Two-in-One: Blanche Goes to Paris Randy and Don take a look into the life of a well-traveled young woman in the 1920s with a Two-in-One review of Blanche Goes to Paris. Randy: I've not read much from Rick Geary, but I still know the name and associate it with quality work. So I was quite pleased to see this new story, and even more pleased when I finished reading it. Blanche is an excellent take on the world of the 1920s, the story of an American artist who has met all kinds of historical figures in her rather adventurous life. The book is a bit unclear on whether there have been previous installments of Blanche, but it feels like there have been, and she has a sense of history without being unapproachable by new readers at all. Don: Blance stands out as the most pleasant comic-book surprise I've had the pleasure of experiencing this month. This piece of historic fiction boasts a delightful charm, and stands out as quite unique. Blanche Goes to Paris published by Headless Shakespeare Press written and illustrated by Rick Geary Randy: It's hard to really quantify the genre of Blanche Goes to Paris. In many ways, it's a pulp comic, complete with mystery, murder and a 1920s setting. However, this is not quite as lurid or action-driven as the pulps, but rather something of a travel/history comic with mystery added in. In any case, Geary blends fantastic historical detail with a captivating protagonist and intriguing plot, providing a read that had me hooked from beginning to end. Don: Geary tells the story of a young woman who's drawn to Paris to make use of her talent for musical direction, but circustances also involve her in murder, mystery and machinations of powerful men. All the while, Blanche finds herself surrounded by prominent cultural icons and the art she so loves. Randy's at a loss to describe Blanche Goes to Paris? I'll take a stab at it... The book strikes me as being the kind of story Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen could have been if written by, say, Kate Chopin or Lucy Maud Montgomery. Blanche has a much stronger sense of innocence and wonder. Randy: Geary's art style is as unusual in the current market as his choice of subject material. His storytelling is very impressive, and his forms attractive. His characters have a sort of unreal quality to them, with faces and bodies that appear a little squashed, more iconic than realistic, but it's definitely a stylistic choice and not a flaw in skill. As stylized as his characters are, Geary's work on the backgrounds is ultra-detailed and gorgeous, and he really gives the feeling of the period and the setting in his artwork. Don: I was struck by how Geary captured an historic feel with his simple style. I loved his character designs, for figures both real and imagined. The black-and-white approach added to that feeling as well. I must also make note of the lettering. Geary's adds to the innocent tone of the title character with what I assume is hand-written letters. Randy: I was impressed that Blanche came across as a fairly real character, with the proper manners and thought processes expected of women in that time, but containing a progressive streak that makes her an ideal heroine. She has met any number of influential artists in her travels, but her role as an accomplished artist in her own right and an unusually independent woman in 1921 makes these encounters believable. In addition, the streak of weirdness in her life, whether it's the previously seen encounter with an organization unleashing subterranean monsters or this issue's encounter with different branches of foreign intelligence and scientific wonders, gives the book more of an adventurous and fun feel than it might have if it were only about the travels of a musician. Don: I think what made Blanche seem so real was the articulate and descriptive narration, written in her voice as messages sent back home. Blanche comes across as a woman of remarkable talent and experience, but also one possessed of a refreshing sense of wonder. She is curious about the world around her and the people who live in it. Randy: Geary's plot moves along nicely, creating a murder mystery in the background that moves more to the forefront as Blanche's own work and travel related problems subside. Despite a reasonably complex set of antagonists and motivations and some shadowy characters, I never felt lost as to what was going on or who was who, which is more than I can say for many period mysteries I've read. Geary writes an impressively tight script, building a complex mystery but not one that was too complex. Don: Though the title does seem to indicate that this book contains but one in a series of adventures, it really doesn't do the story justice. The book is replete with charm, history, culture and adventure, and it is hard to pigeonhole into one kind of genre of fiction. It's suitable reading for young and old alike. Randy: As I said early in the review, there are indications that this might not be the only Blanche book. It may be that "The Story So Far..." section is intended only to evoke the period of the penny dreadful that Blanche Goes to Paris evokes, but it is my hope that it means there are more stories of this character and her journeys out there for me to discover. Email Randy and Don comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.