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Torpedo #13-15
Torpedo 1936: Volume 5
As ruas de Nova Iorque, a grande depressão, o escuro universo da máfia. Mulheres exuberantes, um colt calibre 45 e um assassino sem escrúpulos: Luca Torelli, mais conhecido por Torpedo.
Com estes elementos, Enrique Sánchez Abulí e Jordi Bernet construíram a melhor série clássica do policial negro das últimas três décadas, e a BD espanhola mais traduzida e lida em todo o planeta.
Torpedo narra a história de um emigrante italiano, um assassino a soldo que espalha a sua justiça pelas ruas de Nova Iorque durante a Grande Depressão. Um tipo violento, amoral, mau entre os maus, mas que acaba por agradar ao leitor. Rodeado de mulheres belas e de mafiosos que lhe farão a vida mais fácil ou difícil.
A ironia e o sentido de humor de Abulí, com os seus audazes jogos de palavras, combinam na perfeição com o pincel de Bernet, o grande mestre do branco e preto, para criar uma autêntica obra de arte.
Uma obra para ler aos poucos, como se degusta um bom whisky.
Com estes elementos, Enrique Sánchez Abulí e Jordi Bernet construíram a melhor série clássica do policial negro das últimas três décadas, e a BD espanhola mais traduzida e lida em todo o planeta.
Torpedo narra a história de um emigrante italiano, um assassino a soldo que espalha a sua justiça pelas ruas de Nova Iorque durante a Grande Depressão. Um tipo violento, amoral, mau entre os maus, mas que acaba por agradar ao leitor. Rodeado de mulheres belas e de mafiosos que lhe farão a vida mais fácil ou difícil.
A ironia e o sentido de humor de Abulí, com os seus audazes jogos de palavras, combinam na perfeição com o pincel de Bernet, o grande mestre do branco e preto, para criar uma autêntica obra de arte.
Uma obra para ler aos poucos, como se degusta um bom whisky.
120 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2012
31 people want to read
About the author
Enrique Sánchez Abulí
181 books22 followersEnrique Sánchez Abulí (born 20 February 1945) is a Spanish comics author, well known for his participation in the Spanish comics industry. His most famous work is the darkly comical gangster comics saga Torpedo in collaboration with Jordi Bernet.
He is son of the also writer Enrique Sánchez Pascual.
He is son of the also writer Enrique Sánchez Pascual.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 4, 2020
Though this final volume is as enjoyable as the ones before, I'm glad that it's over. I don't believe its themes and jokes could have carried on for too much longer, and the increased focus on backstory only helped to make it less funny - it would either have gone stale and overstayed its welcome, or been forced to grow and develop into a larger and deeper mythos, neither of which would have been a good thing in my book.
All things must end. I wish more stories would realize this.
All things must end. I wish more stories would realize this.
November 22, 2018
Having finish the 5th and final offering in the Torpedo compendiums, and presumably the totality of all, Abuli's 80's work stands out as a particularly harsh taste that is certainly not for everyone. Utterly dark, it's quite understandable that Alex Toth hopped off the bus far sooner than later. Uncompromising in its humor that uniformly reflects levels of darkness, Abuli's work, while not visible on prima facie, definitely (almost) feels absurdist upon further retrospective. Seemingly thumbing its nose at Camus himself, by making light (ironic right?) of the brutal and dangerous, it's greatest strength is that of its opposites and as such a truly warped study in contrasts is the result.
Taking some of the darkest impulses of human nature and wrapping them an oddly derived screwball typography, the guffaws derive less from the brutal and the blasphemous and the juxtapositions of such, and instead are built up from the very contradictions of Human Nature itself. In doing so, not only does the Torpedo series make the Tarantino canon (a thematic cousin of such) seem puerile in comparison, but hits home at a far deeper level than it's perversion would ostensibly entail. Crushing in its amorality, a true play of the absurd stage spools and whips and BLAMS! it way across a minds-cape that well reflects the appetitive nature of the Human Beast.
Taking the concept of shock value to a whole new level of depth of degeneracy, if you have any shred of empathy, compassion, or decorum, you will, as you should feel, completely offended at every level. Perforating the appearance and refinement of a more politically correct era, this absurdist hitman rips off the mask of the civilized. Revealing the abyss beneath all, the gravity of the maw of man's inherent beastliness is on display for all to see.
Look, listen, but please do(n't) stare.
Taking some of the darkest impulses of human nature and wrapping them an oddly derived screwball typography, the guffaws derive less from the brutal and the blasphemous and the juxtapositions of such, and instead are built up from the very contradictions of Human Nature itself. In doing so, not only does the Torpedo series make the Tarantino canon (a thematic cousin of such) seem puerile in comparison, but hits home at a far deeper level than it's perversion would ostensibly entail. Crushing in its amorality, a true play of the absurd stage spools and whips and BLAMS! it way across a minds-cape that well reflects the appetitive nature of the Human Beast.
Taking the concept of shock value to a whole new level of depth of degeneracy, if you have any shred of empathy, compassion, or decorum, you will, as you should feel, completely offended at every level. Perforating the appearance and refinement of a more politically correct era, this absurdist hitman rips off the mask of the civilized. Revealing the abyss beneath all, the gravity of the maw of man's inherent beastliness is on display for all to see.
Look, listen, but please do(n't) stare.
April 25, 2019
*wrong picture for 9781613771624 (HC) unless variant or 2nd printing*
This begins with a LONG story in Cuba:
This volume stepped up to ***** from page one! You immediately notice tighter yet more expressive renderings from front-to-back throughout each panel by Bernet accenting added variety and refinement of characters and laughs with more refined plot devices by Abuli- as if they collectively decided to go out with a bang instead of push it farther.
It's always had a mix of that magical appeal reserved for archetypal characters who exemplify qualities that we both idealize and despise with maddening polarity and the shameless humor that harmonizes it's intrinsic intensity.
What's to idealize AND despise?
Adapting then thriving in any environment is the animal's greatest quality and we're all, despite how some may frame it, mammals in the wild. Luca did just that and the price he payed was worth admission. I can't relate to most of what he does and find it mostly reprehensible but who am I to judge? Watching him do it, on the other hand, is the thrill of the voyeur- the iced veins of a hired torpedo never cease to fascinate me and those who do it with panache will always keep me reading.
Brutal rape? I can't relate to that (let alone cash-consensual)- it disgusts me to utter extremity BUT this is a character without humanity. An viscous animal. Someone like myself, who romanticizes some of his other qualities, needs reminded what his type are really like because Abuli created a monster- not an idealized anti-hero that today's audience drools over with little care about authenticity.
This killer is nothing like sloppy-deuche "Dexter". That's a blood-splattered melodrama where this is hard-drama with a laugh track. Joe, Jack and Jim are three identical bodyguards of one of Luca's targets who serve as example of that humor which is injected instead of intrinsic. He steps outside of reality for the laughs- their look and dress are exact despite a drastic three-tiered height differential which is ideal for their goofy repartee and atmospheric shadowing.
The same effect is produced by referential play-by-play jokes intersperced by an necessarily "outsider narrator" BUT that reminds me a huge flaw in presentation throughout the whole series- having Luca narrate within the same stories was a mistake.
A BRILLIANT FIRST STORY ENDS THE REST INCREMENTALLY REGRESSES!
Excepting Bernet who had clearly mastered the art of the times and places- he remained excellent throughout even though I've only ever liked the faces on his women. He even "improved" Luca's mug by making it thinner and meaner and got somewhat better at the caricature of other nationalities even though some come across pretty racist. What impressed me the most is his gun-metal which is pretty important in the story of a hit-man. Look in the other editions at the cover that this should be, a babe in a key-hole with Luca's gun in the foreground, and try to imagine how an artist achieves that texture! For those of us that couldn't draw the hand-cannon in the first place it's shockingly impressive!
The middle has good flash-backs to his youth in Italy and early days in America that I rate, propped up by Bernet's art, **** but there was none of the evolution within like there was in the first long story.
The final two stories are an Abuli DISASTER!
The writing was atrocious- it either didn't make sense, didn't fit the characters or was avoiding incredible plot possibilities. That last one I can't elaborate on but there were two "things" that could have made the final, very long and disturbing, so much better!
________________________________
Remember Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative"? It's a standby that's up on my dance list and I keep getting up to give it the hips and shoulders it demands.
BUT what comes on next on my randomized dance list?
THE GREATEST post 70's (can't compare before and after) R&B SONG: "Swing My Way" KP & Envyi - Of course it's crucial sex jam too. Remember that 90's Miami Bass? It MUST make its way back into clubs!
THEN? Here's the rest of the randomized soundtrack of this review:
Montell Jordan "This Is How We Do It" >> Mark Morrison "Return of the Mack" >> 69 Boyz "Tootsee Roll" >> I'm out...
This begins with a LONG story in Cuba:
This volume stepped up to ***** from page one! You immediately notice tighter yet more expressive renderings from front-to-back throughout each panel by Bernet accenting added variety and refinement of characters and laughs with more refined plot devices by Abuli- as if they collectively decided to go out with a bang instead of push it farther.
It's always had a mix of that magical appeal reserved for archetypal characters who exemplify qualities that we both idealize and despise with maddening polarity and the shameless humor that harmonizes it's intrinsic intensity.
What's to idealize AND despise?
Adapting then thriving in any environment is the animal's greatest quality and we're all, despite how some may frame it, mammals in the wild. Luca did just that and the price he payed was worth admission. I can't relate to most of what he does and find it mostly reprehensible but who am I to judge? Watching him do it, on the other hand, is the thrill of the voyeur- the iced veins of a hired torpedo never cease to fascinate me and those who do it with panache will always keep me reading.
Brutal rape? I can't relate to that (let alone cash-consensual)- it disgusts me to utter extremity BUT this is a character without humanity. An viscous animal. Someone like myself, who romanticizes some of his other qualities, needs reminded what his type are really like because Abuli created a monster- not an idealized anti-hero that today's audience drools over with little care about authenticity.
This killer is nothing like sloppy-deuche "Dexter". That's a blood-splattered melodrama where this is hard-drama with a laugh track. Joe, Jack and Jim are three identical bodyguards of one of Luca's targets who serve as example of that humor which is injected instead of intrinsic. He steps outside of reality for the laughs- their look and dress are exact despite a drastic three-tiered height differential which is ideal for their goofy repartee and atmospheric shadowing.
The same effect is produced by referential play-by-play jokes intersperced by an necessarily "outsider narrator" BUT that reminds me a huge flaw in presentation throughout the whole series- having Luca narrate within the same stories was a mistake.
A BRILLIANT FIRST STORY ENDS THE REST INCREMENTALLY REGRESSES!
Excepting Bernet who had clearly mastered the art of the times and places- he remained excellent throughout even though I've only ever liked the faces on his women. He even "improved" Luca's mug by making it thinner and meaner and got somewhat better at the caricature of other nationalities even though some come across pretty racist. What impressed me the most is his gun-metal which is pretty important in the story of a hit-man. Look in the other editions at the cover that this should be, a babe in a key-hole with Luca's gun in the foreground, and try to imagine how an artist achieves that texture! For those of us that couldn't draw the hand-cannon in the first place it's shockingly impressive!
The middle has good flash-backs to his youth in Italy and early days in America that I rate, propped up by Bernet's art, **** but there was none of the evolution within like there was in the first long story.
The final two stories are an Abuli DISASTER!
The writing was atrocious- it either didn't make sense, didn't fit the characters or was avoiding incredible plot possibilities. That last one I can't elaborate on but there were two "things" that could have made the final, very long and disturbing, so much better!
________________________________
Remember Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative"? It's a standby that's up on my dance list and I keep getting up to give it the hips and shoulders it demands.
BUT what comes on next on my randomized dance list?
THE GREATEST post 70's (can't compare before and after) R&B SONG: "Swing My Way" KP & Envyi - Of course it's crucial sex jam too. Remember that 90's Miami Bass? It MUST make its way back into clubs!
THEN? Here's the rest of the randomized soundtrack of this review:
Montell Jordan "This Is How We Do It" >> Mark Morrison "Return of the Mack" >> 69 Boyz "Tootsee Roll" >> I'm out...
November 24, 2018
I don't know why I like this. It's so wrong on so many levels. This one actually manages to be even meaner than all the previous volumes. Here are just a few awful thing the protagonist does: beats a man, almost to death for being too good looking; beats a woman with an iron for no reason; kills everyone at a Prohibition drinking party; tries to have a young boy molested; and there's more, but I won't list it all. So why do I like these awful stories? Well they are mostly unpredictable and crazy. Since the main character has no sense of morality, things always get out of hand. I cannot condone anything that happens in this book. Good thing I don't have to as it's just a well-drawn work of fiction.
October 13, 2023
Storie lunghe e storie corte, bellissime donne tutte dedite alla nobile altre del meretricio (Abuli si sarà divertito un mondo a descriverle sempre così, oppure non ne ha una buona opinione… ma sono perfette per queste storie, e Bernet sicuramente le disegna sensuali), delinquenti di ogni risma, visto che questo è il mondo di Torpedo, e sempre una fine dolceamara che strappa un sorriso. Non esiste delinquente più sfigato di Torpedo e del suo tirapiedi Rascal, e non esiste serie migliore di noir con risvolti comici e seriosi allo stesso tempo.
April 12, 2019
A violent but funny follow-up to Luca toreli's life as Torpedo - the italian hitman.
Still entertaining but this last volume lacked the substance. Still worthy to read.
Still entertaining but this last volume lacked the substance. Still worthy to read.
December 24, 2025
Some incidents too graphic unfortunately.
March 22, 2017
Great visuals, but whatever happens one shouldn't write/depict rape as it is done in "Torpedo", not of women much less of children, that is just disgusting.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews