Written by: Philippe Aymond
Illustrations: Philippe Aymond
Coloring: Sébastien Gérard
Publisher: Dupuis
Lady S #11 De Breuklijn – Comic Book Review
Even though codenames such as 007 still evoke that typical secret agent vibe, a name such as Lady S also sounds rather mysterious. Nonetheless, even though the series is still called Lady S, which is Shanja’s old codename, she has broken free from her secret identity and now strives for the rights of all humans, especially those being maltreated for no apparent reason. That being said, it was to be expected that her past would not let go that easily and vice versa. This time Shanja might just book a one way ticket to Guantanamo Bay.
Shanja is on her way to a United Nations conference, which is about basic human rights, when she suddenly encounters a face she hadn’t seen in quite some time, namely Conrad’s. Even though both parties aren’t really that well acquainted with each other, there has been a spark since the first time they met, even though igniting it further is not a very smart plan seeing Conrad is part of the CIA, while Shanja used to be part of the European counterpart, Orion. Nonetheless, Shanja urges Conrad to meet up with her later, which eventually turns from a simple meet up, to a hot passionate evening. When Conrad takes off in the morning, Shanja is wondering whether or not they will see each other again.
This question is already answered the very next day, when attending another conference, Conrad shakes things up by arresting a suspicious man. As this man is an alleged Russian terrorist who goes by the name of Tsjersajev, he is immediately thrown into the worst prison on earth, namely Guantanamo Bay. While Shanja does not approve of such tactics, she is particularly interested in this case as she believes the man in prison is not a Russian terrorist, but an old ‘friend’ of hers. Now begins a race against time, before the abusive techniques used in Guantanamo Bay break her beloved friend.
After setting a clear and solid foundation, the book takes a fast pace, as it will be many conflict situations after one another. As you already have a lot of information, this will make the story more than exciting enough, as you can perfectly guess what’s going on, except for some thrilling plot twists. Philippe Aymond assures a thrilling ride with how he dispenses the needed information, followed by a burst of action, keeping the story fresh and interesting.
The album is also illustrated by Philippe Aymond, who aims for a very realistic style, with the necessary James Bond-like goodies thrown into the mix. Even though clear black lines are always used, the facial expressions are top notch, even though the details fade away a bit when the characters move more to the background. The colors chosen by Sébastien Gérard are rather stiff, but they work decently in the setting.
Conclusion
Lady S #11 De Breuklijn is a decent spy story that will prove to be entertaining for those who like the adventures of secret agents. Not only are the illustrations great, the story itself is filled with enough action to keep you interested until you flip the last page. After all, we like our album shaken, not stirred.
Lady S #11 De Breuklijn - Comic Book Review,
No Comments