![]() The Spanish conquistadors are a well-costumed lot with the goofy striped sleeves and the high collared vests. They may not look “natural” or “realistic,” but let’s not forget that this is a comic book. They’re all coiled up and ready to spring into action. Nobody’s stiff and straight in this book at all. It’s always fun to see cartoonists at work who can make characters move on the page like this. They are skinny with a slight belly, and prone to wild gesticulations. The natives in Palombia, of course, are a gangly lot. This book includes some military characters with extremely long heads and wide bodies. Tome and Janry were really good at that last part. There’s also the threat of the local natives - both humans and fish. ![]() They don’t even show up until the second half of the book. The biggest threat in the story is time travel, but that’s only intensified by the immediate threat of the Conquistadores. Just when you think you’re getting into the flow of it, it takes another major turn and turns into another story. It feels like this book has two or three sections of the story. ![]() It makes explaining the story as a singular throughline kind of difficult. The story takes a few unexpected turns along the way, which lead into new sections of the overall story. It’s what you’d expect and what you’d want from these characters - some comedy, some action bits, some adventurous moments, and some goofy-looking supporting characters. Yes, it’s a fun frolic wrapped up in cute science fiction trappings. It’s a race to get back to the present time and not get killed by some Conquistadores or piranha along the way. And then they get caught by the Spanish - from 500 years ago! Unfortunately, they’re not warmly greeted by either the military or the local tribes. Nope, we don’t get a Marsupilami in this story, sadly, but the boys do pack up everything to head out there with him. Where does he want to get those seeds from? Why, Palombia, of course! This one is a descendant and he’s come back in time (having invented time travel) to gather up some seeds to help replenish the ever-less-green earth of the future. Turns out, it’s not the Champignac they were expecting. (Can you imagine? A flying machine from the far-flung future of the 21st century?) Then, Champignac returns to the castle earlier than expected in a futuristic flying machine all the way from the 21st century. There is a twist about halfway through the book that I can’t talk around without making this review very very short.)Ĭhampignac leaves Fantasio and Spirou to castle sit for him while he heads off for some family stuff. (Warning for the extremely spoiler averse: I’m going to discuss more of this book than I usually would. Original Title: “L’horloger de la cométe” Writer: Tome Artist: Janry Translator: Jerome Saincantin Letterers: Design Amorandi Published by: Cinebook/Dupuis Number of Pages: 48 Original Publication: 1986 What’s Going On?
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