By J. F. Charles (Michel Deligne Co)
ISBN: 2-87135-020-5
European comics are different. Despite the notable exceptions of Tintin and Asterix, a huge number of classy and wonderful strips and characters have flown over the heads of the English speaking public and foundered. This tragically hard-to-find (but worth the effort) album is an entry from 1985, when America briefly looked elsewhere for graphic entertainment and the publisher Editions Michel Deligne rushed a rather poorly translated version of Jean-François Charles’ (also known as Bof) utterly magical 1982 adventure serial ‘Les Pionniers du Nouveau Monde’ into production.
Set in America and Canada in 1755 it follows the life of Parisian wastrel Benjamin Graindall, a hothead whose predilection for dueling has made France too small for him. Sent to Montreal to make his fortune and keep out of trouble he joins his uncle at the New France Company, bitter trading rival of England’s Hudson Bay Company.
War is brewing, and feuding native tribes have allied themselves to each Imperial nation, dividing along ancient tribal lines as bitter and hate filled as Britain and France’s. Thus when Graindall and the experienced trapper Billy the Nantese go deep inland trading furs they find that the cold war has turned hot and bloody.
Rescuing a number of French settlers including a beautiful aristocrat’s daughter, they make their way towards Fort Niagara, but are captured by the British whose Ox River Fort lies directly opposite the French bastion at the great falls. Prisoners, they must ensure that their enemies do not realize that the girl Louise is in fact the daughter of Fort Niagara’s commanding officer…
This is a classic adventure; an historical drama as only the Belgian and French can do them, full of detail and yet still entrancingly readable. Charles is a master of incredible wilderness scenes and breathtaking battle sequences, and the story, written with wife Maryse, is a strong – if traditional – one. There have been six albums to date in French: Le Pilori (translated here), Le Grand Dérangement (1985), Le Champ d’en-haut (1987), La Croix de Saint-Louis (1988), Du sang dans la boue (1989) and La Mort du loup (1990), although this is the only one I know of that’s been translated into English.
I’d imagine this book is impossible to find nowadays, and to be honest the translation and relettering are quite disappointing and distracting. But since so much European material is once again being tried here via new company Cinebook, I’d thought I’d mention this series as being one that is crying out for a decent shot from a considerate and dedicated publisher. Cross your finger, mes braves…
© 1985 Editions Michel Deligne SA and JF Charles. All Rights Reserved.