Marsupilami Vol 6: Fordlandia

By Batem, Yann & Franquin
Publisher: Cinebook
ISBN: 9781800440265

Possibly the greatest charm of the Marsupilami as a character is his absurd but brilliant biology. Of course, he’s tough, resourceful, intelligent and loving, but he sure gets a lot done with that extraordinary tail. It’s a marvel of evolution. And, boy, does he need it in this adventure. The mother of his children has been kidnapped by collectors, and that’s something he can’t allow to stand. But he’s not the only one tracking the villains,. He’s soon joined by Bip and Sarah who are keen to help. And then there’s Noah, and Black Mars’s girlfriend, Venus, who have lost Black Mars to the animal collector’s too.

The trail leads them to Fordlandia, a town deep in the Amazon established by Henry Ford in the 1920s to cultivate rubber but now abandoned and rusting as the rainforest reclaims it. Fordlandia sounds far-fetched, but it’s very much a real place. Designed for over 10,000 people, it still retains a tiny population today, although for the purposes of this story it’s utterly abandoned. 

Also making a welcome return is the Amazonian native tribe with their hilarious speech. There’s no poking fun here, but instead we get a language that’s quite easy to follow once you know where to break the words. An ingenious way of rendering a language without having to resort to translation boxes. Great fun.

Batem’s artwork is incredible, and you can see why he’s such a perfect fit for a character conceived by Franquin. From rusting cars to jaguars, he makes it all look so easy, packing in the humour. 

This is yet another book that can be equally enjoyed by the young and old alike. Well worth getting under the nose of any child – it won’t fail to disappoint.

And if you liked that: Visit www.cinebook.com and discover Spirou and Fantasio