Lady Vivian Hastings (Long John Silver)

I enjoyed the art in this volume that I had to go and buy the larger deluxe French edition. Lauffray's pen and ink along with watercolor is beautiful. The story be Dorison is the equal of the art. You think you know the story of Long John Silver, but this is something additional that the group created to complement what you already know. It is its own story, not a rehash of the old story. Very well done. Great art and story. Only regret is that it has taken so long for book 4 to come out (about 1 book a year). thank goodness that it will wrap up in issue 4 in 2013.

All I can say is that as much as I anticipated this new book from the same guys who brought us Prophet, 1: Ante Genesem (a sorely under-read and incomplete series) I was not prepared for how much fun this turned out to be. Pirate stories have always been interesting, whether fact or fiction. This one takes it up a notch and not into the weird way those Pirates of the Caribbean films have done. (I like them all right but I miss a good pirate tale without all the special effects)I'm so glad the U.K. publisher, Cinebook, took a chance on this English edition of a French sequential art tale (I'm not fond of the term "comic book" for something that's not comic in nature) but I'm especially glad they kept it in a large format at 11 1/4 x 8 1/2". Mathieu Lauffray's richly drawn, full color art has the ability to engage and awe the readers in this larger format and could work in an even larger one.I don't know who to credit the story to because the French method is a mixed one often initiated by the artist. What comes through is the passionate regard for the period and good characterization. The artwork runs the full gamut from intimate character portraits, richly appointed interiors of wealthy homes, rundown taverns in the poor section of town, street scenes, atmospheric scenes of large, masted ships, and grand sweeping images of sea ports and exotic locales are rendered in epic . The story is set in the 18th century, a period of great merchant vessels plying the southern oceans. Of course, with all those merchant ships this also a period with a lot of piracy. While I don't want write any spoilers this story is ripe with intrigue from the wealthy (and not so wealthy) royalty and merchant class down to the lowest schemers in drinking houses better avoided by honest people, especially after dark.Long John Silver, the same character from the Robert Louis Stevenson tale, "Treasure Island", is still alive and scheming for reasons that may seem clear -that he wishes to be wealthy- but there also seems to be more going on than isn't immediately made evident. His moral ambiguity is also alive and well.The mingling of art and prose are seamlessly interwoven into this book and it's easily among the best I've read from the French sequential art medium, and the English translation never misses a beat in its nuance, boldness and brevity. It's easy to read this as if it were always in English.The book is also a good all ages story that will be a solid entertaining read for anyone about 12 years and up.My only complaint is that there should be a hardcover edition.If you like pirates and intrigue, beautiful artwork remarkably suited to period stories, and you're tired of what's been passing as good pirate fare, this book should fit bill and then some.

This is top quality comics (or BD if your from Europe). Lauffray and Dorison are brilliant collaborators, and have weaved an exciting tale with genuinely interesting characters. Lauffray visuals are beautiful and dark, wonderfully researched but not bogged down with unnecessary details. If you're over the glut of superhero comics but miss exciting adventure with a dark edge this is for you!!

As title,Excellent condition, intriguing graphic novel but I was expecting even better....in any case it's been nice to read

The art work was really good, and the story has potential, but is still building. Some areas of my kindle version had words missing on the edge of pages. Overall it was good and I plan on reading number 2.

It is around 35 years since I read Treasure Island and although this graphic novel doesn't boast to be a sequel it takes some of the characters and atmosphere of the original (blood, the sea, malice, revenge; well, lots really) and crafts a new story in rich graphic format. Reading this has sent me back to reading the original, wow, what a gem that is! My favourite part of the graphic book is where Long John Silver introduces us to his men - Black Blood, the holy man, and so on - they are such wonderful characters, I just knew that this was going to be a real "treasure" from then on.

Excellent

Excellent pirate graphic novel! Love especially the art work

This is a great comic series, fantastic art and a great story, totally worth the money and the time and if you can swing it buy the French copies as the print quality and the colour reproduction is far superior to the English translations.