Noir Burlesque, written and drawn by Enrico Marini, although born from classic prototypes, is not a simple tribute to the genre. Instead, it goes beyond the established codes with exquisite control of the source to offer a living story of criminals, settling scores and femme fatales marked by a frenetic rhythm that brings something new and unique thanks to the particular, elegant and powerful visual display of Marini's universe, to the direct, raw and witty dialogues, and to a genuine and intense expression of the characters through sexuality (something that we could hardly find in films subjected to the Hays code in such an explicit and unfettered way).
Telling a story is like playing guitar. Infinite worlds spring up from a limited medium (six strings and twelve frets) executed with greater, lesser or no skill. In this case, the conjunction of the script and the images constantly make music heard in this graphic novel. It is not a solemn and boring melody. On the contrary, pure jazz is born from instinct, experience and know-how. It is effervescence, fun, challenge, sensuality and thrill. It's burlesque.
Thanks to a compelling plot punctuated by the wounds of a failed love between the protagonists, female and male characters full of strength, charisma and determination are revealed. Slick and Caprice live exposed in a harsh environment where love is a luxury they can't afford.
It seems that today "providing something new" means creating timeless fiction with deconstructed men and irreproachable women who instruct them on how they have to behave. The risky thing is to scratch the surface and show the dark side that vibrates from the depths and manifests itself cathartically through fiction, revealing contradictions, tenderness and the need for love in a world governed by moral filth. The light is displayed through the contrast with the shadow, and the result is a wide range of grey nuances with the colour red, a symbol of blood and disruption but also of love and passion, always present as that force called "desire" able to turn everything upside down when less expected. However, we will have to wait for the second book to enjoy the climax of this story.
In these times of self-censorship and neo-puritanism, Noir Burlesque is a breath of fresh air. The author has done what an artist should always do: being free no matter the consequences. So it is highly appreciated that Marini has not submitted to the censorious designs of people who make too much noise and read too few comics.
