Cassio (comic series)

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Cassio is a Franco-Belgian comic series by Stephen Desberg and Henri Reculé , published from 2007 to 2015 . The nine-volume series is about the murder of Lucius Aurelius Cassio, one of the richest and most influential men in Rome, in 145 AD.

The series consists of three cycles: the first cycle explains who the four assassins are, the second cycle explains why they were gathered together against Cassio and the third shows how Cassio escaped the assassination attempt.

General

content

short version

The story is told on two levels. On the one hand, the life of Lucius Aurelius Cassio in the second century AD is illuminated. On the other hand, the archaeologist Ornella Grazzi is trying to find out who Cassio's murderers were in the present day and thus herself is in danger.

main characters

  • Lucius Aurelius Cassio : He is the son of a Roman citizen and an Egyptian princess from Thebes . In his youth he lived in Ephesus . His eloquence helps him to become one of the most powerful and richest lawyers in Rome. He serves Emperor Antoninus Pius as a personal physician, whose mysterious powders work wonders. One morning in AD 145, his body was found pierced with four stab wounds.
  • Ornella Grazzi : A young archaeologist from Rome. Fascinated by the mysterious circumstances of Cassio's death, she wants to expose his murderers. Her discoveries put her herself in danger.
  • Lukas Tannhäuser : A rich elderly gentleman who is also interested in Cassio's story. It later turns out that Tannhäuser is working with the secret service.

Minor characters (The Four Murderers)

  • Caius Lernus Livion : A childhood friend of Cassios from Ephesus. The murder of Cassio's girlfriend turns him into Cassio's enemy.
  • Marcus Quintus Honorius : A Roman businessman from Antioch .
  • Antinoe : A wealthy prostitute from Alexandria .
  • Reptah : high priest of an almost forgotten Egyptian god.

Publications

The French-language original of the albums was published by Le Lombard between 2007 and 2015 .

Between January and April 2009, the first volume was printed in sequels in the comic magazine ZACK in Germany . After the first volume, the series was discontinued because it was too brutal. The first cycle (volumes 1–4) was finally published in 2011 as a complete edition by Mosaik Steinchen for Steinchen Verlag as ZACK Edition . From 2015 to 2019, the printing of the individual volumes in ZACK continued and the series was completed.

No. German title Magazine imprint in ZACK Original title ISBN (of the German edition)
1st cycle
1 The first killer # 115 - # 118 (Jan to Apr 2009) Le premier assassin (2007) ISBN 978-3-941815-67-4
2 - Le second coup (2009)
3 - La troisième plaie (2009)
4th - Le dernier sang (2010)
2nd cycle
5 The way to Rome # 188 - # 191 (Feb to May 2015) Le chemin de Rome (2012)
6th The call of suffering # 200 - # 203 (Feb to May 2016) L'appel de la souffrance (2012)
3rd cycle
7th A goddess awakening # 213 - # 216 (Mar to Jun 2017) Le réveil d'une déesse (2013)
8th The painter of death # 227 - # 230 (May to Aug 2018) Le peintre des morts (2014)
9 The realm of memories # 242 - # 246 (Aug to Dec 2019) L'empire des souvenirs (2015)

reception

“Cassio is clearly one of those historical crime series where the first volume raises more questions than answers. Thus, publishing all four volumes as "all-in-one" is not the worst. The story is very well thought out, lets the reader puzzle along from the beginning and only gives so many clues that one believes that one knows about the further course of events. [...] The drawings by Henri Reculé serve the cause. They are unspectacular and solid. There are no rambling landscape shots, no detailed building images or even an extravagant panel layout. The man has a handicraft skill, his people look good. That's enough to score. "

- Matthias Hofmann : splashcomics.de

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Matthias Hofmann: Comic Review - Cassio Complete Edition. In: splashcomics.de. June 6, 2011, accessed October 29, 2016 .