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Noir Burlesque #1-2
Noir Burlesque
“Everybody has everything to lose…”
An atmospheric, violent crime caper set in 1950s New York, with everything from femme fatales to double-crosses.
A heist gone wrong forces Slick to do a job for his employer, Rex, to repay the debt he owes. But Slick is in love with Caprice, Rex’s ex-call girl wife-turned-burlesque legend, and Rex also has the only way for Slick to avenge his murdered father.
In this hardboiled noir thriller, everybody has everything to lose…
An atmospheric, violent crime caper set in 1950s New York, with everything from femme fatales to double-crosses.
A heist gone wrong forces Slick to do a job for his employer, Rex, to repay the debt he owes. But Slick is in love with Caprice, Rex’s ex-call girl wife-turned-burlesque legend, and Rex also has the only way for Slick to avenge his murdered father.
In this hardboiled noir thriller, everybody has everything to lose…
217 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 24, 2023
7 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
February 1, 2024
I thought this was great.
The art and the coloring are simply fantastic and just fit the story so well. I'd honestly love to have this on my shelf.
Beautiful stuff.
A tough guy who leans toward the criminal side of life, but still has enough integrity to make the reader root for him, smokes and drinks his way through a hard-boiled crime comic.
Add in a smokin hot gangster's moll with a past, and you have the recipe for noir at its best.
Come for the art and stay for the story.
Highly Recommended.
The art and the coloring are simply fantastic and just fit the story so well. I'd honestly love to have this on my shelf.
Beautiful stuff.
A tough guy who leans toward the criminal side of life, but still has enough integrity to make the reader root for him, smokes and drinks his way through a hard-boiled crime comic.
Add in a smokin hot gangster's moll with a past, and you have the recipe for noir at its best.
Come for the art and stay for the story.
Highly Recommended.
November 8, 2023
The plot was pretty much a pastiche of every noir crime comic set in post-WWII America you may have read but that eye-popping art is what elevates this one.
"She's not bad, she's just drawn that way..."
"She's not bad, she's just drawn that way..."
October 27, 2023
“I'm stuck in a goddamn ‘Tom and Jerry’ cartoon!”
–Enrico Marini
–Enrico Marini
November 4, 2023
#Noirburlesque by marini I have admired the art from this book on Instagram for a long time. I am so glad the English translation has finally been published by @therealhardcasecrime . A gorgeous noir story set in 1950. Some period/genre stereotypes used to great effect. Perhaps not the most subtle dialogue, but it does have quite an original/unique macguffin using sentimentality as a weakness to exploit. so very beautiful. Having seen this in its totality I would love to see marini pick up where darwyn Cooke left off with Richard stark’s Parker
October 28, 2023
When I pick up a Hard Case Crime book I know it’s goin* to be gritty. Noir Burlesque is no exception. Enrico Marini has crafted a dark story. A story with no good guys, just not as bad as other guys. If you like classic noir this graphic novel deliveries.
January 20, 2024
(Zero spoiler review combining my reviews for volumes one and two)
You had me at curvaceous redhead! I mean really, you would think that the Western comic book industry would be sick of the rest of the world making them look utterly ridiculous. So much so, that even the frog's are pants-ing American comics for fun. But come on, with a title like Burlesque Noir, it was always going to be a crowd pleaser. Or at least an Omni Ben pleaser, anyway. I mean talk about combining two pretty fantastic things into one exceedingly fantastic thing. You may as well have called it Gangster's an big ol boobies.
This book is one of the prettiest thing's I've laid eyes on in quite some time, and that's even when the titular female protagonist isn't in the panel. It's monochrome and cherry red colour tones are a visual feast, and again, take so much of what modern Marvel and DC think is industry leading art, and make it look utterly redundant and unpleasant by comparison.
You would have been forgiven for thinking this was a one trick pony. A pretty face, but with little substance, although I'm very pleased to say this isn't the case. The writing is damn near as good as the art, which is a very rare thing indeed for me when it comes to a foreign comic. So, just like the titular character, it's a total package. Highly recommended.
Sadly not the knockout that volume one was, although a more than competent and commendable climax to a well told tale. The art continued to be sublime although the shift from set up to pay off led to a noticeable downturn in the frequency and quality of the writing, with too much action taking the place of what had been some well delivered dialogue wrapped around a clever (if not terribly original) plot. The addition of a new party into the fray towards the end added nothing of any real enjoyment, save for some fairly bland characterisation. The ending itself was fine, although the preceding 100 pages did slightly tarnish what could have been a rollercoaster from start to finish. This title is still an absolute must read, although if you are anything like me, the second half certainly doesn't live up to the first. 4/5
OmniBen.
You had me at curvaceous redhead! I mean really, you would think that the Western comic book industry would be sick of the rest of the world making them look utterly ridiculous. So much so, that even the frog's are pants-ing American comics for fun. But come on, with a title like Burlesque Noir, it was always going to be a crowd pleaser. Or at least an Omni Ben pleaser, anyway. I mean talk about combining two pretty fantastic things into one exceedingly fantastic thing. You may as well have called it Gangster's an big ol boobies.
This book is one of the prettiest thing's I've laid eyes on in quite some time, and that's even when the titular female protagonist isn't in the panel. It's monochrome and cherry red colour tones are a visual feast, and again, take so much of what modern Marvel and DC think is industry leading art, and make it look utterly redundant and unpleasant by comparison.
You would have been forgiven for thinking this was a one trick pony. A pretty face, but with little substance, although I'm very pleased to say this isn't the case. The writing is damn near as good as the art, which is a very rare thing indeed for me when it comes to a foreign comic. So, just like the titular character, it's a total package. Highly recommended.
Sadly not the knockout that volume one was, although a more than competent and commendable climax to a well told tale. The art continued to be sublime although the shift from set up to pay off led to a noticeable downturn in the frequency and quality of the writing, with too much action taking the place of what had been some well delivered dialogue wrapped around a clever (if not terribly original) plot. The addition of a new party into the fray towards the end added nothing of any real enjoyment, save for some fairly bland characterisation. The ending itself was fine, although the preceding 100 pages did slightly tarnish what could have been a rollercoaster from start to finish. This title is still an absolute must read, although if you are anything like me, the second half certainly doesn't live up to the first. 4/5
OmniBen.
January 24, 2024
"Noir Burlesque" is an action packed suspense thriller that stands out for its strong story telling, well defined characters and distinct artistic style. Using sepia tones punctuated by splashes of vivid red this book tells a complex and nuanced story of love, lust, greed and betrayal centering around a femme fatale cabaret performer and the criminals caught in her web. This book is recommended for fans of classic Noir Cinema and anyone who likes well written and gritty crime fiction.
4.5 stars rounded to four.
4.5 stars rounded to four.
December 5, 2024
I've followed Marini's work on this for many months and could not wait to read it. No disappointment here, loved every page, the artwork and storyline, all great.
August 4, 2024
'Noir Burlesque' is the perfect homage to the genre and, as such, it gets a bit predictable and/or stereotypical here and there, with its good dose of femme fatales and tough guys, some of them tougher or smarter than others.
The art was absolutely a 10/10, so beautiful and lush, and with that perfect use of color: black and white, with some reds to add heat (and not that the story needs more of that, mind you).
Over all, quite predictable, even though I have to say I loved the end, but such a real feast for the eyes you won't want to miss it.
The art was absolutely a 10/10, so beautiful and lush, and with that perfect use of color: black and white, with some reds to add heat (and not that the story needs more of that, mind you).
Over all, quite predictable, even though I have to say I loved the end, but such a real feast for the eyes you won't want to miss it.
October 30, 2023
A delight from start to finish - everyone has everything to lose, and everything to gain, and this is, of course, a zero sum game. The art is gorgeous, and the colouring exquisite - a mostly muted palette of sepia tones, with reds to highlight certain details. The story itself is a twisty noir read that would feel right at home alongside Richard Stark's Parker stories.
September 2, 2023
As one would expect from a Hard Case Crime graphic novel, Noir Burlesque is a very visual, very cinematic story that carries the reader along, scene dissolving into scene, its participants performing for the reader at various levels - providing an entertainment but also engaging in what seems to be a dance of death - of which there is plenty here.
Some of that performance is of a decidedly adult nature and both for the explicit content and more particularly the violence, the publisher's site gives it a 17+ rating and I'd agree with that. One effect throughout the book - that it's all in monotone, except for the red - accentuates the impact: red is the colour of burlesque dancer Caprice's hair, and of her car, but also, of course, the colour of the blood that's liberally spilled here.
The dance here is mainly between Caprice, now performing nightly at the club of her mobster boyfriend, Rex, and Slick, the ex-lover who left her to fight in the war (the book is set in the 50s New York). Slick is back now, and there is a question about whether the two will pick up where they left off and if so, what Rex will make of that (well we sort of know don't we!)
That central question runs through the story, alongside various killings, couplings and double crosses. Complications abound. There is a rival, Italian gang on the scene, Rex's boys being Irish (I would add to the CW above some very frank slurs addressed at the Italian mobsters). There is a McGuffin in the form of a stolen Picasso. Besides Caprice, there is also another sultry femme fatale - and there are even some innocents who may be in danger (the participants here are though mainly far form innocent).
Wreathed in cigarette smoke, noir atmosphere and amorality, Noir Burlesque has a satisfactorily twisty plot, a vein of grim humour, a tarnished hero in Slick (while he's often hunted and is a criminal, he of all those who appear actually went off to fight Nazis) and even some comic goons to lighten the mood at times.
Entertaining and fast moving, this is a story that needs to be read at a single sitting.
Some of that performance is of a decidedly adult nature and both for the explicit content and more particularly the violence, the publisher's site gives it a 17+ rating and I'd agree with that. One effect throughout the book - that it's all in monotone, except for the red - accentuates the impact: red is the colour of burlesque dancer Caprice's hair, and of her car, but also, of course, the colour of the blood that's liberally spilled here.
The dance here is mainly between Caprice, now performing nightly at the club of her mobster boyfriend, Rex, and Slick, the ex-lover who left her to fight in the war (the book is set in the 50s New York). Slick is back now, and there is a question about whether the two will pick up where they left off and if so, what Rex will make of that (well we sort of know don't we!)
That central question runs through the story, alongside various killings, couplings and double crosses. Complications abound. There is a rival, Italian gang on the scene, Rex's boys being Irish (I would add to the CW above some very frank slurs addressed at the Italian mobsters). There is a McGuffin in the form of a stolen Picasso. Besides Caprice, there is also another sultry femme fatale - and there are even some innocents who may be in danger (the participants here are though mainly far form innocent).
Wreathed in cigarette smoke, noir atmosphere and amorality, Noir Burlesque has a satisfactorily twisty plot, a vein of grim humour, a tarnished hero in Slick (while he's often hunted and is a criminal, he of all those who appear actually went off to fight Nazis) and even some comic goons to lighten the mood at times.
Entertaining and fast moving, this is a story that needs to be read at a single sitting.
July 3, 2025
Like a lot of people, I’m a sucker for all things “Noir”, and the older I get, the more it appeals for some reason. Whatever that reason is, I figure is its magical ingredient…its secret sauce as it were.
Having found reading novels increasingly difficult to consume due to a relatively recent diagnosis that means brain-fog is something I now navigate and manage daily, and no longer being able to voraciously digest books like I did was one of the cruelest things it robbed from me. Graphic Novels became my fall-back option late last year as an idea to wrest some of that back and - for the most part - it works a charm even if I’m a slower reader than I once was. But enough of the superfluous background context, and back to the title at hand…
“Noir Burlesque” is a wonderful foray into the world of Mob bosses, hoodlums, shootouts and loose Women with even looser lips. Hell, it’s even got a main protagonist called “Slick”. Long story short: it does what it says on the tin folks.
Taken as a whole, the story doesn’t break any new ground, it treads territory familiar to all that starts things off with a [literal] bang and we’re let loose like a quiver from its bow. You can hear the mournful Sax, slightly off-tune Piano, brushed Drums and stoic upright Bass-line from its first page - and hey, any title that manages to fashion its own soundtrack in your mind without even trying is worthy of one’s time.
The star of the show here is Enrico Marini’s beautifully languid pencil-work, with the real verve found in the stripped-back minimalism of its colour palette which creates a striking - yet slightly ethereal - world of action, lust and revenge.
While “Noir Burlesque” doesn’t go out of its way to break the mould or defy convention in any way, (and let’s face it, why should it when the genre has all you could ever need as a backdrop?) it certainly knows its wheelhouse and it’s a title I know I’ll proudly display in my collection for many years to come.
Having found reading novels increasingly difficult to consume due to a relatively recent diagnosis that means brain-fog is something I now navigate and manage daily, and no longer being able to voraciously digest books like I did was one of the cruelest things it robbed from me. Graphic Novels became my fall-back option late last year as an idea to wrest some of that back and - for the most part - it works a charm even if I’m a slower reader than I once was. But enough of the superfluous background context, and back to the title at hand…
“Noir Burlesque” is a wonderful foray into the world of Mob bosses, hoodlums, shootouts and loose Women with even looser lips. Hell, it’s even got a main protagonist called “Slick”. Long story short: it does what it says on the tin folks.
Taken as a whole, the story doesn’t break any new ground, it treads territory familiar to all that starts things off with a [literal] bang and we’re let loose like a quiver from its bow. You can hear the mournful Sax, slightly off-tune Piano, brushed Drums and stoic upright Bass-line from its first page - and hey, any title that manages to fashion its own soundtrack in your mind without even trying is worthy of one’s time.
The star of the show here is Enrico Marini’s beautifully languid pencil-work, with the real verve found in the stripped-back minimalism of its colour palette which creates a striking - yet slightly ethereal - world of action, lust and revenge.
While “Noir Burlesque” doesn’t go out of its way to break the mould or defy convention in any way, (and let’s face it, why should it when the genre has all you could ever need as a backdrop?) it certainly knows its wheelhouse and it’s a title I know I’ll proudly display in my collection for many years to come.
February 8, 2024
Comics can be a cinematic experience. This one is not only a demonstration but a masterclass. I absolutely love the rhythm in which the story unfolds. The art is incredible and it truly immerses you into that world and tone. I love Noir films. This book is one of the greatest. Although, there's clear homages present in here, Marini's originality comes through its character and internal emotional depth. Many prospects of this book are beyond what meets the eye. Enrico Marini is an absolute legend. A great read in general but a MUST READ for Noir lovers.
July 11, 2024
Noir Burlesque is a graphic novel released by Hard Case Crime and Titan Comics written and illustrated by Enrico Marini.
After a routine robbery goes wrong, the tough as nails and sarcastic Slick owes a debt to a mob boss. To make matters worse, his beautiful ex, Caprice, is now married to the mob boss who is the star act at his Burlesque Club.
Noir Burlesque manages to hit just about every hard-boiled and noir cliche is one story, but it works. Guns, wisecracks, gangsters, detectives, beautiful women, double crossing, and a healthy dose of violence - it is all there. And it’s all elevated by Marini’s gorgeous art style. The book is presented in a sepia-toned watercolor inspired paint style with splashes of red, and then printed on oversized glossy pages. It’s a really beautifully presented book. I definitely recommend it to fans of crime stories.
After a routine robbery goes wrong, the tough as nails and sarcastic Slick owes a debt to a mob boss. To make matters worse, his beautiful ex, Caprice, is now married to the mob boss who is the star act at his Burlesque Club.
Noir Burlesque manages to hit just about every hard-boiled and noir cliche is one story, but it works. Guns, wisecracks, gangsters, detectives, beautiful women, double crossing, and a healthy dose of violence - it is all there. And it’s all elevated by Marini’s gorgeous art style. The book is presented in a sepia-toned watercolor inspired paint style with splashes of red, and then printed on oversized glossy pages. It’s a really beautifully presented book. I definitely recommend it to fans of crime stories.
December 13, 2023
*This graphic novel is NOT for kids.*
I SO enjoyed the style, tone, noir-ness, and characters in this fantastic story! Light but deep. Emotional but not sappy. Great main character with depth and a wonderful supporting cast. I'd love to read more by Enrico Marini, especially if he stays in the noir genre.
I SO enjoyed the style, tone, noir-ness, and characters in this fantastic story! Light but deep. Emotional but not sappy. Great main character with depth and a wonderful supporting cast. I'd love to read more by Enrico Marini, especially if he stays in the noir genre.
October 21, 2023
It’s kind of like The Big Sleep in that it doesn’t make much sense but you enjoy the movement of it.
You got Slick and he gets pulled in by an old flame he left behind when he went to war. She’s getting married to a mob boss, and she gets her fiance to hire Slick.
Slick is the most charming man in town and everyone orbs around him. He never misses and can dodge bullets from three or four machine guns.
He’s rude and violent but not cruel or insecure.
The story goes the way you think it does.
The illustrations are nice and selective color is always fun.
You got Slick and he gets pulled in by an old flame he left behind when he went to war. She’s getting married to a mob boss, and she gets her fiance to hire Slick.
Slick is the most charming man in town and everyone orbs around him. He never misses and can dodge bullets from three or four machine guns.
He’s rude and violent but not cruel or insecure.
The story goes the way you think it does.
The illustrations are nice and selective color is always fun.
December 29, 2025
This title leans heavily into the gritty, often regressive hallmarks of the noir genre. However, the strength of the plotting and the sheer quality of the action sequences elevate it significantly. Despite its reliance on dated gender and social dynamics, the overall narrative momentum remains remarkably cohesive.
The protagonist, Terry, is a typical misogynist—the conventionally attractive, witty, and "unbreakable" badass one often encounters in noir. Unfortunately, Terry’s characterization lacks the emotional range necessary for a deep reader connection. His tendency to prioritize superficial interactions, combined with an absence of internal struggle or weakness, results in a protagonist that feels more like a genre archetype than a fully realized person. The constant sexualization of secondary characters further distanced me from finding him a relatable or sympathetic lead. While Terry fits the "unbreakable" noir mold, his lack of psychological depth—specifically an absence of fear or fallibility—makes it difficult to invest in his journey. In fact, one could replace him with almost any classic noir male lead and the story would remain largely unchanged. Consequently, the character feels more like a tribute to past noir icons rather than a standalone, three-dimensional creation.
In contrast, Marini’s illustrations are the definitive highlight of the work, characterized by crisp, meticulous detailing. The recurring splashes of red serve as a brilliant narrative device, adding a layer of stylistic cohesion to the visceral fight sequences and carefully choreographed intimate scenes. The visual storytelling creates a truly cinematic experience that keeps the reader immersed.
For fans of the genre who prioritize stylistic action sequences and mature, atmospheric storytelling, this graphic novel offers a visually stunning experience that leans effectively into the traditional hallmarks of hardboiled fiction.
The protagonist, Terry, is a typical misogynist—the conventionally attractive, witty, and "unbreakable" badass one often encounters in noir. Unfortunately, Terry’s characterization lacks the emotional range necessary for a deep reader connection. His tendency to prioritize superficial interactions, combined with an absence of internal struggle or weakness, results in a protagonist that feels more like a genre archetype than a fully realized person. The constant sexualization of secondary characters further distanced me from finding him a relatable or sympathetic lead. While Terry fits the "unbreakable" noir mold, his lack of psychological depth—specifically an absence of fear or fallibility—makes it difficult to invest in his journey. In fact, one could replace him with almost any classic noir male lead and the story would remain largely unchanged. Consequently, the character feels more like a tribute to past noir icons rather than a standalone, three-dimensional creation.
In contrast, Marini’s illustrations are the definitive highlight of the work, characterized by crisp, meticulous detailing. The recurring splashes of red serve as a brilliant narrative device, adding a layer of stylistic cohesion to the visceral fight sequences and carefully choreographed intimate scenes. The visual storytelling creates a truly cinematic experience that keeps the reader immersed.
For fans of the genre who prioritize stylistic action sequences and mature, atmospheric storytelling, this graphic novel offers a visually stunning experience that leans effectively into the traditional hallmarks of hardboiled fiction.
December 19, 2023
Slick - a hard-nosed, charismatic rogue - is press ganged into pulling off a heist to pay off some outstanding debts. The target is a painting belonging to a rival mobster which will grant gangster Rex McGinty the upper hand in the precarious power balance within the city's underworld. Central to the plot is Rex's girlfriend, Caprice, who has history with Slick. The heist, unsuprisingly, doesn't go as expected, and Slick finds himself battling against betrayals on all sides. The story is thrilling and a fun ride, but admittedly it's also quite predictable throughout. Standard noir tropes are prevalent in Noir Burlesque as Slick deals with the expected double crosses and forbidden romantic entanglements with dangerous women.
Enrico Marini employs a skillful watercolor design that primarily utilizes shades of gray, which fits the time period aesthetic well. Splashes of red make for some vibrancy, though it does seem fairly unevenly applied at times. The character of Caprice is the prime recipient for the red colorizations, though I think the design choice would have been more impactful if she was the sole piece colored in red (like with the way Frank Miller utilized yellow in That Yellow Bastard ). Nonetheless, the brushwork is sublime throughout, and Marini's reconstruction of prohibition-era New York City was delightful. The story is brisk in its pacing, and this is largely supplemented by the crisp action delivered by the artwork. This is an overall enjoyable read, even if it is rather unoriginal and mostly predictable stuff.
Enrico Marini employs a skillful watercolor design that primarily utilizes shades of gray, which fits the time period aesthetic well. Splashes of red make for some vibrancy, though it does seem fairly unevenly applied at times. The character of Caprice is the prime recipient for the red colorizations, though I think the design choice would have been more impactful if she was the sole piece colored in red (like with the way Frank Miller utilized yellow in That Yellow Bastard ). Nonetheless, the brushwork is sublime throughout, and Marini's reconstruction of prohibition-era New York City was delightful. The story is brisk in its pacing, and this is largely supplemented by the crisp action delivered by the artwork. This is an overall enjoyable read, even if it is rather unoriginal and mostly predictable stuff.
February 7, 2024
It’s funny that when I first read a description of this book, I thought it was a conventional, pulpy noir crime novel. It sounded like a fun read.
That’s all true, I suppose, it’s just that it’s a graphic novel. Okay, I was probably not paying enough attention when I read the description.
Actually, it turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. It is pulpy, it’s “hard case,” and it’s very artfully done. The artist, Enrico Marini, has a good resumé to recommend him, including work on The Scorpion, Gypsy, Batman, and others.
His art is distinctively readable. By that I mean that he stages dialog and setting in graphical art that you can actually follow. So often comic artists throw a lot of chaos at you and let you figure it out (or not). This is not like that — what happens is clear and visible and followable.
It’s certainly gritty, violent, sexual, mean, all that stuff. And it’s full of archetypes (I’m using that word instead of “stereotypes” just because I like what he’s done).
His main character, “Slick,” is the wise-cracking and sometimes all-knowing detective.
His villains are petty sociopaths.
His vixens are troubled and dangerous.
I hate to say it like this, but it takes a guy like Slick to keep it all in order.
The story is a four-sided play of villains out to get each other, women whose loyalty is ultimately to themselves, innocent bystanders in danger, and forces of law and vengeance playing it all like a chess game. Maybe that’s five sides. Who’s counting.
It’s like an expression of noirness. Read it for the noir experience.
That’s all true, I suppose, it’s just that it’s a graphic novel. Okay, I was probably not paying enough attention when I read the description.
Actually, it turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. It is pulpy, it’s “hard case,” and it’s very artfully done. The artist, Enrico Marini, has a good resumé to recommend him, including work on The Scorpion, Gypsy, Batman, and others.
His art is distinctively readable. By that I mean that he stages dialog and setting in graphical art that you can actually follow. So often comic artists throw a lot of chaos at you and let you figure it out (or not). This is not like that — what happens is clear and visible and followable.
It’s certainly gritty, violent, sexual, mean, all that stuff. And it’s full of archetypes (I’m using that word instead of “stereotypes” just because I like what he’s done).
His main character, “Slick,” is the wise-cracking and sometimes all-knowing detective.
His villains are petty sociopaths.
His vixens are troubled and dangerous.
I hate to say it like this, but it takes a guy like Slick to keep it all in order.
The story is a four-sided play of villains out to get each other, women whose loyalty is ultimately to themselves, innocent bystanders in danger, and forces of law and vengeance playing it all like a chess game. Maybe that’s five sides. Who’s counting.
It’s like an expression of noirness. Read it for the noir experience.
March 17, 2024
A WW2 vet turned thief, Terry Cole returns home from Europe to find his life in shambles. His girl Debbie is a burlesque dancer performing nightly under the stage name Caprice, and she is engaged to the local mob boss, Lex…
His sister's deadbeat husband owes money to that same mob boss…
Detective Connelly, the "most hard-nosed Irish cop to ever set foot in this s***hole town", is threatening to send him to the electric chair unless he rats out his compatriots…
The Italian artist Enrico Marini writes and illustrates this graphic novel tribute to classic 1950's noir movies and books. His artwork is superb. Every panel is penciled in black and white, with sepia shadings. The only other color in the entire 218-page book is red. He uses spot coloring, so anything red pops off the page--a red cocktail dress, a flashy red convertible, red hair, red lipstick, red tassels, red blood.
The plot is breezy but fun. It involves a Picasso painting worth half a million dollars, a kidnapping, and a feud between Lex and the rival mafia don Zizzi.
For me, this was exactly the right book at the right time to read on vacation. I loved it!
The only reason I don't rate this book 5 stars is because the story is not quite as sophisticated as the very best crime comics like Eight Million Ways to Die by John Snyder III, The Prague Coup by Jean-Luc Fromental, Babylon Berlin by Arne Jaysch, or the Minky Woodcock series by Cynthia von Buhler. (Notice how many of these titles have been published in America by Hard Case Crime!)
4 1/2 stars
His sister's deadbeat husband owes money to that same mob boss…
Detective Connelly, the "most hard-nosed Irish cop to ever set foot in this s***hole town", is threatening to send him to the electric chair unless he rats out his compatriots…
The Italian artist Enrico Marini writes and illustrates this graphic novel tribute to classic 1950's noir movies and books. His artwork is superb. Every panel is penciled in black and white, with sepia shadings. The only other color in the entire 218-page book is red. He uses spot coloring, so anything red pops off the page--a red cocktail dress, a flashy red convertible, red hair, red lipstick, red tassels, red blood.
The plot is breezy but fun. It involves a Picasso painting worth half a million dollars, a kidnapping, and a feud between Lex and the rival mafia don Zizzi.
For me, this was exactly the right book at the right time to read on vacation. I loved it!
The only reason I don't rate this book 5 stars is because the story is not quite as sophisticated as the very best crime comics like Eight Million Ways to Die by John Snyder III, The Prague Coup by Jean-Luc Fromental, Babylon Berlin by Arne Jaysch, or the Minky Woodcock series by Cynthia von Buhler. (Notice how many of these titles have been published in America by Hard Case Crime!)
4 1/2 stars
January 24, 2024
“I like tough guys. You want to kiss?” [A captive woman says to a thug watching over her.]
“Yes.” [He closes his eyes and leans in.]
“I don’t.” [She says, as she produces a gun and kills him.]
Noir Burlesque by Enrico Marini is a perfect title in that it describes the genre, instead of a title that describes the particular action or theme. It hits all the cliches of a fifties Hollywood (I mean film, but it’s actually set in New York) caper (though it’s not dark enough for me to be called noir, really): femme fatales principally. Lots of people get shot up, si it delivers on that noir category.
So it’s a slick and very polished tale featuring a guy named Slick, who owes some money so does a job for his employer, Rex, who stole his girl, the capricious Caprice, when he was in the military overseas. Caprice is an ex-call girl, a burlesque dancer, very curvy (of course), the main visual attraction in the book as Marini does the art in black and white, except her red dresses, lips, cars, shoes, and so on. Slick reveals some depth when he (kinda) surprises us in the end and pulls a switcheroo and becomes an old softie. Overall it is predictable, hitting all the genre notes, but what the hell, I liked it a lot, anyway. Hey, sex sells, and I guess I was buying! So sue me!
“Yes.” [He closes his eyes and leans in.]
“I don’t.” [She says, as she produces a gun and kills him.]
Noir Burlesque by Enrico Marini is a perfect title in that it describes the genre, instead of a title that describes the particular action or theme. It hits all the cliches of a fifties Hollywood (I mean film, but it’s actually set in New York) caper (though it’s not dark enough for me to be called noir, really): femme fatales principally. Lots of people get shot up, si it delivers on that noir category.
So it’s a slick and very polished tale featuring a guy named Slick, who owes some money so does a job for his employer, Rex, who stole his girl, the capricious Caprice, when he was in the military overseas. Caprice is an ex-call girl, a burlesque dancer, very curvy (of course), the main visual attraction in the book as Marini does the art in black and white, except her red dresses, lips, cars, shoes, and so on. Slick reveals some depth when he (kinda) surprises us in the end and pulls a switcheroo and becomes an old softie. Overall it is predictable, hitting all the genre notes, but what the hell, I liked it a lot, anyway. Hey, sex sells, and I guess I was buying! So sue me!
February 5, 2024
A pretty story about ugly people…the kind that’ll kill you, better, or…even worse…break your heart…
Noir Burlesque by Enrico Marini is a gritty graphic novel set in post war New Jersey…
Terry is a hoping and World War II veteran with a soft spot for his family and the one that got away. He shouldn’t have tried to chase her.
Debbie is no longer the young girl she was, now a lounge singer and burlesque performer who studied under Liki St Cyr. She still has a few feelings for Terry, but she also has a gangster fiancée that isn’t too keen on that.
Terry gets dragged into a mafia rivalry while trying to clear a debt owned by his sister’s dead beat husband.
It involves feuding Dons, a gangster with failed Hollywood dreams, a oicssso painting, a vengeful straight edge cop, a wannabe “Apache” hitman, and a cat that is nice enough to loan one of its lives to Terry.
All in all a pretty good hoodlum melodrama with a lot of interesting elements…
Noir Burlesque by Enrico Marini is a gritty graphic novel set in post war New Jersey…
Terry is a hoping and World War II veteran with a soft spot for his family and the one that got away. He shouldn’t have tried to chase her.
Debbie is no longer the young girl she was, now a lounge singer and burlesque performer who studied under Liki St Cyr. She still has a few feelings for Terry, but she also has a gangster fiancée that isn’t too keen on that.
Terry gets dragged into a mafia rivalry while trying to clear a debt owned by his sister’s dead beat husband.
It involves feuding Dons, a gangster with failed Hollywood dreams, a oicssso painting, a vengeful straight edge cop, a wannabe “Apache” hitman, and a cat that is nice enough to loan one of its lives to Terry.
All in all a pretty good hoodlum melodrama with a lot of interesting elements…
February 16, 2024
This is one of two comics I read in one week that used the black, white and red color scheme. It works so much better here, as it's used to highlight certain characters, or emotional states, and really serves to accent the story. It's a pretty straightforward noir style story, with femme fatales, double and triple crosses, plenty of thugs and violence. It comes together well, although I never really cared for Slick as a character. He's on the thuggish end of the Noir protagonist archetype, someone who is effortlessly competent as he navigates a complicated situation, playing multiple groups off of each other effectively. It's not something that will impress with its ingenuity, but if you're looking for a comic book noir story (with a significant amount of nudity), this will definitely scratch that itch.
February 8, 2025
Gangsters gangstering around in black and white noir setting.
Our main character must be one of the luckiest guys ever. He survives the most dire situations. Sometimes by people, for very little reason, just letting him live, and sometimes because a swarm of bullets just can’t seem to find him.
The art is great. No jaw dropping scenes or panels or anything, but just nice and consistent work. The writing is OK. The story is just interesting enough to motivate to see more of the art. Didn’t care for any of the characters or their fates.
I love to check out work from people that both write and draw their books. It’s a lot of work and I respect that. Will I pick up more from this creator? I don’t know, but if it has a title and cover similar to this one I’m not sure I’d have a choice.
Our main character must be one of the luckiest guys ever. He survives the most dire situations. Sometimes by people, for very little reason, just letting him live, and sometimes because a swarm of bullets just can’t seem to find him.
The art is great. No jaw dropping scenes or panels or anything, but just nice and consistent work. The writing is OK. The story is just interesting enough to motivate to see more of the art. Didn’t care for any of the characters or their fates.
I love to check out work from people that both write and draw their books. It’s a lot of work and I respect that. Will I pick up more from this creator? I don’t know, but if it has a title and cover similar to this one I’m not sure I’d have a choice.
August 12, 2023
I'd like to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for the eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Noir Burlesque was a fast paced, fun read that's a perfect representative for its genre. It might be the most enjoyable to new readers who aren't really familiar with the genre-specific tropes, as at times it seems like too many for such a short story, but it's still stellar. The art is absolutely beautiful and the cherry on top to a good story: monochromatic, heavy and a perfect fit for the era and the sordid themes, with splashes of color that draw the eye a la sin city.
This will likely become my instant recommendation for people looking into noir for the first time.
Noir Burlesque was a fast paced, fun read that's a perfect representative for its genre. It might be the most enjoyable to new readers who aren't really familiar with the genre-specific tropes, as at times it seems like too many for such a short story, but it's still stellar. The art is absolutely beautiful and the cherry on top to a good story: monochromatic, heavy and a perfect fit for the era and the sordid themes, with splashes of color that draw the eye a la sin city.
This will likely become my instant recommendation for people looking into noir for the first time.
August 12, 2023
I'd like to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for the eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Noir Burlesque was a fast paced, fun read that's a perfect representative for its genre. It might be the most enjoyable to new readers who aren't really familiar with the genre-specific tropes, as at times it seems like too many for such a short story, but it's still stellar. The art is absolutely beautiful and the cherry on top to a good story: monochromatic, heavy and a perfect fit for the era and the sordid themes, with splashes of color that draw the eye a la sin city.
This will likely become my instant recommendation for people looking into noir for the first time.
Noir Burlesque was a fast paced, fun read that's a perfect representative for its genre. It might be the most enjoyable to new readers who aren't really familiar with the genre-specific tropes, as at times it seems like too many for such a short story, but it's still stellar. The art is absolutely beautiful and the cherry on top to a good story: monochromatic, heavy and a perfect fit for the era and the sordid themes, with splashes of color that draw the eye a la sin city.
This will likely become my instant recommendation for people looking into noir for the first time.
August 22, 2024
This is an Excellent gritty noir crime drama. There is a lot of atmosphere that easily transplants the reader to the 1930s/1940s mobster era. The characterizations are spot on. The Fem Fatale, Caprice, is written perfectly; she is evil and sympathetic, beautiful and deadly. The main character, Slick, is a tough guy with a past who wants to be better, but just can't get away from his obsession with Caprice. The mobsters, law enforcement, and other characters are ripped right from classic crime noir dime novels.
The Gorgeous art work is done is grey tones water color style with brilliant pops of red.
The Gorgeous art work is done is grey tones water color style with brilliant pops of red.
July 5, 2023
Pretty solid and faithful to the genre except for the fact that there is no narrator although, considering the format that is a good thing.
Don’t think the next comment counts as a spoiler so:
The call to the sister and nephew looked veeery similar to the one in Blacksad (by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido). Maybe an homage, maybe there both referencing something else I don’t know of, but really stuck out to me
3.7
Don’t think the next comment counts as a spoiler so:
The call to the sister and nephew looked veeery similar to the one in Blacksad (by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido). Maybe an homage, maybe there both referencing something else I don’t know of, but really stuck out to me
3.7
January 12, 2025
Classic 50s noir. A bad guy wants out. Many bad guys want him dead. His ex, who abandoned him when he left to fight in Europe, wants him, but that is another death sentence, not just for him but for his sister and nephew. This is a tale of tough-talking fighters, blood, gun violence, betrayals, kidnappings, and killings. That's plural. There is some love, cheesecake, and partial nudity amid the passion. All in all, it's a good story. For adults. About keeping on the seamy side of life.
January 20, 2024
This is a very beautiful book- I love the illustration style, and the noir atmosphere. It's a lot of fun.
The story is a pretty straightforward Noir story- violence, plots, a tough guy and a beautiful femme fatale.....
Theres not a suprise twist in the plot here, but as someone who loves film noir (and burlesque!), this was a fun read.
The story is a pretty straightforward Noir story- violence, plots, a tough guy and a beautiful femme fatale.....
Theres not a suprise twist in the plot here, but as someone who loves film noir (and burlesque!), this was a fun read.
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