Written by: Vivès, Ruppert,
Mulot
Illustrations: /
Coloring: Isabelle Merlet, Jean-Jacques Rouger
Publisher: Dupuis
Olympia – Comic Book Review
After the adventures Alex, Sam and Carole shared, Carole decides to call it quits. She grew weary of her life as a thief, even though her career was quite successful. When she lies severely wounded in the hospital, it’s clear that she wants to do other things in life. This brings down the trio to a duet, albeit a rather unhinged one. Alex and Sam will have to get along if they want to survive the mess they get involved in, in this second installment of the series, Olympia.
Sam is investigating the museum they are going to rob next, as Durieux, the employer of the girls has given them a new assignment. Even though Sam wants to get the job over with, Alex is still down in the dumps due to Carole ‘leaving’ them, and has become quite unreliable. All what Alex does is party with the wrong crowd and neglect the tasks she should be doing. Nonetheless, after Durieux talks with Alex, things seem to be in order once again, albeit not for long. During the heist Alex triggers the alarm, causing a hefty amount of trouble for the ladies, in a rather odorous form. Because they have to escape through the sewers, the art piece is covered with a repulsive stench, making the object a rather unpleasant one.
When Durieux sends both girls to Italy to meet with the man who gave Durieux the contract, they immediately notice that the mobster who hired them is a downright jackass. Due to the ‘odor’ of the piece, he does not want to pay them the full fee, something Alex does not like. In an attempt to threaten the Mafioso (which was never a bright idea from the start), Alex pulls out some grenades from her blouse, wanting to make a statement. Little did she know that she accidently pulled out a pin, making the yacht of the gangster’s father explode, at least for a small part. Due to this both girls are marked by the mafia, something which can only be undone by aiding the gangsters with one of their own heists.
For a comic book (or visual novel, whatever floats your boat) with a length of 136 pages, the pace is rapid but supported by a decent buildup. You’ll get a sufficient amount of information, except about the background of the characters or Carole more specifically, seeing this is the second issue of the series. Nonetheless, the story is still open for those who never read the first issue, and it is still fairly enjoyable, even without the background information.
The collaboration of Vivès, Rupert and Mulot brings forth a rather amusing story, with a serious and catchy undertone. Whilst the album itself will not offer that much written text, outside the ‘need-to-know’ basics and a lot of witty remarks from Alex, the story is still well devised. The overall lighthearted atmosphere makes the story very enjoyable to read from start to finish in one go.
Illustrations wise things aren’t that detailed, or it’s even fair to say that there are almost no details at all. Most of the time there is only a usage of simple thin lines, which are sometimes missing completely, especially when picture become zoomed out more. More than once, you’ll notice that characters do not have faces, or other normal details. Although the drawings themselves might lack a certain detail level, the coloring has been done in a fun way. The coloring itself is rather reminiscent of aquarelle paintings, with the necessary smudges here and there to spice things up.
Conclusion
Olympia is a very lighthearted, simple story about a band of female thieves. The girls are clearly no strangers to danger, but they are also affected by the loss of a friend, the problems within their own group and of course the perils their job comes with. If you wish to enjoy a fun crime story, with humor and a hefty amount of ‘dirty talk’, this one will amuse you.
Olympia - Comic Book Review,
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