CINEBOOK Reviews part 1

Green Manor vol.1 – Assassins and Gentlemen

Authors: Bodart – Vehlmann

Age: 12 years and up

Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm

Paperback

Number of pages: 56 colour pages

Publication: May 2008

ISBN: 9781905460533

£6.99

A cup of tea? A drop of milk? A spoonful of poison?

At first sight, nothing would make the very select club called Green Manor stand out from any other English club. Yet behind its thick walls, sunk into its deep chairs, hides the biggest bunch of con artists, bandits and murderers that Queen Victoria’s

England has ever seen.

This is the book that ay Comic Expo in

Bristol. Why? Because it is brilliant! When I first saw the rather cartoony art style I was put off. However,I then realised that the artwork was far from “cartoony” –it would be quite wrong to use that term. “Unique” might be a better word.

The costumes are accurate and the backgrounds to the various interior and exterior scenes are,as you might expect,very well rendered. The colouring technique is very atmospheric and lends itself well to the Victorian feel.

Art-wise it cannot be faulted. But the stories?

Obviously I am not going to give away any plots or story details because you will enjoy them. What I can tell you is that there are some very nice twist endings – POST SCRIPTUM in particular!- and the characters are well developed.

I can see why this book would sell out and –please- if you cannot find the book in your local comic store try the local bookstore or even order directly from Cinebook! And if you think the book is good…

Coming Soon :Green Manor Part 2 – The Inconvenience of Being Dead [£9.99]

Buy a copy of volume 1 because if you don’t –yooooou’ll be so-rrry!

I.R.S. vol.1 –Taxing Trails

Authors: Vrancken & Desberg

Age: 15 years and up

Size: 18.4 x 25.7 cm

Number of pages: 96 colour pages

Publication: April 2008

PAPERBACK

ISBN: 9781905460519

£9.99

Larry B. Max is an unusual specialist from a little-known branch of the I.R.S. (Internal Revenue Service), the all-powerful tax-collecting agency of the

United States

Reading into tax-evasion and money-laundering rings the way a virtuoso pianist would read a sheet of Mozart, Max has every technological method at his disposal to find links between high finance and high crime. In the first album, he must look into a particularly delicate file belonging to a rich Jewish-American, known for his involvement in recovering items that were confiscated by the Nazis. Dissecting this billionaire’s accounts, Max embarks on a dangerous journey to find the mysterious origins of the man’s immense fortune….

This two-volume book includes “The Hagen Strategy.”

Another one of those Expo high interest books. Slick art and slick stories and no shyness when it comes to gun-play for a man who is to the IRS what James Bond is to MI6! The Hagen Strategy begins in 1943 and its violent conclusion is reached decades later.

Bernard Vrancken is also the artist of The Black Blood and his work cannot be faulted. Stephen Desberg also writes The Black Blood,The Scorpion and other books and his writing is likewise excellent. This leaves me with that eternal question of “will Cinebook ever publish a book I won’t like?” I suspect the answer is “Never!”

If you prefer modern crime style action thrillers then I.R.S. is the one for you –two books in one for just under £10 so you can’t go wrong!

Thorgal vol.2 –The Three Elders Of Aran

Authors: Rosinski & Van Hamme

Age: 12 years and up

Size: 18.4 x 25.7 cm

Number of pages: 96 colour pages

Publication: September 2007

PAPERBACK

ISBN: 9781905460311

£9.99

In these new adventures, Aaricia is crowned Queen, and Thorgal will have to face many difficult tests to track down his beauty. Then they spend some happy days together in the countryside… Their first child is announced. But, alas, everything is turned upside down into horror by the jealousy of Shaniah, a teenager turned away by Thorgal. Prisoner on board the Black Galley, Thorgal becomes a plaything in the hands of Veronar, a degenerate tyrant…

This two-volume book includes “The Black Galley”.

Although I was a big Buscema “Conan The Barbarian” fan,I have to admit that I much prefer the Thorgal series. The wonderful blend of the mysterious,mythology and Dark Ages action is just superb. The characters and scenes are drawn magnificently and the use of colour –as I think I’ve mentioned before?- to set a scene is done with great skill –as though you might expect anything else! Murder,quest and intrigue.

And The Black Galley has a great Thorgal fighting a leopard cover –and the actual fight in the story is great.

I just cannot believe that Thorgal is relatively unknown outside of

Europe. Olivier Cadic and Cinebook have provided us with a real treat.

But there is more…

Thorgal vol.3 –Beyond The Shadows

Authors: Rosinski & Van Hamme

Age: 12 years and up

Size: 18.4 x 25.7 cm

Number of pages: 96 colour pages

Publication: February 2008

PAPERBACK

ISBN: 9781905460458

£9.99

Taken aback by Aaricia’s disappearance, Thorgal is only a shadow of his former self. Eaten away by remorse, the young Shania accompanies him and protects him, begging his pardon… Approached by two strangers, Worgan and Galathorn, they discover that Aaricia is still alive but held captive in the court of Brek Zarith. Ready to do anything to keep himself in power, the illegitimate master of this kingdom, Sharder, uses and abuses his evil sorcerer powers. Despite all this, Thorgal will try, alone, to penetrate the impregnable fortress of Brek Zarith to save his wife and his son, Jolan.

This two-volume book includes “The Fall of Brek Zarith”.

The opening page to this volume is simply brilliant. I’ve stared at it a few times and just love it [yeah,I’m that sad]. Myth,mysticism and..time travel –so you get to see some dinosaurs! Possibly one,if not the,strangest Thorgal adventure to date.

The Fall Of Brek Zarith is another great story and I’m wondering if any RPG gamers have cottoned on to the Thorgal series yet? It has everything any gamer could ever want for scenarios or a “World Bible” to base games on.

And soon volume 4 –The Archers will be available. These double albums/books are classics and if Thorgal deserves better recognition then his books deserve to sell more and more copies because they are pure adventure and fun.

Would I love to interview Rosinski and/or van Hamme? YES!!!

Scared To Death –The Vampire From the Marshes

Authors: Vanholme & Mauricet

Age: All ages

Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm

Number of pages: 48 colour pages

Publication: March 2008

PAPERBACK

ISBN: 9781905460472

£5.99

This series showcases the strange adventures of two adolescent friends, Robin and Max. All of the classic fantasy themes are touched on: sorcery, fairies, werewolves, ghosts… a must for fans of suspense and terror. In the first album, while secretly consulting the medical files of his father (a forensic scientist), Robin discovers the photo of a man whose body is pierced by hundreds of holes. Persuaded that this death is the work of a vampire, Robin and his friend Max go after the suspected murderer…

Remember [probably only applies to British men over a certain age] when you got that boys annual at Christmas or for a birthday? There are certain books I get that feeling over even at [can I lie about my age?],uh,my age. Scared To Death is one of those books and I’ve opened it and read it a few times now.

Robin and Max are like those characters in old British adventure books but with a Scooby Gang twist. There are the nice little twists and some atmospheric art and a great “villain”. The series should appeal to young and older readers because European creators have not lost that sense of fun –something missing a lot from US comics.

Might be a bit early but give your kids a treat;buy them Scared To Death,Melusine and maybe Thorgal as a bumper Christmas present.

And check out the Cinebook web site because there is so much more!

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