Comic Books (2022)
- 2022-12: Les mondes de Thorgal - La jeunesse, Tome 7. La dent bleue
- 2019
- Scénario: Yann
- Dessin: Roman Surzhenko
- 2022-12: Les mondes de Thorgal - La jeunesse, Tome 6. Le drakkar des glaces
- 2018
- tags: #reread
- Scénario: Yann
- Dessin: Roman Surzhenko
- 2022-12: Paperino - n. 505
- Language: Italian
- Stories
- Paperino e l’intervista col campione
- 2022
- Transgaard/Andersen
- NOTES: Ok story with a happy ending for DD (Paperino). Good art.
- Paperino e la storia istruttiva
- Paperino pilota rompicollo
- 1974
- Siegel/Prego
- NOTES: DD signs up as a test pilot but the vehicles he is testing are rigged. The bad guys are caught thanks to him. Old-style, simple art.
- La FIFA viene dall radio
- P.I.A. - Paperino & Paperoga missione ad alta tensione
- 2003
- Nigro/Gottardo
- NOTES: Good art. Paperino and Paperoga.
- Paperino e l’esperto in debitologia
- 1966
- Carpi/Bottaro
- NOTES. Not the best art. Also not the most moral story, as DD is being taught by Pico De Paperis how to escape his creditors, including Uncle Scrooge (Paperone).
- Zio Paperone e la pentola… autocuocente
- 1983
- Monti/Scala
- NOTE: Sort of a business lesson. A cooking appliance sells really well but appears to start using too much electricity. Even/odd days are allocated, and people then simply buy both an even and an odd machine. Except that in the end we learn that the issue of power consumption was completely separate and caused by another Gyro Gearloose invention.
- Zio Paperone e la guerra contropubblicitaria
- 1988
- IF/Russo
- NOTES: Another business story, with a duopoly trying to beat the other side with crazier and crazier ads. When they finally join forces, the consumers are sick and tired of their products and stop buying.
- Zio Paperone e il problema esponenziale
- 1999
- Enna/Deiana
- NOTES: A story about nanobots.
- 2022-12: Topolino in Team - 10. A spasso nel tempo
- Language: Italian
- Stories
- Topolino e lo Scettro del Tempo
- 1992
- Sarda/Valussi
- NOTES: Your typical fantasy story. Here, Topolino (Mickey) and Pippo (Goofy) end up in a separate “weather” dimension, with 4 realms, one for each season. But a bad guy wants to steal the weather sceptre that is usually passed at each season transition between the realms. For that purpose, he captures one king, and plans to do the same with the other rulers. But the plan is thwarted. I rather like the graphics. The bad guy is particularly well done. Small love story in the background with a character who looks a little like Astérix.
- Topolino e il Mistero dei Dinosauri
- Conicna/Asteriti
- 1986
- NOTES: Asteriti’s style is quite recognizable. In particular, Mickey’s mouth is done differently. This is part of a set of stories that revolve around professor Zapotec and his assistant Marlin, who have a time machine. They send Topolino and Pippo in the past, here to understand what happened to the dinosaurs. Hint: they understood they were doomed and managed to go live underwater. Not that great of a premise, I’d say.
- Topolino e il segreto di Eta Beta
- Zemelo/Limido
- 2016
- NOTES: Another Zapotec/Marlin story. A typical time travel paradox.
- Topolino e l’Inseguimento Epocale
- Cirillo/Held
- 2017
- NOTES: Another Zapotec/Marlin story. Following a Doctor Who clone in the past. Instead of a police station, the character drives a London bus.
- Topolino e la Contessa Contesa
- Panini/Zironi
- 2014
- NOTES: No time travel here, but a story in a different universe, in London. Someone steals Mickey’s identity, but the bad guy is unmasked and Mickey can be engaged with his Minnie.
- NOTES: A series of stories about time travel, except for the last one. See also this review in Italian.
- 2022-10-19: Topolino e l’isola di quandomai
- 2010
- Sceneggiatura e disegni: Casty
- NOTES: Casty is one of the few modern authors of new Mickey (“Topolino” in Italian) stories. I read this story in the large format hardcover “Limited Deluxe Edition” collection, of which I have a few albums. I like Casty’s style in general. His stories are definitely in the main tradition of comic books Mickey Mouse, including Floyd Gottfredson and earlier Italian artists. In this story you find Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, but also Peg Leg Pete (“Gambadilegno” in Italian) and his partner Trudy. There is jealousy involved, as well as a team of scientists. There is also a very strong environmental message, in fact that is the main point of the story.
- 2022-10: Dragonero - Sangue chiama sangue
- Soggetto: Enoch Luca
- Sceneggiatura: Enoch Luca
- Disegni: Trono Walter
- NOTES: The story has a tragic element to it. It comes with a shorter, even more tragic story explaining the story of the “beast”.
- 2022-09-26: Les passagers du vent - 6. La Petite Fille Bois-Caïman - Livre 1
- 2009
- Scénario et dessins: François Bourgeon
- Rating: 4/5
- NOTES: This is the beginning of a second cycle, which takes place in Louisianne, long after the end of the first one. After 50 pages, we finally meet a 98 year-old Isa, and learn of her story. I am so far less taken by the story than by the first cycle.
- 2022-09-20: Les passagers du vent - 5. Le bois d’ébène
- 1984
- tags: #reread
- Scénario et dessins: François Bourgeon
- Rating: 5/5
- NOTES: A lot happening quickly in this last album. It ends on a hopefully note that Isa’s whole life is ahead of her, but the reader would be eager to know what happens then to Isa? To Hoël? And others?
- 2022-09-20: Les passagers du vent - 4. L’heure du serpent
- 1982
- tags: #reread
- Scénario et dessins: François Bourgeon
- Rating: 5/5
- 2022-09-19: Les passagers du vent - 3. Le comptoir de Juda
- 1981
- tags: #reread
- Scénario et dessins: François Bourgeon
- Rating: 5/5
- NOTES: The atmosphere in this album is just incredible. This and volume 4 constitute a dyptich, with the story started in one concluding in the other. The character of Aouan in particular is wonderful and tragic. A reviewer complained that we see too much horror (“complaisance dans l’horreur), however this only reflects the horrible historic reality. Each death, however, is interesting and surprising in its own way.
- 2022-09-18: Les passagers du vent - 2. Le ponton
- 1980
- tags: #reread
- Scénario et dessins: François Bourgeon
- Rating: 5/5
- 2022-09-xx: Les passagers du vent - 1. La fille sous la dunette
- 1980
- tags: #reread
- Scénario et dessins: François Bourgeon
- Rating: 5/5
- NOTES: Incredible story and art. The only criticism could be the slightly uneven lettering.
- 2022-09-10: Alix - Tome 3. L’île maudite
- 1957
- tags: #reread
- édition facsimilé
- Jacques Martin
- Rating: 5/5
- 2022-09: Dragonero - La muraglia dei troll
- 2021
- Language: Italian
- Soggetto: Vietti Stefano
- Sceneggiatura: Vietti Stefano
- Disegni: Gugliotta Gianluca
- 2022-08: Prince Valiant - Vol. 22: 1979-1980
- 2022-08: Prince Valiant - Vol. 21: 1977-1978
- 2022-07: Asterix - 11. Le bouclier arverne
- 1968
- Scénario: Goscinny
- Dessin: Uderzo
- NOTES: No doubt a great Astérix story.
- 2022-07: Achille Talon - 24. Achille Talon et l’âge ingrat
- 1980
- Author: Greg
- tags: #reread
- rating: 5/5
- 2022-07: Achille Talon - 23. Achille Talon et la main du serpent
- 1979
- Author: Greg
- tags: #reread
- rating: 5/5
- 2022-07: Achille Talon - 22. Le sort s’acharne sur Achille Talon
- 1979
- Author: Greg
- tags: #reread
- 2022-07: Achille Talon - 21. Ma vie à moi
- 1978
- Author: Greg
- tags: #reread
- rating: 4/5
- NOTES: I much prefer the long stories of Achille Talon. This is a collection of short gags, like most earlier Achille Talon albums, with uneven quality.
- 2022-07: Achille Talon - 20. Viva papa
- 1978
- Author: Greg
- tags: #reread
- rating: 5/5
- NOTES: A great, fun story.
- 2022-07: Fripounet et Marisette - 5. La bande blanche
- 1954
- Author: René Bonnet
- NOTES: Good story with a couple of unexpected turns. The whaling is a little shocking, although it reflects the time. But sure, let’s kill blue rorquals like they were sardines - it’s just a job.
- 2022-07: Fripounet et Marisette - 4. Les semelles d’or
- 2022-07: Fripounet et Marisette - 2. L’œil d’aigle
- 2022-07: Fripounet et Marisette - 9. L’écho d’enfer
- 2022-04: Luc Orient - Le mur
- 1994
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: An incomplete story. Paape wasn’t enthused with how the scenario was going, and it was not pursued. 11 pages, with 6 completed and 5 of Greg’s scenario only.
- 2022-04: Luc Orient - 18. Rendez-vous à 20 heures en enfer…
- 1984
- tags: #reread
- rating: 4/5
- NOTES: A really good story of time travel. Published in 1994 but created “10 years earlier”.
- 2022-04: Luc Orient - 17. Les spores null part
- 1990
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: Contains 4 stories: Les spores de nulle part, Mission en 2012 [not Luc Orient], La vengeance, Les rayons de feu du soleil.
- 2022-04: Luc Orient - 16. Caragal
- 1985
- tags: #reread
- rating: 2/5
- NOTES: This is one of my least favorite Luc Orient story. The first pages start well, but then Kala going berserk and having to fight Orient for… what exactly? I didn’t get it the first time I read the story, and I still don’t.
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 15. Roubak - Ultime espoir
- 1984
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: Continuation and end of the Dartz cycle. Everything is “explained”, kind of. It’s all Argos’s doing? Anyway, the Dartz can settle on Roubak, no problem. The idea of settling on Terango appears forgotten.
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 14. Le rivage de la fureur
- 1981
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: Continuation of the Dartz cycle. Not my favorite album. I don’t like the cliché of the Amazones. Those, in addition, it turns out, were created by Argos, we learn later. I’d have hoped a little better for the big return to Terango.
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 13. L’enclume de la foudre
- 1978
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: Continuation of the Dartz cycle. In short: Roubak is not a fun place. Good atmosphere (in the story, not on Roubak).
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 12. La porte de cristal
- 1977
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: The beginning of the Dartz cycle. The atmosphere, in the forrest, with the car accident, is quite good. The colorful characters from the past are nice, although they do remain background characters. I like that they don’t ask too many questions: like their 20th century counterparts, they are surprised, but then take the world as it comes.
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 11. La vallée des eaux troubles
- 1976
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: A decent story about the trope of the crazy scientist. The monsters are maybe just a tad overblown. I like that the crazy scientist looks like a frail, weak, smirking man.
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 10. Le 6ème continent
- 1976
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: A good story. Now one thing that doesn’t make any sense is Luc Orient skiing! First, you cannot just go downhill all the time. You need cross-country skis and skins to explore an area like they do. Second, he looks like a beginner in some spots, and yet a more accomplished skier in some other spots. Skiing is something you learn over years, not something you just improvise. Also, I am not sure that there is a good rationale for the destruction of the underground city: they are discovered, therefore they must be destructed? That seems like a poor philosophy on the part of the (long dead) leader of the group.
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 9. 24 heures pour la planète terre
- 1975
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: TODO.
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 8. La légion des anges maudits
- 1975
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: I am not sure what I think of Lora settled in a suburb, and ready to take care of babies (even though not hers), after all the previous adventures.
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 7. Le cratère aux sortilèges
- 1974
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: The atmosphere of the small mountain village, isolated by an incident, reminds me of Le Mystère Borg. The atmosphere of the small village is very well rendered. We can deplore Luc Orient’s recklessness when going to the crater to take samples. It was pretty obvious that the fumes would be toxic.
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 6. Le secret des 7 lumières
- 1974
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: A story completely separate from the Terango cycle. Orient and team are now well-grounded on Earth.
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 5. La forêt d’acier
- 1973
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: The end of the Terango cycle, which sees the demise of Sectan and, presumably, Argos.
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 4. La planète de l’angoisse
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 3. Le maître de Terango
- 1971
- tags: #reread
- NOTES: The caricature of the despot surrounded by yes-men whom he despises, the desire of power and expansion, and the launch of senseless attacks, does ring bells in light of the current events in Ukraine.
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 2. Les soleils de glace
- 2022-03: Luc Orient - 1. Les dragons de feu
- 2022-03: Tif et Tondu - 46. Mais où est Kiki?
- 2020
- Scénario: Robber
- Dessin: Blutch
- NOTES:
- The last “real” Tif et Tondu album, by Sikorski et Lapière, dates back to 1997.
- This album instead is in the spirit of Tif et Tondu, but does not try to mimic the style of earlier albums.
- This obviously gives the cartoonist a lot of freedom, but the result is pretty good.
- The story is explicitly situated in 1986, and so it doesn’t have to, as the 4th page of cover says, to show mobile phones or search engines.
- I cannot say I am enamored with the style of the drawings, but they work, and you are just taken by the story.
- 2022-02: Largo Winch - 23. La Frontière de la nuit
- 2021
- Language: French
- Scénario: Éric Giacometti
- Dessin: Philippe Francq
- NOTES:
- Not a bad start for this diptych. This ends with a big cliffhanger.
- This is a modern story, with echoes of real companies and machines, in particular Paul Allen’s space plane (Stratolaunch Systems Corp).
- I’d criticize, as often in the last 10-20 years, the colors, which feel too computerized (gradients) at times.
- 2022-02: Blake & Mortimer - 28. Le Dernier Espadon
- Language: French
- 2021
- Scénario: Jean Van Hamme
- Dessin: Teun Berserik, Peter Van Dongen
- Rating: 4/5
- NOTES:
- The story is pretty good, with some surprises along the way. It’s a nice mix of espionage, action, and of course lots of flashbacks to the first Blake et Mortimer trilogy.
- Here Olrik appears truly like a duplicitous, cold-blooded character, not hesitating to kill others point blank, unlike in some other stories.
- The drawings are quite good in general. There are a couple of exceptions, where the cartoonist appears to draw the top part of the characters a little too narrowly, with small heads (for example on page 9, last strip, middle panel)! Blake in particulat tends to be a little inconsistent. Blake has always been hard to draw. But in some other places, you could believe that panels were done by Jacobs himself.
- This is in stark contrast with album 27, “Le cri du Moloch”, which was a disaster.
- 2022-02: Alix - Tome 40. L’Œil du Minotaure
- 2021
- Language: French
- Scénario: Valérie Mangin
- Dessin: Chrys Millien
- Rating: 4/5
- NOTES:
- The story is acceptable, without being unique, with the idea of a stone that radiates and gets people who get in prolonged contact with it sick. In fact that’s also the idea in the first story of Luc Orient, from 1969!
- The decors are rich and done with care, although they look to me a little too neat, with many straight lines, sometimes as if a computer had been used (as is the case with the colors). The characters are usually drawn well, in particular Alix, but it feels like the inking is sometimes off to my taste. The characters seem sometimes just pasted on existing decors, rather than truly integrated in them, which is a fault that occurs often in recent bandes dessinées. It just all seems too neat, which takes away some natural and elegance.
- I think it’s one of the “good” post-Martin albums.
- 2022-02: Thorgal - 39. Neokóra
- 2021
- Language: French
- Scénario: Yann
- Dessin: Fred Vignaux
- NOTES: This story takes us back to the science-fiction world of the early Thorgals, with a voyage to Thorgal’s people’s spaceship. This is the first half (or just the beginning) of a longer story as the end is on a cliffhanger with Thorgal meeting Neokóra, presumably the spirit or computer of the ship, located at the core of it. I cannot say that I like, graphically, the last page panel of the album.
- 2022-02-16: Thorgal - 38. La Selkie
- 2020
- Language: French
- Scénario: Yann
- Dessin: Fred Vignaux
- tags: #reread
- 2022-02-15: Les mondes de Thorgal - La jeunesse, Tome 6. Le drakkar des glaces
- 2018
- Scénario: Yann
- Dessin: Roman Surzhenko
- 2022-02-14: Les mondes de Thorgal - La jeunesse, Tome 5. Slive
- 2017
- Scénario: Yann
- Dessin: Roman Surzhenko
- 2022-02-13 Les mondes de Thorgal - La jeunesse, Tome 4. Berserkers
- 2016
- tags: #reread
- Scénario: Yann
- Dessin: Roman Surzhenko
- 2022-02: Ralph Azham - 8. Personne n’attrape une rivière
- 2015
- Language: French
- Scénario et dessin: Lewis Trondheim
- NOTES: Début du second cycle de Ralph Azham.
- 2022-02-04: Les Mondes de Thorgal - Kriss de Valnor - Tome 3 - Digne d’une reine
- 2012
- Scénario: Yves Sente
- Dessin: Giulio De Vita
- 2022-02-02: Les Mondes de Thorgal - Kriss de Valnor - Tome 2 - La sentence des Walkyries
- 2012
- tags: #reread
- Scénario: Yves Sente
- Dessin: Giulio De Vita
- 2022-02-01: Les Mondes de Thorgal - Kriss de Valnor - Tome 1 - Je n’oublie rien !
- 2010
- tags: #reread
- Scénario: Yves Sente
- Dessin: Giulio De Vita
- 2022-01-26: Ralph Azham - 7. Une fin à toute chose
- 2014
- Language: French
- Scénario et dessin: Lewis Trondheim
- NOTES: Fin du premier cycle de Ralph Azham.
- 2022-01-25: Ralph Azham - 6. L’ennemi de mon ennemi
- 2014
- tags: #reread
- Language: French
- Scénario et dessin: Lewis Trondheim
- 2022-01-24: Donjon Crépuscule - 111. La fin du Donjon
- 2014
- Scénario: Joann Sfar
- Dessin: Mazan
- 2022-01-23: Donjon Crépuscule - 110. Haut Septentrion
- 2014
- tags: #reread
- Scénario: Joann Sfar
- Dessin: Alfred
- 2022-01-22: Lefranc - Tome 32. Les juges intègres
- 2021
- Scénario: François Corteggiani
- Dessin: Christophe Alvès
- Rating: 4/5
- NOTES: Similar to previous iterations by this duo: excellent drawings and good story, although I cannot say at first read that it was a very exciting story.
- 2022-01: [Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge - 20. The Mines of King Solomon]
- 2022-01: [Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge - 16. The Lost Crown of Genghis Khan]
- 2022-01: Wizards of Mickey - 5.
- Language: English
- Mountainworlds
- Story by Matteo Venerus
- Art by Roberto Marini
- Aurora
- Story by Matteo Venerus
- Art by Roberto Marini
- Magicraft
- Story by Matteo Venerus
- Art by Roberto Marini
- The Lost Legends
- The Castle of Oblivion
- Story by Maria Muzzolini
- Art by Roberto Vian
