Written by Stephen Desberg, Art by Enrico Marini

Cinebook

Okay, another volume of The Scorpion. And it’s pretty much exactly the same as the previous three. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. Merely that the fun to be had from The Scorpion is in the repeated thrills, something I’ve pointed out before. So if you’ll forgive me a little lazy cutting and pasting…… Of Volumes One and Two I said this:

“Another one of those “never see this sort of things in US comics” type of books. A swashbuckling tale of Renaissance Rome; Brigands, mysterious exotic women, evil Catholic Cardinals attempting to take over the Papacy.”

“So perhaps we’re looking at some sort of Italian 15th Century James Bond here? It shouldn’t be seen necessarily as a criticism because across the entire first volume … I had a tremendous time. The Scorpion gets drawn into a plot by the dastardly Cardinal Trebaldi (boo, hiss) to establish himself as the new Pope. There are lusty maidens and fearsome armoured monks, there are swordfights and plenty of them, there is religious hypocrisy and betrayal, daring escapes across rooftops and on horseback and plenty more.”

I’d found myself flagging a little with Volume two though, a little too much of the same for my tastes, although reading Volume Three, brought me back on board, proving it’s something best enjoyed in small, regular doses:

“…put it in a single book, just 46 pages long, and it does rather satisfy, albeit in a read, enjoy, forget, type of way. Everything’s done rather well – the action races along, the drama sort of works, the characters are all suitably sexy and mysterious (good guys), nefarious and boo-hiss evil (bad guys) or sultry, mysterious and prone to double crossing (every woman that isn’t a nun).”

Which brings us to Volume 4. And my opinion hasn’t changed one whit. It’s become one of those perfect bath reads. Stick a bit of music on, settle back in a hot bath, read Scorpion. Lightweight it may be, predictable it may be, but it’s still a lovely way to spend an hour.

(Swashbuckling action from the Scorpion, with artist Marini showing just how nice his figure work is, just before he gets to show how nice his action sequences are. From Scorpion Volume 4, published by Cinebook)

This time round The Scorpion and his friends start out trapped in a seemingly inescapable sealed room (although in the world of The Scorpion, friends, especially the female kind tend to betray and attempt to kill him regularly throughout a story).

There’s no surprises here though – it takes a mere handful of pages and another uneasy alliance to get them out and back on the trail of the Sacred Cross of Saint Peter, something The Scorpion needs to discredit the diabolical Cardinal (and now Pope) Trebaldi (boo, hiss).

Finding his mission for the Cross intertwined with the secrets, and the treasures, of the Knights Templar, our motley band wend their way through the Holy Land, pursued by Cardinal Trebaldi’s henchman Rochnan and his warrior monks. Expect more devious dealings, swashbuckling fights, betrayals and snappy dialogue all the way.

(The big bad villain of The Scorpion tales – Cardinal, and now Pope, Trebaldi. A perfect cartoon delight of a villain. From Scorpion volume 4, published by Cinebook)

It’s formulaic but hugely entertaining stuff, throwaway in the best sense of the word. Desberg writes it as a Saturday morning serial adventure, something that links it, yet again, with Spielberg, Lucas and Indiana Jones.

And Marini’s artwork is suitably dynamic, lush and just plain attractive but also does a very good job indeed of keeping the pace of the story motoring along, whether it’s swashbuckling swordfights or devious machinations he’s called upon to draw.

It’s not deep, it’s not profound, but The Scorpion is an absolutely enjoyable romp of a comic. And one I’ll continue to enjoy, quite possibly at bathtime yet again.

Written by Stephen Desberg, Art by Enrico Marini

Cinebook

Another one of those “never see this sort of things in US comics” type of books. A swashbuckling tale of Renaissance Rome; Brigands, mysterious exotic women, evil Catholic Cardinals attempting to take over the Papacy. Not quite the plot of the latest X-books crossover is it? Which is probably why I really rather enjoyed the Scorpion for at least one whole volume.

The book itself starts with an intriguing premise: What if the entire foundation of the Catholic church is merely a result of 9 powerful Roman families at the end of the Roman Empire deciding that Christianity is the best chance they have of remaining all-powerful? The descendants of the 9 families play an important role in the background to the Scorpion’s tale of power, lust and betrayal in Renaissance Rome.

(The Scorpion doing one of the things he does best. From The Scorpion Volume 1: The Devil’s Mark.)

This backdrop of political and religious intrigue is overwhelmed somewhat by the all action swashbuckling going on throughout the books with The Scorpion of the title fighting his way across the pages, pausing only for regular stops with what seems like every woman in Rome. And he’s not picky either; from lowest prostitute to society maiden he’ll bed them all and move on.

(The Scorpion doing the other thing he does so well. Aristocrat or common prostitute, all fall under his spell.)

So perhaps we’re looking at some sort of Italian 15th Century James Bond here? It shouldn’t be seen necessarily as a criticism because across the entire first volume (which, as with most Cinebook titles, actually contains two Scorpion volumes: The Scorpion and The Pope’s Secret) I had a tremendous time. The Scorpion gets drawn into a plot by the dastardly Cardinal Trebaldi (boo, hiss) to establish himself as the new Pope. There are lusty maidens and fearsome armoured monks, there are swordfights and plenty of them, there is religious hypocrisy and betrayal, daring escapes across rooftops and on horseback and plenty more.

(Cardinal Trebaldi: Not a nice man of God at all. From The Scorpion.)

It’s a really enjoyable escapist tale. Or at least the first volume was.

By the second volume, especially towards the end of it, I found myself getting just a little bored by it all. It really felt like the writer was just rehashing plot elements and spinning the whole thing out a little too much. What’s that? Another precarious situation for the Scorpion, surrounded again by those evil warrior monks and having to fight his way out to find himself holed up with just a busty wench for company? Sure, there were fun moments, but nothing like the enjoyment of the first volume.  A real shame, especially as the series looks set for at least another volume or two. One would have been enough, maybe two if we’d have had a nice resolution to the story.

The Cinebook website.

Richard Bruton is worried that his swash may not be buckling correctly.