Reviews of graphic novels and comic book collections every Tuesday and Thursday.


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The Bloody Streets of Paris by Jacques Tardi
Based on a detective story by Leo Malet, The Bloody Streets of Paris (2003, iBooks, Amazon listing) is an old-school detective tale. Not quite noir, but filled with hard-boiled action, plenty of suspects and a great lead character, the book should appeal to fans of Raymond Chandler or Ross McDonald.

Set during the occupation of France by Germany in WWII, the story revolves around Nestor Burma, the owner and proprietor of the Fiat Lux Detective Agency, who has just been released from a German prison camp where he has met some strange characters including an amnesiac, a doctor, and a braggart. On his way back to Paris, Burma runs into a partner of his at a train station. He has something important to tell him, but all he can get out before he is shot is an address, the same address spoken by the amnesiac before his death. Feeling an obligation to the dead men, Burma undertakes the task of discovering the mystery behind their last words.

Just as interesting as the mystery is the setting of occupied Paris. There is a sense of oppression throughout the book that isn't spoken to directly by the characters, but rather hinted at through their actions and deeds. Burma can only travel so many places freely, acquire certain types of alcohol, and must always keep an eye out for the Gestapo.

Jacques Tardi does a good job of adapting Malet's book. It doesn't seem choppy, nor does it seem like it wasn't written for a graphic adaptation. Tardi's art is notably European and while I'm a fan of black and white comics, it could have used some color. The oversized pages allow Tardi to add detail.

The book read like a novel as well. This isn't a book to sit down and read in a single night. It took a few sittings. It is a dense read with a large cast. As such, it can be a bit confusing but that makes it stand out from the easy reads you find on the shelf.

The Bloody Streets of Paris 4 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 9:35 AM