This was terrible. I don't understand how there are so many volumes. It's about a paper pusher that longs for adventure and joins the crew of a ship sailing to Asia in 1927. He keeps getting visited by this shady character as things get worse and worse for him. None of it makes any sense and it was dull as can be.

Innovative and fresh! A new adventure comic author to look out for! Do give this one a go if you want a fun fast paced mystery with relatable characters!

2.5 stars
Interesting but not quite interesting enough. The story behind the story was interesting but the overall pace of the narrative was too slow. Graphics were ok but nothing outstanding. Think could have shortened the narrative and it could have been more impactful.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher, Europe Comics, for the opportunity to read this ARC.

An interesting graphic novel with beautiful illustrations.
The central character in this story is a man named Theodore Poussin who works for a shipping company. One day his boss calls him into his office and announces that he will be embarking on a journey to French Indochina.
The story that follows depicts his adventures during his travels. I enjoyed the story and I really like the style of the illustrations which complemented the story well. I’ll be looking forward to reading more of this series. Highly recommend.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and Europe Comics in exchange for an honest review.

Adventurous and creative, Europe Comics shows itself to be a noteworthy publisher once more with a fine example of the graphic novel medium. The book looks like a polished and professional comic strip.

Slow, old comics that aren't very funny or interesting. The tone and presentation is kiddie-like but I can't imagine kids responding to this dull and outdated comic. Didn't think much of the cartoony art either. Definitely wasn't for me.

The adventure is of classic Boy's Own stuff; tales of the sea and legends from a time of rumour and poor communication.
Theodore Poussin has always dreamed as a shipping clerk of travelling to the exotic places he dispenses bills of lading to, in his shore-based role. Life seems to have passed him by, unlike earlier relations, like his uncle Captain Steene, who sailed the seven seas.
One day he has the opportunity to represent the company on a long and difficult passage to China.
He celebrates with his friends who share his good fortune and wish him well before he sets sail. Unfortunately, his joy is curtailed by a strange character he meets on his goodbye bash. Quoting poetry at him, Poussin has a shadow of impending doom cast over the trip, deflating his previous enthusiasm.
Equipped for his role and the long journey he sets sail at the start of January 1928 excited and ready to learn all he can; including what became of his relative and visit his grave.
The story is filled with adventure and action. The illustrations lift the story above the excellent text that translates well from the original French.
I enjoyed the hapless Poussin who is dogged by stories about Steene and throws himself fully into his work and quest to find out what became of the infamous sailor.
In a sense, this book sets the tone as other adventures were written, not yet translated into English.
I'm not quite sure if there is enough to generate my future commitment to follow that story. However, there is plenty here to like and appreciate and it sits well within this format.

Unlike others, I couldn't raise a positive review of this book, which read like the dourest Tintin minus all the fun. Some bits regarding the shadowy nemesis of our hero are interesting, but I was close to ditching it – and the open end meant I would have missed little. I won't rush back to this lengthy series.

A nautical story veiled through historical fiction. The art is very Tintin-esque and all in all I found it to be an enjoyable adventure.

An interesting graphic novel with gorgeous artwork. It reminded me of the type of artwork you normally see in the comic section of the newspaper. Similar to Dennis the Menace, Blondie and Family Circus. I will be recommending this to comic loving friends.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate it!

An interesting graphic novel. Not something for our collection, but I'll recommend it to patrons and friends.

Tintin Explores Another Heart of Darkness

The way this book opens it looks like it's going to be an amiable bit of an adventure for a deskbound dreamer, Monsieur Poussin. Nothing wrong with that, and the slow and congenial buildup is rather engaging. But wait. This tale gets darker and denser as our little dreamer finds the hero within and launches himself into the heart of Indochinese intrigue and adventure. There's a hint of the supernatural as a mysterious "destiny" character appears and reappears, but mostly we just follow Poussin as he navigates the dangers and complexities of an unsettled era, (1928), in an unsettled place. Poussin can hardly budge without running into a complex and/or romantic character, and hovering over it all is the mystery and rumor of Poussin's legendary Kurtz-like Uncle, Captain Steene.

Don't let the cover, with its muted colors and simple lines, fool you - the drawing here is detailed, colorful and energetic. One is tempted to describe the panels as cartoony, but that isn't fair because they create a very realistic impression even when a bit exaggerated. All of the characters are drawn to be distinct and expressive, and mood and setting are established with little seeming effort. All of this draws the reader in and puts the focus on Poussin and his adventure.

The story is well plotted and full of twists and turns. The search for Captain Steene sends our hero down a rabbit hole, and then it's just "one darned thing after another". After its agreeably slow start the tale screams along, and the reader is left almost as breathless as is Poussin. The writing is elegant, (there is a running joke by which Baudelaire quotes keep turning up at dramatic moments), and Le Gall is a master at using casual small talk among characters as a way to introduce clues, foreshadow developments, and direct the action. I enjoyed this more and more as it progressed and was honestly sorry to reach the end.

And there is the rub. This is the first volume of a twelve volume series that was originally published, from 1987 to 2005, in French. This is the only volume to have been translated into English, so be aware that you'll have to either be patient or brush up on your French in order to follow Poussin's continuing adventures. That said, this was entertaining enough that I was willing to exchange the cliffhanger for the joy of getting to read this first Volume. A nice treat.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

'The Adventures of Theodore Poussin #1: Captain Steene' by Frank Le Gall is an adventure story from another era. The series was first published in 1984, but it feels older.

Theodore Poussin is an office worker who gets a chance to use his talents in shipping when his company sends him on a journey. The trip will take him to French Indochina and the year is 1928. He hopes along the way he can learn more about his late uncle Captain Steene. Things take twists and turns with a shadowy figure following Poussin, and problems with his modes of transportation, but that's all part of travel, isn't it?

I liked this adventure story. The art was fun, and along with the story reminded me of TinTin or the Scrooge McDuck type of adventures.

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.

Initial Thoughts Upon Finishing

This was a cute and well-drawn graphic novel that I enjoyed. I'm seriously keen to read more of the series and find out what happens next. I got some Tin-Tin vibes from reading this, especially because of the style of drawing!

The Adventures of Theodore Poussin
This is a French graphic novel, translated into English following the adventures of a man called Theodore Poussin. He's longed for a life of travel - to see amazing places but also to find out what happened to the mysterious Captain Steene.

In a twist of fate he gets a ticket on board the Cap Padaran and is somewhat haunted by Monsieur November who is his "destiny". He does make it to Indochina but a bunch things happen along the way at a rapid and intriguing pace.

What I Enjoyed
I really liked being able to just sit down for a short period of time and chomp my way happily through this. I'm left somewhat unsatisfied simply because I would have loved this to have been three times the length that is it - but that's graphic novels for you! I'm genuinely thinking I'm going to try and source down the next instalment . . . but given that this is only just being published in English now, I may have to wait to find out what happens next (or learn French?!).

There are no boring moments in this story as we rapidly switch from scene to scene and almost aggressively push the story along. I liked all the different places we got to see and how confused our main character was when everyone seemed to know who he was and where he needed to be, even though he didn't himself! It's a fun little mystery.

Summary
I'd definitely recommend this as a quick read. This volume, at least, is fairly child-friendly. I'd love to have hard copies of the whole series but like I said, I think I'll have to wait a while to make that dream come true! It's a thumbs up from me!

Happy reading!