PUBLISHERS WEEKLY --A bestseller that became a featurefilm in France, this lighthearted, character-driven comics series by Lupano( Sea of Love ) delivers more depth than typical quirky old man jokes. Thefirst volume collects two stories featuring three elderly heroes-Pierrot,Antoine, and Emile-who are lifelong political leftists/anarchists and closefriends. In the opening tale, Pierrot and Emile embark on a road trip to preventAntoine from exacting revenge upon an ex-boss who had an affair with Antoine'sdeceased wife decades ago. The second installment continues the theme of pastrelationships haunting the present, as Pierrot comes to believe that the womanhe loved long ago is still alive-which leads to extreme complications.Throughout, the cast's past lives are fleshed out amid present-day politicalcommentary, such as when Antoine's pregnant granddaughter, Sophie, delivers arant to a cooing group of grandmothers against the "worstgeneration" ("You vote for the right, you've sacrificed the entireplanet."). Lupano also lampoons the more outrageous aspects of leftistgroups, as when an aged fellow activist uses his ability to "empty out hiscolon on request" to befoul gatherings of the bourgeoisie. Cauuet'sdetailed cartooning is superbly expressive.

This mix of farce and politics, withequal parts charm and passion, is poised to win over American fans. (July).