Synopses & Reviews
After establishing the world of the prickly heroine with the first two episodes of this classic series (combined in Fantagraphics' , Volume 1), Jacques Tardi plunges us back into Belle-Époque Paris for another double dosage of heroic derring-do, evil and crazy malefac- tors, mad actresses (yes, Clara Benhardt makes a return appearance) and monsters! In "The Mad Scientist," the science that brought us revived dinosaurs now results in a pithecanthrope stalking the streets of the City of Light, climaxing in an amazing car chase involving a foe from the previous volume. Will the perpetually inept Inspector Caponi just make things worse? Probably. Then in the second episode, "A Dusting of Mummies," the mummy glimpsed in Adele's apartment in previous episodes comes alive! The volume concludes with the sudden startling (and delightful) incursion of some characters familiar to Tardi fans, and a shocking climax that leaves the future of both Adele and this series in doubt as World War I erupts. (It's the only story in the entire series not to feature an "in our next episode" teaser.) Volume 2, is the lucky seventh book in Fantagraphics' acclaimed series of Tardi reprints, showcasing the rich variety of graphic novels from one of France's greatest living cartoonists.
Review
"With their wryly overwrought captions, melodramatic dialogue, and convoluted plotlines, the stories work both as gentle genre parodies and full-out fantasy-detective thrillers, thanks in great part to Tardi's lithe cartooning, which vividly evokes the period while sporting an entirely contemporary sensibility." Gordon Flagg
Review
"Though the concepts and action propel the tale, the droll heroine with her asides and astute observations drives these comics.... Tardi frequently breaks down the fourth wall to a humorous effect and his color art recalls the best of Hergé's TinTin stories." Booklist
Review
" are extraordinary indeed.... Tardi creates a world in these comics, one that I absolutely loved exploring." Rick Klaw The SF Site
Review
"...Adele Blanc-Sec is an extraordinary character in a quite extraordinary world.... The cartooning is ... The strong-willed and smart Blanc-Sec is charming in a fairly hard-luck, tough-as-nails way..., contending not only with the evil that men do, but with steampunk and cult/mystical elements. [Rating] 8/10" Booklist
Review
"For my money Jacques Tardi is . . . a true maestro... This second helping collects two of the original French albums and serves up a heady cocktail of conspiracies, secret societies, black magic practicioners, mad scientists. . .and all set against a beautifully realised backdrop of Belle Epoque, pre-war Paris. . . .I'd recommend everything [Fantagraphics translated], but for the sake of this piece I'll go with the wonderful ." Jeremy Nisen Under the Radar
Synopsis
In The Mad Scientist, the science that brought us revived dinosaurs now results in a pithecanthrope stalking the streets of the City of Light, climaxing in an amazing car chase involving a foe from the previous volume. Will the perpetually inept Inspector Caponi just make things worse? Probably. Then in the second episode, A Dusting of Mummies, the mummy glimpsed in Adele s apartment in previous episodes comes alive The volume concludes with the sudden startling (and delightful) incursion of some characters familiar to Tardi fans, and a shocking climax that leaves the future of both Adele and this series in doubt as World War I erupts. (It s the only story in the entire series not to feature an in our next episode teaser. The Extraordinary Adventure of Adele Blanc-Sec, Volume 2, is the lucky seventh book in Fantagraphics acclaimed series of Tardi reprints, showcasing the rich variety of graphic novels from one of France s greatest living cartoonists. "
Synopsis
After establishing the world of the prickly heroine with the first two episodes of this classic series (combined in Fantagraphics' The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec, Volume 1), Jacques Tardi plunges us back into Belle- poque Paris for another double dosage of heroic derring-do, evil and crazy malefac- tors, mad actresses (yes, Clara Benhardt makes a return appearance) and monsters
In "The Mad Scientist," the science that brought us revived dinosaurs now results in a pithecanthrope stalking the streets of the City of Light, climaxing in an amazing car chase involving a foe from the previous volume. Will the perpetually inept Inspector Caponi just make things worse? Probably. Then in the second episode, "A Dusting of Mummies," the mummy glimpsed in Adele's apartment in previous episodes comes alive The volume concludes with the sudden startling (and delightful) incursion of some characters familiar to Tardi fans, and a shocking climax that leaves the future of both Adele and this series in doubt as World War I erupts. (It's the only story in the entire series not to feature an "in our next episode" teaser.)
The Extraordinary Adventure of Adele Blanc-Sec, Volume 2, is the lucky seventh book in Fantagraphics' acclaimed series of Tardi reprints, showcasing the rich variety of graphic novels from one of France's greatest living cartoonists.
Synopsis
The saturnine heroine returns for further adventures in early 20th century Paris.
About the Author
With over 30 graphic novels under his belt (a half-dozen of which have been translated into English), Jacques Tardi is considered the leading European cartoonist of the generation that came of age in the 1970s. His books published in America by Fantagraphics include West Coast Blues, You are There, It Was the War of the Trenches, and The Arctic Marauder. He lives in Paris with his wife, the singer Dominique Grange, and their cats.