The popularity of Asterix – “Asterix et la Transitalique“ Orion Children’s Books, 2017 Writer: Jean-Yves Ferri We have previously written about the historical inaccuracy of Asterix. But we have not addressed the question: why is a story about two Gauls fighting Romans two millennia ago so popular? Thus far Asterix has spawned seven French language … Read more
SuperTokyoLand Top Shelf Productions, 2015 (English translation) Writer: Benjamin Reiss When bathing in that deepest of self-absorbed writing indulgence, the autobiography, there is a natural tendency for the unsophisticated towards apology, justification, or penitence. SuperTokyoLand is an autobiographical adventure of a French cartoonist’s extended stay in Japan, but has none of these things. As an … Read more
The comic book art style of ligne claire, best known globally through the work of Tintin, has its most ardent admirers in its continental birthplace. And so it should be no surprise that Paris is home, this month, to the openings of not one but two ligne claire exhibitions. Galerie Martel is exhibiting the work … Read more
Suite Française: Storm in June Arsenal Pulp Press, 2915 Writers: Irène Némirovsky (novel), Emmanuel Moynot (comic), David Homel (translator) The story behind the story has been told many times, and it is nonetheless well-worth repeating. Two daughters, Denise and Elisabeth Epstein, improbably escaped the Holocaust in World War 2, assisted by a German officer who … Read more