Of course, this isn’t Asterix with an astronomical print run of 2 million copies. Still, in the world of comics, every new album in the Blake and Mortimer series is an event. This is proven by the arrival of “The Atlantis Menace” in bookstores this Friday, the 31st work signed by Yves Sente and Peter Van Dongen with drawings, which should be one of the bestsellers from next week. Initially printed in 150,000 copies, the comic would attract more than 250,000 buyers after a few months.
Moreover, this latest work, which is very successful, will delight fans of the series, since it presents itself as a sequel to “The Enigma of Atlantis”, one of Edgar P. Jacobs’ legendary albums published in 1957 in which the latter revisits the myth of the sunken island. “Through this 31st episode, Yves Sente clearly conveys friendly and respectful greetings to the fathers of the two heroes,” underlined the editor.
We find Philip Mortimer on a government mission, which goes to study ancient volcanic soil in Scotland and assess the feasibility of geothermal installations. But what should have been a simple expedition turned into a nightmare. The North Sea seems to be going crazy, deaths are increasing, mummies are reappearing… When Francis Blake comes to the rescue to lead the investigation, the two men find old acquaintances… And have no other choice but to dive back into Atlantis to save Northern Europe…
20 million comics
A story in the tradition of the brilliant creators of one of the most famous French-Belgian comic book duos, and in it we happily find a clever blend of realism and science fiction. An adventure set against the backdrop of an ecological and energy crisis that devours all at once, taking readers to a distant planet illuminated by three suns.
With over 20 million copies of Blake and Mortimer sold since 1946, Edgar P. Jacobs’ series has established itself as a true reference in Franco-Belgian comics. The album continues to appeal to a multi-generational audience, which can be explained in particular by the album’s consistent quality and respect for the universe created by Jacobs, who died in 1987.
“ “The Atlantean Threat – The Adventures of Blake and Mortimer” “, by Yves Sente and Peter Van Dongen, Ed. Dargaud, 64 pp., €17.50
