What do you think?
Rate this book
Max Fridman #3
No Pasaran!
Diciembre de 1938. La Guerra Civil española está en un momento decisivo. En Cataluña el frente está cediendo, y en Barcelona sienten cómo el fin se acerca. Herido y cansado, pero sin abandonar la búsqueda de su amigo desaparecido, Max Fridman afronta los riesgos que una ciudad envuelta en una guerra suponen hasta dar con la amarga verdad.
72 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
35 people want to read
About the author
Vittorio Giardino
91 books58 followersVittorio Giardino (Bologna, 1946) è un fumettista italiano.
Laureato in ingegneria elettronica intraprende solo in una seconda fase della sua vita la carriera di autore di fumetti e raggiunge progressivamente la maturità artistica sia per la perfetta connotazione del tratto sia per le sue capacità narrative.
Nei suoi racconti è attraversata tutta la storia europea del Novecento, la guerra civile di Spagna, il Nazismo, lo Stalinismo e la sua fine.
Il Nostro Autore, nel suo percorso artistico di maturazione, passa dal genere hard-boiled di Sam Pezzo alla spy-story con venature politiche ed intellettuali di Max Fridman, al fumetto erotico con Little Ego, fino ad arrivare al capolavoro, del quale noi lettori attendiamo il completamento, di Jonas Fink, il romanzo di formazione di un giovane ebreo praghese dal dopoguerra alla caduta del muro.
Con Jonas Fink riceve il premio Alph-Art al salone di Angoulême (1995) e l'Harvey Awards al San Diego Comic Con. (1998).
Laureato in ingegneria elettronica intraprende solo in una seconda fase della sua vita la carriera di autore di fumetti e raggiunge progressivamente la maturità artistica sia per la perfetta connotazione del tratto sia per le sue capacità narrative.
Nei suoi racconti è attraversata tutta la storia europea del Novecento, la guerra civile di Spagna, il Nazismo, lo Stalinismo e la sua fine.
Il Nostro Autore, nel suo percorso artistico di maturazione, passa dal genere hard-boiled di Sam Pezzo alla spy-story con venature politiche ed intellettuali di Max Fridman, al fumetto erotico con Little Ego, fino ad arrivare al capolavoro, del quale noi lettori attendiamo il completamento, di Jonas Fink, il romanzo di formazione di un giovane ebreo praghese dal dopoguerra alla caduta del muro.
Con Jonas Fink riceve il premio Alph-Art al salone di Angoulême (1995) e l'Harvey Awards al San Diego Comic Con. (1998).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 29, 2023
No Pasaran! Vol. 3: Sin Ilusion
In the third and final volume of "No Pasaran" we see Max Friedman returning from the battlefield, to the main city, to continue his search for his missing friend. There, while the communists are loosing the war against Franco's fascists and while Hitler's Nazis are killing Jewish people in Germany, Max realises that the case of his mission friend goes way deeper than he expected.
This was a very good final volume, with all the plot points reaching a great conclusion. Unlike the second volume, in which the main plot thread didn't seem to continue a lot, we learned a lot of new things about it here. Something I really love about these comics is how naturally and organically all the information reaches the reader. Instead of using boring exposition, Giardino gives the readers all the information, using interesting dialogues and captivating action. This results in an incredible comic, which doesn't become boring for a single second. Furthermore, I've said it before and I'll say it again, the way Giardino uses history in his comics is brilliant. History isn't only used as the background of the story. History is the story and Giardino criticizes it as harshly and deeply as possible. Something else that he does perfectly is character writing. All the characters and especially Max are extremely well written. I love Max's character. He's cold, but also very emotional, he loves very passionately, he has ideologies, but he doesn't let them make him blind and he's an extremely loving father, which is apparent from the ending of the comic.
While reading this I couldn't help but think about how brilliant this trilogy would be as a movie. With some small changes to the pacing and the timing of certain events, this could be a masterful film and I truly don't understand how it's possible that it hasn't been adapted yet.
The artwork is simply brilliant. With the strict, but gorgeous lines of an architect, gorgeous environments, beautiful character designs and unexpectedly interesting and unique clothes.
Overall, this was a fantastic trilogy, filled with politics, history, romance and a great mystery.
9/10
In the third and final volume of "No Pasaran" we see Max Friedman returning from the battlefield, to the main city, to continue his search for his missing friend. There, while the communists are loosing the war against Franco's fascists and while Hitler's Nazis are killing Jewish people in Germany, Max realises that the case of his mission friend goes way deeper than he expected.
This was a very good final volume, with all the plot points reaching a great conclusion. Unlike the second volume, in which the main plot thread didn't seem to continue a lot, we learned a lot of new things about it here. Something I really love about these comics is how naturally and organically all the information reaches the reader. Instead of using boring exposition, Giardino gives the readers all the information, using interesting dialogues and captivating action. This results in an incredible comic, which doesn't become boring for a single second. Furthermore, I've said it before and I'll say it again, the way Giardino uses history in his comics is brilliant. History isn't only used as the background of the story. History is the story and Giardino criticizes it as harshly and deeply as possible. Something else that he does perfectly is character writing. All the characters and especially Max are extremely well written. I love Max's character. He's cold, but also very emotional, he loves very passionately, he has ideologies, but he doesn't let them make him blind and he's an extremely loving father, which is apparent from the ending of the comic.
While reading this I couldn't help but think about how brilliant this trilogy would be as a movie. With some small changes to the pacing and the timing of certain events, this could be a masterful film and I truly don't understand how it's possible that it hasn't been adapted yet.
The artwork is simply brilliant. With the strict, but gorgeous lines of an architect, gorgeous environments, beautiful character designs and unexpectedly interesting and unique clothes.
Overall, this was a fantastic trilogy, filled with politics, history, romance and a great mystery.
9/10
May 6, 2010
I waited a long time for this final installment of Giardino's "No Pasaran" to come out and though it felt a little bit wrapped up to end the volume, the author explains himself well enough for me. I think he wanted to do 4 volumes but it took him much longer to complete than he originally planned. Still, as a whole, (this review is for the entire series, not just Vol. 3) I enjoyed the story line and the details of Spain's civil war torn state just prior to WWII.
December 3, 2021
Story: *****
Giardino is such a talented and structured writer who builds suspense and romance expertly and weaves it into a plot that, this time, has you constantly turning back pages to make sure you have a perfect hold of the scenarios as you try to solve it before the main character does.
He's always worthy of praise because he releases and rounds characters with such a smooth motion as he reveals his plot at the appropriate speed. He even knows what to withhold when to keep you from peeking at his hand. The sideline events keep you interested without respite- he makes sure never to waste a character.
Art: *****
He draws about the widest range of characters- meaning both that he draws different nationalities with panache and that none of his characters look nearly the same. He awards with stuff like the burliest moustaches you'll see and bone structures that sort of define a character until you know them better.
He also ->knows<- places, making them lived->in with authenticity down to the minor detail. Also the shapes and variety of the panel structure has you climbing around the pages with the utmost ease and leisure.
Giardino is such a talented and structured writer who builds suspense and romance expertly and weaves it into a plot that, this time, has you constantly turning back pages to make sure you have a perfect hold of the scenarios as you try to solve it before the main character does.
He's always worthy of praise because he releases and rounds characters with such a smooth motion as he reveals his plot at the appropriate speed. He even knows what to withhold when to keep you from peeking at his hand. The sideline events keep you interested without respite- he makes sure never to waste a character.
Art: *****
He draws about the widest range of characters- meaning both that he draws different nationalities with panache and that none of his characters look nearly the same. He awards with stuff like the burliest moustaches you'll see and bone structures that sort of define a character until you know them better.
He also ->knows<- places, making them lived->in with authenticity down to the minor detail. Also the shapes and variety of the panel structure has you climbing around the pages with the utmost ease and leisure.
March 28, 2018
Despite not having read the first two volumes, I must admit that I'm surprised how accessible and enjoyable the conclusion of this trilogy is. Set during the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s, it follows a man's quest to find a missing friend. Lots of divergent people with their own agendas, so you can never be sure who to trust. The twists are good, and the art - in the over-sized European format - is gorgeous. Giardino lays out the story extremely clearly, and the backgrounds appear to be well researched to my eye. Lots of subtle acting in the characters as well. I should track down the previous two volumes.
January 4, 2026
The concluding chapter in the journey of Max Freidman to Spain to find an old friend who has vanished during the Spanish Civil War. At this point it is October of 1938 and Max finds himself in Barcelona. After navigating the various factions of the conflict, he finally gets some answers.
Beautiful art and a plot that mirrors the moral ambiguity of the war make for an excellent story in the best tradition of the Spy genre.
Beautiful art and a plot that mirrors the moral ambiguity of the war make for an excellent story in the best tradition of the Spy genre.
October 22, 2017
Simply terrific!
June 2, 2023
The conclusion to a beautifully rendered, gripping historical tale inspired by true events. Fantastic job.
April 18, 2021
Fitting end to an epic tale of futility, dignity and a literal war of values. Each lose ends are tied up with aplomb in a way manner only Max can do.
All supporting characters are well rounded and drive the plot, even through the confusion and despair. As always, the art is full of contrasts - reserved yet sensual, profound though simple - and as delightful as always.
This is a great story and worth of everyone’s time.
Enjoy!
All supporting characters are well rounded and drive the plot, even through the confusion and despair. As always, the art is full of contrasts - reserved yet sensual, profound though simple - and as delightful as always.
This is a great story and worth of everyone’s time.
Enjoy!
December 4, 2008
Admittedly I'm prejudiced: I'm the translator of this conclusion to yet another excellent Giardino trilogy...
July 16, 2013
Amarga reconstruccion de la Barcelona de al final de la guerra civil.
July 25, 2021
6.5/10
Here is my review of the whole story (No Pasarán volumes 1-to-3, aka Max Friedman volumes 3-to-5).
Here is my review of the whole story (No Pasarán volumes 1-to-3, aka Max Friedman volumes 3-to-5).
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews