Redbeard
My first memory of me with a book is as I was 3 years old. A strange lady entered the room asked me what I was doing. It was a stupid question since I was sitting on a chair reading a book!
So I told her with a straight face: I am reading. she told me I was not, since I hold the book up side down! Might be she is not able to read that way but I was and I still am.
My favorite uncle was like me. He did not like to sit up, shake hands, hug or kiss. He didn't talk much and staying with him was great. We were not bothering each other or keeping up appearances. We both were not very socialized.
I loved to read his comics about the pirate Redbeard (Barbe Rouge, first publication October 1959). Especially if I could read them hide partly in his closet. So that was what I did most of the time. Reading and hiding.
Redbeard is a pirate of French origin. After a troublesome youth he went roaming the seven seas for gold and fortune on his ship, the Black Falcon. He has gathered a great fortune over the years, most of which was hidden in the Florida Everglades.
Eric Lerouge ("the red", although his hair is blond!), is the adopted son of Redbeard. In 1715, Redbeard found young Eric during a raid on a ship, while abandoned by his parents (who were killed in the attack). Eric's true name is Thierry de Montfort. He is a nobleman, but the claim to his father's name has been lost. Eric dislikes the pirate life. He does not want to succeed Redbeard, and choose to lead an honest life, however many obstacles lay in his path. He has studied at the Royal Navy in London by using a fake name. He tried to earn a living as a captain on a tradeship, but Redbeard keeps coming back into his life, needing him for one of his jobs.
Tripod (called that for his wooden leg and walking stick) is Redbeard's righthand. He is an inventor, geographer, and also has great knowledge of surgery and strategy and speaks Latin fluently. In fact, he has multiple wooden legs, each containing hidden tools, medicines or weapons. One leg is even modified into a rifle.
Baba is an escaped slave of African origin, being abducted by slave traders from the Gulf of Guinea. He was freed by Redbeard, and choose to remain as his loyal servant. Strong like a bull, and can swim like a dolphin. He had a sister called Aïcha, but she was killed in Algiers while helping Eric to escape.
The Black Falcon is the name of Redbeard's ship. There have been at least 4 different ships, as it sometimes was destroyed during battle. This first Falcon was a Brig, that was blown up by Redbeard himself after it had been captured by the Spanish. The second Black Falcon was a three-masted barque, and it burned while being sieged by the pirate Alvarez. The third Falcon was also a three-masted barque, but with a very narrow hull. It also had extended rigging and bigger sails, that could be raised and lower from the deck itself. Next to regular cannons, it featured two extremely heavy cannons (30cm caliber), named after Gog and Magog. Also there were 30 connected muskets, that could be fired at once. The ship could also drop Naval mines. Finally, there was a hidden surprise in the form of Greek fire: copper tubes could spray this substance over the water and onto enemy ships. The ship gained its nickname the ship from hell in the siege of Algiers, causing mass mayhem and turning a great portion of the city into ashes. However it was blown up again by Redbeard, as there was no escape possible from the Dardanelles near Istanbul. The fourth Back Falcon is again a regular three-masted barque.
The series was very popular in France, Belgium and The Netherlands, but has not yet been published in English. In late seventies and early eighties, most of the classic episodes were also published in Yugoslavia (in the Serbian language) under the name Demon s Kariba (Demon of the Caribbean). In Croatia, the series was first published under the name Crvenobradi but later under the name Riđobradi (in the Croatian language). In Germany, the series is known under the name: Der rote Korsar, and in Denmark 5 albums have been published under the name Rødskæg. In the seventies two episodes were published in Finland, under the name Punaparta, and in Portugal 5 Barba Ruiva albums have been published.
So I told her with a straight face: I am reading. she told me I was not, since I hold the book up side down! Might be she is not able to read that way but I was and I still am.
My favorite uncle was like me. He did not like to sit up, shake hands, hug or kiss. He didn't talk much and staying with him was great. We were not bothering each other or keeping up appearances. We both were not very socialized.
I loved to read his comics about the pirate Redbeard (Barbe Rouge, first publication October 1959). Especially if I could read them hide partly in his closet. So that was what I did most of the time. Reading and hiding.
Redbeard is a pirate of French origin. After a troublesome youth he went roaming the seven seas for gold and fortune on his ship, the Black Falcon. He has gathered a great fortune over the years, most of which was hidden in the Florida Everglades.Eric Lerouge ("the red", although his hair is blond!), is the adopted son of Redbeard. In 1715, Redbeard found young Eric during a raid on a ship, while abandoned by his parents (who were killed in the attack). Eric's true name is Thierry de Montfort. He is a nobleman, but the claim to his father's name has been lost. Eric dislikes the pirate life. He does not want to succeed Redbeard, and choose to lead an honest life, however many obstacles lay in his path. He has studied at the Royal Navy in London by using a fake name. He tried to earn a living as a captain on a tradeship, but Redbeard keeps coming back into his life, needing him for one of his jobs.
Tripod (called that for his wooden leg and walking stick) is Redbeard's righthand. He is an inventor, geographer, and also has great knowledge of surgery and strategy and speaks Latin fluently. In fact, he has multiple wooden legs, each containing hidden tools, medicines or weapons. One leg is even modified into a rifle.
Baba is an escaped slave of African origin, being abducted by slave traders from the Gulf of Guinea. He was freed by Redbeard, and choose to remain as his loyal servant. Strong like a bull, and can swim like a dolphin. He had a sister called Aïcha, but she was killed in Algiers while helping Eric to escape.
The Black Falcon is the name of Redbeard's ship. There have been at least 4 different ships, as it sometimes was destroyed during battle. This first Falcon was a Brig, that was blown up by Redbeard himself after it had been captured by the Spanish. The second Black Falcon was a three-masted barque, and it burned while being sieged by the pirate Alvarez. The third Falcon was also a three-masted barque, but with a very narrow hull. It also had extended rigging and bigger sails, that could be raised and lower from the deck itself. Next to regular cannons, it featured two extremely heavy cannons (30cm caliber), named after Gog and Magog. Also there were 30 connected muskets, that could be fired at once. The ship could also drop Naval mines. Finally, there was a hidden surprise in the form of Greek fire: copper tubes could spray this substance over the water and onto enemy ships. The ship gained its nickname the ship from hell in the siege of Algiers, causing mass mayhem and turning a great portion of the city into ashes. However it was blown up again by Redbeard, as there was no escape possible from the Dardanelles near Istanbul. The fourth Back Falcon is again a regular three-masted barque.
The series was very popular in France, Belgium and The Netherlands, but has not yet been published in English. In late seventies and early eighties, most of the classic episodes were also published in Yugoslavia (in the Serbian language) under the name Demon s Kariba (Demon of the Caribbean). In Croatia, the series was first published under the name Crvenobradi but later under the name Riđobradi (in the Croatian language). In Germany, the series is known under the name: Der rote Korsar, and in Denmark 5 albums have been published under the name Rødskæg. In the seventies two episodes were published in Finland, under the name Punaparta, and in Portugal 5 Barba Ruiva albums have been published.
