Customer Reviews

Torpedo Volume 1

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Long due for a reprint in the US (the previous version by Catalan in the late 80's never got to the end of the series) in glorious black & white. This new reprint features an all new translation by Jimmy Palmiotti who tries hard to be faithful to Sanchez Abuli's original text, but ultimately fails. Seems the only people who got it right (I'm speaking of the translations) were the French who, however, committed sacrilege by coloring the series. This new American version will consist of 5 volumes that will collect the whole series (which sadly ended due to a misunderstanding between its creators).

Abuli, the writer and Bernet, the artist, were a comic book couple meant to work together, as it's pretty hard finding two people who complimented each other so well. Torpedo will remain the series that put them together and would be their undoing also. To think that this series in the beginning was supposed to have Will Eisner as the writer and Alex Toth as the artist. The series was to take place around 1936 (the editor insisted on the date). Eventually, when Eisner never got around to write a satisfying script, the work ended up being done by Enrique Sanchez Abuli, a part-time writer, who's only previous work in comics was as a translator. The series was to be about a gangster living in America in the 30's. Alex Toth came up with the name Torpedo, a name given to hired guns working on the payroll of gangsters. Due to its extreme violence, Toth quit the series, and it was ultimately shelved. Cut forward a couple of years later, when a young artist named Jordi Bernet came around the offices of SI Artists in Barcelona (where Torpedo was created) asking for work and was shown a script for the third story of Torpedo that had remained unpublished. Bernet saw the potential of the character as a series and jumped on the occasion. The rest, as they say, is history.

Torpedo would shortly become one of the biggest sellers all around Europe and put Bernet from being an almost anonymous artist (he'd been working for comics since his teens) to one of the most recognizable and lauded artists in the business.

This version published by IDW uses the same proofs that were used in Spain recently. Unfortunately, they are the older, darker proofs (no gray tones) and Bernet's beautiful dry-brush work doesn't come out as it should. It seems that the only people who got it right were the Italians, but due to some ulterior motives, the creators cut the series short over there too. So, I guess we will never be able to see the definitive version of Torpedo, but this one comes pretty close. I highly recommend it!

It's pretty hard to go wrong with a book that features art by Alex Toth and Jordi Bernet. And the art is absolutely fantastic. I liked the stories in general, but it wasn't Earth-shatteringly good. That's okay, I'm on board for the next volume, if for no other reason than to show thanks for getting more of Bernet's work in print in America. But also, because the art is fantastic.

I decided to pick up the book just because I saw an illustration of Luca and thought it looked cool. I don't like the two chapters illustrated by Alex Toth as much, but I like the writing very much and I love Bernet's art so very much. I bought the second volume as fast as possible. Though Luca is a horrible person, I love reading about him.

hard-boiled anti-hero assassin.

i bought this book as a graphic novel and was really surprised these are actually short stories.

the short part drawn by Alex Toth looks pretty bad but once Jordi Bernet takes over the book finds the right style.

the stories get pretty repetitive though... they are basically one hit after another.

but they are a lot of fun. this assassin/mobster guy called Torpedo i so evil most of the super villains pale in comparison.

the book is a great product by IDW, a bit oversized hardcover, glossy paper, a shining gem of a book.

These are hard-boiled, misogynistic stories with an anti-hero for a protagonist. His name is Luca and it's no coincidence that it's the same as The Godfather's Mr. Brasi. If you're okay with the main character not having a redemptive soul, then this is for you. The art matches the genre perfectly. The plots are well-crafted with some nice twists and turns.

This book is genius. Unfortunately, Toth only drew the first two stories and one feels sad for what might have been if he had kept with it. His art is not illustration, it is abstract art - read it once for the story then go back for the deceptively brilliant drawings. I love bernet and it took a story to make the transition to his hard edged illustration but it works and the stories move nicely with noir edge. if you plan to read the series volume 1 is critical; I read volume 2 first, which is a mistake because the story has pacing and plot and characters. This is a critical purchase for anyone interested in Toth, Bernet, Noir fiction, art, graphic novels, literature. note ; vol 1 is out of print so buy it while you can afford to!

This book is fantastic! Bernet and Toth! Black and white art! Large size! Top reproduction! Darwyn Cooke colors on the cover!

Since I got the second volume, I got this volume. Ended up with two of them, but it didn't matter, I gave the other one to my buddy up in New York, but the second volume is slightly better, but I enjoyed the first one. Yeah Luca Torelli's an A hole, but I like him, and I'm looking forward to the third volume in February 2011.