Cinebook the 9th Art: Spirou & Fantasio - Virus

Authors: Tome & Janry
Age: 8 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Paperback
Number of pages: 48 colour pages
Paperback
Publication: April 2016

ISBN: 9781849182973

Price: £6.99 inc. VAT

 

Fantasio, chasing a scoop, slips through a cordon sanitaire surrounding a cargo ship fresh from Antarctica. He’s hoping to investigate some disturbing rumours about the base where the ship comes from. But a seriously ill man has escaped the quarantine and begs for assistance. The Count of Champignac can help, but only if he has access to a very rare toxin – one that is stored, for example, in that mysterious ice base, where more patients await...

I think Cinebook mean "quarantine cordon/zone".  But let's get on to the serious stuff.  I love that cover. The art and the very -very- "fuchia attack pink"!   Antarctic base.  A virus. A combination of words that you do not really want to hear in everyday life. In fact, "let's head for the Antarctic base where the virus is" probably tops the list of things to never ever do (well, Antarctic base and rampaging alien life form would trump that).

So, what do Spirou and Fantasio do?  Head for the Antarctic base where the virus is.  A serious story but the art works -I've never understood how employing a more humorous art style still works but it does and I think Spirou and Fantasio has proven that over the years. Sabotaging nut-job on the run, action, mystery and, of course, the bombers heading for that Antarctic base -have I mentioned Antarctica is the location of this story?

Originally published in 1984 I wonder whether John Carpenter's The Thing helped inspire the idea? Who knows.  But your kids -hey, kids of all ages- will enjoy this.

Fun!