VAN HAMME (Jean), STERNE (René) & DE SPIEGELEER (Chantal - Lot 257

VAN HAMME (Jean), STERNE (René) & DE SPIEGELEER (Chantal). The adventures of Blake & Mortimer. La malédiction des Trente Deniers, tome 1. First edition Éditions Blake et Mortimer / Studio Jacobs Legal deposit: November 2009 ISBN : 978-2-87097-115-4 Printed in France by PPO Graphic (Palaiseau) The first volume of the diptych La Malédiction des Trente Deniers (The Curse of the Thirty Pence) is a direct continuation of the Blake and Mortimer universe, while exploring an intrigue of exceptional historical and symbolic scope. The story opens with a millennia-old enigma linked to the Thirty Denarii of Judas, whose curse seems to span the centuries right up to the present day. Blake and Mortimer find themselves drawn into an investigation combining archaeology, esotericism, international conspiracies and ritual crimes, in a dark and tense atmosphere. Jean Van Hamme deploys a dense, rigorously constructed script, faithful to the spirit of Edgar P. Jacobs, while René Sterne delivers a precise, realistic drawing, supported by Chantal de Spiegeleer's subtle coloring. This first edition, enriched by the editorial elements specific to the Blake & Mortimer collection, marks a milestone in modern revivals of the series, both in terms of the ambition of the story and the graphic quality of the album.