By Francq & Giacometti
Publisher: Cinebook
ISBN: 9781800440760
Giacometti continues to prove that he has the writing chops to follow on from Van Hamme with another solid tale of business intrigue, dirty tricks and high stakes. The world around us has changed a lot since Van Hamme and Francq put out the first Largo Winch book, and so this story aims to bring the narrative bang up to date. The W Group’s diverse holdings and ventures, up until now, have been very traditional, and so far there’s been little acknowledgment of emerging tech and the future of industry. That all changes here.
When we first meet Largo he’s visiting a tin mine in Indonesia where he’s a major shareholder. Wanting to get a good look at the real operation, he disguises himself, posing as a buyer, and finds exploitation of the locals on a grand scale. We’re reminded, instantly, that Largo is not your average business owner as he puts the house in order.
But there are other players on show: The Munskinds. A husband and wife team personifying perfection, success and the embracing of new technologies. Jarod Munskind shrugs off any effort that compares him to Largo Winch, dismissing his fellow business giant. But they’re after the same prize, and that means their paths are going to cross.
The conclusion, or cliffhanger to put it more accurately, is an intriguing one. Not quite sure how they’ll address this, but I’d be surprised if they’re bumping Largo off…
But let’s have a quick chat about Francq’s choice of inspiration for the look of some of the characters. Jarod Munskind is undoubtedly Tom Hiddleston, while his wife is clearly Angelina Jolie (and Waldo looks like a young Frank Sinatra). Using famous people’s likenesses has certainly been a thing for a while. Bryan Hitch drawing Nick Fury like Samuel L Jackson and Simon Pegg turning up as Wee Hughie in The Boys are two prime examples, and Uderzo was quite happy to use a likeness throughout his run on Asterix. Here, though, I did feel it was a bit of a jolt that took me out of the story for a few pages. Fortunately, it is a minor distraction, not a great one, and the story carries the day.
Once again, another great Largo Winch book. If you’ve not discovered these yet, then you’re missing out.
And if you liked that: Look out for the second part, The Golden Percentile, coming soon from Cinebook
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