I just got back from a two-week holiday in South-East France. In a book shop in the town of Uzأ¨s I picked up the French hardback edition of Elric: La Naissance d’un Sorcier. This book collects the first two issues of the Moorcock – Simonson comic published in English by DC as Elric: The Making of a Sorcerer.
The printing of this French edition is very good. The colours look better than they do in the US edition. As a result the art has more depth and looks even better than it originally did (which was pretty darn good anyway!). The overall design and production values are very strong too. Well done, Soleil productions of Toulon!
I should add that the colours have not been in any way re-done; they are Steve Oliff’s original pages. It is simply that the printing and the colour balance are better. Possibly the heavier paper stock has a quality which takes the inks better too. Despite all this the price is incredibly reasonable; € 12.50 (Just over $15.00). (Listed at € 13.50 on the publisher’s web site.)
Minor quibbles: On some pages the blacks look a bit weak, slightly working against the improved colour. The lettering is less than brilliant. The front cover credits “Simonson – Oliff� above the title “Michael Moorcock’s Elric.� This could be misleading; lots of comics in recent years have used the apostrophised author’s name to conceal a story written or adapted by a different writer. The title La Naissance d’Un Sorcier doesn’t appear on the cover, though this does allow them to blow up the artwork a bit, giving the cover greater graphic impact.
Overall, I would think Steve and Walter must be pleased. (I seem to recall Mike saying Walter has seen the book and likes it.)
Have you seen the book yet, Mike? If not, contact the publisher here:
http://www.soleil-lesite.com/index.p...=/bigbang.asp?
The printing of this French edition is very good. The colours look better than they do in the US edition. As a result the art has more depth and looks even better than it originally did (which was pretty darn good anyway!). The overall design and production values are very strong too. Well done, Soleil productions of Toulon!
I should add that the colours have not been in any way re-done; they are Steve Oliff’s original pages. It is simply that the printing and the colour balance are better. Possibly the heavier paper stock has a quality which takes the inks better too. Despite all this the price is incredibly reasonable; € 12.50 (Just over $15.00). (Listed at € 13.50 on the publisher’s web site.)
Minor quibbles: On some pages the blacks look a bit weak, slightly working against the improved colour. The lettering is less than brilliant. The front cover credits “Simonson – Oliff� above the title “Michael Moorcock’s Elric.� This could be misleading; lots of comics in recent years have used the apostrophised author’s name to conceal a story written or adapted by a different writer. The title La Naissance d’Un Sorcier doesn’t appear on the cover, though this does allow them to blow up the artwork a bit, giving the cover greater graphic impact.
Overall, I would think Steve and Walter must be pleased. (I seem to recall Mike saying Walter has seen the book and likes it.)
Have you seen the book yet, Mike? If not, contact the publisher here:
http://www.soleil-lesite.com/index.p...=/bigbang.asp?
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