Yann & Schwartz introduced us to Atom Agency two years ago with Les Bijoux de la Begum (Dupuis), bringing up to date the old-fashioned atmosphere of chic thrillers of the 1950s while resurrecting the somewhat heavy atmosphere of the post-war period. Today comes the sequel… While the police are on edge because they can not capture public enemy number one, René la Canne, Jean Gabin and Jean Marais call on Atom Vercorian and his associates to find the trace of "Little Hanneton". Behind this curious surname hides in fact a missing nurse whom they both met in 1945 during the German debacle.
Atom Agency: Polar and Parisian titi atmosphere
As always with Yann, the script is well structured and the plot smoothly conducted. We can expect no less from an old briscard like him. So we meet period mobsters, forts of the halls with flowery language, we walk with Atom and his little sisters in a funfair that is reminiscent of that of Casse-pipe à la Nation of Malet and Tardi or we make bad encounters in the slums of the Parisian suburbs. Schwartz, for his part, obviously likes to give life to this retro story that evokes in turn the cinema of Grangier or Becker or the good old albums of Gil Jourdan, jewel of the classic comic strip of the school of Marcinelle. We will also recognize the inspector "Krutonian" and even the hero-flagship of Tillieux at the corner of a box.
Some regrets however
Once again, the album's flaws come solely from the writer; or rather, the dialoguist. Because if Yann undoubtedly knows how to properly structure a story to make it interesting, he can not get rid of the faults that have characterized him for a few years now. Namely his obsession with the Second World War and the overabundance of regional, indigenous, slang or other languages that sometimes make reading tedious or even off-putting. While this may work with an adult audience, it is not certain that a younger readership will benefit from it. 
By lightening the dialogues of its heavy vocabulary, the story would be more fluid and pleasant to read. Let's hope that the message is heard and that Du mouron pour deux petits moineaux (volume 3 announced on the back cover) will be a more frank success than its two predecessors who deserve to be stopped anyway. Petit Hanneton is a classic detective adventure that will delight nostalgic and enthusiasts of the French 1950s. Schwartz's graphic talent is certainly the most undeniably successful part of the album and despite Yann's traditional heaviness, we like to read this adventure that could have been even more satisfying without it. We are still waiting for volume 3 with envy.
