Grandville Hardcover – July 5, 2011

Bryon Talbot is a writer and artist known for his almost manic attention to detail, both in story and illustration. With "Grandville", he gives us a new storyline and presents it with a flourish. This anthropomorphic steampunk science fiction romance drama adventure conspiracy thriller (yes, it really is) weaves all sorts of references to pop culture with a briskly moving storyline and artwork so detailed, you risk falling into the pages. There are a few nods to other works, such as "Snowy Milou" recalling his dreams that hint strongly to his doppleganger's adventures in "Tintin", Rupert the Bear's father trimming the hedges, a poster for Omaha the Cat Dancer in the background of a theater, even some 9/11 style conspiracy theories and a reference to CNN thrown in for good measure.Mr. Talbot says he's working on a sequel, and may even make a series out of this. Please do so, Mr. Talbot! Your works are so lavish and detailed, I can become lost in them.

This Grandville is a steampunk'd, anthropomorphic animal'd eurofeast of a funnybook. Mr. Talbot has really created a romp of a story, even managing to weave a shadowy 911 parallel up in there. There are quite a few nods to European comic characters as well. Doppelganger's of Herge's Snowy (Tintin) and Velter's Spirou are the two that stand out the most to me. I'm certain I missed several more, but I DID witness his wink to Spiegelman's Maus in the early village scene. The book also features a wide zoological range, most of them firing weapons of mess destruction and/or horn stabbings. Hopefully, Mr. T will turn this into an ongoing (semi?)annual treat for the comic masses. Loudly Recommendated!

Brian Talbot did a well crafted detective story with pop references and touches of steampunk. The art is very good, especially the great work with the colors.It's a very good graphic novel, with all the qualities of the european comic school, that any fan of comics (or detective stories, or steampunk ...) should read.

The artwork looks like a painting and rewards spending time looking at the panels. The story and the artwork support and entwine each other.

AS a fan of Steampunk, graphic novels, Bryan Talbot and Albert Robida, I thought that this would be a no-brainer for me. It never really connected, though. The timeline seems screwed up, with Victorian technology in a world set in 2009 or so. The anthropomorphic characters didn't bother me, but neither did they appeal to me. The story seemed humdrum, with a British badger who could do more than Superman handling every situation by bashing his way through it.

Not a hardcore comics fan but really enjoyed the story, the drawing style and small cameos from other comics/paintings. Would recommend.

Another exciting and excellent book, story line and art are just perfect. Hoping to find many more Grandville stories.Looking forward to reading everything done by this author.

the story is a decent steampunk mystery set in alternative france, pictures are gorgeous.the book is very nice. glossy paper, beautiful harcover, high quality comics book as it deserves. dark horse is a great publisher.

Grandnville is the first instalment in a series of five large comic books by the illustrator Bryan Talbot. I have long been an admirer of some of his other work but I had not yet read the Grandville series. It is wonderful especially this the first and the last (5th) book in the series. Despite the series being named for and partially about Paris (= Grandville) and full of French culture, art and architecture it is a wonderfully idiosyncratic, eccentric English project.The story concerns a hard bitten working class Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Le Brock exceptionally intelligent and accomplished in deductive reasoning but more than a little keen to use his fists and even kill those he considers dangerous villains without recourse to the courts. If you think Regan from the Sweeny with a generous dollop of Charles Bronson well seasoned with Sherlock Holms you will not go far wrong. The milieu against which the story is played out is a steam-punk universe where France was victorious in the Napoleonic wars and ruled most of Europe until 23 years before the present when Britain won its independence from the French Empire. Oh and finally Le Brock is an anthropomorphic badger and his side-kick is a mouse. Nearly all of the characters in the series are anthropomorphic animals and birds along with the occasional fish, crustacean and human.The story in the first book concerns Le Brock’s attempt to prevent a political assassination in France and stop a war he fails at the first and succeeds in the second and himself a new paramour. The book is full of awful puns and jokes in both the text (e.g. ‘dog soldiers’) and the art. Keep a careful eye out for the inspirations for some of the panels. I particularly liked Talbot’s rendition of Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People rendered as anthropomorphic animals.The art is delicious and the depiction of the steam-punk elements is just this side of sane. The weaponry, well the guns specifically are very post Star Trek and very much in the 2000 AD style ... enormous. I cannot recommend this book enough. Five stars.

Ganz groß. Wer auf Crime Noir, Hardboiled und Comics wie Blacksad steht, sollte diesen hier unbedingt lesen.

Great artwork and story with many inside jokes, a few of which I'm sure I missed as I am not a true graphic novel/ comic afficionado.I picked up a copy in the Amazon Bagain Books section for $13. I would not have bought it otherwise. I haven't decided if I will buy the sequel.

This tale bristles with references and knowing winks to things as diverse as Sherlock Holmes, Blazing Saddles and Rupert. I could just as easily have cited X-men and H G Wells.It's also full of original wit and thinking, all adding up to make a great adventure, a Ripping Yarn even.The thrust of the plot pulled me through quickly on the first reading, but I knew as I went that I'd be returning to read again a savour the finer details.To date I've read two Bryan Talbot books, each with its own a distinct style, but both excellent and each highly recommendable, especially to those new to graphic novels.

Shades of Sherlock Holmes meets the Rupert books, this is the story of a badger who fights crime... Set in a Steampunk era of high tech Victoriana with steam driven vehicles, zeppelins and Gentlemen with walking canes it's a fairly standard detective story (and definitely not a comment on real world events of the last decade *cough*) but a good read non the less.