{"id":6421,"date":"2011-04-02T06:00:44","date_gmt":"2011-04-02T06:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=6421"},"modified":"2011-04-02T11:41:52","modified_gmt":"2011-04-02T11:41:52","slug":"buck-danny-volume-1-night-of-the-serpent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2011\/04\/02\/buck-danny-volume-1-night-of-the-serpent\/","title":{"rendered":"Buck Danny volume 1: Night of the Serpent"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nBy Francis Berg\u00c3\u00a9se<\/strong>, <\/strong>colours by Fr\u00c3\u00a9d\u00c3\u00a9ric Berg\u00c3\u00a9se<\/strong> translated by Jerome Saincantin<\/strong> (Cinebooks)
\nISBN: 987-1-905460-85-4<\/p>\n

I’ve finally picked up some of the newest translated versions of a favourite continental classic serial, courtesy of the wonderful Cinebooks; a fine publishing outfit dedicated to bringing more of the fabulous wealth and variety of European comics to the infamously resistant English-speaking World.<\/p>\n

All-American Naval Aviator Buck Danny was created by Georges Troisfontaines and drawn by Victor Hubinon before being handed to Jean-Michel Charlier, then working as a junior artist. Troisfontaines was director of the Belgian publisher World Press Agency whilst Charlier’s fascination with human-scale drama and rugged realism had been seen in such \u00e2\u20ac\u0153true-war\u00e2\u20ac\u009d strips as L’Agonie du Bismark <\/em>(‘The Agony of the Bismark’<\/em>– published in Spirou<\/em><\/strong> in 1946).<\/p>\n

With fellow master-storytellers Albert Uderzo and Ren\u00c3\u00a9 Goscinny, Charlier formed the \u00c3\u2030difrance Agency<\/strong>, which promoted and specialised in communication arts and comics strips. Charlier and Goscinny were editors of Pistolin<\/em><\/strong> magazine (1955 to 1958) and created Pilote <\/em><\/strong>in 1959.<\/p>\n

Charlier’s greatest triumph is the iconic Western Blueberry<\/em> (created in 1963 with Jean Giraud\/Moebius). Charlier wrote Buck Danny<\/strong> until his death whereupon his artistic collaborator Francis Berg\u00c3\u00a9se (who had replaced Hubinon in 1978) took sole charge of the adventures of the Yankee Air Ace.<\/p>\n

Like so many artists involved in stories about flight Francis Berg\u00c3\u00a9se (born in 1941) started young with both drawing and flying. He qualified as a pilot whilst still a teenager, enlisted in the French Army and was a reconnaissance flyer by his early twenties. At age 23 he began selling strips to L’\u00c3\u2030toile<\/em><\/strong> and JT Jeunes<\/em><\/strong> (1963-1966) after which he produced his first aviation strip Jacques Renne<\/em> <\/strong>for Zorro<\/em><\/strong>. This was soon followed by Amigo, Ajax, Cap 7, Les 3 Cascadeurs, Les 3 A , Michel dans la Course<\/em> and many others.<\/p>\n

Berg\u00c3\u00a9se worked as a jobbing artist on comedies, pastiches and WWII strips until 1983 when he was offered the plum job of illustrating the venerable and globally syndicated Buck Danny<\/strong>. When Charlier died Berg\u00c3\u00a9se took over the writing too and even found time in the 1990s to produce some tales for the European interpretation of Great British icon Biggles<\/strong>. He retired in 2008, passing on the creative chores of Buck Danny to illustrator Fabrice Lamy and scripter Fred Zumbiehl.<\/p>\n

Buck Danny<\/strong> premiered in Spirou<\/em><\/strong> in January 1947 and continues to this day. The strip describes the improbably long and historically significant career of the eponymous Navy pilot and his wing-men Sonny Tuckson and Jerry Tumbler. It is one of the world’s last aviation strips and a series which has always closely wedded itself to current affairs such as The Korean War, Bosnia and even Afghanistan.<\/p>\n

Like all the Danny tales this premier edition is astonishingly authentic: a breezy and compelling action thriller – originally published as Buck Danny #49: La nuit du serpent<\/em><\/strong> in 2000 – with colouring by Fr\u00c3\u00a9d\u00c3\u00a9ric Berg\u00c3\u00a9se <\/strong>(I’m assuming that’s his son, but I’m not certain) which blends mind-boggling detail and technical veracity with good old fashioned blockbuster adventure.<\/p>\n

At Kunsan Airbase, South Korea a veteran American pilot goes on dawn border patrol only to be hit by an uncanny light which blinds him and seems to negate all his F-16’s guidance systems. Despite his best efforts the jet crashes in the De-Militarized Zone and the North Koreans claim a flagrant breaking of the truce and a huge publicity coup.<\/p>\n

Strangely though, the downed Colonel Maxwell is still missing. The Communists don’t have him and the pilot’s tracking devices indicate he’s still out there somewhere: lost in the No Man’s land between North and South.<\/p>\n

The American military swings into action, determined to rescue their pilot, clean up the mess and deny the Reds either a tangible or political victory. Danny, Tumbler and Tuckson are at a Paris air show when they get the call and are soon en route to Korea for a last-ditch face-saving mission.<\/p>\n

However as the trio prepare to join the covert rescue mission, evidence emerges which casts doubt on the authenticity of the alleged super-weapon. Meanwhile Colonel Maxwell has stumbled into a fantastic secret under the DMZ\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Fast-paced, brimming with tension and spectacular action, this is a classically designed thriller which effortlessly plunges the reader into a delightfully dizzying riot of intrigue, mystery and suspense before its captivating conclusion.<\/p>\n

Suitable for older kids and boys of all ages the Adventures of Buck Danny is one long and enthralling tour of duty no comics fan or armchair adrenaline-junkie can afford to miss. Bon chance, mes braves\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/em><\/p>\n