By Francq & Van Hamme
Publisher: Cinebook
ISBN: 9781849181471
Largo’s past, before the days of the W Group, catch up with him as he’s coerced into a trip to Hong Kong that looks like business but is ultimately at the summons of the triads. The Chinese are after a partnership with the Winch aeronautics division to expand into China's growing private jet market, but to seal the deal they want Largo himself to sign. However, he’s at his island retreat and out of contact, so after some creative thinking the W Group management team are able to track down Simon Ovronnaz in St Tropez who in turn is able to get a message away to Largo via carrier pigeon. This stunt is interfered with by another party who instead of sending Largo heading straight to the East have him charging right back to St Tropez and a confrontation that results in a brilliantly drawn car chase through the streets.
Largo realises he’s being manipulated, but feels he has little choice but to go to Hong Kong. No sooner is he there than the triads have whisked him away from under the noses of his friends and their demand of him is made. If Largo fails then an old friend’s life is at risk, but unfortunately Largo doesn’t even know where to start. That is, until the enigmatic owner of Tsai Industries Corporation, with which the Winch Group are supposed to be signing the aeronautics deal, plays his hand.
The readability of Largo is not just down to Van Hamme’s intricate and well-paced writing, but to Francq’s amazing art – intricately drawn and thoughtfully coloured to bring the settings and the characters alive. From St Tropez to Hong Kong, there is no doubt about the destination and the effort put in by the creative team pays off with a more immersive story. Now we’re this far into the series Van Hamme is also able to tease out aspects of past encounters and play with character foibles to a greater effect, even if that does mean occasionally reaching for the contents of the book shelf to refresh your memory – and that’s hardly a chore.
And if you liked that: Better pick up the concluding part of the story in Volume 12
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