A Mole in D.C.

Lady S. #5

by Jean Van Hamme

Lady S. stands accused of being a spy and she didn t even do anything this time! What better place to forget the murky world of international spies than Washington, amid the murky world of politics? Suzan, still her adopted father s assistant, is now working at the White House, where she becomes the unwilling central figure in a nefarious plot to discredit the president of the United States. After bodies start turning up, Suzan s life is turned upside down once again, leaving her no choice but to run. Will she ever be able to stop?

Genres: Bande Dessinée, Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Jean Van Hamme, is a Belgian novelist and comic book writer. He has written scripts for a number of Belgian/French comic series, including Histoire sans héros, Thorgal, XIII, Blake and Mortimer, Lady S and Largo Winch.

More on the brilliant, Jean Van Hamme:
http://lambiek.net/artists/v/van-hamm...

Reviews

[Mirnes Alispahić · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the good things of Van Hamme's writing is that he writes Hollywood style comic books, each issue is an episode of a TV show. This one is no different. After somewhat slow burn start, Van Hamme is shifting the gear and goes full speed. I would say there are some preposterous things, for sure, but that's to be expected. Although I have to admit I liked the idea of a woman as a president of USA, one that is single, smokes, swears and has a relationship with her advisor. Van Hamme makes her more of a person that probably any of the real life US presidents.

[StrictlySequential · Rating 4 out of 5]

2013 = £6.99 = $11.95

I don't jive with gun drama so I'm the wrong guy to talk about spy/police type stuff but I read it because cinebook translated it and Van Hamme is one of the best writers in the world. If you like this kind of stuff it's great and the art is immaculate in it's true-to-life precision.

[Sebastian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the strongest of the stories, bit too far-fetched even for this series.

[Simon Chadwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

You’ve got to feel a little sorry for Lady S, or Suzan, as we’ve come to know her. Her life’s been a huge upheaval and she’s found herself manipulated by others to their own ends, but despite it all she’s found a sense of normality and stability as her adopted father’s assistant. He’s the USA’s roving ambassador and is currently in a secretive relationship with the first female US President. It’s time for the political parties to choose their candidates for the upcoming presidential elections and normal procedure would see the incumbent be the natural choice for the party in power, although there’s a power hungry Senator who wants that nomination for himself and he’s managed to put the pieces together about some of Suzan’s past. Knowing she also works for her father who in turn is a special advisor to the President he realises he can discredit them all and take the nomination for himself.

In order for the plan to work he needs the assistance of the young State Department’s Deputy Director for Eastern Europe, someone he helped to achieve the post. Feeling beholden to the unscrupulous Senator he becomes drawn in and all of the elements are now in place to topple a President, discredit an ambassador and ruin the life of Suzan. What they don’t count on is Suzan’s resourcefulness, so although she can’t correct the mistakes of her earlier life, nor the shady adoption process that brought her to the US, she can expose the man who has set about ruining so many lives.

It’s a bit a tear-jerker, this one, so be warned for some daring unsettling of the status quo. As always, Van Hamme delivers an intelligent and exciting story that relies on your ability to think rather than just blindly follow - surely the most adaptable, diverse and competent writers in comics today.

[Charles-Antoine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cette épisode est émouvant et donne envie d'entamer le prochain épisode...