writer. It is a good start which develops further in the second album.
Just as you think the story becomes predictable, things seem different. Beniest has done a great job at writing this story.

André Beniest's drawings are very good. There are a lot of nice stereotypes in this comic strip. There is also room for some nice page filling illustrations.

Great album.


---

Tags and links:
Adventure
Woogee on Catawiki
André Beniest on the comiclopedia

Corto Maltese - the Celts - a graphic novel review

     

In this album there are four independent stories that are all related to the Celts. For our era, the area where the Celts lived was large, not only Ireland and Great Britain but also a large part of the continent in Europe. Today, there are only a few areas that are really Celtic, these are Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany. Of these areas, the Celtic language is still spoken in certain small areas in Ireland, part of Wales and a part of Brittany. These areas have their own folklore, myths and legends. These play a role in the stories that you can read in this album.

The first print of this album dates back to 1986, contains the stories 12 through 17 and is black and white. The reprint that I have read and discusse now is from 2003, contains the stories 14 through 17 and is colored (therefore, it is technically speaking not a second print, but also a first print). Although with Hugo Pratt graphic novels my preference usually goes to his black and white work, I do not think the color of this album is disturbing. It is quite light that I find very appropriate because Corto has a positive view on life. It is also done neatly.

I noticed that in this album Corto is in charge of the story. He was still the key figure in 'In the Sign of the Capricorn' and 'The Ballad of the Silver Sea', in this album he is further helping the story, rather than a prominent leading man. In this story, Corto is clearly a spectator. Yet he get’s the lead halfway through the story 'Concert in O-Minor for Harp and Nitroglycerin’. The story already has developed to it’s crucial moment when Corto steps in to help Sinn Fein in Ireland's independence struggle.

The other stories are set during the First World War. And as you may know, if you've read more of my reviews, this is my favourite period in history. I am also pleased that Pratt has carefully examined the history before telling the story. For example, in 'Cotes the units and roses or Picardy' is shown the death of legendary German flying ace Baron Manfred von Richthofen. There are indeed indications that he was struck by one bullet in the heart, probably coming from a machine gun on the ground. But Pratt uses this for an interesting plot twist.

As for the drawings, it looks neater than I am used from Pratt. It lacks the scratch of his previous work. I suspect that this album has been edited later on because it had to be colored, but I’m not sure. I do not know the 1986 version of this graphic novel. Who has read it may clarify it in the comment box below.


---

Theme: Adventure
Links:
The Celts on Catawiki
Hugo Pratt on Wikipedia

Blake & Mortimer - The yellow ’M’ - a graphic novel review

For a long time ,The yellow M’ has London in his grip. He is a thief who leaves a yellow sign on the scene as a business card. When the royal crown is stolen and Scotland Yard still has no idea who the criminal is, they’ll ask Blake and Mortimer to investigate. If one to one single member of the Centaur club is kidnapped, they stand before a mystery.
A story full of chases and tension follows.

Both the story and the drawings are from Edgar P. Jacobs. Like all Blake & Mortimer stories, this story is a detective with a futuristic ending. Jacobs was especially inspired by films. In 1940 he began to work as an advertisement designer and illustrator. In 1942 he got a job at the magazine Bravo! In this magazine short stories by Jacobs were published. His first comic album was ‘The U-ray’. This comic contained many Flash Gordon-like elements. Many people consider this strip as a preliminary study for Blake & Mortimer. Jacobs has also worked with Hergé. He drew the backgrounds for the Tintin albums. In 1946 he was asked to make a feuilleton for the weekly magazine Tintin. That's when he conceived Blake & Mortimer. Jacobs wanted to co-sign the Tintin albums along with Hergé in the future. Hergé refused this. This was the end of their cooperation.

, The Yellow M 'is the third Blake & Mortimer story. This became the comic that Jacobs made world-famous in his own right. When this album was released in 1956 it broke all sales records. Jacobs had set a trend. Many designers were drawing in the same style.

This is the second Blake & Mortimer story that I read and I am very pleased with it. The story is exciting and original. I also the style of drawing.

---

Tags and links
Detective
The yellow ’M’ on Catawiki
Edgar P. Jacobs on Wikipedia
Edgar P. Jacobs on the Comiclopedia

The crypt of terror 1 - a comic review

This comic contains four short stories: 'Upon reflection' is about a small town where a werewolf causes death and destruction and the residents who fight him, in 'Blind Alleys' take the blind residents a home revenge on their cruel director, 'Success story' Is about a man who is constantly being belittled by his wife and her parents and in 'The Witch's Cauldron!' Marries Tony Barrett with an ugly but very rich widow.

All stories, written by Al Feldsteinnn, are typical of the pulp comics published in America in the 1950s. They are actually ordinary stories that are transformed into a comic story, but without the illustrations it is also good to read. The characters use language that was used by people in the streets, so there is some rude language. I can imagine that there was quite a lot of protest to this in the 1950s. Comics were often criticised by the establishment.
Feldsteinnn began his career at EC comics and than went on to work for Mad. In 2003 he was included in the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame and in 2011 he received the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Horror Writers Association. In 2014 he died.

The realistic drawing of Jack Davis, George Evans, Graham Ingels and Joe Orlando have the typical EC comics style that is so characteristic of American horror comics.

Originally, EC comics were called Educational Comics, but when they went together with DC comics, the company's course changed. They focused mainly on horror, suspense, science fiction and crime fiction.

If you love pulp horror, this comic is definitely a must read.
---

Tags en links:
Horror
The crypt of terror on Catawiki
Al Feldstein on Wikipedia
EC Comics on Wikipedia
Jack Davis on Wikipedia
George Evans on Wikipedia
Graham Ingels on Wikipedia
Joe Orlando on Wikipdia

Lucky Luke - versus Joss Jamon - a comic review

It's been a long time since I've read another Lucky Luke album. Although there is a lot of them in my bookcase. Unfortunately, I'm not complete yet. The first album that I have is ‘Lucky Luke - versus Joss Jamon'

In this album, the residents of Los Palitos City think Lucky Luke belongs to a gang of bandits who have spread terror in the city. They want to string him up. Luke promises to detect the bandits and return them to Los Palitos City for trial. Meanwhile, the bandits, under the direction of Joss Jamon, have settled in Frontier City. Jamon and his gang decide to stay for a while. They violently take over the cafe and the shops. Joss Jamon appoints a gangster to sheriff and makes himself eligible for mayor. Nobody dares to go against him. But change is coming when Lucky Luke arrives. Luke makes himself eligible, but nobody dares to vote for him. It will be not easy to arrest Jamon and his gang and return to Los Palitos City. But as always, Lucky Luke is the best man for the job.

The first eight Lucky Luke albums are drawn and written by Morris. Later, Goscinny started to write the stories. Of course we all know him as the author of Asterix. ,Lucky Luke - versus Joss Jamon’ is the third Lucky Luke album he has written. And he does it brilliantly. His sense of humor is clearly present. There are people who like Morris's writing better than Goscinny's, but I prefer Goscinny. I also decided to collect only the Lucky Luke's he wrote.

Morris drawing is again sublime. There are a lot of funny caricatures, like in many Lucky Luke albums. And on page 28, Robert Mitchum gets a small role.

I enjoyed reading this comic.

---

Tags and links:
Western humour
Morris on wikipedia
Lucky Luke - versus Joss Jamon on catawiki

Britten & Brülightly - a graphic novel review

Private Detective Fernández Britten has been burned out after years of confirming the worst suspicions of jealous lovers. , The heartbreaker 'is consumed by repentance about ruined lives, but clings to the hope ever revealing something that will have positive consequences.
And so, Britten and his unusual partner are investigating Berni Kudos's death. Blackmale, revenge, murder: With each discovery they land deeper into a swamp of troublesome family secrets. A special noir story in which nothing is black and white.

Both the story and the drawings are from, the unknown to me, Hannah Berry. I myself find this album one of the better detective comics. The story makes me curious and exciting. Although Britten's character does not lend itself to fierce action scenes, because he looks too depressed and does not care what happens to him, this album contains some of these scenes. That makes the story exciting.
Although this graphic novel is not humorous, there are some bits where I had to smile. It soon becomes clear that Britten speaks with a tea bag that is even talking back.

At first the drawings did not really appeal to me, but now that I read the story, I see that the style fits the story. Britten looks so depressed eyes that it enhances its character and thus the story.

I think Berry's first graphic novel is very original and I am very impressed with it and loved reading it. Berry has three albums in her name.


---

Tags and links:
Detective
Britten & Brülightly on Catawiki
Britten & Brülightly on Wikipedia

Fanfulla - a graphic novel review

It was 1527 and a gang of lansquenets of Georg Frundsberg are crossing Italy and burn everything in their way are standing before the gates of Rome. Fanfulla is one of those mercenaries fighting the Medici. But Fanfulla feels remorse for all the sins he has committed and decides to enter the monastery. But after two years, the blood creeps where it can not go and decides to pick up his weapons once again to fight the Medici. But by betrayal does not make it easy to win.

The Medici was a powerful and influential family who played a leading role as founder of the international banking system in the 15th century. The best known "Medici" is Catharina the "Medici who lived from 1519 to 1589. She made it to the Queen of France. She might have been the commissioner to Bartholomew Night, the massive massacre, and she would have poisoned her brother-in-law, the throne succesor. In addition, she introduced the perfume, potato, chocolate and haute cuisine in France. But her we do not see in this story, we also do not see Cosimo I the 'Medici, the first Grand Duke of Tuscany who lived from 1519 to 1574. Although Fanfulla and his corners fought against him.
No Hugo Pratt tells the little story of the mercenaries who fought against the 'Medici'. And that's just like Pratt, he tells the stories that seem unimportant. It's an exciting story with a rough diamond  as a hero. This graphic novel is also filled with action, but it's not at the expense of the story, it's very well-founded and there is room for the development of the characters here and there.

The black and white drawings, also made by Hugo Pratt, are beautiful. They seem to be thrown onto paper and look a bit sketchy here and there. I find that Pratt has chosen to put an antagonist on the cover rather than the protagonist. Perhaps Pratt or the publisher thought that a woman sold better than when they put a man on the cover. That may very well be, I have no objection to that choice anyway.

I definitely recommend this album from 1988.
---

Tags and links:
Adventure
Fanfulla on Catawiki
Hugo Pratt on Wikipedia

Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express - a graphic novel review

Well, I do not really need to tell anyone that this is perhaps the best-known story of the world's most famous detective writer Agatha Christie. Those who do not know the original book know the films that are made from this story. The youngsters among us may know the video game that was released in 2006.

Scenarist François Rivière and draftsman Jean-Fançois Miniac, aka Solidor, made this comic book in 1995. Rivière, who has been making comics scenarios since 1977, understands how to do his job. He knows the reader flawlessly leading to the denouement of the story, one after another suspect appears to the scene. Since I read the original book in my youth, it is too long to judge whether Rivière stays true to the book. However, I have seen the 1974 film several times and have watched the 2010 film for this review for a second time. Although I enjoyed the 1974 movie, with an all star cast, I was disappointed in Albert Finney as Poirot. I found him too artificial because he had so much makeup and he forced his voice to make it sound like a fat mans voice. However, I especially enjoyed Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Wendy Hiller, John Gielgud and Vanessa Redgrave, who have all set exceptional performances. I wonder if Rivière saw this movie. It could at least help him to shorten the story. Because 46 pages are very little to be able to translate the book into a comic.
As I said, 2010 was also filmed in the television series, Agatha Christie's Poirot 'with the fantastic David Suchet in the role of Poirot. What I like about this filming is that Poirot's character is so well developed. This I miss a bit in this comic, but in view of the limited number of pages I realize that there is no room for it. In the 2010 filming, we will see more about what happend before everybody got on the train. We see how a man unmasked by Poirot commits suicide and at the end we see Poirot struggling with the question of whether he should follow the law or his faith. These are the details that can perfect the story and give it depth.

I really like the realistic drawings of Miniac. It's a pity that Miniac has not made that many comics because he is clearly born to draw comics.

This series, Detective Strips introduces' is definitely a promising series. Unfortunately, it has remained five strips, that’s a pity.
---

Tags and links
Detective
Murder on the Orient Express on Amazone
Jean-François Miniac wikipedia

A l'ouest de l'Eden - a graphic novel review

This comic is set in 1931 and the story is about Lieutenant Abel Robinson who serves in Somaliland Camel Corps. Hit by a sunstroke he wrestles with his own insane ideas. Thus he talks to a dead man and meets Kayin and other biblical figures. Hence the title, ‘To the west of Eden '.

Hugo Pratt, who has written both the story and made the drawings, knows again with minimal means to make an impressive comic. When Robinson begins to talk to a dead man and he talks back you know he has gone crazy. Still, Pratt twist the story so that you do not know who's real and who only plays a role in Robinson's imagination. It's a very psychological and intriguing story. This is reinforced by the fact that Pratt focuses on the characters in the story. Because it takes place in the desert, there is little decor, so as a reader you focus on the personality of the characters.

I find this comic, released in 1980, definitely worth reading and I can recommend it.
---

Tags and links:
Graphic novel
To the west of Eden at Catawiki
Hugo Pratt wikipedia

Follies - Carmen Bond

This is the first part of the Follies series. , Carmen Bond 'contains ten short erotic tinted stories written and drawn by Alfonso Font.
Font started to draw comics in the 1960s. At that time he usually drew western, war, mystery and horror series. In the 70's he worked on the series, ‘Historias Negras', also released as ‘Dark Stories’. This was a collection of 18 short humorous adventures. From this experience, he had fun in making the Follies comic, Carmen Bond '. In the 80's he focused on science fiction. More recent work of Font are, Tex Willer 'and ‘Dylan Dog’.

Back to the Carmen Bond comic. This is the second, Follies' comic that’ve read. I did not think I would like to find some Sombrero comics, also an erotic series, were much fun to read. And ‚Rooie oortjes’ I found only sporadically fun, I often found it too bland and too flat. So I thought erotic comics are just not spend on me. But I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Follies' stories. Fonts stories I find very funny and he has also drawn it a lot of times. It is filled with beautifully scarily dressed women who look really good.

I borrowed this album for this review from a friend, but I'm sure to collect this series myself.
---

Tags and links:
Erotic Humour
Alfonso Font biography
Carmen Bond on Catawiki