Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Europe Comics for this arc copy of Noir Burlesque.

This graphic novel had stunning grey scale and red illustrations that really fitted well with the gritty mood and atmosphere of this graphic novel. I really liked the art style, it was my favourite thing about this.

It was a fast paced read and I finished reading it in one sitting. However it just wasn’t my cup of tea sadly.

However, I found the plot weak and confusing. I would have liked to have seen more depth and detail about the protagonist and the other characters. It felt like I’d accidentally skipped to the second instalment in a series, rather than the first one.

I won’t be reading any further instalments.

Content warnings: This work is not suitable for anyone under 18. Explicit content such as death, violence, nudity and sex.

I made an error on my half, and did not see the "Erotica" tag, and do not feel comfortable reading or reviewing Erotica. I have to submit a star rating with Netgalley, so I sent a 3 star rating, as from my brief flip through, alongside my reading of reviews, the art style is very well-done.

The art style was beautiful. It reminded me of watching noir films with my father when I was growing up and it was a pleasant reminder. I'll definitely get a physical copy of the book and the rest of the series when it's released. I even loved the font that was used because it was clear and sharp enough to read and enjoy without puzzling my brain to see and understand.

I was really curious to see what a graphic novel in this genre would look like. The art is really nice. I like the black and white with just a popper read here in there for emphasis… Classic noir.
But, as for the story… Been there, done that, nothing really original this was definitely one shot wonder for me.

This story for sure had and HAS some potential. The characters are quite interesting and the plot is intriguing.

…But to be honest I found it a bit confusing as well.

Some characters were mentioned that the reader knows nothing about and I couldn’t quite decide if I wanted the two main characters together or not. Sure they have a past but we barely saw anything of it.

I did like the art style even though it is very different from other graphic novels I’ve read. It’s black, white and red which really makes the last color POP.

All in all I think this was worth reading and I will probably pick up part two!

A beautiful graphic novel, entirely in black and white with the occasional pop of red, filled to the brim with classic noir tropes and motifs. A hardboiled crook with cops and mob bosses on his tail? You got it. A redheaded femme fatale with a soft spot for crooked men? You got it. Names like Rex, Punchy, Slick, Sharky, and Butcher? This is your book. A little predictable due to the noir tropes, but still worth a read for those who like the genre.

An enjoyable and well-illustrated story. This is Part 1, and I hope to see it continue in Part 2.

[Content warning: This is an 18+ book due to explicit nudity and violence.]

Classical Noir. Excellent artwork. The choice of doing the graphic novel in black and white, with key items in color, predominantly red, made everything stand out with the realism of a 50's gangster movie.

Thanks to @netgalley, Europe Comics, and Enrico Marino for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

3.5 burlesque stars

With impeccable black and white art with red highlights, Marini presents us with a comic full of action and sensuality, but it lacks emotion.

"Noir Burlesque" in its first volume, follows Slick when a heist goes wrong and he ends up in trouble with local mob boss Rex. However, their feud ends up going further when Slick discovers that an old love from the past, the seductive Caprice, in addition to being the main act of Rex's club, is also engaged to him.

In a plot of passion, crimes, lust, jealousy and betrayal, we will follow an incredible scenario and illustrations, but with cliché, predictable and somewhat dry dialogues.

Still, "Noir Burlesque" doesn't fail to entertain and instigate the reader to keep reading and I confess that I'm looking forward to seeing how this story unfolds!

This work is not recommended for anyone under 18: it contains explicit content such as death, nudity and sex.

A terrific journey through a gritty 1950s Noir city packed from panel to panel with violence, gangsters and sex.

Enrico Marini emerges us into a excellently devised gangster crime comic that is torn straight from a classic Hollywood movie. Enrico Marini holds nothing back in this tale and ensures that we are served with a brilliantly balanced ensemble of gang violence, wise-cracking characters, booze and beauties.

I had nothing to compare this comic with when I first dove in which I think is honestly the best way to experience this comic. If you have ever played the game LA Noire then this story feels like a scene from the game. The setting of the story is expertly structured and designed and the characters are rich albeit stereotypical for the style. Slick is a brilliantly charming main character with a mysterious and what seems to be troubled history. The ‘love interest’ is a Jessica rabbit styled beauty with venom in her blood.

The art entwines itself into the majesty of the story with expert balance. Enrico Marini has a real skill for comic creation, this is my first of his work and definitely won't be my last. I’ll be looking forward to the second and final part of this story with great intrigue. Head over to Europe Comics and add this to your pull list!

I really liked this first volume! The story is very cool, I was hook from the beginning. The art style is great, I love the use of color, with all the sepia tones and the red standing out. I like noir-style comics, so this one was right in the spot for me. I hope I can read part two when it comes out!

Enrico Marini can draw really gorgeous pictures of gorgeous men and women, which he does here again, with lovely views of old New York and an effective use of the colour red. But he can't write anything beyond the most obvious of storylines. Noir ticks off all the cliches so you read an utterly predictable, shallow, completely unimpressive narrative that has pretty visuals, all of which adds up to an instantly forgettable experience. If he was partnered with a writer who could offer something fresh and original, they'd produce something great, but, with Marini himself doing the writing, all you're left with is triteness.

4 stars

(This review is for part 1 only)
A noir tale of gangsters, star-crossed love, burlesque, & a lone wolf MC. The story is interesting, the characters are decent, & the art is pretty awesome!

[What I liked:]

•The characters are pretty good. Caprice deserves some more character development, but Terry is a pretty compelling character. Yes, he kinda fits the cliché of a tough & angst-ridden loner, but he doesn’t feel flat & I’m curious to find out more about him.

•I love the art! Most of the panels are in sepia monochrome so it feels like watching a black & white film noir, but there are little pops of color (Caprice’s red hair, lipstick, a red car, a red dress, cigarette cherries, etc.) that add drama & glamour.

I also love how detailed the art is! The fashion, urban skylines, interiors, weapons, vehicles…they all look very realistic, & the art captures the feel of the early 50’s era.

•There are so many plot points that have been introduced that I want to know more about. I hope they are successfully pulled together in the next (& I believe last) issue. I’m particularly interested in what’s going on with Terry’s sister & b-i-l, & about his relationship with Detective Connelly (a clean cop & Terry’s childhood friend).


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•It’s to be expected considering the genre, but there is a lot of gratuitous violence.

•It’s unclear what European war Terry volunteered for…at first I guessed he meant the Spanish civil war since Caprice says he volunteered & didn’t have to go, but that wouldn’t fit the timeline. This is set in 1950 (at least, The Asphalt Jungle is shown to be playing in theaters, & it came out that year).

Caprice says Terry left her 7 years ago, so in 1943, which would be WWII…but by 1943 the US was well involved in the war & people were being drafted. Even if Terry didn’t volunteer, he probably would’ve been drafted. Not to mention there was social stigma for people who didn’t volunteer. So Caprice’s resentment seems a bit out of proportion.

CW: physical violence, murder, infidelity

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

This book is a classic noir with beautiful imagery throughout. The blacks and greys with the bright pop of red always drew my eye. The story in itself was interesting and left me wanting to know more. The banter between the characters was classic and leaned into the enemies to lovers trope that has been taking over the romance industry as of late. Honestly you cant go wrong with a classic. Overall, it was an interesting read and I will definitely be checking out the next in the series.