Blacksad: Amarillo

The specifics: Amarillo is a 54 page graphic novel, same in length as the preceding three installments. Sadly there are no extras, but the price is a bit less which makes up for it. It's a beautiful, high quality hardcover edition. No complaints there!Art: Guarnido's art is fantastic as usual, but I did feel this episode looked a little less finished than the last. The art in the first three novels sets an incredibly high watermark in terms of visuals, perhaps THE watermark. Book 4, A Silent Hell, employs a dreamier, more watercolor-based look. Amarillo does the same, but the cells are smaller and more uniform, the characters a bit more cartoonish. That said, it is still better than most of the material out there. Characterization is still top notch: the hyena lawyer and young lion novelist are both fantastic. The color palette is infused with a shade of vintage yellow which really brings out the mood of the story and a middle America/wheat belt kind of charm. And pics like Blacksad on a motorcycle or driving a Cadillac Eldorado are just priceless.Story: I thought this story was among the best thus far. It does not rival Arctic Nation, but it was probably on the level of Red Soul, if not a little better. There are a few elements present for the first time: continuity between episodes, recurring rivalries, some Blacksad back story. Blacksad himself seems a bit happier this time around, which really made this story seem fresh and new, yet somehow it still incorporates the elements of tragedy and world-weary fatalism present in all the books. While the other stories felt more noir, this one felt like it could have been a Hitchcock film, like North By Northwest. It moves far more briskly than the other tales, and I felt like it covered far more ground, in terms of both geography and character. Upon finishing the last page for the first time, be sure to turn one more page for a spread that really brings home the heart of the story.Overall recommendation: If you loved the last books, this will not let you down. Even with the art taking slight step back, the story takes two big steps forward and it was overall another fantastic, moving read. If you have not read Blacksad at all, get the first book instead, as this one benefits from prior knowledge of the characters, and simply because the first book is in my opinion required reading for any graphic novel fan. Anyone can enjoy Blacksad, but its nuance works best for an adult audience that knows a little about American history and a little about classic film. I give this a 5 because there is still nothing quite like it on the market I can think of. It is a visual marvel complemented by a compelling story.

American comic readers had a shorter wait time for the next Blacksad volume. It took us a decade for proper translations for the first 3, two years for the fourth, and just a year for the fifth and current one, Amarillo. By now, the series was on a roll. After four good books in a row, it wouldn't be surprising if they released one that wasn't on par with the others. Unfortunately, it seems to be true with this one. However, is it so bad that it kills the series? I honestly wouldn't say that exactly.This book starts literally where the last one, A Silent Hell, left off. Exhausted cat detective, John Blacksad, stays behind in New Orleans while his partner, Weekly, flies back to New York. He soon comes across a rich Texan bull who asks him to drive his prized Cadillac Eldorado to Oklahoma so it'll be there when his flight touches down. Blacksad, thinking it'll be a goof vacation from crime-solving, accepts. However, he loses it when a young lion writer named Chad steals it and drives to Amarillo, Texas. Blacksad follows and meets a hyena lawyer named Neal Beato, who's a personal friend of Chad, and the two look for him together. How it plays out is something you'll have to read for yourself.The artwork is gorgeous as usual yet it's more brighter than the past entries. Yellowish colors are featured prominently throughout this book. To me, the bright color schemes sum up this one. It's definitely more lighthearted and the writing is just standard. While the writing in the past books was very good, they were still traditional crime stories but with a European flavor, despite taking place in America. The story here isn't as interesting. However, it doesn't make this book a total bore. There are funny and exciting moments still and, even though Weekly is absent through most of it, Neal Beato is a good comedic replacement for him.In conclusion, I can say that Amarillo is the weakest Blacksad entry to date but it's by no means bad. I'm still impressed that the series can still be entertaining, even if a book is not as good as the rest. Overall, the series has yet to put out a truly bad book. Hopefully, the issues here won't be present in the upcoming sixth and seventh books that are due to be released later this year. For those who are skeptical about this one, I still urge you to get it so you can form your own judgement.

Excellent book amazing art - recommended!

Loved these story’s & artwork, can easily imagine these characters in a an animated movie (which would be awesome!) - Blacksad is one of my favorite graphic novels & I am a fan of all the stories ‘bout this Cat so far!

Without any scratch and quick delivery!

Came in perfect condition. Plastic wrapping and no damage to the cover.The story itself was okay. Not as good as other Blacksad books but worth a look if you are a fan.

I love these books, the tone set by the author and the fine attention to visual detail is stunning. It kind of feels like a film-noir Disney movie for adults.

This book is sadly the shortest book of the series with only one story.

xmas present for my son who has enjoyed this book.

I just love Blacksad. Top art and story. Highly recommended