This compilation of stories about two plucky father-and-son explorers takes its cue from traditional adventure comics for children.

Comics

In the first story, Nikkarin dispatches the experienced climber and travel writer Hubert and his teenage son Hugo to the Chinese mountains, where they come across a mysterious temple housing a supernatural being. The story revolves around them having to defeat this creature – an intelligent octopus – at table tennis. A similarly light-hearted approach, using humour, hyperbole and improbable scenarios, is to be found in the other stories, which take the characters to various locations (both real and imaginary) in the Czech Republic and abroad. Despite experiencing action-packed stories worthy of Tintin or Indiana Jones, our two heroes remain endearingly down-to-earth and at times even fragile: the father, Hubert, acts like an intellectual from the 1930s, while Hugo is a quick-witted if occasionally blundering boy. Here the experienced author of comics for adults has opted for a softer, earthier and homelier style full of bright colours and rounded lines.

Nikkarin (1987) makes his living as a comics artist and book illustrator. His artwork has accompanied a number of children’s stories and he is also the author of the Super Spellsword Saga (2019) and the comic-book series 130 (2015). He is the winner of a Muriel Award. He finds inspiration for the adventures of Hubert and Hugo in old books which he tracks down during expeditions to second-hand bookshops. In his spare time he plays computer games, builds Lego with his son or goes for walks in the forest. He enjoys drawing in cafés, listening to podcasts and drinking Coke. He lives with his family in Olomouc.