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Horlemonde #1-2
Retroworld
Een indrukwekkend sciencefiction epos, naar de boeken van de gevierde schrijfster: Julia Verlanger. mensen hebben zich al zo lang verspreid over het bekende universum en er delen van bezet dat veel werelden hun ware, aardse oorsprong zijn vergeten. de planeten die de herinnering van de «eersten» nog intact houden zijn een alliantie aangegaan en hebben een galactische federatie opgericht. Terwijl de «retrowerelden» zich weer gewend hebben tot een meer archaïsche, primitieve en geïsoleerde manier van leven. de federatie vertrouwt zijn beste agent, marce, een delicate, maar levensbelangrijke missie toe om de retrowereld almagiel te helpen met zijn ontwikkeling. maar politieke intriges, brute leefomstandigheden en dodelijke wezens zullen de agent misschien wel fataal worden... retroworld is een adaptatie van het werk van de schrijfster julia verlanger, die met haar productieve en bijzonder originele schrijfstijl in de jaren '70 opdook in de europese science fiction-wereld.
108 pages, Hardcover
First published February 12, 2014
60 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 19, 2016
Good, but not great, french sci-fi comic about an advanced human species recruiting backward colonies.
I read the ca. 120 pages in one go and wished there was more to it. Horlemonde is definitely a fun read, but it's lacking substance.
Pros:
- grrrreat world building, especially the nature and creatures.
- great setting with advanced and retro human societies
- I like the two main characters--the advanced star man and the slave rebel
Cons:
- one dimensional antagonists. (In the first frame, I knew the guy was bad)
- rushed storytelling. The story jumps from action scene to action scene. I wished there was more time spent on scenes developing the characters.
- lots of sci-fi clichés and no new ideas
Conclusion:
I wouldn't have bought the comic but I'm glad I rented it from my library. If you want a fast-paced sci-fi comic with mature themes but only skin-deep characterization and story, give this one a go.
I read the ca. 120 pages in one go and wished there was more to it. Horlemonde is definitely a fun read, but it's lacking substance.
Pros:
- grrrreat world building, especially the nature and creatures.
- great setting with advanced and retro human societies
- I like the two main characters--the advanced star man and the slave rebel
Cons:
- one dimensional antagonists. (In the first frame, I knew the guy was bad)
- rushed storytelling. The story jumps from action scene to action scene. I wished there was more time spent on scenes developing the characters.
- lots of sci-fi clichés and no new ideas
Conclusion:
I wouldn't have bought the comic but I'm glad I rented it from my library. If you want a fast-paced sci-fi comic with mature themes but only skin-deep characterization and story, give this one a go.
May 5, 2020
Rushed.
September 24, 2017
Really good plot and fast-paced adventure. I would have given it more stars if not for three big problems.
1. The story has only one female character, Lil, whose role isn't very big and whose clothing highlights her breasts.
2. The Argolite penitentiary is totally disgusting, especially the first episode at the mess hall.
1. The story has only one female character, Lil, whose role isn't very big and whose clothing highlights her breasts.
2. The Argolite penitentiary is totally disgusting, especially the first episode at the mess hall.
January 17, 2023
This was a rough read. Lots of ideas crammed into very few pages. The artwork does a lot of the heavy lifting here, but ultimately doesn't do much to salvage a thin narrative.
May 3, 2020
Enki Bilal -maisella taiteella briljeeraava Retroworld on sinänsä kiehtova kertomus avaruusimperiumin takapajulan korruptiosta, mutta tarinankerronnan sekavuus ja teemojen ennustettavuus hioo pois sinänsä vaikuttavan sarjakuvan terävimmät syömähampaat. Lopulta albumi on vain outo kokoelma cthulhuhirviöitä, korruptiota ja sitä vastaan taistelevia idealisteja, eikä tarinan sinänsä kiehtova suomaailma tai sen hahmot oikein pääse oikeuksiinsa. Vaikka taide on upeaa, ollaan tässä tarinan puolesta silti harmillisen kaukana esim. Valerian-sarjakuvista tai vaikkapa Jack Vancen avaruusoopperoista.
September 26, 2017
Con Clockwerks il peggiore volume di "Fantastica". Un potentissimo poliziotto galattico si reca in un pianeta che dovrebbe essere annesso a una federazione delle stelle, consentendo ai suoi abitanti di aprirsi allo spazio. Peccato che si trovi invischiato in una serie di macchinazioni condite con le condizioni estremamente inospitali del luogo in cui si trova. La storia è raccontata con una fretta davvero inquietante, mentre i disegni sono discreti, ma a tratti confusi.
August 5, 2019
Da qui le stelle non si vedono quasi
mai… e pensare che molte sono
popolate da umani come noi e che
ci sono migliaia di mondi
abitati, lassù.
(pagina 21)
"Una volta libero, potrai scegliere il tuo destino, Jatred.
Potrai fare quello che vorrai."
"So già cosa voglio. Voglio andare sulle stelle.
Conoscere l'universo."
(pagina 56)
mai… e pensare che molte sono
popolate da umani come noi e che
ci sono migliaia di mondi
abitati, lassù.
(pagina 21)
"Una volta libero, potrai scegliere il tuo destino, Jatred.
Potrai fare quello che vorrai."
"So già cosa voglio. Voglio andare sulle stelle.
Conoscere l'universo."
(pagina 56)
July 6, 2018
Nádherná kresba. Celé to začíná zajímavě, setting a svět jako takový též funguje. Jen ty dialogy a vlastní příběh šly ke konci strašně do řitě.
April 20, 2019
It was okay overall. I liked the art a lot, but the story was really lacking. It was so fast-paced that there really wasn’t much in the way of character development.
March 25, 2015
At first I found this comic confusing as there are quite a few characters to meet, and all of it takes place on an alien world, and in space. The plot also jumps around quite rapidly at the start between characters and settings. Once I settled into the story and illustration style I found it easier to follow and more enjoyable. The character and setting design is very imaginative, and the alien world quite well realised, especially with its array of bugs and monsters. What disappointed me was that there are two male heroes, but absolutely no female characters of note. Jatred's girlfriend Lil does not really do anything. The only other woman appears at the very start, but then vanishes from the story altogether. Surprising since this comic is adapted from a female writer's story. Still, the heroes are suitably heroic, and it is great to have a villain who is properly villainous and clever. An enjoyable stand-alone sci-fi story.
January 17, 2016
Like Metronom and Snowpiercer, Retroworld has great art but lack in story development. They all have amazing concepts that are not very well executed, but in Retroworld this is more evident. We don't know much about the slaves, the rebels and the masters. The starmen are the exception, but I felt it could have been done more about them as well. The main villain is so superficial and clichéd that you can tell who he is first time you see him. Being one of the weakest points in the story, ironically the main villain is the one who makes more sense. We understand why he is against the starmen, while all the rest of the masters, if they are so open and self concious about the slavery situation, why do they need the starmen intervention? I know they mention the starmen's technology as the problem solver, but is it? It's all those little things that could have helped to enrich the story and make it less unremarkable, the least.
July 13, 2014
Die Story von Patrick Galliano ist doch leider sehr flach, wimmelt von Stereotypen und hangelt sich von einer Action-Szene zur nächsten. Nun ist das zum Teil ganz amüsant, aber über 112 Seiten gestreckt reicht es einfach nicht.
Die Graphik von Cédric Peyravernay, der hier laut Verlagsangaben seinen erstes Werk vorlegt, verpricht Interessantes für die Zukunft. Er bemüht sich (zumeist erfolgreich) die Doppelseite als Gesamtwerk zu gestalten und hat auch im Detail einiges zu bieten. Nur bei den Gesichtern kommt gelegentlich der Verdacht auf, daß die Details der Software überlassen wurden.
Zugegeben ein Klischee, aber ... es gibt Besseres, aber auch Schlechteres.
Die Graphik von Cédric Peyravernay, der hier laut Verlagsangaben seinen erstes Werk vorlegt, verpricht Interessantes für die Zukunft. Er bemüht sich (zumeist erfolgreich) die Doppelseite als Gesamtwerk zu gestalten und hat auch im Detail einiges zu bieten. Nur bei den Gesichtern kommt gelegentlich der Verdacht auf, daß die Details der Software überlassen wurden.
Zugegeben ein Klischee, aber ... es gibt Besseres, aber auch Schlechteres.
July 9, 2023
3.5 stars
Good story overall, despite being a bit uneven at times. I liked the world building in the first half, and would have wanted more variety from the second half instead of a long prison break. Finishes off in a rather predictable manner, but overall satisfying. I really liked the art in this book, even though sometimes there's a lot of detail crammed in small panels. Still, very immersive and cool to look at, which is why I'm giving it one extra star for this alone.
Good story overall, despite being a bit uneven at times. I liked the world building in the first half, and would have wanted more variety from the second half instead of a long prison break. Finishes off in a rather predictable manner, but overall satisfying. I really liked the art in this book, even though sometimes there's a lot of detail crammed in small panels. Still, very immersive and cool to look at, which is why I'm giving it one extra star for this alone.
April 25, 2015
Pretty good. No Star Wars, but an interesting science fiction tale with some older-school flavor, mixed with art that looked heavily inspired by Lost Planet or something similar. There could have been a bit more depth on a few of the individual narrative threads, and the ending was abrupt in a weird sort of way, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.
May 31, 2020
There seem to be a fair number of good art / poor story sci-fi and fantasy comics coming over from France. This fits exactly in that category. The buildings and scenery are very well drawn and will hold your attention. The people aren't bad, but not the best. The story is just another sci-fi yarn that wouldn't draw your attention in a monthly magazine.
June 9, 2016
Good scifi graphic novel, but it needs more background to the story and the characters. I felt as though I was rushed into a story that I knew very little about and some parts in the beginning felt a little vague.
It isn't bad for what it is though.
It isn't bad for what it is though.
August 21, 2014
An impressively manufactured volume and perilously close to being pretty damn unique. I feel like the translation might have suffered a little.
December 20, 2014
What to say about graphic novels..hm..
Nice drawings. Good story, interesting world. The end was promising for more, ohh this would be such a cool sci.fi tv-series!
Nice drawings. Good story, interesting world. The end was promising for more, ohh this would be such a cool sci.fi tv-series!
February 13, 2016
The art is beautiful. The story jumps around in plot a lot and makes the story difficult to follow from time to time but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Good not great but enjoyable.
March 7, 2016
Decent little sci-fi adventure. Seemed a bit rushed so I wonder if the novel it is based on slows enough to catch its breath.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews