XIII x 18 = A Full Set

With our review of The Last Round, downthetubes has now reviewed all 18 of the XIII books published by Cinebook over the last two and a half years - from the beginning of the saga of the amnesiac agent in The Day Of The Black Sun, through two presidential assassinations in America plus an attempted military coup in between them, a Central American revolution and the search for century old Mexican gold coins, right up to its finale.

Written by Jean Van Hamme and translated by Jerome Saincantin, with art by William Vance plus a guest spot by Jean Giraud/Moebius, the series has been, along with Lucky Luke, one of the two mainstays of Cinebook since 2010 with a new XIII title appearing every two months as the company showed its dedication to a series which had never been translated beyond book three before.

Due to the non-graphic novel nature of the 13th French book, The Investigation, and it basically retelling the story up to that point, it was not included in the main Cinebook series although the company have plans to publish it in English later in the year.

Cinebook publisher Olivier Cadic and XIII translator Jerome Saincantin spoke to us about the series in 2011 in XIII Questions About XIII while each of the 18 book reviews are listed below.

1 - The Day Of The Black Sun

2 - Where The Indian Walks

3 - All The Tears Of Hell

4 - SPADS

5 - Full Red

6 - The Jason Fly Case

7 - The Night Of August Third

8 - Thirteen To One

9 - For Maria

10 - El Cascador

11 - Three Silver Watches

12 - The Trial

13 - Top Secret

14 - Release The Hounds!

15 - Operation Montecristo

16 - Maximillian's Gold

17 - The Irish Version

18 - The Last Round


• Details of each of the XIII books are available on the Cinebook website along with the first two pages of artwork for each.

• Details of the original French XIII books, and the spin-off series XIII Mysteries, are available of the official XIII website (in French).

• View all the XIII books on amazon.co.uk

In Review: XIII - The Irish Version

As XIII the series nears its end, writer Jean Van Hamme takes time out to explain the beginning of the saga, and just exactly who XIII the man is, in The Irish Version and forsakes his regular artist for Jean Giraud, better known as Moebius.

Two college students go up a mountain, but only one comes down, and that one goes on to become the amnesiac killer known as XIII. But which of the two men was it - the American political science freshman Jason Fly or the Irish history freshman Kelly Brian? Except that neither was really who they said they are - Jason Fly is actually Jason McLane, the son of a left-wing journalist, and Kelly Brian is actually Seamus O'Neil, an IRA killer.

Long time readers of XIII already knew part of this story as it marked the chronological beginning of the "Who is XIII?" arc but here writer Jean Van Hamme gives readers the full story which acts as a stand-alone prequel to the entire XIII series. It begins with Seamus O'Neil telling Jason Fly/McLane his life story, not the cover story he had as a college student but the real one of growing up in Belfast during the Troubles and his desire to join the IRA told, obviously , from an anti-British republican perspective. This is then tied into the CIA's attempt to compromise O'Neil's cover using the rather familiar secretary of Dick Giordino. It all works very well indeed given that long time readers know what happens at the end, the big reveal here is who it happens to.

After Van Hamme's mis-step in Top Secret when he gave his IRA terrorist the unlikely name of Angus, and had him bizarrely fighting for the independence of Ulster, his research on the Troubles for this book is much better with real locations such as Crumlin Road Gaol and Court House coming to the fore. While the anti-car bomb measures around the Court House at the time would have prevented anyone jumping from its roof, as shown on the cover, actually reaching the roof of a lorry parked beside it, it makes for an intriguing, and very XIII-like, way for O'Neil to elude British justice.

Giraud's artwork works well as a replacement for series regular artist William Vance, albeit it feels a little too darkly coloured at times due, in part, to the skulking around that the characters do. While it does have that inevitable feel to British eyes of a non-British artist drawing the United Kingdom, I'm sure that Vance's version would have been similar. However I suspect that Vance's knowledge of military hardware would have prevented the wrong armoured cars appearing and the rifles used by both sides being less generic than what actually appear. That said, while Cinebook have not made a fuss about the artist, any new English language book by Giraud/Moebius is to be appreciated at the moment.

XIII - The Irish Version is an impressive stand-alone prequel to the entire XIII series which works just as well for Jean Giraud/Moebius fans, who would not want to have to read the rest of the series to make sense of what is going on, as it does for regular XIII readers as a resolution to the question of just exactly who XIII is.

• There are more details of the English language XIII books on Cinebook's website.

• There are more details of the original French XIII albums on the official XIII website (in French).

• You can read an interview with Cinebook publisher Olivier Cadic and XIII translator Jerome Saincantin on downthetubes at XIII Questions About XIII. 

In Memoriam: Jean Giraud

Image via Le Blog de Mister Jacq

downthetubes was sorry to hear about the passing of one of the world's greatest comics artists, Jean Giraud (aka Moebius, or, simply, 'Gir').

Born in 1938, Giraud's comics work may have had sporadic publication in the UK but in the US and as far as many British comic creators are concerned his body of work - which includes strips for Metal Hurlant (Heavy Metal) magazine and stories such as Arzach, the Airtight Garage of Jerry Cornelius, The Incal and the western adventure, Blueberry - is without equal.

He also worked on both computer game and film design, working on storyboards for films such as Alien, Willow, adaptations of his own Blueberry character and Thru the Moebius Strip, and his work influenced many film makers, including George Lucas.

A painting inspired by Jean Giraud's story, Arzach.

"I consider him more important than Doré," said Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini. "He’s a unique talent endowed with an extraordinary visionary imagination that’s constantly renewed and never vulgar. Moebius disturbs and consoles. He has the ability to transport us into unknown worlds where we encounter unsettling characters.

"My admiration for him is total. I consider him a great artist, as great as Picasso and Matisse."

"It seems only a few years ago that we collaborated under the tutorship of Alejandro Jodorowsky on the initial version of Dune in Paris," recalls veteran SF illustrator Chris Foss. "Many, many happy memories come flooding back of our time together. It is fair to say that the firm basis of our relationship was a mutual admiration of each others work.

"... I fortunately spoke at length with Jean last year and the years just fell away. He was bright and cheerful and talked enthusiastically of his various projects. It did not occur to me that such a talented life would end so abruptly."

Above: Moebius at work on Telerama in 2010

There's no doubt his work was a strong influence on many and he was and will ever be, one of the best known artists of bandes dessinées outside France.

"Those that know me know what this man meant to me," says artist Dave Taylor, who make no secret of the impact Moebius' work had on his own art. "He was, at the beginning of my comic book career, my inspiration, my master and my guide. He continues to be all these things, he always will be.

"... Jean was, in a way, a father figure to me. I became aware of his work only a few years before my Father passed away. His work spoke to me as only a father can. He once told me that we were brothers. I guess this explains my mixed emotions right now. I've lost another Father and a brother all in one day."

"This has hit me hard like a thump to the heart," agrees artist Jon Haward."...  have loved this man's work for almost all my life.

"He showed me magical worlds beautiful people incredible creatures and inspired me on so many levels -- one being you don't have to draw only in one style. Jean was successful at what ever he drew, be it westerns, sci-fi, fantasy."

"I met Jean Giraud on a couple of occasions over the years," remembers writer Neil Gaiman. "He was sweet and gentle and really... I don't know. Spiritual is not a word I use much, mostly because it feels so very misused these days, but I'd go with it for him. I liked him enormously, and felt humbled around him. And in my 20s and 30s I didn't do humbled very much or very well."

Brazilian author Paulo Coelho (whose work Moebius once illustrated) paid tribute on Twitter this weekend, stating: "The great Moebius died today, but the great Moebius is still alive. Your body died today, your work is more alive than ever."

"France has lost one of its best known artists in the world," commented Benoit Mouchart, artistic director at France's Angouleme International Comics Festival. "In Japan, Italy, in the United States he is an incredible star who influenced world comics.

"Moebius will remain part of the history of drawing, in the same right as Dürer or Ingres. He was an incredible producer, he said he wanted to show what eyes do not always see".

While here at downthetubes we'll remember him for his amazing work on Arzach and Incal, and strips for Heavy Metal - but his many credits in comics, film and illustration mean that he will never be remembered across the globe for just one of his creations alone.

Ride on, sir - and live on in my minds and hearts.

• Moebius: Official website (French)

Tripwire spotlights Slaine, Blueberry and X-Men in latest free digital edition

The July 2011 digital issue of ace comics and other media magazine Tripwire features a host of goodies - and you can download it free from the official web site (www.tripwire-magazine.com).

The  Eagle Award-nominated and acclaimed magazine launched a digital version earlier this year -  a bi-monthly version of its popular Annual print publication. Described by Michael Moorcock as "the best mag of its kind that I've seen", editor Joel Meadows tells us readers can expect to see online the same depth of features and quality packaging as in the print version only in a slimmer, slicker format available for free download on the magazine's blog site

“With the exciting opportunities that the various digital platforms now offer both readers and publishers, we felt that it was the perfect time to launch,” he says.

“The bi-monthly schedule allows us to be a regular presence out there, offering us a greater range of content for readers and taking nearly twenty years of expertise to a wider audience. 2011 is going to be the year of Tripwire,” Meadows continued.

This latest issue includes a look at the publication of Rebellion’s classic Slaine: The Horned God in hardcover with its creators Pat Mills and Simon Bisley; an examination of Moebius’s seminal western series Blueberry and why it deserves to be back in print in the English language; a background feature on the genesis of bringing X-Men First Class to the big screen plus a chat with screen writers Miller and Stentz; and its Stripwire section includes a preview of BOOM Studios Elric by Chris Roberson and Italain artist Francesco Biagnini, the creator of Dingo.

As ever, it's a beautifully designed magazine and well worth the download. Check it out.

• Download Tripwire from www.tripwire-magazine.com