Picture the scene: A dark and stormy French island in the early 1700s harbours a horrific secret. Jean-Baptiste Poulain has been hired by the Baron of the Isle Brac to tutor his son. But why does the local population seem to both hate and fear their lord? The teacher is attacked while investigating the disappearance of Nolwenn, the Baron’s son, who has been found beaten to death…
The Isle of Brac is the first in an occasional series – originally published in France in 2002 – with Poulain as the eponymous Marquis of Anaon. The creative team behind the Marquis has a good track record, with prolific writer Fabien Vehlmann well known to European comic fans for Green Manor, and whose 7 Psychopaths (with popular UK artist Sean Phillips) was recently reprinted in English by Boom. Artist Matthieu Bonhomme is less prolific, but more recently known for Texas Cowboys.
But what about the book itself? While there’s not much that’s original here, it is full of atmosphere and interesting characters. It has dark and stormy winter nights, a creepy villain, a mysterious secret and a clever twist. The story rounds out by telling how Poulain becomes known as The Marquis of Anaon (the Anaon are the souls of the deceased). Whether that will have a bearing on the next story remains to be seen.