I love the way that they feel the need to point out that Elisa Correr’s adventures are not representative of the usual MEP routine.

That’s my favourite bit too.

We’re hit with a double off-putting whammy. Not only, we’re told, do “European Parliamentarians…not generally lead such dangerous lives as Elisa Correr”, but then, by way of “comfort”, we’re promised this as our compensatory “treat” – “nevertheless you can learn about the the work of an MEP, the ALDE political group, the European Parliament and the other European Institutions through this story”. Cor! I can hardly wait to get stuck into it after tea!

I also recall the book having massive speech bubbles some 1,500 words in length describing the intricate working of the European Union secretariat.

One can only imagine the reaction of an unfortunate little child duped into reading it by a zero-fun parent. Also, the grotesquely excessive wordiness of the balloons seems entirely fitting given the bodies involved. 1,500 words, in that world, must seem like a throwaway one-liner. Or an EU version of a punchy Batman “Thwonk!”

As far as I recall my one had another Captain Planet-esque plot involving shady industrial polluters. The European Parliament kicked their asses though, through a series of fascinating debates and subsequent parliamentary motions. I also recall the book having massive speech bubbles some 1,500 words in length describing the intricate working of the European Union secretariat. Fascinating stuff…

“Set in the European Parliament and the fictitious country Fang Dong, “Operation Red Dragonâ€? is the fictional story of Elisa Correr, an MEP who gets embroiled in a risky and fascinating adventure whilst in pursuit of her parliamentary activities.
European Parliamentarians do not generally lead such dangerous lives as Elisa Correr, nevertheless you can learn about the the work of an MEP, the ALDE political group, the European Parliament and the other European Institutions through this story.”

…all I could find were scoffing reports of it from the right-wing english press, which, of course, only whetted my appetite the more.

Anything that causes the right-wing English press to scoff is inevitably & invariably a good and worthy thing. Now I have to track down a copy. Will get on to the brother.

He was never really into comics that much…possibly as a result of reading said publication. The inner workings and minutiae of European Union beauracracy do not, funnily enough, make for the most chucklesome and funtastic reading.

At the end, after TIMEAGENT I.D. takes her leave and returns to the future, one of the clean cut Swiss teens receives the following (trans dimensional) SMS message from her on his phone:

Thanks for Everything! I love you! As soon as the Synchrotron is fixed I’ll be back!

He says – “I knew it: This is such a wonderful country that everybody wants to come back!”

His pal replies – “Even from the future!!”

Blah.

All we’re missing is a giant chorus of off-screen Swiss citizens chanting – “Sure aren’t we marvelous altogether!”

Its not like Swiss awesomeness (if such a thing exists) is evangelical in nature, forced to spread the word to others so that they too might become Switzers.

A few years ago the EU produced a similar piece of comicganda called “The Rasberry Ice Cream War”. I even picked up a copy, for its weird value, but never opened the covers, obv. Now I am filled with an urge to read it, but cannot find a copy anywhere on the web. For shame!