Casterman: Lefranc 1 –La Grande Menace/ The Great Menace

Martin Jacques
Collection: 1952-2012 The 60-year Lefranc Anniversary
Hard cover
Full colour
64pp
ISBN: 978-2-203-05823-1
Price: € 10.80
Released 04/2012

This was the first Lefranc story and is, I understand, a limited edition to celebrate 60 years of the character. In this story journalist Guy Lefranc using the Inspector Fox to back-track some smugglers who operate on a large scale between Switzerland, Belgium and France. The investigation will lead to the Vosges, at the foot of the mysterious Black Tower, which operates a powerful underground organization. This has the audacity to give the French government an terrifying ultimatum: hand over the sum of three billion gold francs or Paris will be destroyed! With the young Jeanjean, Lefranc tracks them to their underground base, controlled by a formidable character – Axel Borg.

Firstly, no. The Black Tower in question has nothing to do with me, although I do operate a powerful underground comic organisation. Can I sue?

This has all the thrills and twists –and tough action- of a James Bond movie. It’s interesting that 60 years on there are people still producing similar stories around the world but in Martin’s 1952 Lefranc world it still seems fresh.

A collectors edition at € 10.80 –a snap!

Terry Hooper-Scharf THE UKs LARGEST INDEPENDENT COMICS PUBLISHER Between 1984-1994 I worked freelance as a writer/artist/editor/agent in comics as well as comics journalism for MU Press,Blue Comet Press,Fantagraphic Books,Eros Comics,Dorne,Fleetway,IPC and others in the United States,UK and Europe. During this period I also produced large numbers of single panel gag cartoons for agencies in Germany such as Boiselle-Lohmann and Baaske Agency –these going to magazines and publications around Europe. I also worked as a freelance editor in comics and publications ranging from wildlife,astronomy and science fiction magazines. From 1984 to present I've been self publishing comics as well as publications on a wide variety of subjects under the Black Tower banner. I have also produced packages of work for companies in India,Hong Kong and China. I have also been working as an industry advisor for smaller companies in countries such as India,Canada,Singapore,China,Europe and the US. hoopercomicsuk@yahoo.com View my complete profile

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