{"id":16339,"date":"2017-01-13T08:00:38","date_gmt":"2017-01-13T08:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=16339"},"modified":"2017-01-05T14:05:04","modified_gmt":"2017-01-05T14:05:04","slug":"clifton-volume-6-kidnapping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2017\/01\/13\/clifton-volume-6-kidnapping\/","title":{"rendered":"Clifton volume 6: Kidnapping"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nBy Turk<\/strong> & de Groot<\/strong>, translated by Luke Spear (Cinebook)
\nISBN: 978-1-905460-87-8<\/p>\n

An infallible agent of Her Majesty’s assorted security forces, Clifton<\/strong> was created by Raymond Macherot (Chaminou<\/em>, Les croquillards<\/em>, Chlorophylle<\/em>, Sibylline<\/em>) for the weekly Tintin<\/em><\/strong>. Our doughty exemplar of Albion debuted in December 1959, just as a filmic 007 was preparing to set the world ablaze and get everyone hooked on spycraft\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

After three albums worth of strip material – all compiled and released between 1959 and 1960 – Macherot left Tintin<\/em><\/strong> for arch-rival Spirou<\/em><\/strong> and his bombastic buffoon was benched.<\/p>\n

Tintin<\/em><\/strong> revived him at the height of the Swinging London scene and aforementioned spy-craze, courtesy of Jo-El Azaza & Greg (Michel R\u00c3\u00a9gnier). Those strips were subsequently collected as Les lutins diaboliques<\/em><\/strong> in French and De duivelse dwergen<\/em><\/strong> for Dutch-speakers in 1969.<\/p>\n

Then it was back into retirement until 1971 when Greg – with artist Joseph Loeckx – took another shot. He toiled on the True Brit until 1973 when Bob De Groot & illustrator Philippe \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Turk\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Liegeois fully regenerated the be-whiskered wonder. They produced ten more tales after which, from 1984 on, artist Bernard Dumont (AKA B\u00c3\u00a9du) limned de Groot’s scripts before eventually assuming the writing chores as well. The series concluded in 1995.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6But Never Say Never Again\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

In keeping with its rather haphazard Modus Operandi and indomitably undying nature, the Clifton experience resumed yet again in 2003, crafted now by De Groot & Michel Rodrigue for four further adventures. Although the humorous visual vein was still heavily mined in these tales, now the emphasis was subtly shifted and the action\/adventure components strongly emphasised\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Originally released in 1983, Kidnapping<\/strong> was Turk & De Groot’s last collaboration and wrapped up their mock-heroic shenanigans in fine and foolish style\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Bob de Groot was born in Brussels in 1941, to French and Dutch parents. As a young man he became art assistant to Maurice Tillieux on F\u00c3\u00a9lix<\/em>, before creating his own short works for Pilote<\/em><\/strong>. A rising star in the 1960s, he drew 4\u00c2\u00a0\u00c3\u2014\u00c2\u00a08 = 32 L’Agent Cam\u00c3\u00a9l\u00c3\u00a9on<\/em> where he met Liegeois, consequently began a slow transition from artist to writer. Together they created Archim\u00c3\u00a8de<\/em>, Robin Dubois<\/em> and L\u00c3\u00a9onard<\/em> before eventually inheriting Raymond Macherot’s moribund Clifton<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In 1989 de Groot – with Jacques Landrain – devised Digitaline<\/em>, a strong contender for the first comic created entirely on a computer, and co-created Doggyguard<\/em> with Michel Rodrigue, even whilst prolifically working with the legendary Morris on both Lucky<\/strong> Luke<\/strong> and its canine comedy spin-off Rantanplan<\/em>.<\/p>\n

He’s still going strong with strips such as L\u00c3\u00a9onard<\/em> in Eppo<\/em><\/strong>, P\u00c3\u00a8re No\u00c3\u00abl & Fils<\/em> and Le<\/em> Bar des acariens<\/em> (both published by Gl\u00c3\u00a9nat) and so much more.<\/p>\n

Pompous, irascible Colonel Sir Harold Wilberforce Clifton<\/em> is ex-RAF, a former officer with the Metropolitan Police Constabulary and recently retired from MI5. He has a great deal of difficulty dealing with being put out to pasture in rural Puddington<\/em> and takes every opportunity to get back in the saddle, assisting the Government or needy individuals as an amateur sleuth whenever the opportunity arises. He occupies his idle hours with as many good deeds as befit a man of his standing and service. He is particularly dedicated to sharing the benefits of organised Scouting with the young generation\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

This rollicking comedy crime caper begins with the old soldier and his fiery, ferociously competent, multi-talented housekeeper Mrs. Partridge<\/em> preparing for a big camping trip for a motley crew of fresh-faced boy scouts.<\/p>\n

Even after his own haphazard preparations are finally completed, Scoutmaster Clifton’s departure is further delayed by the stylishly late arrival of the troublesome son of wealthy and obnoxiously prestigious Sir Abylas Chickenpiece<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Finally, however, the troop is under way and before too long they are setting up camp in an isolated patch of woodland. After organising jobs for the lads Clifton begins his own chores, setting tests for the boys trying out to win merit badges and catching a crafty snooze when he thinks nobody is looking\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

It’s a very bad move. When the spoiled and appropriately codenamed \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Distinguished Peacock\u00e2\u20ac\u009d sets off to gather firewood, he’s pounced on by thugs working under the careful instructions of an obsessive porcelain collector who is well aware of the worth of the Chickenpiece Fortune\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

A furtive observer to the crime, poor but honest \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Thrifty Duckling\u00e2\u20ac\u009d sees his companion being abducted and cunningly hides himself inside the getaway car, so when Clifton is made aware of the crisis he feels painfully responsible for the loss of two boys in his care\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Angry and insulted, the irascible Colonel eschews contacting the police and determines to give his remaining charges a lesson in the value of his scouting techniques by tracking the kidnappers to their lair and personally apprehending them.<\/p>\n

The only real complication he envisages is apprising the victims’ fathers of the perilous current status of their sons and heirs\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

A classic chase, memorable confrontation and Boys Own conclusion is the happy result of Clifton and his diminutive team working together, and when the action ends the reunions and subsequent outdoor celebrations are all any stout-hearted lad could hope for\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Funny, fast and furiously thrill-packed, Kidnapping<\/strong> shows our Old Soldier in his most engaging and flattering light with this craftily-concocted adventure romp in the grandly enticing manner of Charles Crichton’s Hue and Cry<\/strong> or Launder & Gilliat’s The Belles of St Trinian’s<\/strong>; sufficient to astound and delight devotees of simpler times whilst supplying a solid line in goofy gags for laughter-addicts of every age to enjoy.
\nOriginal edition \u00c2\u00a9 Les Editions du Lombard (Dargaud-Lombard SA) 1984 by Turk & De Groot. English translation \u00c2\u00a9 2009 Cinebook Ltd.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Turk & de Groot, translated by Luke Spear (Cinebook) ISBN: 978-1-905460-87-8 An infallible agent of Her Majesty’s assorted security forces, Clifton was created by Raymond Macherot (Chaminou, Les croquillards, Chlorophylle, Sibylline) for the weekly Tintin. Our doughty exemplar of Albion debuted in December 1959, just as a filmic 007 was preparing to set the … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Clifton volume 6: Kidnapping”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[75,63,125,132,169],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-crime-comics","category-european-classics","category-humour","category-older-kids","category-spy-stories"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-4fx","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16339"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16339\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}