The March of the Crabs, Vol. 2: The Empire of the Crabs

La Marche du Crabe #2

by Arthur de Pins

Crabs versus The World.

All species in the world evolve…except one. Cancer Simplicimus Vulgaris, or the square crab, has suffered with the same evolutionary defect for millennia: it cannot change direction. Condemned to walk in one straight line forever, these crabs living along the Gironde estuary have largely resigned themselves to their fate. However, one seemingly ordinary summer, three crabs decide to take matters into their own claws and rebel against the straight and narrow path they have been sentenced to, upending the entire ecosystem in the process.

From critically-acclaimed French illustrator and animator Arthur de Pins comes the second volume in his hilarious and touching trilogy about scuttling towards your own destiny.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Bande Dessinée, Animals, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

123 pages, ebook

First published November 30, 2011

Reviews

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is part two in a series of graphic novels about crabs. Great follow up to the first part. While the first one sometimes had some quirky deviations from the story that were hard to follow, this one has a logical story which made sense. Again, great expressive drawings, it's just a lot of fun. I still wish the main characters were a little more fleshed out though.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

My pithy review of this series (so far) mostly consists of delighted laughter. Which, alas, does not come across very well in print. So: Crabs! Crab politics! Feckless humans and evil lobster plots! Super-kind living fossils! The crab Chosen One! ...And one more volume to look forward to. :D

[Stephanie Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The crabs learn to turn! This creates a divide between those who want to stay with the old ways and those who wish to evolve. Environmentalism comes into play when the lobsters take matters into their own claws and disrupt the completion of a new oil pipeline. Again, I love dePins artwork and the colors he uses. The crabs are quite adorable.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my gosh crab politics are my favorite politics and I cannot wait for the translation of the final installment.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel format book - a fable really - is a pleasure to read! The cool, limited color palette and snappy dialog are both soothing and entertaining, and the simplified drawing style is a joy to behold. The story line is a bit clunky - with some loose ends - plus it's not so easy to tell the characters (marble crabs) apart at first - but these minor shortcomings don't detract from the overall pleasant effect of the book, which can be easily read in less than an hour in one sitting. I'll look for the third installment of the trilogy - which centers on the supposedly evolutionary adaptation of certain crabs in response to survival pressure; I'm curious as to how the author will link that theme up to the ecology angle. Somehow, I know the little crabs will turn out to be heroes of the story!

Just one quote: "Be a rebel, what do you get? Five minutes of fame, and then you walk a lonely road." (Uttered by the "innovative" crab - after the "conservative" "stick in the mud" crabs expel him from their ridiculous "club.")

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immer noch gefällt mir der Zeichenstil außerordentlich gut.
Die Geschichte nimmt jetzt auch Fahrt auf, da die Kreiskrabben, die sich drehen können, gegen die Kreuzkrabben, die nur gerade laufen wollen, kämpfen (Wenn man das so schreibt, denkt man sich auch wtf lese ich da eigentlich :D). Gleichzeitig werden Sie von den anderen Krustentieren verraten...
Es ist ziemlich eindeutig immer noch gesellschaftskritisch, gleichzeitig werden aber auch noch Themen angesprochen wie Umweltkatastrophen etc. Es sind mehrere Geschichten verwoben, die spanenderweise auch irgendwie miteinander zu tun haben. Hauptsächlich die der Krabbenevolution und dem Thema Erdölförderung.

[Petitpois · Rating 4 out of 5]

No me ha parecido oportuno valorar cada uno de los tres cómics que componen esta trilogía, si no de forma global: es un relato sociológico, original, imaginativo y gratificante. El uso digital de formas y colores como bloques es asímismo ingenioso, y muy expresivo, las figuras humanas tiene un estilo como muy de comedia francesa, y en conjunto hacen de la narración de esta idea acertada un gustico.

[Suni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volume di mezzo della trilogia.
Lo stile e il tono restano piacevolissimi, mentre la storia si incarta un po', risulta più tortuosa, ci sono troppi granchietti sostanzialmente tutti uguali e gli snodi narrativi non sono tanto chiari. Però è anche normale creare una certa confusione affinché venga risolta nel volume finale. Almeno lo spero.

[Alasondro Alegré · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★½

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is definitely getting more exciting. Characters are growing and becoming more nuanced. The variety of characters (animal and human) are a joy to look at.

There's a message here about the dangers of becoming too set in your ways and blindly following the crowd. After the frightening scene set in a fish market, hopefully some readers will want to swear off eating crabs, too!

[Lukas Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

So. Much. FUN!

[Chiara White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Qualcuno “ha svoltato”: realtà o leggenda metropolitana?Può la paura far evolvere una specie? Io credo di sì, credo che a sopravvivere sia chi riesce a fuggire dal predatore e a inventarsi una nuova vita. Ma a non tutti piacciono i cambiamenti…
inizia la guerra dei granchi tra chi vuole cambiare e chi crede che mantenere sempre la stessa situazione invariata sia la cosa migliore.
Non hanno fatto i conti con gli esseri umani però che sono la variabile più pericolosa e imprevedibile del pianeta terra, anche per loro stessi.
Come si fa a non tifare per Sole e compagni?

[Kuba · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second volume of March of the Crabs focuses a lot more on crabs relations, and that is what I hoped for after the first volume. Sadly there is a lot less humor. The main plot focuses on the fight between turning crabs and those who refuse to let go of a straight line. It really feels like a generic story right now :(

[angelofmine1974 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love this series! In this installment, Sunny goes on a journey to find his true path. Luna and the other crabs who turn form an alliance against the evil crabs who are against change. Very intense ending and sad. Graphics and story are just wonderful. Looking forward to finishing the trilogy.

[Michel Siskoid Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vol.2: The Empire of the Crabs escalates almost everything. The plot threads have more driving force, the eco-fable that's been bubbling in the background starts to take shape, and the satirical elements are better defined as we move from evolution (what animals do) to REvolution (what societies do).

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little story is just so endearing - who knew crabs could be so cute?!

This volume holds a little more character development and some good plot building. I'm struggling to think how this is only going to be a trilogy but can't wait to find out how it goes.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crabs!! I love these little marble crab guys. I am firmly on the side of the turning crabs. I don't know if there is a political allegory going on in France, but these little crabs are so cute that it doesn't matter. I'm so excited for the third volume to be translated!

[Charles Eldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great art like Vol 1, but not quite as gripping in story. Also felt like it ended abruptly…and sadly I cannot find Vol 3 available anywhere. So I don’t know if I’ll every find out how this tale ends.

[Vi · Rating 3 out of 5]

French comics.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.

[Sarospice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The crabs have turned! And as with anything new, some are for it and some are against it. Meanwhile, life goes on regardless of how you want to live it. Deep.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

With comedy, satire, great art, and relevant themes, vol. 2 of March of the Crabs takes some unexpected turns while continuing to deliver everything that I enjoy about this series.

[Karine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un second tome qui se lit tout aussi bien, j'aime beaucoup cette trilogie.

[Martha Andrade · Rating 5 out of 5]

simplemente increíble me dejo con ganar de terminar esta historia lo mas pronto posible, no podía dejar de leer, me focino.

[Graham Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as strong as the first volume, but still a brisk, well illustrated story. Loses track of the human characters and documentary plotline.

[Susan L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the premise of this graphic novel series. Clever and inspiring, and the illustrations are excellent. This is how to effectively write & draw a graphic novel about anthropomorphic animals. Looking forward to the third and final installment. (This is a cut & paste review from the first issue.)

Grade: B+

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still mixing up the crabs but it’s definitely picking up speed. I like the nod towards heroic journeys, with young Sunny’s training motif. I’m sure there’s another political level to this that’s going over my head, but the crab-politics and machinations by themselves work just fine.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ce second volume a un humour plus décalé : ce qui rend, à mon avis, l'histoire plus intéressante.