Picking up immediately following the events of the [b:first Fantagraphics collection|8103702|The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec|Jacques Tardi|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1301818984s/8103702.jpg|12889801], The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec Vol 2 continues the unusual escapades of the novelist title character. In 1912 Paris, Blanc-Sec uncovers plots involving mad scientists, a pithecanthropus (prehistoric ape man), murder, betrayal, and the undead. Though the concepts and action propel the tale, the droll heroine with her asides and astute observations drives these fantastic comics. After a second attempt on her life almost succeeds, Blanc-Sec stands among a train wreckage and declares "I am being taunted!" Tardi frequently breaks down the fourth wall to a humorous effect and his magnificent color art recalls the best of [a:Hergé|2802356|Hergé|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1246365503p2/2802356.jpg]'s TinTin stories. ( )

I was hoping I could pair this series with the movie to entice teens into trying something different. But the books were so bad, maybe I'll just stick with the movie. ( )

If you liked the first edition of The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec, you'll like this one
Adele is her usual distinctive self, narrowly escaping death from her conspirators as a giant gorilla is made into a manservant and is aimed to be made into a murderer as well and then mummies come to life. The premises of all of these episodes are preposterous, involving fault Science and underground French cults. This book sees Adele choosing widely not to accept a ticket on the Titanic and never failing to really lose her matter of fact coolness. She even starts recording some of the events found in the first two episodes. The drawings are gorgeous as well!


BUT (and don't read any further if you don't like spoilers)


It really left me with a sad and empty feeling when Adele dies...I get the idea that Tardi just got to the point where he felt he had done all he could with Adele's character and the over the top plots but it just seemed abrupt and I found myself quite depressed, as I had really grown to love her character and I had a great deal of "That's it?!?!" moments at the end....I would have loved to have read at least ten more of these silly escapades. They weren't going to change the world any but they sure were imaginative and fun! Sad face. ( )

This second Fantagraphics reprint volume collects the third and fourth numbers of Jacques Tardi's Adele Blanc-Sec stories: "The Mad Scientist" and "Mummies on Parade." "The Mad Scientist" is very much in line with the earlier numbers with its modest pacing, bewildering plot, and droll character interactions. It focuses on the reanimation of a Pithecanthropus and his surprising behavior, and culminates in some spectacular violence on the streets of 1912 Paris. In "Mummies on Parade" Tardi really pulls out the stops, bringing together plot threads from almost all of the earlier stories, adding a mass revivification of Egyptian mummies, connecting Adele's troubles with the wreck of the Titanic, and providing a downbeat ending after a somewhat hilarious cascade of mayhem. The art in "Mummies" is especially fine: there were several panels that I would be happy to enlarge and hang on my wall -- though my tastes are rather outré!