Stephen Desburg and Yannick Corboz bring us Rivers of the Past; An adventure story between two worlds, published by Norma Editorial, a young thief and a mysterious archaeologist must come together to prevent a disaster.

Norma’s editorial catalog brings us joy months after month in terms of European comics, with titles that either come before the public with a legitimate reputation or, in many cases, are a pleasant surprise. The Rivers of the Past is a title that is halfway between these two aspects, because it is a perfectly recognizable title that does not make enough noise, but convinces those who approach it without knowing what they will get.

Between the worlds

As soon as you open this volume, the reader feels a sense of disorientation. In the first text box, we are told that in the world where the action takes place, Lyon has been banished in 2016, as part of an invasion that engulfs all of France. And all this with unusual beauty in the 21st century, but rather centuries ago.

Here we are introduced to the self-proclaimed Lord of Fear (which he describes as the story’s villain), a man whose face is hidden behind a Venetian mask and who we see blinking and standing with the creatures. Horrors that seem to come from among Thanos’ soldiers. However, we soon learn that these creatures are not their enemies, but that Warne is preparing to make a deal and hand over Paris to them.

This prologue serves to give context to the kind of story we have here, especially since the next scene is set in modern Paris with all the modern conveniences. Soon we will be introduced to the connection between these two worlds (present-day Paris and an alternative medieval version surrounded by monsters called sheiks) and the dangers that the two protagonists may face.

Lynn the thief and Lamia the archaeologist

Lin is a charming young Russian white-collar thief with gymnastic skills who makes a living by appropriating other people’s belongings in a minimally invasive and harmful manner. In this French version, Catwoman is recruited by a villainous character named Benjamin Argonovitch to travel through a somewhat life-changing reality. An unscrupulous collector. And it all has to do with the search for the Egyptian medallion of Athena.

The other leg on which this story stands is Lamia, a happy archeologist who tastes stupid provocative dresses and somehow acts as a bridge between the two realities in which we move, although we should not leave aside the Knight. The sheiks seem to be the biggest obstacle to achieving their goals, the serfs.

The plot takes our protagonists from Paris to Egypt via Venice and turns from adventure fantasy to mystery thriller and even horror, always with religion at the helm of it all. The key, however, is that the authors do all of this with an extremely dynamic rhythm that keeps the reader hooked from beginning to end and engrossed in a brutally effective narrative and characterization that keeps the story interesting despite its relatively short length.

A new challenge for Stephen Desburg and Yannick Corboz

This story marks a significant change in the work of screenwriter Stephen Desburg, which we have seen with Enrico Marini in works such as Star of the Desert or Scorpion. Here we find something more realistic than we have found in previous works and with a more dramatic tone than usual, and the result is perhaps the most interesting work of his career.

In the graphic department, we enjoy the beautiful art of Yannick Corboz, with his loose lines, his images to dance, the man who makes the action amazingly flexible and sometimes adjusts it just to draw, their own life. The choice of color is more atmospheric than practical, but it does serve to place the reader in the two worlds in which the action takes place.

The rivers of the past

An exciting adventure between two worlds

Paris: A young thief is tasked with stealing a coveted Egyptian medal, the Aten, of which there is still no image. Meanwhile, in the same scenario, an alchemist orders a horde of gargoyles eager to obtain human flesh, causing terror to reign. The young thief teams up with Lamia, a mysterious archaeologist, when her story is suspended two centuries in the same way. Together, they must survive in a ruined world and unravel a mystery that could change the fate of humanity.

Screenwriter Stephen Desburg, who has enjoyed works such as The Scorpion or The Desert Star (both with Enrico Marini), teamed up with the amazing artist Yannick Corboz to present us with a fast-paced action and adventure story in a parallel world. .

Author: Stephen Desberg y Corboz