Blake & Mortimer, Vol. 5: The Strange Encounter

Blake et Mortimer #15

by Van Jean Hamme (Writer), Ted Benoît (Illustrator), Jerome Saincantin (Translator)

États-Unis, octobre 1777, une petite troupe de soldats britanniques en déroute erre à travers les épaisses forêts des monts Adirondacks. Traqués par les troupes américaines et les Indiens Oneidas, ils ont à leur tête le major Macquarrie, gentilhomme écossais sans fortune. Le soir, ils trouvent refuge dans une clairière isolée. Durant la nuit, une lumière irréelle envahit la forêt. Le major Lachlan Macquarrie, cherchant la source de ce phénomène étrange, découvre trois rayons de couleur vive tombant du ciel. Il s'approche et disparaît dans un éclair en même temps que les rayons mystérieux. 177 ans plus tard, le corps du major est retrouvé dans l'État du Colorado. Il semble être mort par asphyxie quelques minutes auparavant. Il a sur lui des lunettes noires d'une matière inconnue sur terre ainsi qu'un message parlant de plutonium, de peupliers et d'un mystérieux roi jaune. Blake et Mortimer, dont Macquarrie est le lointain aïeul, vont alors se rendre aux États-Unis, où ils découvriront l'une des plus effroyables machinations auxquelles ils auront été confrontés. Poursuivis par des hommes en noir armés d'étranges rayons verts, luttant contre des soldats venus d'un passé qu'ils croyaient disparu, nos deux héros pourront-ils sauver la terre d'une destruction programmée ? Lorsque deux auteurs majeurs au sommet de leur art transcendent le mythe, le résultat ressemble à nos rêves d'enfant les plus fous.

Genres: Bande Dessinée, Comics, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels, Adventure, Fiction, Comics Bd

66 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the release of the latest installment of Blake and Mortimer the new adventures I have started a re-read of the original comics by Edgar P. Jacobs and the newer installments which were conceived after his dead.

This is such a newer comic written and drawn by the talented new generation who fel in love with Jacobs creation and fancied some new adventures.

This story does take place chronological in 1954 following the Blake affair, which was essentially a spy-thriller. This new book is a return to the more science fiction roots of Jacobs and starts during the American civil war were a British officer disappears into some strange lights only to be found in a field somewhere in the US in the year 1954. This does offer some questions which need to be answered, and it is by accident also a family member from an earlier generation of Philip Mortimer.

very soon Mortimer gets caught up in strange incidents that in the end add up to a renewed acquaintance with Colonel Olrik up to his usual habits of being on the wrong side in a conflict between 1954 and the future, with an old enemy once again on the path to world domination.

Actually a quite good installment with the elements that made the Jacobs book such a guilty pleasure as they were and still seem to be held up to high standard today. This comic proved that the series still had lots of space to be extended and yet stay true to the spirit of Jacobs.

Over the next weeks I will certainly enjoy the other comics and write the reviews which I have not done before. For me a more than fun exercise and reading pleasure.

[Helmut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gute Feinde kann niemand trennen, Teil 2
In Teil 2 meiner Zwillingsrezension (Teil 1 ist hier verfügbar) geht es um die unzertrennliche Verknüpfung von gut und böse - ein Held braucht einen Gegner, je moralischer, besser, strahlender der Held ist, umso perverser, brutaler, böser muss der Gegenspieler sein. Er ist die Folie, auf der sich der "Held" projizieren kann.

Ich verrate nicht zuviel, wenn ich erzähle, dass Olrik wieder mal mit von der Partie ist. Vielleicht ist es ein Naturgesetz, das ihn dazu zwingt, immer wieder in Situationen zu kommen, in denen er gegen Blake und vor allem seine Nemesis Mortimer anzutreten hat - oder ist es umgekehrt? Meist ist Olrik schon lange mit von der Partie, wenn Mortimer dazustößt. Wie zwei Pole eines Magneten gehören die beiden zusammen, und ich habe mit diesem Plotelement nun meinen Frieden geschlossen. Ganz klar sind beide nur Schablonen, keine echten Menschen, Olrik ist das personifizierte Böse, skrupellos, machtgierig, ohne Gewissen. Wäre da nicht der Jähzorn und diese Neigung zum Klugscheißen könnte man Mortimer als selbstlosen, immer nur das Wohl der anderen im Blick habenden, klugen, gebildeten, freundlichen und gutaussehenden perfekten Strahlemann bezeichnen. Blake ist (passend zu seinem Namen) eher der kühlere, düstere Typ.

Mir gefällt sehr, was die Epigonen Jacobs', hier Van Hamme und Benoit, aus der Reihe machen. Sie konzentrieren sich auf die Spionage- und Verschwörungselemente, lassen noch ein bisschen, aber keine komplett verrückte SF zu (einige der Jacobs-Bände waren nur schwer ertragbar), halten sich an die Vorgabe des textlastigen, erklärungsschwangeren Abenteuers (ohne dabei Jacobs' Annotationswahn zu erreichen), und auch zeichnerisch, was nie Jacobs' Problem war, orientiert sich die "neue" Garde am "alten" Vorbild. Sie nehmen das Beste, und lassen das Schlechte weg. Eine gute Mischung.

[The_Mad_Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

Min första bekantskap med Edgar P. Jacobs seriehjältar Blake och Mortimer var lite ironiskt nog i författaren Jean Van Hamme och tecknaren Ted Benoits Affären Francis Blake , som jag läste förra året och uppskattade. Det kändes därför helt naturligt att plocka upp detta andra album av herrarna Van Hamme och Benoits tolkning av Jacobs fiktiva personer.

Till skillnad från det föregående albumet, som var mer av en regelrätt thriller, faller Det mystiska mötet tydligt inom science fiction-genren (med spänningsmomentet ständigt närvarande). Året är 1954 (även om berättelsen inleds med en händelse år 1777, där Mortimers förfader, majoren Lachlan Macquarrie, försvinner under det amerikanska frihetskriget) och handlingen är denna gång förlagd till USA, dit både Mortimer och Blake är på väg, om än i skilda ärenden. Mortimer är på plats för att identifiera sin försvunna förfader, vars kropp plötsligt har dykt upp under ytterst underliga omständigheter.

Det är vältecknat och intrigen är intressant. Jag är fortfarande nyfiken på att testa Jacobs ursprungliga serier, men jag vill definitivt ha mer från Van Hamme och Benoit.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one's a bit of an "everything but the kitchen sink" story that, at times, feels like Blake and Mortimer stuck in an X-Files episode. (I mean that to be a good thing.) An ancestor of Professor Mortimer disappears in a beam of multicolored lights. 177 years later his dead body reappears with little evidence of having aged, and Mortimer heads to America to investigate. To say much more about the plot would probably be spoiling it, but it's probably safe to mention that there's a car chase. The story draws on previous Blake and Mortimer adventures, but not in a way that would put off newcomers. This, in fact, would be a good introduction to the series precisely because it has a little bit of everything one might come to expect from our gentleman adventurers.

As usual, the writers make great use of the mid-20th Century setting. I'm glad Our Heroes have never been updated to the 21st. The 1950s is where they belong.

[Green Jazz Blues · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first Blake & Mortimer comic book I have ever read (and reread). The detailed colour drawings are very similar quality to that of Hergé's Tintin books and in fact, the original creator of the series, Edgar P. Jacobs was a close relation of Hergé and collaborated with him in a couple of the Tintin books.
However, he does not show quite the same sense of humour as Hergé.
But WOW! After reading this, I quickly wanted to obtain most of the rest of the series (There are two I did not buy being called "The Curse of the Thirty Pieces of Silver" as I don't think it suitable to have an adventure story relating to that.)
I have started to read more of these and find them absolutely fascinating so will give reviews for the rest.
The scientific content is credible and appealing. There really isn't any need for me to enlarge on the story as the book commentary is enough - Read and enjoy.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

On one level, this is a confusing book. It has a number of story lines that cut across each other. It has a time travel dimension, it has a science fiction aspect to it, and it also includes a Bond villain for us to get angry about. The various storylines do actually resolve in the end, but that part feels a bit hammered together. The final part was quite sweet. It bounded the beginning of the tale in an almost perfect circle and was very cleverly executed. I really liked it.

This is one of those adventure comics for adults. I guess that you either like them or you don't. For me, I find it a useful way to read something light when the need arises. We have an established set of characters, the story line is usually reasonably transparent, and when surprises do occur, they sit within the bounds of credulity. I have to say that I am a fan of the series, so I knew that I would enjoy the book. It did exactly what I wanted it to do.

[Carlos Filipe Bernardino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cet ouvrage respecte le travail d'Edgar P. Jacobs. Le récit de Jean Van Hamme est intéressant, dans le style de l'enquête mêlée à la science-fiction, le dessin de Ted Benoît est pertinent et rigoureux. J'aimerais attirer votre attention sur la conception architecturale des maisons, des villes et des routes qui nous ramène aux années 1950.
L'introduction d'un personnage d'action féminin est bien faite, non seulement parce qu'elle est présentée comme à moitié amérindienne, mais aussi parce qu'elle présente des caractéristiques crédibles de capacités physiques et de combat.
Enfin, un détail, Blake désamorce une bombe nucléaire avec un couteau suisse en coupant tous les fils, clin d'œil des auteurs aux lecteurs.

[Amaury Avat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rediscovering my childhood comics! Much wordier than I remembered, learned some new French vocab. Artistry, pace, plot, and depth are all top notch. Not so subtle racist undertones calling the Asian enemy “the yellows”
generally feels like you’re reading through sequences of a mystery/action movie, quite fun

[Diego Gutierrez · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.3
No he leído mucho de Blake y Mortimer, pero más o menos mi crítica es igual para todos. Bien, entretenidos. Normalmente prometen más al principio, y luego las resoluciones se basan en magias o tecnologías imposibles que me gustan menos que el desarrollo de la historia.

[Alessandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Semplicemente strepitoso. Avventura alla stato puro, come ogni libro di Blake e Mortimer. Alieni, bombe H, viaggi nel tempo, l’energia della luce e molto altro, in una delle più stupefacenti avventure del duo più famoso della stori del fumetto Franco-belga. Assolutamente imperdibile.

[João Pires · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first Blake & Mortimer book that I read. It was a very good experience...I verified many of the facts about the Aliens and every fact was based on true events..I liked that a lot!

[Johan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een goed verhaal, maar heeft soms meer weg van een aflevering van de X-files dan een typische Blake & Mortimer.

[Óscar Trobo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bueno, esto no es tan trepidante como “El caso Francis Blake” para nada, pero el dibujo... y ese final... Aunque sepas que va a acabar así desde la página dos, ese final...

[Silvan Loher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Die ersten 40 Seiten sind 5 Sterne, leider flacht die Geschichte aber im letzten Drittel ab und das Finale überzeugt mich nicht.

[Cédric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beaucoup trop verbeux pour moi…

[Duikgast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mortimer: Beggars can’t be choosers!

[Metabull · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het tweede verhaal door Van Hamme en Benoit brengt onze helden naar de USA voor een mysterieus onderzoek. We krijgen een goed verhaal met wat klassieke B&M elementen met fijne nevenpersonages. Het tekenwerk is goed.

3.5 sterren

[Devero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ecco una storia di Blake e Mortimer che non mi convince del tutto. Trovo fuori posto il soggetto, che per quanto possa essere buono non è, a mio avviso, ben sviluppato, specie dal punto di vista della dinamica temporale a cui si richiama. Inoltre l'idea della luce come la intende l'autore è un poco troppo fuori dai canoni.

[Iain Watson]

The Strange Encounter: Blake and Mortimer 5 (Blake & Mortimer) by Jean Van Hamme (2009)

[Justin Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was exciting and thrilling, the pictures/ drawings were gorgeous and the storyline was amazing. The Adventures Of Blake and Mortimer series really reminds me of the Tintin series.

[Rojin Akv · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Spoiler Alert?*
Olrik, Olrik everywhere.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a bit like a James Bond meets Doctor Who; quite the fun read.

[Frederick Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something is better than nothing at time. In the end it is an ok read.

[Nickname · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un gran bel numero, ambientazione e temi azzeccati e il tema viene sviluppato alla perfezione (non come in "L'onda Septimus").