The Best Of Euro Comics: Cinebook’s Titles For May, Including More Racing Action, More Morris, And More Franquin
by Richard Bruton
Every month the publisher Cinebook brings us the very best of the incredibly rich and diverse world of European comics, and we’ve got the previews of their May titles right here…
For many years now, Cinebook have been giving us the very best of the 9th Art – that’s Euro Comics – a whole wide world of comics that have been neglected by English-speaking comic readers for far too many years.
They’ve a catalogue of 99 titles and nearly 700 books now, all of them showing us just how diverse the Euro comics scene is. In May we have a set of four books to impress – comedy, comedy-drama, motor racing action, and sci-fi all represented.
The comedy and comedy-drama comes from two master of comics – Morris and Andre Franquin. Morris brings you the second volume of Rin Tin Can – The Godfather. Written by Xavier Fauche and Jean Leturgie, it’s the return of the dumbest dog of the Wild West and friend (of sorts) to Lucky Luke. Then Andre Franquin comes in with the comedy drama, providing the art to volume 21 of Spiro & Fantasio‘s adventures, The Prisoner of the Buddha, with the intrepid reporters, together with the Marsupilami, failing foul of both the Soviets and the Chinese in another classic adventure.
The racing adventures come in the shape of the unexpectedly enjoyable (for me) Michel Vaillant Legendary Races, volume 2 of which sees Michel and his race team take on the most famous of all F1 circuits – Monaco. And finally we have Outlaws Vol 2, the politically-charged sci-fi adventure from Runberg and Chabbert in the universe of Runberg’s Orbital. Orbital was an eight-volume epic by Runberg and Serge Pelle that dealt with big-scale sci-fi, of the aftermath of the Human-Sandjarr war and both races’ entry into the intergalactic peacekeeping organisation. Outlaws takes place in the same universe but is way more constrained, going deeper into the issues of exploitation and immigration.
Four books, four very different books, multiple genres, great writing and art – it’s surely about time you gave Euro comics a fair go?
All four books come out in May 2024. Now, how about the covers and the blurbs to keep you happy?
Rin Tin Can Volume 2: The Godfather – by Xavier Fauche and Jean Leturgie, illustrated by Morris
Published by Cinebook in May 2024
After inadvertently thwarting a convict’s escape attempt, Rin Tin Can flees the penitentiary and ends up with two sheep herders who are being targeted by wool thieves. The robbers, Giuseppe and Aldo, are actually looking for a specific sheep skin tattooed with a treasure map, in order to post their father’s bail.
Unwittingly — as usual — Rin Tin Can becomes first the accomplice of the two not-too-bright brothers, then their ‘godfather’.
Spirou & Fantasio Volume 21: The Prisoner of the Buddha – by Greg, illustrated by Andre Franquin and Jidehem
Published by Cinebook in May 2024
Spirou and Fantasio, paying the Count of Champignac a visit, discover that he is hiding an imposing visitor: a towering Russian
genius who has created an antigravity ray. Unfortunately, the KGB is already hunting him, because he’s decided he wants to keep his invention secret.
And to make things worse, his former associate, who knows almost as much as he about the ray, has been captured by Chinese authorities. Spirou decides it is vital to free the prisoner.
Michel Vaillant – Legendary Races Volume 2: A Driver’s Soul – Script by Denis Lapiere, Art by Vincent Dutreuil, colours by Isabelle Charly.
Published by Cinebook in May 2024
1971, Monaco Grand Prix. Jackie Stewart has a perfect racing weekend. Meanwhile, after a series of setbacks, Michel Vaillant is nursing doubts about his life and his career, and shares them, his feelings, and some of his racing secrets with a journalist. As for Steve Warson, contacted by the FBI, he agrees to exfiltrate an injured special agent from a hotel in Marseille — could the French Connection interfere with the race?
Outlaws 2: The Shores of Midaluss – by Sylvain Runberg & Eric Chabbert
Published by Cinebook in May 2024.
The second volume of an Orbital spin-off. Midaluss, on planet Drenn, is a sprawling seaside city where wealthy districts and alien slums co-exist, though violence is never far. That is where Kristina and her new partner, Zachary, have decided to start their new career as luxury vehicles thieves. But even as they must face fierce competition from other gangs, the tragic events that followed Kristina’s arrival on Drenn soon catch up to them, and blood – alien and Human – could soon flow freely again …
