In what might be a welcome
turn, the Dungeon series, which has become increasingly dark, goes various
shades of goofy in its latest volume from NBM, the 14th in the
series.
In the first title story, drawn by Jean-Emmanuel
Vermot-Desroches, his first graphic novel, Horus the Sorcerer is seen in
earlier years in school wheeling and dealing his way to power already but set
up by someone out to embarrass him publicly. A hex has been cast that makes
women all declare their baby is his. The agile maneuvering in this story is
something to behold.
In the second, “Ruckus at the Brewers”, the goofiest
since the Parade sub-series, dimwitted Gro-Gro is entrusted with a mission to
bring back a special beer brewed by a village of curmudgeonly rabbits. This is
the first time Gro-Gro must make decisions on his own, at times instinctively,
at times randomly, just never after much thought. He runs into a swashbuckling
poet who variously saves his large butt or gets it fried. The only saving grace
for both of them is how stupid the rest of the world is as well. The artist on
this, Yoann, is noted for having been given the large assignment of being the
newest artist to continue one of Europe’s biggest series for children: the
adventures of Spirou & Fantasio. The most notable artist for this series
was the genius André Franquin.
DUNGEON combines suspenseful adventure with a spoof of heroic
fantasy in telling the tales of a castle filled with monsters. It is the creation of Joann Sfar and Lewis
Trondheim, two of France’s best-known and most popular artists.
Trondheim’s peers have honored him with the Grand Prize
at the annual Angouleme comics festival.
Meanwhile, Sfar is a star with the success of The Rabbi’s Cat, published by Pantheon. Both also have titles
coming out from Roaring Brook’s First Second imprint. NBM has been active in bringing out work by
Trondheim, including his hit MISTER O
and MISTER I, and most recently the
very successful release of his acutely observant and quite amusing comics blog,
Little Nothings. This fall, NBM’s
sister company Papercutz will start publishing his breezy and very amusing Monster series for kids with Monster Christmas.
Monstres vol.4 is a 96-page, full-color,
trade paperback, 6 1/2” x 9”, ISBN 978-1-56163-591-7, with a publication date
of June 2011, priced at $14.99.