Blood Ties

U.S.A. Trilogy #1

by Hermann Huppen (Illustrator), Yves Huppen

The first in a series of European graphic novels brought to the U.S. by Dark Horse Comics, Blood Ties features the stunning art of Hermann. He is one of Europe`s leading comic artists and the creator of Jeremiah, The Towers of Bois-Maury, Caatinga, Nick, Sarajevo Tango, Wild Bill, and many others. While investigating a series of horrible crimes, junior detective Sam Leighton discovers the squalid reality of the big city. The murders are the work of Joe Beaumont -- a man as powerful as he is paranoid. Joe only appears in public to attend the shows of his beautiful wife Gladys, an alcoholic and a frustrated cabaret dancer. Sam`s mysterious partner, Phillip Meadows, puts Gladys in Sam`s way hoping that she will lead them to Beaumont regardless of the danger to Sam!

Genres: Comics, Bande Dessinée, Fiction, Graphic Novels

56 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2000

About the author

Hermann was born in 1938 in Bévercé (now a part of Malmedy) in Liège Province. After studying to become a furniture maker and working as interior architect, Hermann made his debut as comic book artist in 1964 in the comics magazine Spirou with a four page story. Greg noticed his talent and offered him to work for his studio. In 1966, he began illustrating the Bernard Prince series written by Greg, published in the comic magazine Tintin periodical. In 1969, also in collaboration with Greg, he began the western series Comanche. This appeared at the same time as other western series such as Blueberry.
Hermann began writing his own stories in 1977, starting the post-apocalyptic Jeremiah series, which is still produced today. In the same period, he also made three albums of Nick, inspired by Little Nemo in Slumberland, for Spirou.[1] In 1983 he began a new series, Les Tours de Bois-Maury, which is set in the Middle Ages and is less focused on action than his other works.
Hermann has also created many non-series graphic novels sometimes together with his son Yves H. One of them, Lune de Guerre, with a story by Jean Van Hamme, was later filmed as The Wedding Party by Dominique Deruddere.[2]
Hermann is characterized by a realistic style and stories that are both somber and angry, with a sense of disillusion with regards to the human character in general, and current society more specifically.


http://www.hermannhuppen.com/hermann-...

Reviews

[Nuno R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything about the classic masterfull art of Hermann Huppen is grand. even the careful choice of colaborations with great writers. And in this case it happens to be his own son. It's one of the cases where I chose a book (a graphic novel) by its art.

[João Teixeira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Como de costume, gostei da arte de Hermann (há pelo menos duas referências a obras de arte da cultura ocidental: uma é a Vénus de Botticelli e outra a Edward Hopper e à sua famosa obra "Nightawks"), mas ao contrário do que é costume, achei o argumento algo confuso, especialmente no final...
Também não consegui perceber a parte das "viagens" no tempo... Não fica esclarecido como é que Sam (cujo segundo nome é Oedipus) dorme com a mãe antes de nascer.... Será que uma releitura permitirá perceber melhor as falhas no argumento, ou só servirá para nos sentirmos mais frustrados simplesmente por não as percebermos?

[Alex Fyffe · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

Points for the artwork and the attempt to inject an otherwise standard noir detective story with a genre twist. However, this brief read doesn't fully live up to its potential and fails to come to a satisfying conclusion.

[Johan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ik ben geen fan van de tekenstijl, want donker en vlekkerig en het zorgt ervoor dat de meeste personages op elkaar lijken. Ik denk dat ik het verhaal begrijp, maar het is nogal op een verwarrende, chaotische manier uitgewerkt.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic hard boiled detective

[Amanda Majasaari · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am a fan of Hermann comics. But ... I felt this was a bad sidestep Hermann and Yves made. Art was great - like from classic noire. But the story was so bad.

[Kenneth Krammager · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Devil???

[Hugo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Creo que pudo estar mejor, hay un elemento sobrenatural que no me agrado mucho, pero la historia a mi gusto se asemeja mucho al estilo de Dashiell Hammett. Pudo ser mejor.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the noir-ish look and feel of this. Not so keen on the plot, as there seemed to be incomplete linkage between main plot and end twist.