Thorgal: The 'Qa' series

Thorgal: The 'Qa' Series

One of the most memorable episodes in the 29 installments of the 'Thorgal' comic book series (albums de bandes dessinees) was the so-called 'Qa' series. 

It was a four-part series, originally issued by the Belgian publisher Lombard, and consisted of the titles Le Pays Qâ (1986), Les Yeux de Tanatloc (1986), La Cité du Dieu Perdu (1987), and Entre Terre et Lumière (1987).

In 2008 - 2009, Cinebook published an English translation of the four titles, partitioned into two graphic novels: The Land of Qa, and City of the Lost God.

There is a note in The Land of Qa that some of the contents in the original album are deleted in the English translation, so as not to give offence; I suspect this has to do with the depiction of the Aztecs' human sacrifices, mention of which is increasingly politically incorrect nowadays.

Both Grzegorz Rosinski and Jean Van Hamme were in top form with the 'Qa' series. Van Hamme's plot stays coherent for almost all of its length and keeps the story beats to a manageable number. He also throws just about every sci-fi or fantasy trope into this series: ancient astronauts, levitating sailing ships, telepathy, telekinesis, and alien artifacts. 

The series kicks off with Kriss of Valnor, the franchise's central villain, coercing Thorgal, his wife Aaricia, and friend Tjall, into journeying with her to the land of Qa (comprising Mexico and part of South America), and completing a mission that is short on details, but long on danger.

Interspersed with moments of violence and mayhem is some lighter fare, often revolving around the avuncular 'Tree Foot', the elderly guardian for Thorgal's son Jolan.

The artwork is impressive, as always, with Rosinski successfully rendering a variety of peoples and exotic landscapes. The 'Qa' series leaves no doubt that Rosinski was one of the top-tier graphic artists of the 1980s and 1990s.

Who will want a copy of The Land of Qa and City of the Lost God ? If you are a Thorgal fan, then these books are well worth getting. But if you are less well-acquainted with the franchise, but appreciate skilled art and story in a European style, then the books are a good investment. It's possible to get each book for under $20 from your usual online vendors.