His name is John Blacksad. He's a private detective. He's seen much evil in the past, but never in his long life has he encountered a case as bizarre, as twisted, or as deadly as the one he accepts now. In a town where white supremacists have moved in and are brutally seizing control, Blacksad is asked to find a kidnapped child and bring the kidnappers to justice. As he gets deeper into his investigation, Blacksad discovers a tale of sickening horror involving murder and worse that condemns some of the town's most powerful citizens.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
The second volume of Canales and Guarnido's hybrid of hard-boiled detective and anthropomorphic-animal comics is a visual masterpiece. The entire work is constructed around a single joke, but a brilliant one. PI John Blacksad gets involved with an investigation having to do with a white power group, the Arctics, that's been murdering blacks; a kidnapping; and a dark secret of illegitimate birth. It's a standard-issue detective-novel plot, if nicely handled—but the twist is that all the characters are animal-headed humanoids, and the tension revolves around not the color of their skin, but the color of their fur. Blacksad is a black cat; a racist politician is a polar bear; there's a black power gang led by a black horse; etc. (The climactic plot twist involves a white character turning out to have a small patch of black fur.) Like any good gumshoe tale, the story's crammed with sex and violent gunplay, and Guarnido manages to set even his wackiest-looking characters within gritty, realistic backgrounds and lighting. His art is exquisitely sensitive to the nuances of facial expression and body language—not an easy feat with characters who are drawn as weasels, crows or mice. The story's point, though, is the vicious absurdity of racism, and Canales and Guarnido express it by making their tone absolutely straight.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Believe it or not, there has been a thriving grey market for this book in the USA. Foreign language copies with home-translated scripts in English have been circulating wildly. And now, Blacksad is in English!
It was worth the wait! The artwork is magnificent, and the storyline is worthy of any of the Film Noir classics of the late 1940's and early 1950's.
In an alternative world, where people have animal features, John Blacksad, a black cat detective, investigates the murder of a film starlet...his ex-girlfriend. Along the way, he uncovers the usual trademarks of Film Noir...corruption, betrayal, intrigue, sex, violence...and redemption.
The artwork...well, the book has won major awards in Europe (where books like this sell in the hundreds of thousands, even millions), and the detail is staggering. One can get lost in each and every panel in this book. One panel features Blacksad walking down a tree-shaded street, and the shadows of the leaves are on all of the figures in frame.
There already is a second book in this series (Arctic Nation), and I hope there will be more. This is a classic work of graphic storytelling.
If you're a Film Noir buff, a detective novel junkie, or an anthropomorphics fan, let this black cat cross your path. You won't be sorry!
(Is it just me, or does John Blacksad look a lot like Stacy Keach?)
It was worth the wait! The artwork is magnificent, and the storyline is worthy of any of the Film Noir classics of the late 1940's and early 1950's.
In an alternative world, where people have animal features, John Blacksad, a black cat detective, investigates the murder of a film starlet...his ex-girlfriend. Along the way, he uncovers the usual trademarks of Film Noir...corruption, betrayal, intrigue, sex, violence...and redemption.
The artwork...well, the book has won major awards in Europe (where books like this sell in the hundreds of thousands, even millions), and the detail is staggering. One can get lost in each and every panel in this book. One panel features Blacksad walking down a tree-shaded street, and the shadows of the leaves are on all of the figures in frame.
There already is a second book in this series (Arctic Nation), and I hope there will be more. This is a classic work of graphic storytelling.
If you're a Film Noir buff, a detective novel junkie, or an anthropomorphics fan, let this black cat cross your path. You won't be sorry!
(Is it just me, or does John Blacksad look a lot like Stacy Keach?)
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I found this book at my library. I thought it was Batman on the cover at first, but a closer inspection revealed it to be a cat. I checked it out that very day, and spent all night reading it again...and again...and again.
All I can say is "WOW!" Mr. Canales's story is so engrossing, and Mr. Guarinido's pictures are wonderfully done. I feel a personal connection to Blacksad and his search for Natalia Wilford's killer, but mostly to Blacksad himself. When I showed it to my aunt, she said he looked like Stacy Keach. Thing is, I don't know who that is.
That aside, this is a wonderful book, and I heartily recommend it!!
All I can say is "WOW!" Mr. Canales's story is so engrossing, and Mr. Guarinido's pictures are wonderfully done. I feel a personal connection to Blacksad and his search for Natalia Wilford's killer, but mostly to Blacksad himself. When I showed it to my aunt, she said he looked like Stacy Keach. Thing is, I don't know who that is.
That aside, this is a wonderful book, and I heartily recommend it!!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
When readers mention the greatest graphic novels ever made, they often think of "Watchmen" or "Dark Knight Returns" or "Kingdom Come". All three of these are not only superhero tales, but also long, multipart epics. So it's even more amazing how good this book is, as it is neither of those things. This is one of the absolute best books I've ever read period. And I put it up there with the rest of the hallowed graphic novel epics.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Awesome!
Awesome book! In English too! The artwork is amazing and anybody that wants to study composition and great artwork then you have to get this!
Published 2 months ago by J
Fabulous
You need this book. The graphics are unbelievable. Blacksad is one of the great tough private-eyes. Read more
Published on June 28, 2009 by Tiffy
It may seem "Furry" but its a well composed literation of society
It may seem "Furry" but its a well composed literation of society>
The Blacksad comics have wonderful art design to them and a well developed story and well composed... Read more
The Blacksad comics have wonderful art design to them and a well developed story and well composed... Read more
Published on September 22, 2008 by M. McMillan
Astounding Art, but Too Short
"Arctic Nation" is the second of the Blacksad graphic novels. (And, disappointingly, the only one still in print in English; due to publisher issues, the first is out of print and... Read more
Published on August 10, 2008 by Akachei
BEAST GRAPHIC NOVEL EVER
This is a masterpiece. The illustration is unparralleled and the story is a thriller. Have read many graphic novels and seen many illustrators but there is nothing like this out... Read more
Published on June 1, 2008 by Fabrice Beaulieu
Why haven't you bought it yet?
I went to art school, and one of my teachers introduced me to this artist. If an art teacher is showing you something, you tend to pay attention, especially if it has an excellent... Read more
Published on March 4, 2007 by J. Booth
Mediocre writing but amazing and nuanced art
This is the first time I've across Guarnido's art and I'm very impressed. His characters have such mobility of expression, such humanity of every variety, such plain veracity, . . Read more
Published on October 10, 2005 by Michael K. Smith
Great! Just great!
John Blacksad is back! On the search for a kidnapped girl, Blacksad finds himself in a small town torn apart by poverty, corruption, and organized racism. Read more
Published on July 1, 2004 by STEVEN F. SCHARFF
Gorgeous Art Hindered by a Sagging Story
In both this and Arctic Nation (Book 2 of Blacksad), Guarnido creates a lavish, delicious looking world of anthropomorphized characters. Read more
Published on June 30, 2004 by "splithare"
Pleasing to Both Eye and Mind
I picked up Blacksad 1 & 2 yesterday and was rendered quite awestruck by the work. The fine detail, beautifully applied watercolor/acrylic technique, and perfectly proportioned... Read more
Published on June 1, 2004 by "katilyna"
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