Some French bande dessiné fun
Sep. 23rd, 2009 12:29 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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scans_dailyWhen I die, bury me at a FNAC, or the Virgin store on the Champs-Élysées.
I adore bookshops, I always have. Give me a FRENCH bookshop, with a normally huge BD and manga section (Plus Saint Seiya toys galore), and I can happily wander for hours, and hours and hours, browsing, leafing and buying probably more than I can afford.
On my most recent trip I came across this, and something about the style just appealed to be me immensely. There's a sort of "classic Disney" meets "Iron Giant" meets "Ben 10" meets "Creature Workshop" feel to it, but with it's own delightful spin.
So, and following arilou_skiff's request for Frano-Belgian stuff, may I present D-P Filippi and J Etienne's "Gargouilles".
The following are 12 partial pages from a 48 page album. This is volume 1, "Le Voyageur", there are already at least three other volumes, which I will investigate purchasing next time I'm over... (Apologies for the quality of a couple of these scans, the pages are just larger than my scanner's flatbed. I also won't be showing much of a narrative here, so much as some of the beautiful set pieces the artist shows)
Meet Grégoire Manerant and his family, who are arriving at their new home in a new town. (His Dad and sister have already arrived to set up his Dad's practice as a child psychiatrist)
Greg notes that they're living next to a church AGAIN, but his mother explains it's not actually a church, it's a college.
As his mother struggles up the stairs with luggage, Gregoire's dad makes a fuss of him, and leaves her outside.
It's safe to say that Gregoire's sister chose JUST the wrong moment to ask her harassed mother if she'd remembered to bring her lipstick.
Gregoire isn't thrilled by this move, and the situation is made worse by a visit from his Aunt Agathe, who not only visits, but has brought him a present; a delightful pink pullover (with a cape-clad baby appliqué'd on the back for some unimaginable reason) that would be just PERFECT for his first day at his new school... Oh yeah, that won't get him killed.
Whislt trying to plausibly "lose" the pullover, Grégoire runs afoul of some local bullies, but he manages to escape by climbing the side of the church/college where he finds the view is rather terrific.
He gets home and gets into trouble for damaging his pullover, AND staying out later than he should. But that night he can't sleep for another reason, there's a glow in his bedroom, coming from under the floorboards...
With what appears to be a mysterious glowing map of the church (I know it's a college, but it'll be easier to refer to it as a church) he climbs to the roof again.. But discovers that it has some other properties...
Like, say... transporting you through time, and altering your clothing to match the era.
Oh, and there's a talking gargoyle, who asks Gregoire to get out of the way because there's a squadron of Griffins coming in for a landing.
It was this next page that sold me on this title...
So many wonderful, designs in these pages, the three headed Griffins, gargolyes (including the one acting as a tour guide), fairies, dryads, the... whatever they are that are causally ignoring the laws of gravity so they can sit oround on a wall... some sort of were-otter... It's like Dr Seuss getting hold of Bullfiches mythology whilst on some REALLY good pot.
Gregoire thinks he's dreaming for the most part, so when his mother calls him to supper, he dashes off, assuming that he will wake up
Again, this next page just for the richness of the imagery.
There's enough here for a half dozen spinoffs, no?
Lots of things happen; hunting for lost Lutins (the little goblin guys in the yellow hats) the discovery of a magic bracelet, the discovery that his entire family, including, alas, Aunt Agatha have analogues (and just as awful dress sense) and he has a life in the past, but there's always weirdness SOMEWHERE around..
Alas, there are also dangers, as Gregoire discovers in a truly horrifying chamber...
And it culminates in a confrontation with the Aunt Agatha analogue, who it turns out is a sort of demonic cheerleader and her gang of goblins.
Luckily Gregoire has help of his own, which he summons by blowing a magic whistle...
It ends with Gregoire returning to the here and now, but clearly this isn't the end of his story, and a lot of the characters seem to know more about events than they're letting on.
Wouldn't this look just wonderful as an animated movie? I mean, seriously?
I adore bookshops, I always have. Give me a FRENCH bookshop, with a normally huge BD and manga section (Plus Saint Seiya toys galore), and I can happily wander for hours, and hours and hours, browsing, leafing and buying probably more than I can afford.
On my most recent trip I came across this, and something about the style just appealed to be me immensely. There's a sort of "classic Disney" meets "Iron Giant" meets "Ben 10" meets "Creature Workshop" feel to it, but with it's own delightful spin.
So, and following arilou_skiff's request for Frano-Belgian stuff, may I present D-P Filippi and J Etienne's "Gargouilles".
The following are 12 partial pages from a 48 page album. This is volume 1, "Le Voyageur", there are already at least three other volumes, which I will investigate purchasing next time I'm over... (Apologies for the quality of a couple of these scans, the pages are just larger than my scanner's flatbed. I also won't be showing much of a narrative here, so much as some of the beautiful set pieces the artist shows)
Meet Grégoire Manerant and his family, who are arriving at their new home in a new town. (His Dad and sister have already arrived to set up his Dad's practice as a child psychiatrist)
Greg notes that they're living next to a church AGAIN, but his mother explains it's not actually a church, it's a college.
As his mother struggles up the stairs with luggage, Gregoire's dad makes a fuss of him, and leaves her outside.
It's safe to say that Gregoire's sister chose JUST the wrong moment to ask her harassed mother if she'd remembered to bring her lipstick.
Gregoire isn't thrilled by this move, and the situation is made worse by a visit from his Aunt Agathe, who not only visits, but has brought him a present; a delightful pink pullover (with a cape-clad baby appliqué'd on the back for some unimaginable reason) that would be just PERFECT for his first day at his new school... Oh yeah, that won't get him killed.
Whislt trying to plausibly "lose" the pullover, Grégoire runs afoul of some local bullies, but he manages to escape by climbing the side of the church/college where he finds the view is rather terrific.
He gets home and gets into trouble for damaging his pullover, AND staying out later than he should. But that night he can't sleep for another reason, there's a glow in his bedroom, coming from under the floorboards...
With what appears to be a mysterious glowing map of the church (I know it's a college, but it'll be easier to refer to it as a church) he climbs to the roof again.. But discovers that it has some other properties...
Like, say... transporting you through time, and altering your clothing to match the era.
Oh, and there's a talking gargoyle, who asks Gregoire to get out of the way because there's a squadron of Griffins coming in for a landing.
It was this next page that sold me on this title...
So many wonderful, designs in these pages, the three headed Griffins, gargolyes (including the one acting as a tour guide), fairies, dryads, the... whatever they are that are causally ignoring the laws of gravity so they can sit oround on a wall... some sort of were-otter... It's like Dr Seuss getting hold of Bullfiches mythology whilst on some REALLY good pot.
Gregoire thinks he's dreaming for the most part, so when his mother calls him to supper, he dashes off, assuming that he will wake up
Again, this next page just for the richness of the imagery.
There's enough here for a half dozen spinoffs, no?
Lots of things happen; hunting for lost Lutins (the little goblin guys in the yellow hats) the discovery of a magic bracelet, the discovery that his entire family, including, alas, Aunt Agatha have analogues (and just as awful dress sense) and he has a life in the past, but there's always weirdness SOMEWHERE around..
Alas, there are also dangers, as Gregoire discovers in a truly horrifying chamber...
And it culminates in a confrontation with the Aunt Agatha analogue, who it turns out is a sort of demonic cheerleader and her gang of goblins.
Luckily Gregoire has help of his own, which he summons by blowing a magic whistle...
It ends with Gregoire returning to the here and now, but clearly this isn't the end of his story, and a lot of the characters seem to know more about events than they're letting on.
Wouldn't this look just wonderful as an animated movie? I mean, seriously?
no subject
Date: 2009-09-22 11:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-23 12:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-23 12:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-23 12:35 am (UTC)In this case it's a balance I think, the scenes I've shown are the more dramatic ones, but there are moments of domestic and school comedy too. and the fantastic creatures on the church are sort of played for laughs. I think "The Iron Giant" would be a good comparison here.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-23 03:48 am (UTC)You should see the "Donjon" series. Purely cartoonish art and style, with funny animal characters, and a bit of a sense of humour. It's also a series with dark, dramatic action, which only seems to get bleaker with each new title. And I love the heck out of it.
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Date: 2009-09-23 12:01 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2009-09-23 12:27 am (UTC)Why didn't I pay more attention in french class. I was so lazy in high school. Then in college I was better for a while till I got really lazy again >_>
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Date: 2009-09-23 01:24 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2009-09-23 02:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-23 02:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-23 01:29 pm (UTC)If you'd like a translation of the dialogue, I'd be happy to oblige. God knows I need the practice, I've only been out of school a few months and already I'm forgetting everything XD
no subject
Date: 2009-09-23 08:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-23 09:07 pm (UTC)Page 1 -
Gregoire: And we're living opposite a church again!
Page 2 -
[Panel 1] Dad: Come on, I'll show you around!
[Panel 3] Dad: Hello dear! Was the journey okay?
[Panel 4] Dad: You saw, these are my first patients/ They're in the same school as your sister and you.
Gregoire: Are they sick in the head?
[Panel 5] Dad: No! They have some worries and I help them make them disappear.
Sister: Mum, did you remember my lipstick?
Page 3 -
[Panel 1] "I think this pullover will do you very well!"
[Panel 2] Mum: Now, Gregoire, I hope you've thanked your aunt properly.
Gregoire: Thankyou, auntie!
[Panel 3] Gregoire: I've finished! Can I go out, mum?
Mum: Of course, dear, but don't stay out too late.
Aunt: Ah, yes, tomorrow is the first day back at school! With that pullover, everyone will be jealous of you...
[Panel 4] Gregoire: That's it! I just need for someone to see me with this horror, and my reputation's done for life!
Page 4 -
[Panel 1] Gregoire: Not only are there no curtains, but I also have the neighbours' lights!
[Panel 3] Gregoire: ['Mince' is literally 'thin', no idea quite what it's supposed to mean here] I've found treasure!
[Panel 4] Gregoire: Oh, no! I should have said, a map.
[Panel 7] Gregoire: Good, well then, it's time for a treasure hunt.
Page 5 -
[Panel 2] Gregoire: Good, it'll be enough to find my way by looking at the two arrows, that should be easy.
[Panel 3] Gregoire: Whoa!
[Panel 6] Gregoire/Gargoyle: Hey!
[Panel 7] Gargoyle: Move over a bit, fellow! I've a flight of griffins to get landed!
no subject
Date: 2009-09-23 09:53 pm (UTC)This is very impressive work by the way!
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Date: 2009-09-23 09:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-23 09:28 pm (UTC)[no dialogue]
Page 7 -
[Panel 3] Statue: Stay well behind me, I'll take you to your quarters.
[Panel 6] Gregoire: That's not okay, are you crazy?!
Statue: You wanted to know if you were dreaming or not. Now you know you're not.
Page 8 -
[Panel 1] Gregoire: Yes, yes! I don't have much time, I've got to wake up!
[Panel 2] Gregoire: It's getting urgent, even!...
[Panel 3] Gregoire: I'm going to wake up! I'm going to wake up!
Page 9 -
[Panel 1] Gargoyle: You fall well, we haven't got the count before departure done. These little monsters can't stay still for thirty seconds!
[Panel 2] Gregoire: In fact, it's not exactly that. I want to go home. You haven't seen a shining medal, by any chance? A sort of talisman?
Gargoyle: No, nothing like that. Where is it, your place?
[Panel 3] Gregoire: Well, it's here, but a bit later, by at least a century or two, I don't really know...hey, that's practical!
Gargoyle: You don't really know...Fine, as you see, we're rather occupied at the moment. Now, if you have an idea, that will be quicker, and afterwards I'll be able to see what I can do for you. 88...89..90...
[Panel 4] Statue: No, no and no! That's enough of that, get in line so I can count you!
Gregoire: An idea...
Page 10 -
[no dialogue]
Page 11 -
[Panel 2] Gregoire: Ow!
[Panel 3] Gregoire: [I'm sorry, I haven't the foggiest idea what that first sentence means] I hadn't even finished the formula.
[Panel 4] Gregoire: Ah! That's better.
[Panel 5] Gregoire: Ulp!
[Panel 6] Gregoire: Why does it never go like I want?
[Panel 8] Gregoire: [Again, in this context, no idea about 'mince'] That did it!
Page 12 -
[Panel 2] Gregoire: D...down, dirty beasts!
[Panel 5] Gregoire: Why me?... I want my mummyyy!
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Date: 2009-09-23 10:42 am (UTC)I can't read a lick of French
Date: 2009-09-23 08:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-23 06:19 pm (UTC)Sorry, I don't mean to be relentlessly criticizing French comics. Let me see, I thought a lot of the stories in Metal Hurlant were pretty cool, despite the Conan-style chauvinism. Wait, what was that French comic that Marvel recently translated and published? Not the sci-fi Roman empire one, the one that was an allegorical attack on Bush and neoliberalism. There was a Dirty Dozen suicide squad and the Earth was all blowed up. It started out slow but I really liked it by the second volume.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-23 06:47 pm (UTC)Some of Herge's output was racist, but since at the time such things were common, whilst reprehensible in hindsight he was hardly the sole, or by any means the worst, offender. Plus with the likes of "Tintin in Tibet" I'd say he made a definite attempt to rectify things. Sexism hardly features since very few female characters feature, and Bianca Castiafiore is more of a caricature than anything else.
And I really can't hold a borderline broad farce like Asterix tends to be particularly guilty of racism or xenophobia, since they make as many jokes about the French as they do about anyone else. It's a comedy of stereotypes without much claim to reality and that's half the charm.
Plus whilst you may not enjoy the BD you've picked up, the joy is that there are always plenty more to pick from, in a wide variety of themes and styles.
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Date: 2009-09-23 07:01 pm (UTC)I think I love you.
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Date: 2009-09-23 11:26 pm (UTC)Sure, one might claim that this racist depiction arose from ignorance and was not done out of any malicious intent, but racism born of ignorance is still racism. And I don't really hold with "that was just the way things were". As you can see from comparing the Asterix pirates with the original Barbe Rouge characters they were parodies of, it was perfectly possible to belong to Goscinny and Uderzo's generation and not draw a black man like an ink spot with large lips.
And shall I mention the story where Asterix and Obelix end up in the Americas and wind up living with stereotypical "How, white man" Plains Indians? I'll forgive the time displacement but not the geographical one. It would be like Asterix and Obelix landing in a Britain populated by Hungarians, but hey, white people are all the same anyway.
Anyway, I've skimmed through this list (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_characters_in_The_Adventures_of_Tintin) of female Tintin characters and the only other female I've found is Peggy Alcazar, the shrill harpy of a general's wife in Tintin and the Picaros. The absence of women is rather conspicuous with the only two examples being unpleasant and annoying creatures. Rather strange for Tintin the two-fisted punisher of spies and saboteurs not to be saving damsels, though the presence of women doesn't necessarily mean romance would have to be a plot element.
I'm suddenly remembering Tintin in Thailand, the Tijuana Bible or doujinshi showing Tintin and company getting their ashes hauled. I'm not making a crack about them looking for poon or whatever because Tintin explicitly wasn't - he's gay in the comic and only goes for the young boys. It wasn't very good, in fact it was shit but it was kind of interesting seeing sex inserted into the milieu of Tintin.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-25 09:16 am (UTC)