.
“Comics”
“bande dessinée”
“комиксы”
“κόμικς”
There might be a lot of different ways of talking about comics, but it’s all words and pictures. Here are some of the new comics making their way across the pond. Many are bestsellers in Europe, some are known to the comics cognoscenti, all are worth a look! (Hey, France and Belgium are just as comics savvy as Japan. You remember what happened with manga, don’t you?)
Cinebook is a major importer of continental comics, translating and importing some of the most well known titles from France and Belgium! Lucky Luke! Largo Winch! Spirou & Fantasio!
But… I don’t showcase ongoing series, since I’d go crazy trying to body surf the tsunami of titles, and because most are continuing series, so I’d experience flashbacks every month. Cinebook’s titles are usually self-contained, but still…
So, go browse their catalogs:
(They really put most comics publishers to shame… barcodes, backlist, panel excerpts, age ratings… I’m tempted to just direct you there and be done with it. But we need the web traffic, so ever onward…)
Darwin’s Diaries, Volume 1: The Eye of the Celts
[The secret history of Charles Darwin!]
Victorian England. In Yorkshire, several men and horses working on a railway line have been killed—slaughtered, really. The police suspect some kind of wild beast. The government calls upon controversial naturalist Charles Darwin to help with the investigation. A reasonable move, but one that is dictated by the least known part of his work: research on what other people would qualify as legendary creatures. It won’t be long before the scientist discovers that he may be right about them after all…
________________________________________________
Antares, Volume 1: Episode 1
[The next story arc in the Aldeberan series.]
After the failure of the Betelgeuse colonisation mission, Kim is back on Earth, where she is an increasingly popular figure. Meanwhile, advance scouts on planet Antares have witnessed some distressingly strange events. Worried about the future of this new mission, the sponsors of the Antares project call upon Kim to accompany the first colonists, in exchange offering legal amnesty for Alexa and Mark. It’s the beginning of a new adventure for the young woman and her friends.
_________________________________________________
Western
[From the creators of Thorgal, and the artist writer of XIII.]
Wyoming, 1868. Ambrosius Van Deer has come to Fort Laramie to meet Jess Chisum, a young man who claims he’s found Van Deer’s nephew Eddie. Ten years before, Edwyn Van Deer disappeared after his family was killed in a Lakota raid. Proof of his identity: a silver watch with a portrait of his parents. But fate has other plans than a happy family reunion, and the events of that day will set in motion a tragedy 15 years in the making.
_________________________________________
Where Cinebook concentrates mostly on children’s and mainstream work from Europe, Humanoids is more of the “Heavy Metal” style. Adult themes (I can’t wait to look at Milo Manara’s Golden Ass!), fantastic plots and locales, and sometimes some gore! Some books are so gorgeous, they get deluxe limited editions (with proper coloring), so don’t dilly-dally!
________________________________________________
The Eyes of the Cat – Limited Edition Super-oversized Deluxe Hardcover
The very first graphic storytelling collaboration between two masters of the medium, Alexandro Jodorowsky and Mœbius. In a desolate dreamscape world, a man, a bird, and a cat interact in a unique apocalyptic yet poetic fashion… Presented in a giant sized collector’s edition, in its original b&w colors but with a colored paper stock, and in a limited and numbered printing of only 750 copies!
________________________________________________
The Zombies that Ate the World: Book 1: Bring me back my Head!
In Los Angeles in the year 2064, the dead have risen and corpses live again, cohabiting among us…well, somewhat. As a zombie apocalypse engulfs America, we follow a group of friends on a their journey to start a little business of their own…zombie catchers!Written by Jerry Frissen (Lucha Libre, The Tikitis), and illustrated by Guy Davis (B.P.R.D., The Marquis: Inferno), the two creators collaborate here to pay homage to the zombie genre, giving us a hilarious black comedy that will want you starved for more! Collects the first 4 issues of the DDP/Humanoids comics and features a whole new sketchbook section.
________________________________________________
Dominion
New Orleans detective Jason Ash while on the trail of a serial kidnapper finds himself in the middle of a multi-realm conspiracy of biblical proportions…quite literally.
Written by screenwriter Thomas Fenton and drawn by Jamal Igle (DC’s Supergirl, Teen Titans: Titans of Tomorrow), and Steven Cummings, Dominion is a gripping supernatural thriller that not only will pull you in, it won’t let you go! For fans of Vertigo’s John Constantine: Hellblazer books.
________________________________________________
The Metabarons – Limited Edition Oversized Deluxe Hardcover with Slipcase : Ultimate Collection
A multi-generational tale of family, sacrifice, and survival told within an immense universe, both in scope and originality. A true classic in the pantheon of graphic storytelling and science fiction as a whole.
Omnibus content includes The Metabarons #1-4 trades, presented in a limited and numbered print run of 999 copies.
________________________________________________
Madwoman of the Sacred Heart
Professor Alan Mangel’s journey of madness begins when he impregnates Elisabeth, a student, with what she believes is John the Baptist reincarnated. They meet and conspire with people convinced in bringing forth the Second Coming of Christ. Are they delusional?… By the umatched creators of THE INCAL, Moebius and Jodorowsky.
This latest edition of the previously released and now sold out hardcover edition is presented in its original colors and in the trade paperback format.
________________________________________________
Whispers In The Walls
A gothic tale of horror from David Muñoz (co-writer of Guillermo Del Toro’s THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE film) and artist Tirso. Czechoslovakia, 1949. What Evil lurks within the walls of an ancient Children’s Infirmary? After the brutal murder of her parents, Sarah, a young orphan, is about to discover just that and much more.
Book includes comics #1-4 plus the final two previously unpublished issues that now complete the series, as well as a trove of bonus art material and a foreword by Juan Díaz Canales, co-creator of Blacksad.
________________________________________________
Before The Incal – Limited Edition Oversized Deluxe Hardcover with Slipcase
The prequel to Mœbius and Jodorowsky’s masterpiece THE INCAL, this particular story cycle recounts the youth of John Difool and the adventures that propelled him into his encounter with the mighty artifact known as the Incal.
Written by Alexandro Jodorowsky, who once again builds on the vast universe he has created and developed over many different titles, and drawn by European sensation Zoran Janjetov, Before The Incal is compiled for the first time into a single volume and presented in the same deluxe limited and numbered collector’s edition as The Incal Classic Collection with slipcase. This edition also includes a sketchbook section.
________________________________________________
Milo Manara’s The Golden Ass – Deluxe Hardcover
The erotic graphic novel adaptation of one of Classic Latin literature’s most legendary stories, as told by the unique pen of Milo Manara.
The young Lucius is transformed into a donkey and cursed to a life of aimless drifting, however, an array of thieves, sorcerers, and beautiful women come to cross his path and challenge him in more ways than one… A titillating tale published here in the English language for the very first time. A must own for Manara fans!
For Adults only.
________________________________________________
The following cannot be found on Humanoid’s website (or on the web, aside from BN.com). Books In Print listed it for November, so I’m including it here. The cover shown is from the 1996 NBM Eurotica edition (preview available!).
Gullivera
EAN: 9781594650840
Ooh, you’re getting “Western” in the English-speaking world? Anything by Rosinski looks gorgeous.
(Correction though: it’s by the writer of XIII, not the artist.)
Nice rundown.
Is nice to see Humanoids are finally doing the original colours on the Moebius books. The recoloured digital colours they tried pushing on us is just wrong.
Dominion looks like a great story. I got my copy from Amazon. Its in the midst of my comic reading boxes.
Eagerly awaiting Muse but that one got delayed to a Feb. release date.
I really wish someone would publish a Moebius and/or a Manara Omnibus.