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Detective fiction is making something of a comeback in comics right now, so this review seems right for the times. While you might be able to find more exotic material in the sub-genre, there is something to be said for the well crafted, although somewhat formulaic tale to be found here. The Bloody Streets of Paris is French artist Jacques Tardi’s
adaptation of the 1942 Leo Malet crime novel 120 rue de la Gare and
it stands as a classic example of crime comics done right.
Nestor Burma is a private investigator who joined the French army in the
early days of the Second World War, and has just been discharged from a POW
camp and has returned to Nazi-occupied France. Not the friendliest place
for a private investigator to be, where the Gestapo hold the power of life
and death over an entire populace. Still, a mystery that starts with an
amnesiac prisoner in the camp and a mysterious woman lead him into a larger
intrigue that the eternally curious Burma is doggedly determined to
solve.
While the book is a little slow to start, it sets the mood and introduces a
host of characters (some of which are not developed in this novel, but
probably figure into the Nestor Burma series). Tardi’s minimalist style for
faces is surprisingly effective and dramatic. This is especially true of
Tardi’s representation of Nestor Burma as the archetypal 1940s PI
character: sarcastic, street-smart, tough and loyal beyond comprehension.
Unfortunately, the work here doesn’t present a variety of different
appearances for women. I was a little disappointed to see that two of the
major female characters in this story were nearly identical. However, I
would say that overall, his character design in this novel is distinctive,
animated, and at times, even comical.
However, the real beauty of the artwork is the depiction of Paris
itself. This is not the pristine, tourist-friendly Paris you see on
postcards. In Tardi’s Paris, entropy rules. The streets are littered, the
walls plastered with graffiti and propaganda, the buildings dark and in
disrepair. The bleakness of Tardi’s efforts here bring the feeling of the
widespread depression and dread that came with the defeat and occupation of
France. Even more impressive is that we only see the Nazis and their
actions from a remote distance, but that their presence is still felt. One
needs only look at some of the propaganda posters and scrawled swastikas on
the walls to remind you how dire the situation in Paris really was at the
time. It was subtle, but chilling.
Tardi’s art
alone makes this an instant classic, as he communicates the mood of one of
his country’s darkest hours, and as he brings life and reality to a classic
character. Paris will never look the same to you again. Grade: 4/5
-- Michael Paciocco
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The Bloody Streets of Paris GN