Noir Burlesque

This is a freshly scanlated volume that came out last month, it's a hard-boiled type gangster comic which will be in 2 volumes by Enrico Marini. You might know him from The Scorpion and The Eagles of Rome (t6 when?), as well as that Batman: The Dark Prince Charming book a few years ago. This time around he's trying for a more rough, sketchy style rather than the more detailed stuff he usually does. And I have to say, I do like it. The story itself is... eh, fine I guess. It has pretty much every cliche you can think of for the time, gangster movies, etc. beyond some going 'nyah, see!'

Lou Cale (repost)

New York in the 1940s on the crime scenes, flashlights crackle to feed the press eager to shock images that make his A. Lou Cale is one of those press photographers in bad reputation. But the hunter image turns into sleuth when a detail that no one had seen him put on a track to solve the case. A comic by Eric Warnauts and Raives.

Bad Break

A classic crime story peppered with plenty of noir tropes and dark humor. A determined antique dealer, a bored junkyard worker, and an inquisitive porn star join forces as they follow the tortuous trail of a long-dead sailor. Written and drawn by Philippe Riche ("The Alliance of the Curious") in his trademark loose yet graceful line.

Streets of Paris, Streets of Murder - The Complete Graphic Noir of Machette & Tardi

In the never-before-collected Griffu, the titular character is a legal advisor, not a private eye, but even he knows that when a sultry blonde appears in his office after hours, he shouldn't trust her ― and she doesn't disappoint. Griffu is soon ensnared in a deadly web of sexual betrayal, real estate fraud, and murder. In West Coast Blues, a young sales executive goes to the aid of an accident victim, and finds himself sucked into a spiral of violence involving an exiled war criminal and two hired assassins. This volume also offers a bonus, 21-page unfinished story by Manchette and Tardi, as well as a single page introduction to another incomplete story, both appearing in English for the first time. Black & white illustrations. by Tardi (Author), Jean-Patrick Manchette  (Author)

The Lion of Judah

1920s Nairobi. When two Africans are found gruesomely murdered, all signs point to John Wallace, a promising young plantation owner with a bright future ahead of him and a beautiful bride-to-be. What drove him to kill these men? His silence and a corrupt system lead to internment, without a trial, in a vicious Kenyan prison camp. But sadistic guards, conspiring cellmates, and harsh desert labor are no match for the suffering that Wallace feels inside over the life he lost, and how best to get it back. He’s willing to do anything for revenge—even loose the mysterious beast lurking within… Script by Stephen Desberg - Art by Hugues Labiano. 

Bootblack

During the depths of the Great Depression, an orphan reinvents himself as Al Chrysler and strives to win the heart of the local grocer's daughter. In doing so, he falls in with a newly arrived petty criminal who soon has him and his friends working for the local mafia. As the stakes get higher, Al soon realizes he's gotten in too deep, and is caught up in a chain of events beyond his control. Created by Mikael.

Purple Heart

Joshua quit law school to go fight the Nazis in Europe. He was awarded the Purple Heart after he and his buddy were victims of a landmine. No medal on Earth, however, can assuage the trauma of being unable to save your brother-in-arms. Back home in the States, Joshua tries to make up for lost time, with one romantic conquest after another. Working as a private eye in New York, he's been assigned to a blackmail case that leads him to a world of love nests, Nazi thugs, stolen art, and a whole slew of other dirty deeds. The fighting in Europe may be finished, but for those who survived, the war continues to fester at the core of the Big Apple.

Murdervale

After checking into a strange hotel run by an even stranger old woman, Victor starts to wonder if this town - Murdervale - isn't what it seems to be. Making things worse is the medication Victor is taking is causing nightmarish hallucinations. But what if they're not hallucinations? What if the myth that an old witch lives there and has cast a spell on the town is true? What if by trying to get away from the hell of his life, he has instead actually entered Hell?! created by Vicente Cifuentes.

Biotope

Welcome to Biotope! Vegetation as far as the eye can see, perfect sports facilities, but also endless boredom ... On Biotope, planet whose ecosystem is studied by scientists living in a vacuum, a murder has been committed. Passionate crime, claim the leaders of the base. "This is what we are going to see," replies in substance Commissioner Toussaint, sent on the spot with his two assistants to shed light on the circumstances of the tragedy. The investigation begins. It looks difficult ... Biotope happily renews the genre of police investigation. First, through the narrative. The story takes place in a slightly scary setting but conducive to all twists and turns: a base cut off from the rest of the world, populated by suspicious scientists and not necessarily above all suspicion. By its main characters, then: three "Black" police officers led by a grumpy, claustrophobic commissioner and deprived of his sin, the cigarette. And finally by its distanced humor and its jovial graphics, which gives rise to an exciting contrast between the appearance of lightness of the story and the dramatic springs implemented by the scenario. Script by Appollo - Art by Brüno.

Non Album Collections 235

Giselle & Beatrice (2017)

Beatrice is stuck in a depressing office job: her hard work is overlooked, her paycheck's so small she's about to lose her apartment, and her boss won't give her a promotion unless she sleeps with him. But Beatrice just took a vacation to Africa, where she learned a very particular set of skills, both in and out of the bedroom. She's about to transform her boss's life in a way that he never saw coming. She'll get a maid to clean her dirty apartment. And maybe, in the process, Beatrice will finally find love . . .

Arsenal FC v01 - The Game We Love

Andrew, 35 years old, decides to take his new girlfriend's 10-year-old son to see the Gunners play. For Nathan, it's the first time in his life stepping foot inside a football stadium. He should be thrilled - but he can't help wondering about Andrew's motives. If there's one thing that can break the ice and bring the two together, it's Andrew's passion for the Arsenal Football Club and its rich history.

Black Water Lilies (2019)

Three willful women: one old wicked, one young and selfish, and the third in the prime of her life. A man murdered three ways: stabbed, bludgeoned, and drowned in a stream. The mystery brings brash young Inspector Laurenç to the postcard-perfect Norman village of Giverny, home to Impressionist Claude Monet's gardens and studio. Like any small town, Giverny has its secrets. But have they to do with greed? Lust? Missing paintings? Jealous husbands? Laurenç soon finds himself head over heels for a pretty schoolteacher - and in over his head. Dider Cassegrain brings Michel Bussi's bestselling novel to life in lush, delicate watercolors worthy of the famous canvases that lend the book its name: Monet's immortal Water Lilies... 

Rose

Ever since she was a little girl, Rose has had a special and troubling power: the ability to "double" herself and travel outside her body. She always saw it as something wrong with her... until now. When her father is murdered, Rose's strange ability gives her a chance to find her father's killer, solve a series of mysterious cold cases, and untangle a centuries-old curse. But maybe some secrets should stay buried... Script by Denis Lapière, Émilie Alibert - Art by Valérie Vernay.

Last of the Atlases

Birds wasting away in a national park, refusing to migrate. Identical geometric markings on the wings of completely different insect species. A pillar of dust in the desert. A small-time hood travels to India's shipbreaking yards in search of a giant nuclear-powered construction robot. A big-time crime boss makes a killing off the Algerian Revolution, in a world where it happened fifteen years later than in our own. "A good story," insists reporter Françoise Halfort, visited abruptly by a post-menopausal pregnancy, "is one that draws unexpected connections between seemingly unconnected events." Four star creators join talents on a vast canvas that takes in the entire French 20th century. Script by Fabien Vehlmann, Gwen de Bonneval - Art by Hervé Tanquerelle, Frédéric Blanchard.

Avatar

Police detective Manuel Gomez is called to a crime scene to investigate the death of a young woman, the latest in a series of murders committed on web users by cybernauts. In order to track down the killers Gomez agrees to take part in a breakthrough experiment set in virtual reality. Manuel is aware of the danger such an experiment poses, but as an experienced ex-hacker, he trusts he will be able to get to the truth unscathed.

Non Album Collections 224

Through Lya's Eyes 01 - Seeking the Truth (2019)

Script by Carbone - Art by Justine Cunha. Lya is a beautiful young woman of 21. She had everything going for her… until she was paralyzed from the waist down the day before her 17th birthday, when she was struck by a hit-and-run driver. Ever since, Lya has been fighting to come to terms with her condition and rebuild her life. But what really drives her is her need to find whoever it was who left her for dead and obtain justice. Helping Lya in her quest is Antoine, her best friend–and maybe more–who’ll do anything for her. But her desire for the truth will lead her down dangerous avenues, and her journey will be full of surprises.

Anastasia 01 (2019)

Script by Magdalena Lankosz - Art by Joanna Karpowicz. 1926. A mother and her young daughter come to Los Angeles. The mother is chasing her dream: she wants to conquer Hollywood, no matter the cost. Her little girl, Anastasia, is the perfect candidate to be cinema’s next big star. But can she stand the pressure? The clash of dreams and the dirty reality of show business is a heavy burden to bear, as Anastasia comes face to face with the crime, abuse, and murky secrets of an all-powerful industry. A story that calls into question the so-called golden era of Hollywood, when the “dream factory” resembled a Byzantine empire, above the law and fed by vanity and greed.

Barcelona at Dawn (2019)

The year is 1923. On a hot summer night, four corpses wash up at the port of Barcelona. When Journalist Pere Marsé investigates these murders he is shocked to discover that one of the victims is in fact a German policeman. As he digs even deeper, Marsé soon realizes this is only the tip of what turns out to be an intricate plot of both criminal and political intrigue. As each layer of the onion is peeled away, more questions than answers come to the surface. Anarchists, local police, German nationals, French Secret Service and Military leaders all play their parts. This fascinating book -- based on real circumstances and characters -- recounts events that happened in Barcelona in the early 1920s. These events were a direct reason why Hitler failed with his attempted coup in Munich on November 8, 1923.

Otaku Blue

Asami is a sociology student studying otaku for her thesis. Her relationship with Kotaro is on the rocks: she's busy with her research, and he's an aspiring filmmaker working on a J-horror flick. The real horror is out there on the streets: a serial killer who amputates body parts from his prostitute victims. What's his sick game? As Inspector Arakawa and his young protégé Ryohei wade deeper into depravity, Asami, with the help of cosplayer Maiko, sets out in search of an otaku so elusive he's almost an urban legend in the youth culture capital of Akihabara: the mysterious Buntaro. Created by Richard Marazano, Malo Kerfriden.

Doggybags

Mexico, Ciudad de Juarez, the international capital of drug trafficking and kidnapping. The vengeance of three tormented cops against the city's most dangerous drug cartel, on the Day of the Dead. Written by Francesco Giugiaro. Art by Jérémie Gasparutto.

Non Album Collections 217

Violette Around the World 01 - My Head In the Clouds! (2018)

A 12-year-old girl travels the globe with her parents' circus, having adventures and learning to appreciate the joys of being different. Her name is Violette, like the flower in the spring, like the seventh color of the rainbow. She lives with the Circus of the Moon, where her mother is the stuntwoman and her father is the insect tamer. At the end of the 19th-century, Violette is a curious, happy 12-year-old who is fascinated by the beauty of the world around her: music, painting, drawing, nature, and much more. She shares adventures with her friend Samir (a budding trapeze artist), her unusual animal friends, and her father's trained insects!

Bigby Bear 01 (2019)

It's a series of one-page comics by Philippe Coudray starring Bigby Bear and friends. Where Peanuts’ jokes were often verbal (and Coudray’s animals can talk), Bigby Bear’s punchlines tend to be visual. Bigby himself is an artist who we first meet chipping away at a rock with his chisel.

The Art of Dying (2019)

Script by Raule - Art by Philippe Berthet. Philippe Martin, a Paris cop, is called to Barcelona to look into the suspicious suicide of a girl who might be his daughter. Barcelona is a charged place for Martin—he’s been visiting every summer for the 25 years since the girl’s mother left him and fled there. His investigations lead him into a labyrinth of criminal activity stretching from the most violent depths of Barcelona’s society to its wealthiest families. Taunted by a particularly vicious and wily opponent, the stakes of Martin’s investigation are not only justice but his very soul.

Non Album Collections 213

The Imitation Game - Alan Turing Decoded (2016)

English mathematician and scientist Alan Turing (1912–1954) is credited with many of the foundational principles of contemporary computer science. The Imitation Game presents a historically accurate graphic novel biography of Turing's life, including his groundbreaking work on the fundamentals of cryptography and artificial intelligence. His code breaking efforts led to the kracking of the German Enigma during World War II, work that saved countless lives and accelerated the Allied defeat of the Nazis. While Turing's achievements remain relevant decades after his death, the story of his life in post-war Europe continues to fascinate audiences today.

West Coast Blues (2005, 2009 edition)

George Gerfaut, aimless young executive and desultory family man, witnesses a murder and finds himself sucked into a spiral of violence involving an exiled war criminal and two hired assassins. Adapting to the exigencies of his new life on the run with shocking ease, Gerfaut abandons his comfortable middle-class life for several months (including a sojourn in the countryside after an attempt to ride the rails turns spectacularly bad) until, joined with a new ally, he finally returns to settle all accounts... with brutal, bloody interest.

The Color of Air (Heavy Metal compilation)

The color of the air, album edited by Casterman written and drawn by Enki Bilal released in 2014.

Non Album Collections 212

Joylandia (2018)

Script by Tronchet - Art by Tronchet. You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not sneeze. Why? Because Santa Claus comes to Joylandia every day! And here, Christmas decorations, trees, and wreaths are mandatory, as is having a clean bill of health. It’s a celebration, after all! A party! And everyone has to be happy and healthy… whether they want to or not. Otherwise they’ll have the merciless Jolly Fellow brigade to deal with. Prepare for a Christmas tale of nightmare proportions.

The Dream 01 - Jude (2018)

It's supposedly what everyone wants: fame and money. The American star-making machine never stops in its efforts to uncover new talent, because talent is what feeds it. Megan, a talent scout for Independent Art Productions, discovers Jude on stage while he's performing in a sex act. He may be star material: women want him and men want to be him. But before he can pursue stardom, he has to escape the clutches of his new girlfriend, the daughter of a Chinese gangster. Murders of convenience, empty sex, big bucks, bad driving, and some crazy tattoos - it's the 21st-century American Dream.

The Prague Coup (2018)

Author Graham Greene finds himself in the midst of an intricate plot to unseat the Czech government, in an explosive event remembered as The Prague Coup! A tense political thriller from Hard Case Crime set against the backdrop of Orson Welles’ The Third Man!