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.


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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