The Arctic marauder

Though this graphic novel from the French comics master was created in 1972, the current thirst for all things steampunk seems like the ideal atmosphere in which to welcome its first English translation. Dubbed an icepunk adventure by the publisher, the story takes place primarily in the Arctic waters of 1889, where ships can't seem to avoid being sunk in rather explosive fashions by particularly treacherous icebergs. Jerôme Plumier suspects something even more sinister, and, after a bit of poking around, gets to the frigid heart of the puzzle and finds a jaunty mad-scientist scheme to destroy the world. A strong Jules Verne flavor dominates the story's stew of mystery farce and sci-fi adventure, from the ship named the Jules Vernez to the assortment of just-plausibly-outlandish vehicles and deep-sea mechanical apparatuses. But the real fun comes from marveling at it all in Tardi's expansive, ice-blasted scratchboard tableaus that feature one breath-stealing scene after another, all the way through to the cheerfully villainous finale. A devious bit of far-fetched fun.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2010 Booklist

Tardi is renowned in France for his cult graphic novel series featuring Adele Blanc-Sec, a detective who could be the love child of Tintin and Vampirella. Less known, but even more highly regarded, is this earlier, phenomenal one-shot, a baroque masterpiece inspired by the aesthetic of 19th-century engraving and inhabited by both the spirit of scientific positivism and Jules Verne. JerUme Plumier, an enterprising young medical student, embarks on an arctic crossing aboard a mail steamship in 1899, only to fall headlong into a deadly scheme which may be connected to his mad scientist uncle. All the boats venturing near a certain point in the Arctic are sunk with metronomic precision. The colossal scope and fiendish nature of the conspiracy Plumier unwittingly uncovers remains secret for much of the book, building the suspense to a point worthy of any great thriller. It's difficult to do justice to the artistic qualities of Tardi's stark, understated line drawings; whether he's depicting a motley crew of sailors, highly detailed industrial machinery, or an ice floe, the art is both technical and madly expressive. Precisely calibrated, perfectly laid out, and incredibly graphic, this is as good as adventure comics get. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Praised in the United States last year for It Was the War of the Trenches (English translation), Tardi excels in dark plots intercut with puckish humor. This is one of his earliest works, published in France in 1972, and goes heavy on the puckish in a steampunk parody of turn-of-the century pulp, complete with the look of woodcut engravings. In 1889, a steamer dodging ice floes in the northern Atlantic runs across a mysterious ship trapped atop an iceberg. The steamship sends a rescue party, young passenger Jerome Plumier among them, which boards the trapped vessel only to find the entire crew flash-frozen at their posts. Suddenly the steamer explodes, trapping the rescuers on their icy perch. After a few of them are rescued weeks later, these mysteries coalesce and unravel as seen from the viewpoint of Plumier, who is seeking his eccentric and supposedly dead uncle. VERDICT What appears at first to be a stylish set piece of supernatural horror devolves into a delightfully preposterous sf comedy with unexpected twists. With its gorgeous scratchboard art, this will entertain anyone who likes Victoriana send-ups and a ripping good yarn. Recommended for teens and up.-M.C. (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Though this graphic novel from the French comics master was created in 1972, the current thirst for all things steampunk seems like the ideal atmosphere in which to welcome its first English translation. Dubbed an "icepunk" adventure by the publisher, the story takes place primarily in the Arctic waters of 1889, where ships can't seem to avoid being sunk in rather explosive fashions by particularly treacherous icebergs. Jérôme Plumier suspects something even more sinister, and, after a bit of poking around, gets to the frigid heart of the puzzle and finds a jaunty mad-scientist scheme to destroy the world. A strong Jules Verne flavor dominates the story's stew of mystery farce and sci-fi adventure, from the ship named the Jules Vernez to the assortment of just-plausibly-outlandish vehicles and deep-sea mechanical apparatuses. But the real fun comes from marveling at it all in Tardi's expansive, ice-blasted scratchboard tableaus that feature one breath-stealing scene after another, all the way through to the cheerfully villainous finale. A devious bit of far-fetched fun. Copyright 2011 Booklist Reviews.

Praised in the United States last year for It Was the War of the Trenches (English translation), Tardi excels in dark plots intercut with puckish humor. This is one of his earliest works, published in France in 1972, and goes heavy on the puckish in a steampunk parody of turn-of-the century pulp, complete with the look of woodcut engravings. In 1889, a steamer dodging ice floes in the northern Atlantic runs across a mysterious ship trapped atop an iceberg. The steamship sends a rescue party, young passenger Jérôme Plumier among them, which boards the trapped vessel only to find the entire crew flash-frozen at their posts. Suddenly the steamer explodes, trapping the rescuers on their icy perch. After a few of them are rescued weeks later, these mysteries coalesce and unravel as seen from the viewpoint of Plumier, who is seeking his eccentric and supposedly dead uncle. VERDICT What appears at first to be a stylish set piece of supernatural horror devolves into a delightfully preposterous sf comedy with unexpected twists. With its gorgeous scratchboard art, this will entertain anyone who likes Victoriana send-ups and a ripping good yarn. Recommended for teens and up.—M.C.