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Donjon Parade #3-4
Dungeon: Parade - Vol. 2: Day of the Toads
The Dungeon is attacked by a swarm of flying venomous toads so large it almost succumbs as the perpetrators look to get free rein inside! In the second story, Herbert is sent on a mission to… clear out the septic tank where a whole beautiful ecology has evolved.
60 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2002
25 people want to read
About the author
Joann Sfar
488 books508 followersJoann Sfar (born August 28, 1971 in Nice) is a French comics artist, comic book creator, and film director.
Sfar is considered one of the most important artists of the new wave of Franco-Belgian comics. Many of his comics were published by L'Association which was founded in 1990 by Jean-Christophe Menu and six other artists. He also worked together with many of the new movement's main artists, e.g. David B. and Lewis Trondheim. The Donjon series which he created with Trondheim has a cult following in many countries.
Some of his comics are inspired by his Jewish heritage as the son of Jewish parents (an Ashkenazi mother and a Sephardic father). He himself says that there is Ashkenazi humor in his Professeur Bell series (loosely based on Joseph Bell), whereas Le chat du rabbin is clearly inspired by his Sephardic side. Les olives noires is a series about a Jewish child in Israel at the time of Jesus. Like Le chat du rabbin, the series contains a lot of historical and theological information.
His main influences are Fred and André Franquin as well as Marc Chagall, Chaim Soutine, Will Eisner, Hugo Pratt and John Buscema.
From 2009 to 2010, Sfar wrote and directed 'Serge Gainsbourgh: Une Vie Heroique', a biopic of the notorious French songwriter, of whom Sfar is a self-confessed fanatic. The film, which draws substantially on Sfar's abilities as a comic book artist through its extensive use of fantasy artwork, animation and puppetry, was released in 2010 to general critical acclaim.
Sfar is considered one of the most important artists of the new wave of Franco-Belgian comics. Many of his comics were published by L'Association which was founded in 1990 by Jean-Christophe Menu and six other artists. He also worked together with many of the new movement's main artists, e.g. David B. and Lewis Trondheim. The Donjon series which he created with Trondheim has a cult following in many countries.
Some of his comics are inspired by his Jewish heritage as the son of Jewish parents (an Ashkenazi mother and a Sephardic father). He himself says that there is Ashkenazi humor in his Professeur Bell series (loosely based on Joseph Bell), whereas Le chat du rabbin is clearly inspired by his Sephardic side. Les olives noires is a series about a Jewish child in Israel at the time of Jesus. Like Le chat du rabbin, the series contains a lot of historical and theological information.
His main influences are Fred and André Franquin as well as Marc Chagall, Chaim Soutine, Will Eisner, Hugo Pratt and John Buscema.
From 2009 to 2010, Sfar wrote and directed 'Serge Gainsbourgh: Une Vie Heroique', a biopic of the notorious French songwriter, of whom Sfar is a self-confessed fanatic. The film, which draws substantially on Sfar's abilities as a comic book artist through its extensive use of fantasy artwork, animation and puppetry, was released in 2010 to general critical acclaim.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 1, 2022
(3,8 for my final visit to the world of Dungeon)
Dungeon, at least with "original authors" eventually wore itself down. Hosting authors proved, that there is still potential in the setting, but Sfar & Trondheim are not really trying to freshen things up. So especially those short side stories feel much the same. This book contains one story about an "elaborate" attack on Dungeon, which is a bit fun at the start. The second story is about Dungeon children/daycare and the hidden sewage ecosystem. This one is quite fun with some new ideas so I'm happy to finish my Dungeon trail with something actually enjoyable.
The dungeon is fun, some books are actually much better than ones. But the world tempts us to go explore every book at hand, which is a bit problematic because low variability ends in some level of dullness. Still, I would recommend trying at least the mainline starting with young Hyacinthe.
Dungeon, at least with "original authors" eventually wore itself down. Hosting authors proved, that there is still potential in the setting, but Sfar & Trondheim are not really trying to freshen things up. So especially those short side stories feel much the same. This book contains one story about an "elaborate" attack on Dungeon, which is a bit fun at the start. The second story is about Dungeon children/daycare and the hidden sewage ecosystem. This one is quite fun with some new ideas so I'm happy to finish my Dungeon trail with something actually enjoyable.
The dungeon is fun, some books are actually much better than ones. But the world tempts us to go explore every book at hand, which is a bit problematic because low variability ends in some level of dullness. Still, I would recommend trying at least the mainline starting with young Hyacinthe.
March 27, 2018
So, Dungeon is apparently a series of children's comics, with three series being the main arc of the story, and a few side-series that explore secondary characters and offer humorous side tales. Parade fits between two volumes of the main saga. This particular volume is two short stories about a short-sighted duck named Herbert and a fearsome dragon-warrior named Marvin.
First, a plague of poisonous flying toads attacks the castle, driving everyone out, except Herbert, who winds up in league with a vampire who's lost his glasses (hilariously, the money-hungry adventurers who attempt to loot the castle in the confusion attempt to use a cross against this vampire, but it has no effect because he can't see!) and manages to convince the vampire horde that he's their messiah, come to lead them into the light! The second tale has Herbert going into the dungeon's septic system to find out why it's blocked. Marvin, who intended to chaperone a field trip with the castle's kids, winds up leading the expedition when the teacher calls out sick, and decides to take them with Herbert! They find a society of bugs and unknown flora in the (massive amount of) fecal matter that's accumulated in the caverns below and have to find to flush the septic system!
It's very whimsical stuff, light and breezy, goofy, but not inane. I enjoyed it, and I suspect the intended audience of younger children would as well. Not sure I'll track down the entire Dungeon series, but I definitely enjoyed this book.
First, a plague of poisonous flying toads attacks the castle, driving everyone out, except Herbert, who winds up in league with a vampire who's lost his glasses (hilariously, the money-hungry adventurers who attempt to loot the castle in the confusion attempt to use a cross against this vampire, but it has no effect because he can't see!) and manages to convince the vampire horde that he's their messiah, come to lead them into the light! The second tale has Herbert going into the dungeon's septic system to find out why it's blocked. Marvin, who intended to chaperone a field trip with the castle's kids, winds up leading the expedition when the teacher calls out sick, and decides to take them with Herbert! They find a society of bugs and unknown flora in the (massive amount of) fecal matter that's accumulated in the caverns below and have to find to flush the septic system!
It's very whimsical stuff, light and breezy, goofy, but not inane. I enjoyed it, and I suspect the intended audience of younger children would as well. Not sure I'll track down the entire Dungeon series, but I definitely enjoyed this book.
June 19, 2020
Solid writing within a interestingly funny chain of events!
February 16, 2012
Hillitöntä sarjakuvahuumoria vähemmän tosikkomaisen fantasian ystäville. Albumissa on kaksi itsenäistä tarinaa. Erityisesti jälkimmäinen jaksoi huvittaa. Herbert Ankalle nakitetaan Tyrmän septitankin tyhjennys, kun sinne on tullut tukos. Marvin, raivopäinen soturi, joutuu päiväkodin tädin sijaiseksi ja lähtee lasten kera kenttäretkelle septitankkiin Herbertin kanssa. Perillä huomataan, että sinne on syntynyt aivan oma maailmansa. Lapset ovat tietty innoissaan ja karkaavat kuin varpusparvi Marvinin huostasta. Ennen pitkää käy ilmi että septitankin floora ja fauna ei ole aivan harmitonta.
Jos sarja ei ole vielä tuttu, kannattaa aloittaa esim. Dungeon Zenith - albumista 1: Duck Heart, missä Herbertin tarina saa alkunsa. Tämä nyt arvioimani albumi ei ollut aivan yhtä hillitön kuin Duck Heart, mutta täynnänsä aivan yhtä älyttömiä ideoita ja juonenkäänteitä. Suosittelen.
Jos sarja ei ole vielä tuttu, kannattaa aloittaa esim. Dungeon Zenith - albumista 1: Duck Heart, missä Herbertin tarina saa alkunsa. Tämä nyt arvioimani albumi ei ollut aivan yhtä hillitön kuin Duck Heart, mutta täynnänsä aivan yhtä älyttömiä ideoita ja juonenkäänteitä. Suosittelen.
January 24, 2008
As these volumes are two stories in one volume you don't really need to read volume one of Parade to read volume two. But they are quite fun and harken back to a sense of humor that is more silly than witty. Again, I believe the audience is more meant to be kids but even adults can enjoy these two tales, in which the dungeon is attacked by magic and the second about A LOT of poo. Yes, fecal matter. Or caca. Anycase, I can see a kid really being hilariously grossed out by that tale.
November 13, 2012
Sympathetic, witty and charming, yet a bit underwhelming. "Day of the Toads" is a typical installment in the "Dungeon" saga. These stories are nice to read, but they lack a certain spark that would truly make them special.
January 9, 2008
Great quest-type story, and truly funny writing, along with a good sense of visual humor.
September 28, 2009
A different perspective for the Dungeon books. Healthy, unabridged fun.
December 10, 2009
Doesn't disappoint, but not as sharp and funny as Duck Heart.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews