Cover of the first book in the series
Started in 1990 and completed in 2004, with the English translation coming out in 2013, this Darker and Edgier adaptation of Sir James Matthew Barrie's work by Régis Loisel acts as a prequel of sorts, explaining how the boy known as Peter Pan came to be.
The series contains 6 books; written, drawn, and coloured by Loisel:
- Londres (London): In which we are introduced to a young boy named Peter who lives with his mother but spends most of his time either with Mr. Kundal or entertaining a gang of Street Urchins with his stories.
- Opikanoba
- Tempête (Tempest)
- Mains Rouges (Crimson Hands)
- Crochet (Hook)
- Destins (Fates)
Tropes:
- Alcoholic Parent: Peter's mother, which is the main reason why she is also an Abusive Parent.
- Ambiguous Situation: Did Peter witnessed his mother becoming Jack the Ripper's first victim or did he kill his mother, inspiring the witness of the murder, her lover, to become Jack the Ripper?
- And Your Reward Is Clothes: Non-videogame example for Tinker Bell, who is presented with "wasp-skin stockings" as a reward for fetching Peter to Neverland.
- Anyone Can Die: Well, if you remember them from the original story they're of course safe... but there are several characters here original to this prequel, and any of them are fair game.
- Berserk Button: For Tinker Bell, it's seeing any other woman so much as come near Peter. In the beginning, it seems like she's protective rather than jealous, given the blatant sexuality and often predatory natures of most of these women... but the Green-Eyed Monster becomes more apparent as the stories go on. Her hatred and jealousy drives her to murder the most innocent of her rivals, Rose.
- Breakout Character: Tinker Bell, or "Clochette," as her French name is, to the point that this version of her is just as well-known in France as Disney's version of the character.
- Cassandra Truth: During the first real meeting of Peter and the pirates, Peter tells that he came to Neverland by flying, helped by a fairy. Captain Hook's reaction is an angry "Do you think I'm an idiot?!"
- Clueless Chick-Magnet: Peter catches the eye and attractions about just about every woman in the story. Unlike in the original story, this is presented in a pretty disturbing way, as most of them are clearly adults and their focus on him often coming across as predatory.
- Composite Character: An in-story version, as Peter pretty much re-invents himself as one after the death of his friend Pan. He breathes in some of the ashes from the funeral pyre, begins styling his hair as Pan's and takes over his flute and his name, becoming "Peter Pan."
- Darker and Edgier: Much, much darker than J. M. Barrie's novel and play; every single sinister undertone present in the original story — and quite a few that the original story never had at all, like Peter's mother being Jack the Ripper's first victim — is painted out in gruesome detail here.
- Easy Amnesia: As in the original story, Neverland makes all its inhabitants forget the past; if something or someone isn't around anymore, they'll be forgotten after a while. Tinker Bell actually uses this to her advantage; after she's killed Rose she hides away from Peter and the others and waits for them to forget. The Neverlanders actually discuss this tactic, straight-up admitting that in a while they'll all have forgotten about Rose, and just welcome Tink back as if nothing happened — but there is nothing they can do to prevent themselves from forgetting. True enough, this is exactly what happens.
- Fairy Sexy: Tinker Bell, as should come as no surprise to anyone. This version is even curvier and more skimpily clad than the Disney version.
- Flanderization: In-universe example with Peter, presented as a sort of Sanity Slippage. He starts out as a fairly normal boy who often escapes into fantasy to cope with his harsh life, and who dreads the abusive and overly-sexual adults so prominent in his life. As a result of story events, these two traits dominate him more and more, until he becomes a somewhat disturbing Cloudcuckoolander with a hatred for adults and tendency to treat fantasy and reality as the same thing.
- Genius Ditz: Smee is presented as bumbling and scatterbrained, as always, but he has a number of really good ideas and plans... several of them rather sinister.
- Foregone Conclusion: Peter's going to take the Street Urchins with him to Neverland to become the Lost Boys, he's going to take on the name Peter Pan, he's going to cut off Hook's hand and throw it to the crocodile, where upon Hook will get his famous hook hand and become Captain Hook.
- Glad I Thought of It: As in the original, Peter constantly claims other people's ideas as his own.
- Heroic BSoD: Peter completely breaks down upon realizing that the death of his friend Pan was partially his fault.
- Hotter and Sexier: Unlike in the original, sex and sexuality are prominent in this comic, though most of it is presented with a very sinister and disturbing edge, and much of it is used to explore Peter's fanatical hatred of adults and utter refusal to become a "dirty adult" himself.
- Immune to Bullets: This comic explains why Hook doesn't Just Shoot the crocodile: He tries, but bullets just bounce off its skin.
- Karma Houdini: Tinker Bell never suffers any real consequences for murdering Rose, though it's because she takes advantage of the Neverland's tendency to make you forget; she simply hides away for a while until everyone's forgotten her crime.
- Manipulative Bastard: Hook tries to be this, but is really much too temperamental and prone to fits of rage to manage keeping it up for long.
- The Mentor: Mr. Kundal, the elderly doctor who teaches Peter to read and write.
- Never Smile at a Crocodile: The Trope Namer is of course in this story, and is probably one of the most nightmarish depictions of this particular beast ever. This version of the crocodile is a near-unstoppable killing machine who eats not only Hook's hand, but several pirates... as well as Rose.
- The Nicknamer: Peter likes to give people nicknames. In some cases he'll just decide on a nickname and just exclusively call the person by that name. tHis works out well for Tinker Bell, who likes the name he gives her so much that she adopts it as her own name... The satyr Pan, however, is less thrilled by his nickname "Goatfoot."
- Nipple and Dimed: The mermaids are unashamedly bare-breasted, to Tiger Lily's disapproval.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Tinker Bell, who is given that name by Peter during their first meeting. She likes it so much she adopts the name as her own. Her real name is never revealed.
- Same with Hook, who up until he loses his hand is just addressed as "Captain."
- Small Name, Big Ego: Peter is just as vain and self-glorifying here as he is in the original novel, but it takes some time before he actually gains the skills he boasts about.
- The Storyteller: Peter is introduced as this, telling stories to the Street Urchins, and it's on made clear that stories are an escape for him; especially when he tells them about his loving, kind, wonderful mother... and a few pages later we get to see the abusive drunk she is in reality. After some time in Neverland, he forgets his mother completely (which may be because he either killed her himself or was witness to her murder) and begins making up a mother who is all the things he believes a mother should be.
- Rose becomes the official storyteller for the Lost Boys; she's even brought along with them told that she can be the "campfire storyteller."
- Riddle for the Ages: There's the chance Peter Pan may actually be Jack the Ripper, and that the shady doctor that is seen around when the murders happens only convinced himself he may have been the murder without realizing it and eventually went crazy because of that. The matter is however kept vague enough that it's obvious the author himself wanted to enforce this trope.
- Street Urchin: Peter is friends with a group of them. They end up going with him to Neverland and becoming the Lost Boys.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Rose, for Wendy — or rather, since this is a prequel, Wendy will become one for Rose. Rose fulfills the same role as Wendy in the original story, being the "mother" of the Lost Boys, the storyteller, and pseudo-romantic Love Interest for Clueless Chick-Magnet Peter, who awakens Tinker Bell's jealousy enough that she plots to have her killed. The difference between them was that Wendy survives Tink's murder attempts... Rose doesn't.
- Villainous Breakdown: Hook gets one late in the story when he discovers that he might be Peter's father. This doubles his intent to murder the boy.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Hook can't stand the sight of his own blood, freaking out by the tiniest cut. Other people's blood, on the other hand, he not only tolerates but enjoys seeing.
