Texte: R. Goscinny
Dessins: A. Uderzo
ISBN: 2-86497-121-6
First published 1952
47 pages
Publisher: Les Editions Albert René
Language: French
3.5 / 5 Stars
Before Asterix and Obelix, before Oumpah-Pah, came Jehan Pistolet. One of the first collaborations between René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo.
Jehan Pistolet lives in a small seas-side village and dreams of being a famous pirate. He persuades his friends to join him as pirates, secures a fixer-upper type of ship, and sets sail to meet his arch nemesis, the deadly “Green Beard”.
You can see the beginnings of the playfulness and the comradeship that would later be transferred to the Gauls. You can see simple word-play that would develop into strong puns later. And of course the wonderful physical humour that Uderzo portrays so well.
Read in the native French language, Uderzo has re-worked his original drawings (from 1952 onward) to give a clean imprint, with colours bounding off the page.
A worthy addition to any ‘bande-dessinée’ library.
(English imprint not available)
The Eclectic Book Review 