Spirou & Fantasio Book 4: Valley of the Exiles

Spirou & Fantasio Book 4: Valley of the Exiles, by Tome & Janry, Cinebook

CONCLUDING THE story established in Book 3: Running Scared, now bereft of their fellow explorers, reporters Spirou and Fantasio are lost in the fabled Mongolian place of banishment that is the Valley of Exiles... From bats swooping about them in darkened caves to leapfrogging over man-eating water lilies out on a river, we’re just a few pages in and they’re in the thick of an adventure of brilliant sequential choreography matched by punning corny jokes as appropriate.

Alas, Fantasio is bitten by a rare mosquito that drives him mad, insanely jealous of Spirou and intent on maiming him... There appears to be no cure, and the moments of humour appear bleaker, but as the pair make their way across the landscape, alone and together at differing points in the story, we are entreated to a cornucopia of jungle landscapes and ancient cavern hieroglyphics filled with beauty but also dread. When Spirou comes upon an abandoned hut that previous explorers had found he finds a book that holds clues for his own possible salvation but not his homicidal friend’s.

There are surprises, tears and laughter to be had in this 48 full page colour collection that ideally should be read in partnership with Book 3, and if you read the one you’ll want to get hold of the other anyway.

For more information Spirou & Fantasio visit Cinebook.

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