Results tagged “Cinebook” from Birmingham Mail - Speech Balloon

Thorgal: City of the Lost God
By Gzregorz Rosinski & Jean Van Hamme
Published by Cinebook

Cinebook's sixth Thorgal collection moves at a frantic pace, with events unfolding every couple of pages and tripping the unsuspecting reader into a false sense of security, but pleasantly so because the story is more often than not quite riveting.

Again Cinebook has collected two previous Thorgal books together, this time City of the Lost God and Between Earth and Sun.

They conclude the story began in the previous The Land of Qa collection, but this time each of the two books reaches its own satisfactory conclusion, while still being part of the greater saga.

City of the Lost God pulls few punches as it reveals the harrowing sacrifices made in honour of Ogotai. But not all of his worshippers embrace his bloodlust, and Hog, commander in chief of the Mayaxatl flying squadron is soon plotting with Thorgal and Kriss.

A plan is hatched and although things do not all go according to plan and Tjal pays with his life for his folly in the last book with, at least Aaricia doesn't end up having her heart cut out! While all, this going on, with Thorgal leaping into action here there and everywhere, he's also having flashbacks to his childhood and visitations by the nameless goddess.

Kriss tries to take a knife to the bloodied man-god that is Ogotai but his powers age her into an old woman. He then grabs Aaricia to take her into his flying vessel as witness for him conquering the world but Thorgal stops him, and the fact that they are space-travelling father and son is met with Ogotai, born Varth, going even more insane in his utter disbelief.

The aged man is finally defeated by an older looking Kriss, and the three survivors escape on the flying vessel intended for world domination.

An incredibly action-packed adventure, that slows down slightly where you might expect it to fail during the, not-too-unexpected, revelations concerning Ogotai and Thorgal's relationship, but still works exceedingly well. A pretty satisfying read to say the least.

Events continue to shift in the Between Earth and Sun book in this collection, but at a slower more philosophical though not leisurely pace.

Their deed now complete, Thorgal wishes to return home. Unfortunately with Tanatloc also now dead the Xinjin want to replace Thorgal's son, Jolan, as their own living god.

Backstabbing inner politics are found to have always been present in what at first seemed something of a South American Eden, our heroes are made to suffer a slow death under the burning sun and little Jolan is deceived into thinking his parents have left him.

An angered magic helmet thrown at a wall, a dark cave and an aged Kriss counting her gold prove to be the unexpected cavalry that help turn about fortunes, albeit only for a while. Still, the evil are vanquished and the good survive, and it makes a fitting extended epilogue to the previous book, while adding subtle subplots that I'm sure further books will expound upon.

In all, the Thorgal series feels like the epic adventures that were so popular in American and the occasional English strip in comics during the 70s, Rosinski's art certainly has some of that great flavor, and there's many who will enjoy seeing such work in print that they can read again.

For more on Thorgal visit: www.cinebook.com

Created by a Belgian writer and a Polish artist, Thorgal is one of the most popular comic book stories published in Europe, with some thirty albums published.

A few collections were previously been translated and published in English a few years back, but it's only recently with Cinebook that a concentrated effort is being made to make them more accessible to the general book purchaser.

Thorgal is the title character of the series, one that initially appears to be set squarely in Viking territory, then our Scandinavian cousins' legends come to life, science fiction rears its head in a curious new age way alien visitation way, but always seems to keep its feet squarely on the ground.

To give him his full name, and hint at some of the aspects behind the story, Thorgal Aegirsson has been raised as a Viking but is out of sorts with many of their ideals. He wants only peace and quiet for himself and his family, but fate works against him, as if the gods themselves have cursed him. Not good for Thorgal, but reason enough to keep his adventures entertaining literally thousands for the last couple of decades.

As one can imagine, with a series that's gone as long as the term saga is more than appropriate to describe it, it has its soap opera characteristics too with long gone characters returning, but whereas with UFOs taking Colbeys up into space or a supposedly dead Bobby Ewing stepping lively out of a shower, in Thorgal the antics tend to strike true. That stated, I admit to being a relative novice to the series, and even armed with my research, I'm wondering where we're heading, but, hey, that's part of the adventure!

Cinebook recently published their fifth Thorgal collection, titled The Land of Qa it collects both that original publication and The Eyes of Tanatloc.

The Land of Qa opens with Thorgal, his wife Aaricia and their friend, the archer Tjall merrily attending to roof repairs in their winter cabin, unaware of the danger but a short walk away. While this is going on, Tjall's uncle, the aged warrior Tree Foot, is teaching Thorgal and Aaricia's son Jolan how to fire an arrow from a bow only for them to be kidnapped by pirates.

It transpires that Kriss of Valnor is responsible for this, and she is a female mercenary who's had run-ins with Thogal previously.

Kriss promises to release her captives on the condition that Thorgal and his party join her on a mission whose concerns she will not as yet reveal but lets it be known that gold is involved. For the sake of Jolan, they reluctantly follow where she leads.

Then their journey begins, via a longboat affixed with hot air balloons to carry them through the sky. Once on board they receive telepathic messages new aged style from the high regent of the Xinjin people who they are told they are going to save.

It's discovered that long ago in the land of Qa a white-skinned sun-helmeted naked man came to their shores from out of the sea and the Chaam were the first people to worship him as a god due to powers he displayed. His worship required sacrifice and the city of Mayaxtl many were the throats slit to pacify him, and only the Xinjin stood against the might of the living god that was Ogotai.

The Xinjin found a god for themselves though, albeit an elderly one, by the name of Tanatloc, who told them that if they could find a way to relieve Ogotai of his headwear peace might again be known among their peoples. This is what lead them to having somehow contacted and hired Kriss, and it was the Xinjin that Tree Foot, Jolan, and his dog Miff are held in hostage.

The location of this particular saga takes us from the frozen north to the sun-baked lands of the South American continent, although one where ship battles take place in mid-air as Ogotai's followers attack Kriss's flying craft! Our heroes manage to land safely, but when confronted by a great statue of a goddess Thorgal has the most curious of feelings that she is familiar to him, and there that book concludes.

Fortunately we're not left wondering what fate lies in store, for The Eyes of Tanatloc offers quite a few answers... That, plus a few more mysteries and perhaps a red herring or two.

This book in the collection begins by exploring the various emotions the cast is feeling, and mainly towards each other. Kriss knows Tjall is infatuated with her, he hates himself for doing so, but she uses him coyly or cruelly as the mood takes her, and we also begin to note that she may have secret feelings herself, but for Thorgal. The hero remains devoted to his wife.

Meanwhile, new readers learn the reason for Tree Foot's name - he has a false wooden one and the Xinjin have taken it so he won't escape, but fortunately he finds two willing lovers to placate him.

We also find that Tanatloc is nearing the end of his own supposed immortal life, but on learning Thorgal is involved he reveals to Jolan that he knows his father from long ago, and now teaches the youth how to use the power of the mind, the presumed magic that these gods display.

Thereafter it is revealed that these gods are in fact astronauts who crash landed down onto the planet Earth, and one by the name of Varth went mad when his wife and died, and then took the name of Ogotai. All but Tanatloc are unaware that the child survived, and grew up to Thorgal!

Between all that we get alligator attacks, ambushes by natives, swords drawn and arrows pulled and action aplenty, but our northern freedom fighters almost split up along the way when Kriss nearly convinces Tjall to leave Thorgal and Aaricia for dead, and well they might have if not for the fact that their son has learnt to use the power of his mind, and is able to come to their aid. But all's far from well, and this is still the set-up before the main event that will begin to take place in yet another book!

Some great drawing by Grzegorz Rosinki, and I do mean drawing, you can literally feel the pencil lines sketched out as he's composed these pages, there's lively action and considered emotion in his work, and Jean Van Hamme bends genres and mixes themes digging us deeper into mystery, making us begin to care seriously about the outcome of these characters.

For more about Thorgal visit: www.cinebook.com

Orbital by Sylvain Runberg & Serge Pelle
Published by Cinebook

ORBITAL IS a science fiction story set in the 23rd century as humans are finally allowed to join an 8,000 year old intergalactic confederation. Unfortunately, so are the Sandjarrs, who have warred with humanity in the past.

Book 1. Scars

The story starts when two children, Caleb and Kristina, are taken to a rooftop where they can view the dome where a convention to vote if humanity should join the confederation is being held.

Anti-confederationists blow the convention up and we soon become aware that not everyone wants the benefits interstellar travel can bring, and explains why most aliens consider humanity an underdeveloped race.

We fast forward some years where a grownup Caleb Swaney is in training to become an agent of the Interworld Diplomatic Office. He is partnered by Mezoke, one of the aforementioned Sandjarrs - they get on remarkably well, it's respect more than friendship, but it's incredibly refreshing to see characters get along professionally without any expected angst - that tends to come from outside forces; both their fellow agents and those with political motivations.

The pair are sent to Senestam, owned by Javlods, but lived on and mined by humans left there before Earth joined the federation. The agents are sent there to see if a peaceful settlement can be reached, find humans have died violently recently, and is filled with further expect troubles both treachery from within and some spiky tentacled monsters - whose real world it is when you think about it! - attacking indiscriminately.

It's published in that traditional European 48 page oversized album format many older UK and Americans first became familiar with. It is comic bookie science fiction, but accessible, with a slight modern edge, the art multi-panelled and French flavoured in style, slightly cartoony but without taking any of the action elements, and appears hand coloured rather than digitally.

Book 2. Ruptures

The pace quickens in the second 48 page collection of Orbital.

Treachery, shifting political motives, friendships and loving relationships not taken, big bang action fighting, and sleazy backroom torture all get their share on the page.

It's a positive affirmation of the confederation's choice in putting Mezoke and Caleb together - their bond no less and no more than it was in Book 1, it remains mature and thoughtful nonetheless.

Those who enjoyed classic 2000AD and Heavy Metal when it was story-led will enjoy both these Orbital books.

First published in 2006 and 2007 respectively for each book, Runberg and Pelle ably demonstrate their respect for European masters of the comics form who've gone before them while moving things on, not dramatically but subtly.

for further information view: www.cinebook.com

Insiders Book 1:
By Jean-Claude Bartoll & Renaud Garetta
Published by Cinebook

HIGH-OCTANE thriller action across the war zones of the world is the name of the game with Insiders!

Cinebook are putting out a number of books collections translated from some of the major European graphic novel publishers that feature strong female lead characters and this is one such.

Najah Cruz, or Isabel Mendoza as she was once known as a child in Colombia, is a skilled fighter. Some might call her a terrorist, but she happens to believe she's fighting on the right side, wherever it is she happens to be fighting; for when we first see her she's all guns blazing in Chechnya, some thirty plus pages later she's shoving her own bike helmet in the face of a would be knife-attacker in Paris. In between all that she's become an Insider, for all the world appearing to work for the worldwide mafia but in reality an undercover agent for the White House.

This all happens in Chechen Guerrilla, the first of two books in this collection. The other is Operation Offshore where Najah's activities mainly take place around the African Congo, leaving assassinations in Washington D.C. to fend for themselves.

Bartoll's an investigative TV journalist and filmmaker as well as a writer of fiction - he tends to let the former shade his comic book fiction, giving us a little more research and opinion than is needed at times, when he should let the characters express themselves a little more - they say a lot but we don't always get to know them as people we can care about.

That stated, the mystery might be revealed over time, and the idea of thriller-action, military mayhem, current affairs and high-roller shenanigans moves at such a pace over its 93 pages it might entice teenagers picking this up who'll then soak in the research as background information rather than old dogs like me being so aware of it.

Garetta's art is tightly choreographed, there's evidence of his own visual research, and some photo referencing, sketchy in places but at its best working favourably in a style something akin to Britain's Garry Leach.

He doesn't colour the interiors himself, a different person doing that for each of the two stories in this first collection, but I would imagine he does the covers completely himself - they're far more rendered works and a lot more time's spent on developing the feminine quality of the character without going for the sex kitten look, even when she's still totting a gun... although the cover for the forthcoming Missiles For Islamabad is decidedly sultry even from the little inch or so high sample art of it I've seen.

For further information visit: www.cinebook.com

BIGGLES, THE great British ace-fighter pilot hero of World War I created by Captain W.E. Johns can now be read in graphic novel format.

WHEN I was a little boy my Great Aunt Rene and Uncle Bill gave me two Biggles books for either Christmas or a birthday. They had smashing painted covers, but, you know, I wasn't that interested in war stories back then, and they were pretty thick books, so, although I meant to, I never got round to reading them. Still haven't. But I've still got them, somewhere up in the loft, and I may just get round to reading them now.

Captain W.E. Johns, those initials stood for William Earl, had fought in the Great War himself, and he took those experiences and elaborated on them to create to the adventurous fighter pilot James Bigglesworth, better known as Biggles, whose first printed tale appeared in Popular Flying Magazine in 1932 under the title The White Fokker. There must have been plenty more serialised in its pages as the first Biggles collection, The Camels are Coming, was published in the same year.

From the sources I've read, the Captain's chief concern was to entertain the youth of his time, but ensured he paid attention to historical detail, and, although I may be incorrect here, didn't shy away from the fact that not all battles were glorious and people did die in them.

Time moved on, and the character's adventures took place during World War II also, and his popularity continued to grow with books now having bneen translated into 26 countries, in 17 different languages. Yes, I know, I really should get round to leafing through those ones my relatives kindly gave me all that time ago. But in the meantime, I can read the graphic novel adaptations.

Cinebook is publishing the Biggles books in comic book format. And guess what, Britain's first flying ace had his stories adapted overseas by a Frenchman!

Francis Bergèse got his pilot's licence at seventeen, enlisted in the French army where he flew reconnaissance missions, then at 23 began a career as a comic book artist. This was back in 1963 and the following decades found him a busy though not necessarily famous artist. Come the 1980s his work began to focus increasingly on the war genre, in 1983 he took over Buck Danny, after Victor Hubinon passed away. Then, from 1990 to 1994 he began adapting Biggles.

On the continent Bergèse is now acknowledged as the leading comic book artist of aviation stories, and from the work I've seen so far, it's pretty easy to see why.

In Biggles Book 1: Spitfire Parade, Bergèse introduces us to the titular hero as he lands at an airbase in Kent, during the summer of 1940. It transpires Biggles has been sent there to put a crack squadron together, using characters Johns used previously in other books alongside some new ones.

For one minute it begins to feel like some precursor to the class Seven Samurai film but then we get a comedy moment as a hunting hound chases a cat across Biggles' desk, followed by a new lieutenant, by the name of Lissie, dressed ready to get on a horse and chase some foxes. Us Brits and our quaint ways, eh. What must the thousands of Europeans who've read these Biggles adaptations already think of us I wonder.

Anyway, the story develops as Biggles gathers his band of flying aces and hones them into a crack team, the story interspersed with comic moments involving a pig called Hermann and other such jolly japes.

If I have a problem with the story, I guess it veers towards that privileged middle-class smug middle-RAF act a little dangerously, the same way that old black and white movie about Douglas Bader's life starring Kenneth More makes me embarrassed to watch it despite me knowing the real pilot was a war hero.

However, despite a few too many of those silly moments there is still some good humour in it, and, let's face it, it is the action that most comic book readers will be picking this up for and there are some rip-roaring furious air battles to be seen.

Bergèse not only knows his subject matter he knows how to make it thrilling, and that's pretty hard to do with planes that fly at great speeds but can only be captured in a handful of panel frames. Design comes into play there too. It's not just the aviation work that's top notch though, both figure work and natural landscapes are well defined too. These blooming foreigners sure know how to draw! (You do know I'm being ironic there, I take it!?).

Biggles has come onto the English speaking graphic novel market at just the right time. The last few years have found British bookstores, comic shops, department stores and Amazon alike doing good business selling collections of classic comic strip stories from D.C. Thomson's Commando and Fleetway/IPC's War Picture Library.

For more information on cinebook visit: cinebook.com

For more information on Biggles visit: www.biggles.info

THOSE WHO have both enjoyed and been intrigued by the various comic-related murals from the town of Brussels that have been featured at Speech Balloons recently, should be interested to find out that many such European titles are now being translated and published in Great Britain by Cinebook.

Cinebook is based in Canterbury and was established by former Parisian Olivier Cadic. The company has been producing the best of French, Belgian and other European comic books for the English-speaking world since it entered the publishing field in 2005.

Since one in eight of every eight books published in France alone is a comic book, that's an awful lot of choice to be had, and that's why the company go with the by-line "The 9th art publisher."

The variety of books, ranging from child-friendly up to those applicable for 15 year-olds, with all genres and moods covered; from comedy to adventure with history, science fiction and fantasy available too, is more than impressive.

Over the following days Speech Balloons will take a long overdue delight in reviewing just a few of Cinebook's titles so click on the RSS feed to the right to ensure you don't miss out on finding more.

Or if you just cannot wait, visit Cinebook's official website at: www.cinebook.com