Ric Hochet - Volume 1 is a fun throwback to the comics of days (years) gone by. An homage to a Belgian comic with which I am unfamiliar it did remind me a bit of my youth and some of the comics I read then.

The story is about revenge, which is always a compelling motivator. The nods to past stories, both the original comic and Ric's own, might make this more appealing to one familiar with the older comic but did not disrupt the story for me.

The artwork would seem to be nothing to go on about because it was drawn in the old school style. But just thinking there is nothing to say is actually a bit of a positive, since it means it succeeded in mimicking that style. So the art did help make the work better, even if we might not immediately grasp it.

While I would recommend this I also acknowledge that some readers who either don't remember or don't care for the style might not enjoy it. That said, if you appreciate the past upon which the present has been built, this is a nice tribute to an era and style that is far less common but no less compelling.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

An interesting old-school style graphic novel. Good art and an interesting storyline. Definitely recommend it.

Not a dreadful book, for Zidrou as usual proves he can write, but one that just went whoosh over my head, being as it is a collection of in-jokes concerning the past oeuvre of a character who gets a reboot here, and me having never heard anything of him.

'The Mighty Return of Ric Hochet: R.I.P. Ric!' by Zidrou with art by Simon Van Liemt is based on a Franco Belgian comic first published in the 1950s. It's not a comic I was familiar with, but I had no trouble getting in to spirit of things.

Ric Hochet is a crack news reporter who is good at uncovering crime. Because of that, he's made enemies along the way. One has a plan to impersonate him and frame him for a murder. The criminal has gone to great lengths and time to learn all there is to know. Along the way, past adventures are referenced. The culmination is an ending that shows the lengths to which the revenged will go.

I liked this action comic throwback to another era. The original comic was featured in the Belgian Magazine Tintin, and there are a few clever references along the way. I've never read the original, so I don't know how close this one is, but it's a fun romp.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.