Blacksad

Blacksad is a series of police Cartoon in five albums putting in scene anthropomorphic animals .

The stories take seat in an atmosphere of Black film, in the New York of the Années 1950. All the characters are anthropomorphic animals whose species reflects the character as well as the role in the history. The hero, John Blacksad is a black Chat with white muzzle exerting like private Détective.

The dark atmosphere of whodunnit is returned as much by the Graphisme than by a play of Voice-over, counterparts and expressive silences typified. The Coloring with the Watercolour as well as the influence of the work of Juanjo Guarnido in the Animation with the studios Disney give a real impression of movement.

Genesis

In October 1990, Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido, impassioned drawing and of animation meet in the studios of animation Lapiz Azul . Juan Diaz Canales shows in Juanjo Guarnido a project of whodunnit in black and white putting in scene a black cat detective in a world of anthropomorphic animals . Under the insistence of Juanjo Guarnido, Juan Diaz Canales accepts his collaboration and they then start to work on this project of Cartoon, Blacksad . Moved away one from the other, they continue to correspond and do not forget their project. In 1996 Juan Diaz Canales written in Juanjo Guarnido in one of its letters: “ Blacksad does not sleep ”. The scenario being tied up perfectly, Juanjo Guarnido can be devoted to the drawing. Their file convinces the editors Casterman, Delcourt and Dargaud and it is Dargaud which carries the agreement. Two years and half later, the album is ready to be published. It will have taken seven years of production for “ Some share between the shades ”.

The success of the first album left to France in November 2000 is immediate. It is quickly in stock shortage and criticisms are unanimously positive that it is in the media, near the public or in the world of the cartoon. This success is such as the two authors publish a book on the creation of this album (Making off), entitled “ the lower parts of the investigation ”.

In March 2003, the second volume “ Arctic-Nation ” is published and gains also a big hit.

Synopsis

In the anthropomorphic New York of the years 1950, when a dark business should be cleared up one can always count on the effectiveness and the discretion of the cat private detective John Blacksad.

Characters

Except the main characters, many other protagonists appear during the albums (and some die at the end of the album in which they appeared).

Main characters

John Blacksad , a cat private detective. It is the prototype of the solitary, dark hero and disillusioned, former street urchin who has turned well , like it says it to his friend Otto Liebber: “ Before I ran in front of the police force, maintaining it is me which course after the malicious ones. ” It seems not to have any alive family and did not have that only one truth love: the actress Natalia Wilford.

Smirnov , a German shepherd police superintendent. Right and integrates, it maintains a friendly competition with John, and appreciates it with its right value.

Weekly , a long pitchfork journalist. (appeared during the second album) He works for the What' S news , a scandal sheet. John saved it of a lynching in rule by the members of Artic Nation. This curious is always with the current of all. But he is also noticed by his lack of hygiene.

Supporting characters

Natalia Wilford , a she-cat actress which was the first customer of John like its first love, assassinated by Ivo Statoc. (volume 1)
Jake Ostiombe , a gorilla old boxer bodyguard of Natalia and friend of John. (volume 1)
Fiston , a lizard sent by Statoc to eliminate John, who will be made kill by a henchman of Statoc (volume 1)
Poli , an iguana managing of a bar named " Iguana" (primarily attended by reptiles). (Volume 1)
Ivo Statoc , a toad very powerful business man and without scruples assassinated by Blacksad. (volume 1)
Kayleigh , a small black bitch removed by Huk, within the framework of a plot aiming at eliminating Karup. (volume 2)
Miss Grey , a hind teacher that Blacksad regards as one of these people " with the fragile aspect but equipped with a worthy spirit and ferme". (volume 2)
Hans Karup , a polar bear police superintendent. He is the leader of the Artic-Nation, but is not therefore most malicious of them: although ready to kill them, it gives them a warning with the honest one. (volume 2)
Huk , an arctic fox right-hand man of Hans, whom it will kill according to the plot that it organized. He is the lover of Jézabel, which will kill it. (volume 2)
Oldsmill , a white tiger of Siberia very influential. (volume 2)
Dinah , the mother of Kayleigh and sister of Jézabel (volume 2)
Jézabel , the sister of Dinah and wife of Hans, mistress of Huk (volume 2)
Cotten , an old blind magpie and morbid player, who undertakes to save Kayleigh, but is killed by Huk. (volume 2)
Hewitt rich tortoise which wants to finish its life while diverting itself. It invites John in order to be protected. (volume 3)
Otto Liebber , an owl professor of friendly nuclear physics of John and West German refugee. He immediately makes think of Albert Einstein, but its course is closer to that of Oppenheimer. He worked in Los Alamos on the first atomic bomb. (volume 3)
Alma Mayer , a she-cat writer. A beginning of lovesong settles between it and John, but unforeseen circumstances quickly put at it fine (volume 3)
Samuel Gotfield , a Dalmatien eccentric billionaire of nature, benefactor of a group appointed the Twelve Apostles . (volume 3)
Gallo , a cock senator overflowing of patriotism and leader of a fight anticommunist, which is not without pointing out Joseph McCarthy. (Volume 3)
Dorothy , a bitch cocker spaniel marries of Smirnov. (volume 3)

Albums

The majority of the investigations fall under the political context and social of the United States of end of the year 50.

Volume 1: Some share enters the shades

This first volume tells the beginnings of John Blacksad.

; Scenario: Natalia Wilford, a she-cat actress, is found died assassinated. John then decides to find the assassin to reduce it to silence and thus to avenge that which was not only its first customer, but also its first love.

Volume 2: Arctic-nation

This second volume of the adventures of John Blacksad puts in scene racism.

; Scenario: In a district called “The Line” where clash the “Artics”, members of an organization extremist affirming that “the polar animals are higher than all the others”, which, at their secret meetings, wear a white dress and a matched hood to the manner of the Ku Klux Klan (if it is only the symbol surrounded by a circle which trims their dress is a snowflake, surrounded by a circle briefly pointing out the presentation of the Croix-gammée) and “Black Claws”, gang of black animals. John inquires into the disappearance of small Kayleigh.

Volume 3: Red heart

This third volume of the adventures of John Blacksad puts in scene the nuclear weapon and ultra-nationalism. One finds in particular the topic of the Maccarthysme and famous “hunting for the witches”.

Scenario

John yields with financial requirements and is used as bodyguard with a particular rich person. It then does not suspect that will involve it in an adventure which will change its life radically.

Volume 4: To appear

Volume 5: To appear

Out of the ordinary

Volume out of the ordinary: Lower parts of the investigation
Volume out of the ordinary: Blacksad history of the watercolours
Volume out of the ordinary: The workshop of Juanjo Guardino (in Spanish)

Pulling of head: Artic-nation 01/2005 940 ex drawn with share Pulling of head: Red heart 12/2006 879 ex drawn with share

Publication

Editor

Dargaud: Volumes 1,2,3, Blacksad history of the watercolours

Imbroglio: Lower parts of the investigation

Dreams of Bubbles: The workshop of Juanjo Guardino

External bonds

List of the albums with detailed chronicles
Critical Krinein of volumes 1 and 2
Critical Krinein of volume 3
Blacksadmania.com Site dedicated to the universe of Blacksad

Random links: