Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec Volume 2: The Mad Scientist/Mummies on Parade
by Jacques Tardi
Promo copy:
After establishing the world of the prickly heroine with the first two episodes of this classic series (combined in Fantagraphics’ The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec, 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 Adèle’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 Adèle 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.
Early this year I devoted a entire Nexus Graphica column to the genius of Tardi.
| Quote: |
| Before my discovery of the French artist Jacques Tardi, how did I enjoy comics? The three reprints from Fantagraphics all appeared on my previous two best of the year lists: You Are There and West Coast Blues in 2009 and It Was the War of the Trenches last year. If I had read their most recent Tardi publication (The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec Volume 1: Pterror Over Paris/The Eiffel Tower Demon) in time, it would have joined its brethren. |
Definitely expect to hear more about Ms. Blanc-Sec in the near future.
The Super Hero Squad Show: The Infinity Gauntlet Vol. 2
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The universe is in big trouble if the supervillain Thanos is able to collect all the gems necessary to complete the all-powerful Infinity Gauntlet! Can our lovable heroes, Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, Wolverine, Falcon and Scarlet Witch, stop him in time? And what about the malevolent devourer Galactus?! Experience the action and laughs with this second volume of The Super Hero Squad Show’s hilariously wild second season!
Featuring the special guest voice talents of Michael Dorn (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Mark Hamill (Star Wars), Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) and George Takei (Star Trek)!
The Zombie Survival Guide Journal
Art by Ibraim Roberson
Promo copy:
Watch out as a mob of ravenous, flesh-eating undead comes to life. This lenticular journal cover sets in motion images of slithering, shuffling zombies from the bestselling graphic novel The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks. Filled with lined pages, this all-purpose journal is perfect for jotting down notes, making to-do lists, plotting your own survival strategy, and is just the creepy thing for zombie fans everywhere.
This will make a fine gift for my 12 year old nephew who recently completed his first short story “Zombies vs Aliens.”
Stuff received 10/20/11 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon