Les Mystères de Paris; [The Mysteries of Paris]

Brussels: Jamar, 1843. First Edition. Hardcover. Very good. The Mysteries of Paris was a gigantic ingenuity, the steamy, tightly plotted harbinger of all noir, the first crime novel to combine multiple characters from all levels of urban society, the earliest mystery thriller developed to this degree, nearly the first detective novel, and the first to exploit the rewards of newspaper serialization (in Journal des Débats). Further, it was the first successful use of the novel for propaganda directed at the plight of the poor, causing such an uproar that it forced the French government to pass helpful legislation, and it lit a fire that became the 1848 revolution (prompting the 2nd republic), it established the notion of spotlight that produced the Uncle Tom's Cabin effect, and one of the book's concepts was a powerful literary model, because it reached into the 20th century as the origin of our modern, metropolitan superhero. Sue's historic prototype is Rodolphe, Prince of Gerolstein, a 19th century Batman, though the role of Robin is divided between Sir Walter, an Englishman, and David an accomplished Black doctor who used to be enslaved. Disguised as a painter of fans (the costume), Rodolphe roams the nighttime neighborhoods of squalor adjoining Notre Dame (the sentinel) on a moral crusade (the driving purpose) among those who find it inconvenient to be poor (the defended). He solves crimes (the detecting), captures the culpable (the action), protects the worthy (the belief), bares social injustices (the deed), represents the forces of good (the judgment), navigates all the social strata and classes (the access), and fights with his immense physical strength, wealth, and intelligence (the powers), against a carnival sideshow of preying, neo-Gothic villains. 16 vols. (15 vols. plus 1 vol. of epilogue) in 5. 1st edition (?). There were 4, sequentially issued editions dated 1842-1843 (all other editions either start after 1842 or conclude after 1843). This Jamar edition has vols. 1-III dated 1842 and vols. IV-epilogue dated 1843. Priority is not firm, but our Jamar edition is probably preceded by 2 other Brussels editions, one from Hen/Alph. Lebègue and one from Société belge de librairie Hauman, and it's likely parallel to a Paris edition from Gosselin, all 3 of those editions also dated 1842-1843. Full calf, very good, without half titles.