{"id":32515,"date":"2025-03-28T09:00:32","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T09:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=32515"},"modified":"2025-03-27T18:03:12","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T18:03:12","slug":"clifton-volume-5-jade-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2025\/03\/28\/clifton-volume-5-jade-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Clifton volume 5: Jade"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nBy Rodrigue<\/strong> & de Groot<\/strong>, translated by Luke Spear<\/strong> (Cinebook)
\nISBN: 978-1-905460-52-6 (Album PB\/Digital edition)<\/p>\n

This book includes Discriminatory Content<\/strong> produced in less enlightened times<\/em><\/p>\n

An infallible agent of Her Majesty\u2019s assorted security forces, Clifton<\/strong> was originally created by Raymond Macherot (Chaminou<\/em><\/strong>, Les croquillards<\/em><\/strong>, Chlorophylle<\/em><\/strong>, Sibylline<\/em><\/strong>) for Le Journal de<\/em><\/strong> Tintin<\/em><\/strong>. This Gallic-tinged doughty exemplar of Albion debuted in December 1959, just as a filmic 007<\/strong> was about to set the world ablaze and get everyone hooked on spycraft. After three albums worth of strip material – all compiled and released in 1959-1960 – Macherot left Tintin<\/em><\/strong> for arch-rival Le Journal de<\/em><\/strong> Spirou<\/em><\/strong>, and his bombastic True Brit buffoon was benched.<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Jo-El Azaza & Greg (AKA Michel R\u00e9gnier), Le Journal de<\/em><\/strong> Tintin<\/em><\/strong> revived Cliftonat the height of the Swinging London scene and aforementioned spy-boom. Those strips were subsequently collected as Les lutins diaboliques<\/em><\/strong> in French and De duivelse dwergen<\/em><\/strong> for Dutch-speakers in 1969. Then it was back into retirement until 1971 when Greg, with artist Joseph Loeckx, took their shot, toiling on the feature until 1973 when Bob De Groot & illustrator Philippe \u201cTurk\u201d Liegeois fully regenerated the be-whiskered wonder.<\/p>\n

They produced ten more tales after which, from 1984 on, artist Bernard Dumont (AKA B\u00e9du) limned de Groot\u2019s scripts before eventually assuming writing chores as well. The series concluded in 1995.<\/p>\n

… But Never Say Never Again…<\/p>\n

In keeping with its rather haphazard Modus Operandi and indomitably undying nature, the Clifton<\/strong> file reopened yet again in 2003, with De Groot & Michel Rodrigue handling four further adventures. Although the humorous visual vein was still heavily mined in these tales, the emphasis subtly shifted and action\/adventure components were strongly emphasised…<\/p>\n

Originally released in 2003, Jade<\/strong> was Rodrigue & De Groot\u2019s first collaboration, signalling a fresh start with fans\u2019 fave bits augmented by a stunning new partner for the old war-horse…<\/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\u00e9lix<\/em><\/strong>, before creating his own short works for Pilote<\/em><\/strong>. A rising star in the 1960s, he drew spy serial 4\u00d78 = 32 L\u2019Agent Cam\u00e9l\u00e9on<\/em><\/strong>, where he encountered Philippe \u201cTurk\u201d Liegeois, and consequently began a slow transition from artist to writer. Together they created Archim\u00e8de<\/em><\/strong>, Robin Dubois<\/strong><\/em>, and L\u00e9onard<\/em><\/strong> before eventually inheriting Macherot\u2019s moribund Clifton<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In 1989 de Groot – with Jacques Landrain – devised Digitaline<\/em><\/strong>, a strong contender for the first comic created entirely on a computer, and co-created Doggyguard<\/em><\/strong> with Michel Rodrigue, even whilst prolifically working with the legendary Morris on both Lucky Luke <\/strong>and its canine comedy spin-off Rantanplan<\/em><\/strong>. He was still going strong with L\u00e9onard<\/em><\/strong> in Eppo<\/em><\/strong>, Pere No\u00ebl & Fils<\/em><\/strong> and Le Bar des acariens<\/em><\/strong> (both published by Gl\u00e9nat) until his death on 7th<\/sup> November 2023.<\/p>\n

Michel Rodrigue really, really likes Rugby – the highly painful and exhilarating sport for boys and girls of all ages, not the market town in eastern Warwickshire. He was born in Lyon in 1961 and eventually pursued higher education at the National School of Fine Arts, where he also studied medieval archaeology. From 1983-85 he was part of the French Rugby team and in 1987 designed France\u2019s mascot for the World Cup. He made his comics debut in 1984 with sports (guess which one) strip M\u00e9zydugnac<\/em><\/strong> in Midi Olympique<\/em><\/strong>. After illustrating an adaptation of Edmond Rostand\u2019s Cyrano de Bergerac<\/strong> in 1986, he and collaborator Jean-Claude Vruble produced a volume of La R\u00e9volution Fran\u00e7aise<\/em><\/strong>, scripted by Patrick Cothias.<\/p>\n

Rodrigue then joined Roger Brunel on Rugby<\/em><\/strong> en B.D<\/strong>.<\/em>, Du Monde dans la Coupe!<\/em><\/strong>, Concept<\/em>, Le Rugby en Coupe<\/em><\/strong> and La Foot par la Bande<\/em><\/strong>. For Le Journal de<\/em><\/strong> Tintin<\/em><\/strong>, he drew Bom\u2019s Les Conspirateurs<\/em><\/strong> and produced Rugbyman<\/em><\/strong>, official monthly of the French Rugby Federation, amongst a scrum of other strips. Along the way, he began scripting too, and after working with de Groot on Doggyguard<\/em> <\/strong>joined him on the resurrected Clifton<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Rodrigue also remains astonishingly creatively occupied, working on Ly-Noock<\/em><\/strong> with Andr\u00e9 Ch\u00e9ret, Br\u00e8ves de Rugby<\/em><\/strong>, La Grande Trambouille des F\u00e9es<\/em><\/strong> for Ren\u00e9 Hausmann, Les Damn\u00e9s de la Route<\/em><\/strong>, Triple Galop<\/em><\/strong>, L\u2019\u00c9quipe de R\u00eave<\/em><\/strong>, Futurama<\/em><\/strong> comics, Cubitus<\/em><\/strong> and spinoff Bidule <\/em><\/strong>(with Pierre Aucaigne), and many 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 shambles in Government or needy individuals as an amateur sleuth whenever opportunity arises. He occupies his idle hours with as many good deeds as befit a man of his standing and service…<\/p>\n

In his revived incarnation the balance between satirical comedy, blistering adventure and sinister intrigue is carefully judged and this re-introductory tale opens with the old soldier and his contentiously fiery, multi-talented housekeeper Mrs. Partridge<\/em> preparing for a camping trip. Clifton is taking a local scout troop to Wales, but some last-minute minor catastrophes are testing his patience and turning the air blue with extremely imaginative invective. Unflappable Mrs. P is able to offset them all thanks to a family connection in the army surplus business, and soon the Colonel is ready to roll but plans change at the very last minute when a shadowy figure leaves a letter. That enigmatic messenger is painfully unaware that they are being carefully observed by another…
\n\"\"
\nThe message is in code, but once again la Partridge is up to the task, and Clifton adapts his plans. When the scouts board the lorry the colonel has secured, they learn that they are now heading for Devon…<\/p>\n

Arriving at scenic Snooze-on-Pillow<\/em>, Clifton gets his lads to set up camp, but is soon accosted by an unctuous stranger who takes him to meet an old enemy fallen upon ignominious times. Otto von Kartoffeln<\/em> was one of Hitler\u2019s greatest assets in the war, but now is a feeble wreck in an old folks\u2019 home bullied by a monster of a nurse. He doesn\u2019t just want to talk over old times, however. The shrunken but still repugnant old remnant wants to share the secret location of a submarine full of Nazi treasure.<\/p>\n

Over tea, served by a rather attractive young lady, the old soldiers\u2019 minds go back to their earliest encounters. The tale unfolds of a U-Boat once commanded by Kartoffeln which sank off Scotland at the end of the war. He would happily have left it there forever, if not for the fact that a gang of neo-Nazis are trying to recover it and start up the Fuhrer\u2019s madness all over again…<\/p>\n

The old men have no conception that their teapot is bugged and avid young ears are listening with shock and awe and something else…
\n\"\"
\nAll too soon, our restless old warrior hurtles northward: dodging bombs and ducking bullets beside an unlikely new partner. Determined on scotching a sinister plot, scuppering a vast submarine base and stopping the rise of the Fourth Reich, Clifton is aware that – as always – there are plots within plots, and amidst the frenetic death-defying action he has to keep one eye on his deadly foes and another on the people claiming to be allies…<\/p>\n

Still, with nothing to lose and civilisation to save, Clifton naturally does his utmost…<\/p>\n

Funny, fast and furiously action-packed, Jade<\/strong> gives our Old Soldier a subtle overhaul and fresh start in a cunningly-conceived adventure romp in the grandly daft Get Smart!<\/strong> and Austin Powers<\/strong> manner (with a smidge of Bullet Train<\/strong> in there for kids who won\u2019t watch old stuff), sufficient to astound and delight blockbuster addicts whilst supplying a solid line in goofy gags for laughter-addicts of every age to enjoy.
\nOriginal edition \u00a9 Les Editions du Lombard (Dargaud-Lombard SA) 2003 by Rodrigue & De Groot. English translation \u00a9 2008 Cinebook Ltd.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Rodrigue & de Groot, translated by Luke Spear (Cinebook) ISBN: 978-1-905460-52-6 (Album PB\/Digital edition) This book includes Discriminatory Content produced in less enlightened times An infallible agent of Her Majesty\u2019s assorted security forces, Clifton was originally created by Raymond Macherot (Chaminou, Les croquillards, Chlorophylle, Sibylline) for Le Journal de Tintin. This Gallic-tinged doughty exemplar … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Clifton volume 5: Jade”<\/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":[191,239,63,125,107,169],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-drama","category-european-classics","category-humour","category-science-fiction","category-spy-stories"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-8sr","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32515","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=32515"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32515\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32519,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32515\/revisions\/32519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32515"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32515"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}