Cambridge Five, published by cARTEm Comics, is a true-life espionage story set during the Cold War, featuring British agents who worked as spies for the USSR at the heart of Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
In the CARTEM Comics Super BD collection, the story of these British citizens who spied on the USSR was published, informing them of important national secrets, which served as Valérie Lemaire and Oliver Nurey, to show the story of spies closer to reality, without the fantasy of the 00s created by Ian Fleming, even in Her Majesty’s service.
The five from Cambridge were also known as the Cambridge Circle because they were recruited by Soviet agents in the United Kingdom in the last decade of the interwar period (1919-1939), mainly at Trinity College and King’s College, University of Cambridge. Its purpose was to inform the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of all information that could be of importance to national security.
The recruitment of these prominent British citizens was carried out by the NKVD, and under the auspices of the People’s Commissar of the Soviet Union. In the 1950s, after its reorganization, it was divided into two large institutions, one of which became a popular committee. Responsible for obtaining and analyzing intelligence from the USSR for State Security, the KGB
The importance of recruitment of human resources by the Soviets Most of the recruits from Trinity College came from Cambridge, the five chiefs of British intelligence were branches of MI5 or MI6. Unbeknownst to Western services, the Soviets may have far more advanced contingency and counterintelligence plans.
Historical context, Cold War
The Cold War was a global conflict because it covered the entire planet and the alignment of countries in the conflict changed the existing world. The social revolution from 1945 to 1977 pushed urban society over agricultural society and led to the expansion of the service economy.
Cold War During the Cold War between the superpowers, the USA and the USSR, the absence of direct conflict led to indirect conflict and the latter took the lead in the conflict and became a great ideological conflict that divided the world. Large groups, capitalist countries and communist countries, with smaller non-group countries.
The conflict began after the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, mutual ignorance between the two superpowers led to the search for secret information between them, which later led to mistrust and finally strong enmity.
At this time, some theorists of the USSR foresaw the collapse of capitalism, a large-scale Great Depression. The Americans Taking into account their experience in the disaster of 1929, they voluntarily gave up their international isolation when they assumed the role of leader and leader. All this means that sooner or later an ideological clash between the two nations means uncertainty over time.
Stalin thought that Germany was the key to spreading the revolution, so if it was communist, the rest of the continent would be. In addition, the communist parties of large European countries, such as France, Great Britain or Italy, were highly respected for opposing Nazism. On the other hand, Stalin did not want an open conflict with the United States due to the development of military technology and economic prosperity, so he did not force the establishment of communist governments in Western Europe.
All of this created clandestine conflicts and the search for human resources in friendly and hostile nations, such as the Cambridge Five, to predict enemy movements. In the year Stalin’s death in 1953 marked the beginning of a new era in the USSR, which was felt by Western countries as well. In the year Although the war seemed to be on the side of the USSR until the early 1980s, it was a turning point in its decline.
To better understand this decline and the beginning of perestroika, it is interesting to read Masud’s Bodyguard, published by cARTEm in the War Stories collection.
The plot in the Cambridge Five
In this edition of Cambridge Five by cARTEm Comics, all content from the three stories originally published in three volumes has been compiled: Trinity, 54 Broadway and Patriarch Ponds. In these chapters, the reader immerses himself in the real world of espionage, where the characters fight for their beliefs, impersonate others and live in constant tension.
The story begins in 1979 when John and Kolya visit Anthony Bluth, who was discovered by the newspapers to be a Soviet spy and part of the Cambridge Five. John and Kolya agreed to this because their mother was a good friend of Blunt’s, so the old man had no problem telling his story.
Blunt began telling his story using flashbacks in 1998. In Cambridge, students of the upper class do not think about it, because they feel superior, but some of them start to have doubts.
The skepticism of some students leads them to start seeing the society associated with the rise of fascism in Europe from a different perspective, reinforcing their ideological beliefs and having many elements in common with communist ideology. They are approached by the Soviets and eventually captured by them, creating one of the most spectacular spy cells in history.
From this starting point, the stories of Cambridge’s five characters unfold, journeys to other countries, including Spain, where Philby was decorated by General Franco, did not conceive of the present or non-existent part of the Soviet intelligence. Guy also gets a job at MI6 and Donald at the British Embassy in Paris.
The work of Olivier Neuray and Valérie Lemaire
In Cambridge’s five different chapters, the authors develop multiple plots and introduce different characters, sometimes taking the reader on the wrong foot and creating a feeling of losing the narrative thread. At the same time, the presentation of the characters is sometimes very small, it has very few vino.
In 1979, using Anthony Blunt as a narrator, the story has a realistic meaning suitable for the plot, but this desire makes it more difficult for the reader to follow. The story suddenly switches between 1979 and a few years ago, which makes reading a little confusing. If the volume of Hitler’s Cossacks is read earlier, the reader will benefit more in understanding the story, but it is not unconditional to follow it without problems.
The pictures are very detailed and the vignette changes make them very dynamic, but the faces are not as expressive as would be expected in a work of this size. The authors prefer the design of shadows and thick lines instead of fine and small brushes; In any case, they make the tone picture something special and characteristic, they match the applied color perfectly.
The result and presentation of the general sound
CARTEm Comics’ Super BD collection is synonymous with quality, from the moment you look at the size of The Cambridge Five you’ll notice an area of perfection that even covers the spine of the work. The future reader is already off the shelf.
In this comprehensive 152-page book by authors Valérie Lemaire and Oliver Nouray, the publisher has chosen a 23 x 32 cm format in hardcover, printed on 150g matte paper, with a significant translation and a good foreword by Matteo Pierre Avith Ferrero. By Sergio Brancato.
In short, it is a very interesting story, partly because of the fact that it is based on. It is true, sometimes it is not easy to follow the thread, because of the amount of information that needs to be done, but in the same way it keeps the plan very well. The pictures have a different style, which takes the reader from the 1930s, which makes reading a good experience.
The most amazing true story about espionage in the 20th century
Against the backdrop of the Cold War, five intrepid British spies work in the shadows, delivering vital secrets to the communist regime. In a plot full of unexpected twists and dark secrets, survival hangs in the balance, the question is can you overcome the challenges?
Based on real events, this fascinating story transports us to the decade of the 1950s, although the Second World War has already ended, a new threat begins to hide from the borders: the rise of communism and the subsequent Cold War. .
At that time, five intrepid British spies were working undercover to deliver important information to the communist regime from all over the world. When every step can seal your fate as a traitor, reform has no place. So these skilled spies must overcome the traps, trials and tribulations that come their way. Can you beat them?
Cold War era espionage
A plot filled with both international and personal intrigue and set in the most turbulent years of Europe’s 20th century. Franco’s Spain, America, England, France, Germany, and Russia, among others, are these five people who are very different from each other but are linked together in the spy game they play with the same goal.
While for many they represent cherished ideals of love, friendship and family, for these five British spies they strike a dangerous balance between loyalty, privacy and the constant threat of exposure.
With unexpected twists, dark secrets and constant tension, it will appeal to those looking for intrigue and suspense. In addition, it explores the psychology of the characters and their moral dilemmas, as well as the complexities of international politics and international relations. The plot is intertwined with the history of post-war Europe and highlights university life with the ins and outs of espionage.
Who exactly were the Cambridge Five?
The “Cambridge Five” was an espionage group that worked for the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It originated from famous British universities, mainly Cambridge University, hence the name.
The five core members were:
Kim Philby (Harold Adrian Russell Philby): Working in the British intelligence service MI6, he rose to the top positions in the organization. Among the five, he was the most influential in the British intelligence community, leaking the most information to the Soviet Union.
Donald McLean (Donald Duarte McLean): He also worked in MI6 and had access to top secret information on international affairs. Along with Philby, he provided vital information to the Soviets.
Guy Burgess (Guy Francis de Moncy Burgess): Like his friends, he served in British intelligence, especially MI5. He enjoyed getting information about politicians and important officials.
Anthony Blunt (Anthony Frederick Blunt): Although not directly involved in the intelligence service, he maintained influential connections in the world of art and culture. He was the most popular member and his betrayal became evident in the later stages.
John Cairncross (John Sime Cairncross): Worked in the Codes Division of the British Secret Service, which had access to highly classified information.
These individuals have been spying for the Soviet Union for decades with information that has significant implications for the security of the West. Their actions and the betrayal of these individuals were discovered in the 1950s, resulting in one of the biggest spy scandals of the Cold War.