A Tour of Paris, à la Jacques Tardi

My first encounter with Jacques Tardi's Adèle Blanc-Sec series was when I watched the film on TV with my host family in Paris last year.  At the time, I was unaware that this was based off of a comic series, and just assumed that the movie was another mystery with a dramatic plot, poor graphics, and a sexy female lead, all of which, I discovered, the French seem to love.  I remember my host sister pointing out each monument that appeared on screen and remarking how well the movie showcased the city of Paris.

Now, after reading Pterror Over Paris and The Eiffel Tower Demon, I realize how setting is also important in the graphic novels.  Tardi does an incredible job at capturing different parts of the city, from the Jardin des Plantes in the 13th arrondissement, the Pont Neuf in the 1st, the Cimetière Père Lachaise in the 20th, and the Eiffel Tower in the 7th.  But, most importantly, the architecture of the apartments and paved streets depicted here are so characteristic to Paris, it's clear that Tardi really knew the layout of the city (I wouldn't be surprised if he spent hours sketching in front of these monuments).

Setting is visually very important in this series, but I think basing his stories off of real-life structures also lends us to believe that Tardi may have been parodying either the city of Paris or the French government (represented by the country's capital) during the turn-of-the-century.  Why else would he put an image of  the Élysée, the national center of French government, and a little note saying "Lépine: Prefect of police from 1899 to 1912" on page 9?  Details like this have me believe that Adele Blanc-Sec's adventures are more than just a vicarious tour of Paris, though the author does give a great one.