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Le Scorpion #1-2
The Scorpion - Volume 1 - The Devil's Mark
Rome the beautiful is dying, the symbol of civilization falling, the
empire burning. Hidden from massacres and looting, a strange meeting
is held by nine families who share the Roman Empire. To retain their
power, they decide to support a new
religion—Christianity—as well as its representative, the
pope. But who are these 9 mysterious families? Later, much later,
it's the Renaissance. Christianity prospers. A brigand called
“the Scorpion” makes a living by unearthing relics in the
depths of the Roman catacombs, which he sells at high prices to
princes and bishops. Trebaldi, a powerful cardinal, takes an interest
in this Scorpion, who is either a creature of the devil... or a
witness to a cursed era who must disappear...This two-volume book
includes "The Pope's Secret".
empire burning. Hidden from massacres and looting, a strange meeting
is held by nine families who share the Roman Empire. To retain their
power, they decide to support a new
religion—Christianity—as well as its representative, the
pope. But who are these 9 mysterious families? Later, much later,
it's the Renaissance. Christianity prospers. A brigand called
“the Scorpion” makes a living by unearthing relics in the
depths of the Roman catacombs, which he sells at high prices to
princes and bishops. Trebaldi, a powerful cardinal, takes an interest
in this Scorpion, who is either a creature of the devil... or a
witness to a cursed era who must disappear...This two-volume book
includes "The Pope's Secret".
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
6 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Desberg
583 books37 followersStephen Desberg is a Belgian writer of comics. In 2010, he was the 10th bestselling author of comics in France, with 412,000 copies of all his comics together sold that year.
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 6, 2022
The Scorpion presents a swashbuckling adventure with lots of intrigue and political machinations. The art is fantastic and does a great job of creating an atmosphere of adventure.
December 15, 2017
Fun adventure story reminding me of a Zorro in Italian setting, i liked the "hero" who is more of a brigand than a dashing hero.
May 5, 2018
This edition that collects issues #1-2 of the "Le Scorpion" BD by Desberg and Marini gives a very promising start. Beautiful illustrations bind nicely with the selected era and location, that of Rome in Renaissance times, and the scenario full of intrigue, conspiracy, passion and adventure has everything it needs to be a commercial success. It is much higher above the average historical fiction BDs of the '00s, that's for sure.
December 30, 2023
Ještě že jsem šel do kina na nové zpracování Tří mušketýru. Původně jsem si Škorpiona kupovat neplánoval, a to i přesto, že mám Mariniho mám rád. Měl jsem z toho příběhu trošku obavy a moje knihovna není nafukovací. Tři mušketýři mě ale nalákali svou atmosférou a na Škorpiona mě přemluvili.
Hned první stránky příběhu dávají tušit, že to bude parádní. Přinejmenším že bude mít kvalitní základy. Na prvních stránkách jsme totiž svědky tajného setkání nejmocnějších rodin starého Říma. Na tomto setkání se dohodnou, že využijí nového náboženství, které je na vzestupu. Využijí křesťanství, aby se udržely u moci i v následujících staletích.
Následně vyprávění skáče do druhé poloviny XVIII. století, kde se již setkáváme se samotným Škorpionem. Děvkařem, šermířem, vykradačem hrobů, vzdělancem a v neposlední řadě rebelem, který se neváhá vzepřít církvi, ani papežově Švýcarské gardě. Rozehrává se zde příběh o spiknutí mocných, o církevních intrikách a o několika osobních mstách. Tato první kniha je skvělým základním kamenem pro celou sérii. Staly se zde důležité události a nadefinovaly se důležité postavy a jejich motivace. Vyprávění má perfektní tempo a naprosto mě pohltilo.
Zmínit musím samozřejmě i Mariniho kresbu a barvy. Pokud jste četli jeho Batmana anebo Orly Říma, tak víte. Jeho kresba je precizní a jeho děvy vnadné. Ale jeho barvy, to je dokonalost sama. Barvy dělá ručně a používá vodovky, které mě v komiksech hodně baví. Často používá syté odstíny, které krásně podtrhují atmosféru vyprávění. Radost pohledět.
Hned první stránky příběhu dávají tušit, že to bude parádní. Přinejmenším že bude mít kvalitní základy. Na prvních stránkách jsme totiž svědky tajného setkání nejmocnějších rodin starého Říma. Na tomto setkání se dohodnou, že využijí nového náboženství, které je na vzestupu. Využijí křesťanství, aby se udržely u moci i v následujících staletích.
Následně vyprávění skáče do druhé poloviny XVIII. století, kde se již setkáváme se samotným Škorpionem. Děvkařem, šermířem, vykradačem hrobů, vzdělancem a v neposlední řadě rebelem, který se neváhá vzepřít církvi, ani papežově Švýcarské gardě. Rozehrává se zde příběh o spiknutí mocných, o církevních intrikách a o několika osobních mstách. Tato první kniha je skvělým základním kamenem pro celou sérii. Staly se zde důležité události a nadefinovaly se důležité postavy a jejich motivace. Vyprávění má perfektní tempo a naprosto mě pohltilo.
Zmínit musím samozřejmě i Mariniho kresbu a barvy. Pokud jste četli jeho Batmana anebo Orly Říma, tak víte. Jeho kresba je precizní a jeho děvy vnadné. Ale jeho barvy, to je dokonalost sama. Barvy dělá ručně a používá vodovky, které mě v komiksech hodně baví. Často používá syté odstíny, které krásně podtrhují atmosféru vyprávění. Radost pohledět.
August 16, 2023
Most is at night but all interior light, and even mostly outdoor, has a sort of copper-look that irritated me. Maybe it was made worse somehow by the shrink down to 10.00" x 7.25"?
I don't like Marini's art for personal reasons like the "sharpness of his line" which I find too rigid.
I don't like Marini's art for personal reasons like the "sharpness of his line" which I find too rigid.
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May 30, 2023Why does Cinebook, which pretends to be an artsy publisher, put out specifically censored editions? WTF...
March 23, 2024
"With the author's consent, and in order not to upset our more sensitive readers, certain illustrations of this edition have been modified"
November 5, 2022
An entertaining and visually appealing graphic novel.
This first in the series has an Alexandre Dumas adventure novel feel, with sword fights, villainous churchmen, poisoners, dungeons, and the like. The main character is likable, in a way, though he's not good, as he's convinced he's either damned or has no soul at all--something like that. He feels like an equally wronged but less honorable Edmond Dantès (from Count of Monte Cristo) and his sidekick (I didn't catch his name and can't find it now) is just like the disreputable but loyal Luigi Vampa. They live as thieves until the Scorpion encounters a cardinal who wants to kill him but also knows something about his mother and his past.
There is no real conclusion, which is a shame; the story just continues in the next book. I would rather have a little closure in a book, even if there is a larger arc that carries on. The other thing I didn't care for was the rapid switching between scenes and characters, occurring at any point on the page or in the action. It was not just jarring but confusing, often making me back up to catch the thread once more. I don't like the constant "Who are these people and what are they doing?"
Still, getting past those things, the story is fun and fast-paced and if it weren't so expensive I'd buy the next ones to keep on.
Recommended for readers of adventure novels and graphic novels.
This first in the series has an Alexandre Dumas adventure novel feel, with sword fights, villainous churchmen, poisoners, dungeons, and the like. The main character is likable, in a way, though he's not good, as he's convinced he's either damned or has no soul at all--something like that. He feels like an equally wronged but less honorable Edmond Dantès (from Count of Monte Cristo) and his sidekick (I didn't catch his name and can't find it now) is just like the disreputable but loyal Luigi Vampa. They live as thieves until the Scorpion encounters a cardinal who wants to kill him but also knows something about his mother and his past.
There is no real conclusion, which is a shame; the story just continues in the next book. I would rather have a little closure in a book, even if there is a larger arc that carries on. The other thing I didn't care for was the rapid switching between scenes and characters, occurring at any point on the page or in the action. It was not just jarring but confusing, often making me back up to catch the thread once more. I don't like the constant "Who are these people and what are they doing?"
Still, getting past those things, the story is fun and fast-paced and if it weren't so expensive I'd buy the next ones to keep on.
Recommended for readers of adventure novels and graphic novels.
July 3, 2016
This volume collects the first two albums, The Devil's Mark and The Pope's Secret, of writer Stephen Desberg and artist Enrico Marini's French series The Scorpion, set in a Renaissance Rome full of political conspiracy and power struggle where the reader is invited to follow the titular character, who is a swordsman, a rogue and a scoundrel, with a backstory that is neatly woven into the bigger conspiracies of the plot.
All in all, it is a good and interesting start of the series, and Marini's art is very suited to the subject. As with many of Cinebook's publications, some images have been altered, with the creators' consent, in order not upset sensitive readers. While I do not necessarily agree with this stance, this is certainly one of the volumes where the changes are not glaringly obvious (although, given the information that changes have been, I kept thinking about where those changes are while I was reading, which in itself is a little bit annoying)
At any rate, I am down for reading further instalments in the series.
All in all, it is a good and interesting start of the series, and Marini's art is very suited to the subject. As with many of Cinebook's publications, some images have been altered, with the creators' consent, in order not upset sensitive readers. While I do not necessarily agree with this stance, this is certainly one of the volumes where the changes are not glaringly obvious (although, given the information that changes have been, I kept thinking about where those changes are while I was reading, which in itself is a little bit annoying)
At any rate, I am down for reading further instalments in the series.
March 16, 2023
Great historical fantasy out of Italy
Great art on this one, rich characters and an intriguing storyline. Mysteries and conspiracies, rooted from real history make for a compelling read!
Great art on this one, rich characters and an intriguing storyline. Mysteries and conspiracies, rooted from real history make for a compelling read!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews