In Search of Shirley, Vol. 1

Le Voyage en Italie / In Search of Shirley #1

by Cosey, André Juillard, R. Cosey

Book by Cosey

Genres: Bande Dessinée, Graphic Novels, Comics

47 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Cosey is born as Bernard Cosandey. He is an award-winning Swiss creator of comics. He entered the comics field in 1971 and has produced some 25 albums over three decades (Jonathan, In Search of Peter Pan, etc.).

Reviews

[StrictlySequential · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't read this unless you have the second book in hand- that's why I think he splits a single cover across both.

Both books (no giveaways):

Book one was DEEP character examination that carried over -in the same introspective manner- throughout all their resultant interactions so the intense decisions and results that Cosey peppered into book two forecast soul-cleansing weeping as everything comes together and apart simultaneously.

His landscape art throughout Colorado's wilderness, architecturally stacked villages rising up from the Mediterranean and Southeast Asian villages during war is tremendous- especially when he's working those tall and thin Franco-Belgian panels I mentioned in my review of Valerian's "False Worlds".

[João Carlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

O argumentista e ilustrador suíço Cosey (n. 1950) apresenta-nos “Viagem a Itália”, numa edição da Meribérica/Liber publicada em dois volumes, com dois norte-americanos, veteranos da Guerra do Vietname, Ian Fraschetti e Arthur J. Druey, que vivem em Riverheart, no Colorado, mas incapazes de se libertarem dos “fantasmas” e dos “pesadelos” de uma guerra dramática, com consequências pessoais imprevisíveis.
Os dois amigos acabam por empreender uma viagem a Itália e eis que surge Shirley, uma bonita jovem, insolente e idealista, vértice de um triângulo amoroso, uma namorada de infância, envolvida numa história complexa de amor e drama.
Cosey utiliza admiravelmente os flashbacks, construindo subtilmente uma história, onde vai revelando o passado das personagens, os seus segredos, os seus medos, as suas angústias, as suas alegrias; vidas vividas no sentir e no acreditar de uma amizade inquebrável.
A amplitude dos cenários – da ruralidade do Colorado às falésias do litoral de Itália (Sícilia?), paisagens magníficas de cor e luminosidade – é determinante na evolução da narrativa, conferindo-lhe um verdadeiro realismo expressivo.
“Viagem a Itália” (1 e 2) é uma história comovente e repleta de humanismo, amor, amizade, dor e drama.

[Rex Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two books in this series and you won’t get the complete story unless you have both. Originally called Le Voyage en Italie and created by Swiss artist Cosey, this is a somber tale of two men’s trials in life, their failures, and redemption. All the action swivels around their relationship with a mercurial girl named Shirley Muir. Whether she is a positive or negative impact on their lives is up for grabs, but she certainly does change them. A sober reflection on real life, this story alternates between hilarity, love, friendship, and the heart-breaking. This isn’t a beat-em-up comic fare, but it still worth a look. Cosey’s art is immaculate, especially his ability to accurate represent the architectural styles of so many cultures. Honestly, I tore this book and couldn’t put it down, gobbling up both volumes in a single night.

[Mikael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rørende, sjov og stærk fortælling, som er lille nok til at være nær og stor nok til at implicere den verdens politiske scene. Troede at jeg havde fundet et par fejl, men nej, ikke alligevel. Det hele hænger sammen.

Del ét og del to er begge lige gode.

[Dewaram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cosey's Art is very very good, this might the 2nd book in English after the one only book of the Jonathan Series released by Catalan Communications. This first part of the story deals with two viet vets scratching their normal life together dealing with memories of past and also to find the girl named Shirley who enlightened them up in their child hood finally they meet her who have become a nun and with a little girl who might twist the story I am yet to read the second part to leave the review there.

Overall not a bad try to give shot.

[Erik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story is good although feels a little rushed at first. Once it shifts to Italy it's better paced. Characters all feel real. Cosey has a great eye and often lets the art move the story more than the words. There's no real conclusion to this though. Pretty much have to read the next volume.