By Edgar P. Jacobs
Publisher: Cinebook
ISBN: 9781849181075
Professor Mortimer has been exploring on the Sao Miguel island and, thinking he’s made a remarkable discovery, summons Captain Blake via letter. However, somehow on route, the letter is intercepted and almost immediately a group of nefarious individuals are dogging their every step. What Mortimer has found he believes to be a mysterious radioactive metal that just might be the legendary orichalcum from Atlantis, but to learn more he and Blake need to descend into the cavernous crust of our planet. What they don’t realise is that the ever-present Olrik has attached himself to their small group whilst in disguise, so no sooner are they ready to return to the surface when Olrik reveals himself and leaves the pair trapped in the depths. Their only hope is to press on into the caves and galleries to find another route out but what they find instead is an astounding advanced culture living successfully deep beneath the surface. But all is not well here, and Blake and Mortimer may have arrived at the worst possible moment.
This is one of the original Blake and Mortimer tales, and Jacobs’ style means he's not afraid to use thirty words in a comic panel where five would do. It’s incredibly wordy, especially in the set-up, and some character monologues are astoundingly lengthy. What you have to bear in mind, though, is that the book is coming up for 60-years-old, and it’s the magnificent work of the likes of Edgar P. Jacobs that subsequent writers and artists have built upon and refined over the years, so a little over-useage of narration and word balloons can be forgiven.
Because, when all’s said and done, this is a rather breathtaking adventure in its scope and execution, with 64 pages of densely-packed adventure and riveting science-fiction ideas. It’s like Journey To The Centre Of The Earth absorbed into Flash Gordon, and a right rip-roaring escapade results. It’s told on the grandest of scales and is incredibly captivating for it, and if you’ve been a follower of the other Blake and Mortimer adventures then you’ll recognise a few of the previous references too.
A sci-fi classic, make no mistake.
And if you liked that: There are many more Blake and Mortimer’s out there – get another!
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