With the blood of the Immortals, Les Humanoïdes Associés continue their adaptation of Laurent Genefort's novels. Would you want to become immortal if you could?
Journey into unknown territory
After Thickskins published this summer, The Blood of the Immortals is the second adaptation of a science fiction novel by Laurent Genefort by screenwriter Françoise Ruscak and cartoonist Francesco Trifogli. This duo offers here a journey on a planet unexplored by humanity. An exploration ship on a mission to the planet Verfebro passes through a space gate, nothing abnormal in the future except that the crew has not given any news for six years. Even stranger, only one survivor is on board but he is unconscious. His logbook gives the solution. Animals killed all the other scientists. Once back to him, Rami Glarith explains that he survived by eating the meat of a local animal, Drac. He thinks that this food has not only strengthened him but that this blood of the Immortals is the source of eternal life. For no reason, he then commits suicide by throwing himself into the vacuum of space after destroying his logbook and hiding the coordinates of this planet. Two years later, a team goes hunting for the Drac…
A treasure hunt but what treasure?
Through this expedition in search of miraculous meat, the blood of the Immortals finds the codes of a treasure island on the scale of a planet. We first discover the main members of the expedition. An Affer man and a Nem' woman are two survival specialists, a scientific advisor, Dr. Teafor, must advise them and, strangely, Brother Jock of the Sandoctian order accompanies them. This religious participated in a third of the financing of the mission while the rest comes from a multinational drug company, Selfano. The mission starts very badly because, except for these four people, all the companions die a few minutes after arrival and then the ship sinks. With no way to warn their planet, this quartet becomes Robinsons in an unknown world surrounded by monsters. In the blood of the Immortals, each of the survivors has his reason for discovering the secret of immortality. The scientist is looking for a cure for her daughter. The priest fears that immortality means the death of human beings who no longer have a purpose in life. The multinational Selfano seeks profit. These different goals give rise to reflection and even debate among themselves on immortality. Is not dying again a chance to avoid death and illness or a condemnation to boredom and loss of meaning? This adventure story therefore contains a financial adventure, the quest for trophies, scientific research, the mystical quest and the escape of a broken love. Only the last third will reveal the mystery of this immortality. It can be noted that, unlike many science fiction stories, women are complex, far from gender stereotypes. 
Francesco Trifoli's drawing is very effective. Its fluid staging helps to understand the blood of the Immortals. The reader feels the pleasure he had in inventing this original fauna. As in the Aldebaran or Centaurus series, we also find this animal abundance. Trifoli's style is reminiscent of Leo by the faces and beautiful landscape pages. The reader can also discover more at the end of the volume because, as in his last three releases, the publisher adds bonuses with sketchbooks and an imaginary travel story on the fauna and flora of Verfebro. Through the combined talents of Laurent Genefort, Françoise Ruscak and Francesco Trifogli, The Blood of the Immortals succeeds in one volume to propose an adventure story, the exploration of a dangerous world and a reflection on death. The success of this complete story is a good overview of this series of adaptations by Laurent Genefort that makes you want to go back to discover Thickskin. If science fiction stories intrigue you, do not hesitate to read the chronicles on Amen and Invisible Kingdom.
