Les Voyages D’Alix:Pompei

Les Voyages D’Alix:Pompei
M. Henniquiau (W) & J. Martin (A)
Editions Casterman
Full colour
56pp
size: 22.5 x 30.3cms
Hard cover
12. 90 Euro
http://bd.casterman.com/prepub_detail.cfm?ID=40646


I have heard and even seen some art from the Alix series of books and, luckily, Wikipedia has some information on the series:

“Alix, or The Adventures of Alix, is a popular Franco-Belgian comics series drawn in the ligne claire style by one its masters, Jacques Martin. The stories revolve around a young Gallo-Roman man named Alix in the late Roman Republic. Although the series is renowned for its historical accuracy and stunning set detail, the hero has been known to wander into anachronistic situations up to two centuries out of his era. The stories unfold throughout the reaches of the Roman world, including the city of Rome, Gaul, the German frontier, Mesopotamia, Africa and Asia Minor. One voyage goes as far as China.”

Okay, the text is a bit too technical for my very poor French though, as a historian the items/places mentioned are familiar to me.  I doubt that there is anything wrong text wise since Casterman do not produce poor books!

So, I go through the book and look at the art and images. This is simply superb.  Everything from the forum to street-life and the legionary guard house is spot on with what we know.  The depictions of scenes from the arena show just how nasty life could be for the non-citizen -the gladiators versus beasts page…wow.
I just look at this book and weep.  Remember, as kids in school, or even for Christmas presents, you were given not just comic annuals but the odd illustrated encyclopedia? If I were given this as a kid, forget the fact it is in French, I would have been overjoyed. This is a really beautiful book -yes, I can really use the word “beautiful” here!- and I just hope and pray that maybe Cinebook will latch on to this -if not, Casterman ought to try producing and English language version.

I got this book at the beginning of the week and it’s now Thursday and I’ve looked through it 2-3 times each day.

Really  worth the price!

According to  Gopal Srinivasan:

"Two titles were indeed published in English and I am fortunate to own both – the art work is delectable, the stories could be crisper though."

http://koti.mbnet.fi/~z14/euro-comics/alix.html