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Blake & Mortimer (Cinebook) #11
Het Heiligdom van Gondwana
Mortimer heeft van zijn expeditie naar de Zuidpool en steen meegebracht die hem op het spoor zet van een mysterieuze beschaving, waarvan de bakermat blijkt te liggen in de krater van de Ngorongoro, niet ver van het Victoriameer. Het is de start van een uitbundige avontuur, dat onze beide helden voor het eerst naar donker Afrika en Tanganyika (het huidige Kenia en Tanzania) brengt met de terugkeer van de beroemdste gentleman strip, maken Yves Sente en André Juilliard een verrassende thriller, die de vele liefhebbers van deze serie en het avontuur in het algemeen veel vreugde zal schenken.
56 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
4 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Yves Sente
103 books30 followersYves Sente was born in Brussels in 1964. When he was little, he read La Marque Jaune, Jacobs' masterpiece, over and over again. Little did he know at that age that The Adventures of Blake and Mortimer would determine his destiny...!
In 1998, while he was working for Le Lombard, he worked with the cartoonist André Juillard on the script of La machination Voronov, a new episode of the Blake and Mortimer, a Cold War story acclaimed by critics and the public. Yves Sente then went on to write Les Sarcophages du 6e continent, where he reveals the young life of Professor Mortimer. He confirmed his writing talents with La Vengeance du Comte Skarbek (Dargaud; The Revenge of Count Skarbek, Europe Comics) and then Thorgal (Le Lombard; Cinebook/Europe Comics in English), taking over for Jean Van Hamme alongside Rosinski.
In 1998, while he was working for Le Lombard, he worked with the cartoonist André Juillard on the script of La machination Voronov, a new episode of the Blake and Mortimer, a Cold War story acclaimed by critics and the public. Yves Sente then went on to write Les Sarcophages du 6e continent, where he reveals the young life of Professor Mortimer. He confirmed his writing talents with La Vengeance du Comte Skarbek (Dargaud; The Revenge of Count Skarbek, Europe Comics) and then Thorgal (Le Lombard; Cinebook/Europe Comics in English), taking over for Jean Van Hamme alongside Rosinski.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 18, 2019
This is a straight sequel to the two entries of the sixth continent episodes of the New adventures of Blake and Mortimer. Some of the things that happened in the two previous parts will play a major part in this sequel.
Mortimer returned from Antarctica is still mentally tired and hurt by the adventures on Antarctica and is planning a vacation with Blake when the latter gets called away on duty.
Mortimer takes a find from Antarctic which is an impossible find and prove of intelligence on our planet way before anything in our recorded history. He revisits an old girlfriend before going on an expedition to Africa where something has been found that looks similar as Mortimer's find on Antarctica.
They do not know yet but his everlasting nemesis is hot on their heels not because of the possibility of a scientific discovery but as always because of the possibility of untold riches. Their conflict can change the world as humanity wil be judged on their actions. Once again we find the comic in the region of scifi which is does so well and delivers once again a great adventures with some unexpected surprises for the careful reader.
Great stuff but should be read in sequence with the previous books. Like the previous two books the story is set in the year 1958, because Blake and Mortimer belong in the past.
Mortimer returned from Antarctica is still mentally tired and hurt by the adventures on Antarctica and is planning a vacation with Blake when the latter gets called away on duty.
Mortimer takes a find from Antarctic which is an impossible find and prove of intelligence on our planet way before anything in our recorded history. He revisits an old girlfriend before going on an expedition to Africa where something has been found that looks similar as Mortimer's find on Antarctica.
They do not know yet but his everlasting nemesis is hot on their heels not because of the possibility of a scientific discovery but as always because of the possibility of untold riches. Their conflict can change the world as humanity wil be judged on their actions. Once again we find the comic in the region of scifi which is does so well and delivers once again a great adventures with some unexpected surprises for the careful reader.
Great stuff but should be read in sequence with the previous books. Like the previous two books the story is set in the year 1958, because Blake and Mortimer belong in the past.
October 17, 2012
I enjoyed this story quite a lot, it's very much in the classic Blake & Mortimer vein, lots of exciting twists and turns, ancient civilizations and weird science. The personality switch is very cunningly played out and gives this album a lot of re-read value. Some of the art is stunning.
I was disappointed that the entity in the shrine was not tied in more clearly with the Atlanteans we've encountered elsewheere. Also this is one too many story that ends with our hero's mind being wiped of a crucial secret. Other than that, a good addition to the series although I still prefer Van Hamme's stories a little.
I was disappointed that the entity in the shrine was not tied in more clearly with the Atlanteans we've encountered elsewheere. Also this is one too many story that ends with our hero's mind being wiped of a crucial secret. Other than that, a good addition to the series although I still prefer Van Hamme's stories a little.
January 22, 2014
It’s hard to put your finger on quite why Blake and Mortimer are as successful as they are. To modern eyes the characters are anachronisms, particularly with their attitudes and facial hair, but for some reason the sum is greater than the parts. There is no doubt that the plot stretches scientific credulity, but what the modern creators of Jacobs classic duo understand is not to bring modern sensibilities to the world in which Blake and Mortimer inhabit, because to do so would shatter the storytelling and render it all useless. Instead we get scientific devices, prehistoric cultures and a villain who re-appears as if on elastic that work because there’s an air of naivety in their construction that deliberately mirrors the broader understanding of science and history of the period. Because of this Blake and Mortimer are able to have the outlandish adventures that are denied more contemporary characters and it all works magnificently.
The Gondwana Shrine follows on directly from The Sarcophagi of the Sixth Continent, and things haven't going well for Mortimer since his return. He’s feeling run down and is very forgetful to the point of being an amnesiac over aspects of his life. His doctor prescribes rest, but instead he finds his interest piqued when his friend Nastasia brings him some results of a patterned rock they returned from Antarctica with. This leads them to discover a newspaper article about a German man who has discovered a similarly patterned ring in Nairobi, and so all thoughts of rest are put to one side and, with Blake in Paris, Mortimer, Nastasia and an old friend of Mortimer’s are off to Africa.
However, during this time, a mysterious man has been paying them a lot of attention and is following up their every step. Once in Nairobi this man strips off his disguise (regular readers won’t require any hints as to the face) and teams up with some old comrades to follow and potentially intercept Mortimer’s party. What follows is rather a shocking loss of local wildlife (again, this story should be perceived with 1950s’ eyes) and the discovery of a hidden complex deep beneath a crater and a secret that’s been kept for millions of years.
I really enjoyed the twist towards the end which turns the whole scenario on its head and is an absolute credit to the creative team. Sente and Juillard, and in their turn Van Hamme and Benoit, are accomplishing an extraordinary feat in keeping this series alive with such careful sensitivity and thought so that it sits perfectly within the world Jacobs imagined for it. It’s daring, extremely bold, and a whole lot of fun.
The Gondwana Shrine follows on directly from The Sarcophagi of the Sixth Continent, and things haven't going well for Mortimer since his return. He’s feeling run down and is very forgetful to the point of being an amnesiac over aspects of his life. His doctor prescribes rest, but instead he finds his interest piqued when his friend Nastasia brings him some results of a patterned rock they returned from Antarctica with. This leads them to discover a newspaper article about a German man who has discovered a similarly patterned ring in Nairobi, and so all thoughts of rest are put to one side and, with Blake in Paris, Mortimer, Nastasia and an old friend of Mortimer’s are off to Africa.
However, during this time, a mysterious man has been paying them a lot of attention and is following up their every step. Once in Nairobi this man strips off his disguise (regular readers won’t require any hints as to the face) and teams up with some old comrades to follow and potentially intercept Mortimer’s party. What follows is rather a shocking loss of local wildlife (again, this story should be perceived with 1950s’ eyes) and the discovery of a hidden complex deep beneath a crater and a secret that’s been kept for millions of years.
I really enjoyed the twist towards the end which turns the whole scenario on its head and is an absolute credit to the creative team. Sente and Juillard, and in their turn Van Hamme and Benoit, are accomplishing an extraordinary feat in keeping this series alive with such careful sensitivity and thought so that it sits perfectly within the world Jacobs imagined for it. It’s daring, extremely bold, and a whole lot of fun.
September 2, 2016
Positive Nachricht aus Gondwanaland
Für diesen Band mache ich eine Ausnahme meines aktuellen Bucheremitentums. Einfach deshalb, weil es mit Abstand der beste Band der gesamten Reihe ist. Auch wenn der ganze Effekt, den dieser Band hat, nur im Zusammenspiel mit den beiden Vorgängern voll zum Tragen kommt. Ganz ehrlich - ich wurde seit vielen Monaten nicht mehr mit einer so dermaßen klugen und hinterlistigen Plotwendung überrascht wie hier. Die Autoren beweisen unendliche Geduld und Konsequenz. Dass daneben die Zeichnungen spektakulär daherkommen, ist der Zuckerguss auf dem Kuchen.
Für diesen Band mache ich eine Ausnahme meines aktuellen Bucheremitentums. Einfach deshalb, weil es mit Abstand der beste Band der gesamten Reihe ist. Auch wenn der ganze Effekt, den dieser Band hat, nur im Zusammenspiel mit den beiden Vorgängern voll zum Tragen kommt. Ganz ehrlich - ich wurde seit vielen Monaten nicht mehr mit einer so dermaßen klugen und hinterlistigen Plotwendung überrascht wie hier. Die Autoren beweisen unendliche Geduld und Konsequenz. Dass daneben die Zeichnungen spektakulär daherkommen, ist der Zuckerguss auf dem Kuchen.
May 4, 2022
Exposition heavy, but fabulous Hergesque (for obvious reasons) artwork. It's fun to read in part because Chacho and I pick characters and read the dialogue together. Also a bonus that the overt caricatures of Black people seen in Astrix and Tintin aren't present in this volume, and we even had a lovely conversation about colonialism.
May 18, 2018
This is a sequel to the two-part adventures of "The Sarcophagi of the Sixty Continent" and it is also pretty weird. I even enjoyed this one less than the previous adventure. There was a few strange uncharacteristic behaviours shown in our old archenemy, Colonel Olrik and the ancient civilisation that is encountered is also odd but probably not as peculiar as the secrets shared by Mortimer and Olrik! Also mentions of a civilisation that's more than 6000 years old is just nonsense. Man has only been around for that length of time according to the Bible and so if anyone tries to say otherwise, it is false.
June 16, 2019
Het is geen losstaand verhaal, maar volgt onmiddelijk op "De sarcofagen van het 6e continent" (delen 1 en 2). In feite is het deel 3, want je moet "De sarcofagen van het 6e continent" gelezen hebben vooraleer je hier aan begint.
Het onderwerp, het heiligdom van Gondwana, is in feite niet zo goed uitgewerkt en zelfs ongeloofwaardig. De rest van het verhaal daarentegen, is wel zeer goed uitgewerkt. Je leert wat meer over het verleden van Mortimer, de reis naar Afrika met 2 vrouwelijke metgezellen (ja, 2 vrouwen die een belangrijke rol spelen in een Blake & Mortimer strip), de ontmoeting met Leakey en de onverwachte plotwending maken er wel een boeiend verhaal van.
Het onderwerp, het heiligdom van Gondwana, is in feite niet zo goed uitgewerkt en zelfs ongeloofwaardig. De rest van het verhaal daarentegen, is wel zeer goed uitgewerkt. Je leert wat meer over het verleden van Mortimer, de reis naar Afrika met 2 vrouwelijke metgezellen (ja, 2 vrouwen die een belangrijke rol spelen in een Blake & Mortimer strip), de ontmoeting met Leakey en de onverwachte plotwending maken er wel een boeiend verhaal van.
September 1, 2023
Ogni volta che leggo un”avventura di Blake e Mortimer, mi sorprendo della fantasia degli sceneggiatori, così come di quella del compianto creatore della coppia di avventurieri, Edgar P. Jacobs. Ed anche questo libero, come tutti gli a;tri, non delude affatto, anzi. Ed ha pure un chiaro messaggio di avvertimento alla specie umana che, purtroppo, finora sicuramente inascoltato… ‘nuff said, by now. Imperdibile, come tutta la serie.
September 12, 2020
Les dessins sont beaux et l'histoire correcte mais je ne suis pas rentré dedans.
December 3, 2022
Gosto muito de Blake e Mortimer e está história respeita o traço e o ritmo originais. No entanto, o argumento pode ser está exagerado e sentirmos que está demasiado esticado
June 3, 2023
3.5 sterren voor dit vervolg op de Sarcofagen.
Wederom een avontuur met wat actie, mysterie en een dosis bovennatuurlijke elementen. Goed geschreven en helemaal in de lijn van de eerdere verhalen.
Wederom een avontuur met wat actie, mysterie en een dosis bovennatuurlijke elementen. Goed geschreven en helemaal in de lijn van de eerdere verhalen.
March 5, 2017
Pas mal, les dessins sont beaux et l'intrigue nous fait voyager...même si un peu lourde et compliquée, alambiquée, beaucoup de lecture et on reste un peu sur sa faim...tout cela semble un peu daté.
(je ne suis pas un fan de Blake & Mortimer)
(je ne suis pas un fan de Blake & Mortimer)
February 28, 2017
De titel van het album is wat verwarrend. Meer het officieuze derde deel van de sarcofagen van het zesde continent. Het idee van het oercontinent ben ik zeer genegen maar hoe het is uitgewerkt is rommelig. De cliffhanger op het einde is ook slecht uitgewerkt en het neerknallen van een olifant door Mortimer vond ik echt ongepast.
July 29, 2014
There is a fat, thick line between the “comic book” (e.g., Family Guy: A Big Book O’ Crap) and a true “graphic novel” (Asterios Polyp); TGS walks, even dances, on that line. Like in a graphic novel, the authors don’t shy away from characters representative of themselves—in this case mature gentlemen (ahem). TGS is part of a series called “The Adventures of Blake and Mortimer,” and this installment’s main character is Philip Mortimer, a mid-to-late 40s heavyset dude with a receding hairline and a chin beard. The subject matter, though, can seem somewhat adolescent, more like a comic book. In this case, Morty is looking for a lost civilization. Though the series has a foot in both graphic novels and comic book camps, it is to the detriment of neither. Though set in the 1940s, the tales embody that brand of indistinct, Indiana Jones-esque timelessness. They feature frequent zany plotlines in which anything can happen and usually does. TGS, for example, features Morty recuperating after a grave illness not with bedrest, and reading leather-bound tomes, but by gathering some compadres and searching for a lost civilization in the wilds of Africa. It’s not exactly the kind of story your typical adolescent boy is going to be drooling over and it’s very much reminiscent of Herge’s Tintin stories. (Indeed, original writer and artist Edgar Jacobs assisted Herge with Tintin). Like that exemplary series, these take forever to actually read. Readers will struggle to plow through TGS in one sitting…and not only because they’ll be using a dictionary for the big words. VERDICT Charming and surprisingly dense, TGS and the series from which it comes is jammed with the sort of twists and turns that can only come in this potboiler/cliffhanger type serialization. Elephants charge, underground-dwelling dudes try to murder everyone, and hot chicks strip down to their bathing suites. All are completely enjoyable. TGS features a truly weird and ingenious trick ending. I’m looking forward to looking up more of the Adventures of Blake and Mortimer—and more from Cinebook’s catalog.
Find this review and others at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal
Find this review and others at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal
March 3, 2013
Following on directly from The Sarcophagi of the Sixth Continent, this feels like a minor entry in the series, or perhaps a long, drawn-out denouement.
It doesn't really stand on its own, as it's too dependent on the previous two-parter, and yet for most of the story, the connection is tenuous. It doesn't really become apparent how closely connected the two stories are until the end, so be aware that you'll really need to read the two-parter first.
The premise is a perfect pulp-adventure set-up: a hidden temple of a lost civilization deep in the heart of Africa, and Our Heroes™ -- well, Mortimer, Nastasia (from The Voronov Plot) and an old flame -- head off in search of evidence. Dogging his path is the ever-present Olrik who seems to have escaped the destruction of the Antarctic research base.
While it's a disappointment as a stand-alone, and yet not developed enough to be a "Part 3" it does bring in a host of minor characters from the series, resolves a few lingering questions, and gives us a nifty setting -- Tanzania, the Ngorongoro Crater, the Great Rift Valley -- that I wish had a better story to go along with them.
I'll say one thing for Sente and Julliard -- they've successfully managed to inject solid female characters into what was once a boys-only series of adventures.
It doesn't really stand on its own, as it's too dependent on the previous two-parter, and yet for most of the story, the connection is tenuous. It doesn't really become apparent how closely connected the two stories are until the end, so be aware that you'll really need to read the two-parter first.
The premise is a perfect pulp-adventure set-up: a hidden temple of a lost civilization deep in the heart of Africa, and Our Heroes™ -- well, Mortimer, Nastasia (from The Voronov Plot) and an old flame -- head off in search of evidence. Dogging his path is the ever-present Olrik who seems to have escaped the destruction of the Antarctic research base.
While it's a disappointment as a stand-alone, and yet not developed enough to be a "Part 3" it does bring in a host of minor characters from the series, resolves a few lingering questions, and gives us a nifty setting -- Tanzania, the Ngorongoro Crater, the Great Rift Valley -- that I wish had a better story to go along with them.
I'll say one thing for Sente and Julliard -- they've successfully managed to inject solid female characters into what was once a boys-only series of adventures.
August 30, 2016
Una specie di proseguimento ideale de "I Sarcofaghi del Sesto Continente", questa avventura mi pare troppo povera a livello di soggetto e nemmeno la sceneggiatura mi convince molto. Di certo è quella più lontana dai classici di Jacobs. Sempre buoni i disegni.
July 27, 2011
Un Blake et Mortimer bien sur...mais très decevant pour les amateurs, sans doute ne retrouve t on pas à chaque nouveau titre le genie du mystère de la grande pyramide!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews