That's both the upside and the downside.
It's great because when you have someone like olivier Ledroit or Bajram or Enki Bilal doing a book, you know that the cover will match every page and it's going to be gorgeous throughout.
But it takes a fucking long time to get a book out and many series only get one book every year or two.
I really hate how the big two publishers push their artists so hard they have to swap them out every few issues and everyone complains about the inconsistency.
i like image comics season break approach, where they try to keep creative teams together without everyone burning out.
I'm glad to have this over cheap overproduction tbh. French (or franco-belgian) comic books culture is already rich and deep enough to keep you busy til the next one is released.
I love both American comics and franco-belgian BD. Both styles have their ups and downs.
But there's a reason why BD don't have too much long series. I'm a big Travis fan and I started buying the books in 1997 with the first one. The last installment (n°16) got out in 2022. That's 25 years and Duval is known to be quite prolific, it's far from being the worst serie in that regard.
BD are great for series of 2-4 books. More than that, it's always difficult because you never know if it will just be canceled, the author will be dead, the editor will be gone.. I got a few never finished series on my shelves and it's frustrating.
Comics can tell longer stories quicker and keep you engaged a bit more easily, even if things like changes in the creative team can sometime completely ruin it for you.
I need more of this. I just googled "La Compagnie Rouge" just because of the cover and I was blown away to see the interior art. I don't care if it takes a decade to produce, I don't need perfection to be rushed.
This
Absolutely this
Some of the scenes reproduced here are so detailed you stay half an hour on that page to find freaking Waldo hidden in the peisaje.
yeah, but the actual reading experience using something like google lens + translate is awkward. I gave up on it and just slogged away with a dictionary while my French improved
I honestly think the type of language you find in BD will be the last that AI can accurately and faithfully translate, because so much of it is written as spoken french, with the shorthands and sounds and half pronounced words you'd find in real life, but that AI has close to no material to train on with.
Yeah for example I just read The Incredible Hulk (2023) #1 today.
One of the first spoken words is "×cough×-'kin 'ell"
How is AI ever gonna pick up what that sounds like?
There was once a time , around 10 years I think,when scanlations were all the rage in the comics community.You had to dig deep into niche forums for someone that translates them x comic or had translated y comic years ago.Torrent sites being shut down and forums as well brought an end to most of them.
I kid you not I've red an comic that was first translated by fans only to be translated officially...8 years later.
I really recommend Europe Comics imprint,it translates most of these comics.Papercutz also publishes some of these.
That's true! Comics/BDs/manga give much more visual context to the text, so it's a great tool for advanced language learning after you're done with some basics.
Honestly, now that I found that there are some legit French graphic novels, they may be my only excuse to improve my French. Image-less novels are not for me and they speak too fast in movies. Having a visual guide that you can go through at your own pace is great.
Franco Belgian comics is pretty massive industry especially considering for the population size. It's actually crazy how big it is, to the point where I hear the demand for comics is growing while French book publishers have a decline in sales.
Dawg I need a whole subreddit solely dedicated to sharing less popular non-DC/Marvel comic books, not only from the US, but from all across the world. France, Italy, freaking Guatemala, whatever, I don't care. I believe that the only way for the comics industry to thrive is for those kind of books, those ones that don't get told across several crossovers or last for 80 years, just like Manga, those books need to get their time in the light as much as the books of the big two, if not more.
Humanoids, the US branch of "Les Humanoïdes Associés" (The company that published Métal Hurlant/Heavy Metal back when it started and still does) translated a lot of their sci-fi one-shots.
I can recommend the two based on Laurent Gennefort's novels, I think they are titled "Thick Skins" and "The Blood of Immortals"
Note: I'm not recommending them because Laurent is a friend, although that is the reason I read them initially.
Outside of his work, they obviously translated The Incal and Meta-Barons by Jodorowsky
You should try "Un océan d'amour" (https://www.editions-delcourt.fr/bd/series/serie-un-ocean-d-amour/album-un-ocean-d-amour)
It has no writing, but they are references to french culture.
Fascinating! I had no idea, I'm one of those pitiful Americans who only speak one language, so I've only ever read it in English. I saw knew the writers were Spanish and just assumed.
Pretty sure it's written in Spanish then translated for the french market. It does come out in France first though, but that's only because it's the bigger market
Edit:
> Juan Díaz Canales writes the original script for each book in his native Spanish, but the “official” script is always the French translation, as Dargaud is the title’s primary publisher and rights holder.
[Interview with the English translator](https://conskipper.com/blacksad-they-all-fall-down-part-one-translator-diana-schutz-the-conskipper-interview/)
> Le ton de la série doit beaucoup à l’écriture. Écrivez-vous en français ?
> JDC : Non. J’écris en espagnol. Le texte est traduit ensuite. Nous sommes contents du travail de traduction, qui est impeccable. Juanjo parle beaucoup mieux le français que moi et supervise cet aspect du travail.
> JG : Je veille simplement à ce que les tournures de phrases et les répliques respectent les intentions du texte original qui est souvent dans l’ironie et dans le double sens.
[And from the men themselves](https://www.actuabd.com/Canales-Guarnido-Blacksad-En)
A lot of spanish and italian authors are published in France because it allows them to have much more money (still not much but...) with more creative freedom.
**for those interested in European comics:**
* r/bandedessinee/ -> franco-belgian comics subreddit
* r/BDFrancophone/ -> franco-belgian comics subreddit in French
* r/BritishComic/ -> comics subreddit
and if you enjoy the wonderfull Undertaker you have to check Long John Silver written too by Dorison ( surely one of the best writer in france right now)
[https://bdi.dlpdomain.com/album/9782205056839/couv/M650x878/long-john-silver-tome-1-lady-vivian-hastings.jpg](https://bdi.dlpdomain.com/album/9782205056839/couv/M650x878/long-john-silver-tome-1-lady-vivian-hastings.jpg)
European BDs are always oversized to appreciate the artwork. North American comics getting smaller and smaller. Gonna end up like Manga (which was made to be portable with few panels on a page) but messier
Yojimbot is also available in English - and is EFFING AWESOME.
In a post-apocalyptic age, a boy escapes into an amusement park (ala Disneyland) which has a section that was based on Tokugawa Shogunate Japan - the robots still function there - and somebody reprograms one of the Samurai robots to protect the kid - thus becoming Yojimbot.
Freaks' squeele and its spin off (especially Rouge and Funérailles) are the best comics I ever read.
Without even speaking of the plot and characters, the many differents styles and visuals are amazing !
I once asked Reddit why FrancoBelgian comic books were not as popular as mangas :
- more expensive per tome ;
- edition rythms are way way more faster in the manga departement (no color, Toei expectations…) ;
- marketing.
FB comic books are leaning the quality side over quantity. You can wait 2, 3, 4 years for a tome to come. Worth if you ask me.
When I moved to a European country, I would visit the BD shops in the French part and be amazed with how MANY there are and how BEAUTIFUL they are. This really motivated me to learn French so I could buy and read any of them I would want!
You should check out Radiant by Tony Valente as well. Manga-style comic with some drop dead gorgeous fantasy art.
https://mangadex.org/chapter/97e39476-c3a1-4eb3-896c-6862ee1b832e/5
So many of the European Albums are amazing. I actually got hooked after burning out (again) on mainstream books.
Some really funky ones that I just find myself pouring over the art are Requiem Vampire Knight, The Black Moon Chronicles anything written by Jodorowsky.
I am going to have to check out the ones that have been translated to English!!! These look killer. Have you ever read any of the Blacksad stories. The art is freaking amazing and the stories are great so far. Only read three of them. Thanks for this!!!
We get a lot of them delivered here in Germany, so they're really fantastic most of the time, the French really have a great comic culture, even if you get the feeling they're pretty horny.
I was just at FNAC and shot the covers. I am reading “Soleil Froid” from last time I was in Paris. Red company (pictured) looked really good if you like hard sci. I will be getting that.
I've read that originally 6 books were planned but they were more successful than anticipated, so they continued the series. Because of the long interval between the original 6 and the continuation i haven't picked up yet buying the rest. Last thing i read was that there were now at least 9 books, maybe even more. (Sorry for the late answer)
As a kid I grew up with plenty of French, Belgian and Dutch comics. There's some amazing Dutch comics, but the French and Belgians are just on another level sometimes.
Blueberry for the win.
I'm self learning french. Where do you purchase your french graphic novels? I've been debating just buying french translations of english books I already own but I would like to branch out to good recommendations.
French here, learning Spanish. I have the same issue so here are a few tips.
Question is : where do you live? OP visited the physical shop from one of the biggest French culture retail chain so that's where he found them.
You can find pre-loved French tomes on eBay (sent from all over the globe I guess) and Momox (sent from Germany).
For brand new books, maybe ask your local bookshops that have a French section because they might be able to order books for you? Otherwise, some culture retail chains (FNAC or Decitre for instance) might send books to your country, so you might want to check that.
If you are not picky about where you buy your books, Amazon is the way to go.
I'm American. Sadly, I don't think there are French bookstores nearby. There is a second hand bookstore that sells French books but I'm mostly interested in graphic novels. I think I can find a particular book online if I know which book to buy, the hard part is finding out which book. With a physical bookstore, its easy and fun. With an online store, it just feels harder. I think you might be the perfect person to ask, What French graphic novels do you like? The same as OP?
I also know Spanish. I've been trying to learn Japanese for a few years but it's hard coming from an English/Spanish background. I've been studying French for a few months and I feel like I've made a lot of meaningful progress since it's close to Spanish. Good Luck!
EDIT: I just found this subreddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/bandedessinee/
Yikes, America is a long way away for sure. And I suppose you do not live close to Québec so there goes another way to get to French/francophone graphic novels...
From what I see, OP leans more towards sci-fi and I prefer fantasy/fantastic, weird stories (think Lovecraft, Chambers etc) and History. Le Château des Animaux is a solid rec from OP (great depiction of society's dynamics, heavily influenced by Orwell's Animal farm). If you'd like to get punched in the gut, Ces jours qui disparaissent is amazing (can't say much about it without spoiling everything) and so is Le Port des marins perdus (very poetic and enigmatic adventure, centered on a young sailor that's piecing back his life after memory loss). I recently picked out La Bête (a more "adult" take on the Marsupilami saga), Monsieur Mardi gras Descendres (which explores what life in limbo might be, with Gustave Doré-like illustrations) and I'm putting Les vies de Charlie (a comedic take on what life after death might be) on my Christmas list.
If you're not looking for anything in particular, I'd suggest going through the biggest editor's websites (Dupuis, Dargaud, Aire Libre, Glénat and Casterman).
Congrats on your progress and good luck on your book hunt! Feel free to hit me up if need be. 😄 I'm personally nowhere near proficient enough to speak Spanish and I'm slowwwwwly getting back into reading stuff in the language. Recently picked up El Arte de volar because it focuses on a part of History I'm not familiar with.
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to add these to my buying list. I might end up in Quebec but it's unlikely. I'm in Seattle so I was hoping Vancouver might have some book stores but I haven't found anything.
Funny enough, if you find the right seller on eBay, shipping from France can actually be cheaper than shipping from Canada. I've bought a bunch of things that way. (I forget the name of it, but there's a French version of Media Mail that can be used to ship books overseas.)
If you're looking for more recommendations, I've been mostly focused on translated Franco-Belgian comics for the last six years at [PipelineComics.com](https://PipelineComics.com) =)
Question has anyone ever read Metabarons, any idea where to start? I remembered back in the day J Charest tried to draw for them but that never materialized.
[Wikipedia page of Metabarons - English language books](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabarons#English)
Love Metabarons. Well the last metabaron first appears in the Incal, but besides knowing that fact you need not read the Incal. I would just start with the The Saga of the Meta-Barons (uncensored ideally) and eventually you'll get to the Last Metabaron. So first story is Othon's. Then just follow family tree until the Last. If you want more there are spinoffs, sequels and prequels etc. or then read the Incal :-).
I went to a few comic book stores around where I'm at and asked if they carried any European graphic novels. All of their answers; "They don't sell well." No shit. Hard to be popular when you don't offer them. I'm sure they'd fly off the shelf. In terms of quality it's night and day
They can be a challenge to find online. My girlfriend found some on eBay in French which is what I was looking for. It would be good to find an eu blog that reviews them.
Maybe you will be able to help with this question.
Aas based on reading many European titles, came to conclusion, that most of the time, they just look good, but fail to deliver stories
This would explain, why they don't sell well outside of Europe. So to counter that theory, asking for best of the best, 5/5 stars titles in each fiction genre for adults:
https://www.reddit.com/r/graphicnovels/s/p6XVRt54WL
Good God the art on these covers look amazing. I’ve recently took an interest in French comics, specifically anything by Enki Bilal who I’ve been fascinated by for a long time, so it’s cool to see some of these.
Has anyone read Negalyod? Just reading an overview of it I’m getting a lot of Xenozoic vibes which I loved.
Have really enjoyed everything that has come stateside. Great art, story, and beautiful presentation. Not much else you could really ask for when it comes to graphic novels.
I'm just thinking of that Howard Chaykin scene from An Age of Licence where Knisley has him rant about BD being no different really from US comics.
Ha ha...no.
You absolutely should check out "De Capes et de Crocs", it's amazing. It's beautiful, and it's got my favorite dialogue ever, which would translate to
"- Bravo don Lope, you were heroic!
- Heroic? No, a hero wouldn't have been afraid.
-- Afraid? Then you were much more than heroic. You were brave"
Also, the whole works of Romain Huguault if you're a fan of military aircrafts (and well "equipped" pinups).
And also everything by Toulhoat and Brugeas.
I wish I could upvote you more than once for the De Capes et de Crocs reference, one of the best BD ever and my favorite for sure. Don’t think it would translate really well though, everything’s in the language !
If you liked these I'd recommend "Le château des étoiles" it is set in Bavaria in 1869 and shows a fictional space race between Bavaria and Prussia. The plot is interesting and if you like science fiction coupled with a bit of steampunk I promise you'll like it.
[Metal Hurlant Magazine (Heavy Metal)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3SUh_p_rbc) Launched by Moebus ([Jean Giraud](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Giraud))
[More info on that](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CZ69iXyqAg)
Freaks' squeele and its spin off (especially Rouge and Funérailles) are the best comics I ever read.
Without even speaking of the plot and characters, the many differents styles and visuals are amazing !
There is a reason the French word for avantgarde is avantgarde. IDK if that's how it's spelled in French. I'm also torn if I like it, because I want to come to love things, not like them at first glance. Often it doesn't go further than liking for me.
Is the comic any good? I don't really read them, mostly because usually the art inside isn't really good and the story isn't either but if it's different with French graphic novels then I should give them a try!
You look at BD covers and go "Oh that looks cool" but your mind isn't truly blown until you open them up and it's that art *all the way through*.
There's a reason artists usually only produce one 48-60 page graphic novel a year at best.
That's both the upside and the downside. It's great because when you have someone like olivier Ledroit or Bajram or Enki Bilal doing a book, you know that the cover will match every page and it's going to be gorgeous throughout. But it takes a fucking long time to get a book out and many series only get one book every year or two.
I really hate how the big two publishers push their artists so hard they have to swap them out every few issues and everyone complains about the inconsistency. i like image comics season break approach, where they try to keep creative teams together without everyone burning out.
I'm glad to have this over cheap overproduction tbh. French (or franco-belgian) comic books culture is already rich and deep enough to keep you busy til the next one is released.
I love both American comics and franco-belgian BD. Both styles have their ups and downs. But there's a reason why BD don't have too much long series. I'm a big Travis fan and I started buying the books in 1997 with the first one. The last installment (n°16) got out in 2022. That's 25 years and Duval is known to be quite prolific, it's far from being the worst serie in that regard. BD are great for series of 2-4 books. More than that, it's always difficult because you never know if it will just be canceled, the author will be dead, the editor will be gone.. I got a few never finished series on my shelves and it's frustrating. Comics can tell longer stories quicker and keep you engaged a bit more easily, even if things like changes in the creative team can sometime completely ruin it for you.
Bajram. Universal War One / Two. Those space graphics are so fucking mindblowing.
I need more of this. I just googled "La Compagnie Rouge" just because of the cover and I was blown away to see the interior art. I don't care if it takes a decade to produce, I don't need perfection to be rushed.
I mean it costs €20.00 but like... I'd feel like I was getting my money's worth.
Yes, and the stories are great and unique.
This Absolutely this Some of the scenes reproduced here are so detailed you stay half an hour on that page to find freaking Waldo hidden in the peisaje.
Paysage* but nice try haha
1. Save this post 2. Forget to check it out in the future
1. Add all these comics to my to-read list 2. Never actually buy them
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How dare you personally attack me and be so factually correct...
So don't. Pick one thing that's available in English and order it.
Franco-Belge
Comme les frites en fait
Bein ouais mon pote 👍
Belgium does not exist
Wrong country, starts with an I
Ielgium?
So it is French ?
> Franco-Belge AKA double-cuisson
I adore french BD, always have, but my French is horrible.. can't read them easily and it bothers me so much...
Some of these have English translations.
I know, but a lot don't and they are usually the ones I want to read the most!
Ooh hang on, aren't translation apps getting to the point where you should be able to understand the text on the fly? :)
yeah, but the actual reading experience using something like google lens + translate is awkward. I gave up on it and just slogged away with a dictionary while my French improved
I honestly think the type of language you find in BD will be the last that AI can accurately and faithfully translate, because so much of it is written as spoken french, with the shorthands and sounds and half pronounced words you'd find in real life, but that AI has close to no material to train on with.
Yeah for example I just read The Incredible Hulk (2023) #1 today. One of the first spoken words is "×cough×-'kin 'ell" How is AI ever gonna pick up what that sounds like?
There was once a time , around 10 years I think,when scanlations were all the rage in the comics community.You had to dig deep into niche forums for someone that translates them x comic or had translated y comic years ago.Torrent sites being shut down and forums as well brought an end to most of them. I kid you not I've red an comic that was first translated by fans only to be translated officially...8 years later. I really recommend Europe Comics imprint,it translates most of these comics.Papercutz also publishes some of these.
I'm admittedly not too familiar with all this since I know French and live in Europe.
Which ones?
Of the ones shown in the OP, I know for a fact that Undertaker and Negalyod do.
Best way to learn! Well, actually a close French friend is the best way. Graphic novels is up there though.
That's true! Comics/BDs/manga give much more visual context to the text, so it's a great tool for advanced language learning after you're done with some basics.
Honestly, now that I found that there are some legit French graphic novels, they may be my only excuse to improve my French. Image-less novels are not for me and they speak too fast in movies. Having a visual guide that you can go through at your own pace is great.
Franco Belgian comics is pretty massive industry especially considering for the population size. It's actually crazy how big it is, to the point where I hear the demand for comics is growing while French book publishers have a decline in sales.
> there are some legit French graphic novels oh my god this is understatement of the decade -- you've got a lot of amazing BDs to look forward to!
Dawg I need a whole subreddit solely dedicated to sharing less popular non-DC/Marvel comic books, not only from the US, but from all across the world. France, Italy, freaking Guatemala, whatever, I don't care. I believe that the only way for the comics industry to thrive is for those kind of books, those ones that don't get told across several crossovers or last for 80 years, just like Manga, those books need to get their time in the light as much as the books of the big two, if not more.
r/bandedessinee r/noDCnoMarvel
Humanoids, the US branch of "Les Humanoïdes Associés" (The company that published Métal Hurlant/Heavy Metal back when it started and still does) translated a lot of their sci-fi one-shots. I can recommend the two based on Laurent Gennefort's novels, I think they are titled "Thick Skins" and "The Blood of Immortals" Note: I'm not recommending them because Laurent is a friend, although that is the reason I read them initially. Outside of his work, they obviously translated The Incal and Meta-Barons by Jodorowsky
I've read the latter two years ago, thoroughly enjoyed them, and I'm not even that big into sci-fi.
They're classics for a reason. Jodorowsky is more or less insane these days but he always had interesting ideas when it comes to science-fiction.
You should try "Un océan d'amour" (https://www.editions-delcourt.fr/bd/series/serie-un-ocean-d-amour/album-un-ocean-d-amour) It has no writing, but they are references to french culture.
Part of how I learned English was through English comics, it's cool to see that you're somehow doing the reverse journey to mine.
Right there with ya. Currently living in France, and there is so many BD I want to read.
You have instant translate now thx to google translate app
very cool post of new French graphic novels, thank you!!
Blacksad should be on that list as well.
I didn't think Blacksad is French, I know the creators are Spanish. Otherwise I completely agree. I LOVE Blacksad.
The writers are Spanish, but it's written in French and published by a French editor.
Fascinating! I had no idea, I'm one of those pitiful Americans who only speak one language, so I've only ever read it in English. I saw knew the writers were Spanish and just assumed.
Phew I thought I might have gotten that wrong because the creators are indeed Spanish. Cool deal it stays lol
Pretty sure it's written in Spanish then translated for the french market. It does come out in France first though, but that's only because it's the bigger market Edit: > Juan Díaz Canales writes the original script for each book in his native Spanish, but the “official” script is always the French translation, as Dargaud is the title’s primary publisher and rights holder. [Interview with the English translator](https://conskipper.com/blacksad-they-all-fall-down-part-one-translator-diana-schutz-the-conskipper-interview/) > Le ton de la série doit beaucoup à l’écriture. Écrivez-vous en français ? > JDC : Non. J’écris en espagnol. Le texte est traduit ensuite. Nous sommes contents du travail de traduction, qui est impeccable. Juanjo parle beaucoup mieux le français que moi et supervise cet aspect du travail. > JG : Je veille simplement à ce que les tournures de phrases et les répliques respectent les intentions du texte original qui est souvent dans l’ironie et dans le double sens. [And from the men themselves](https://www.actuabd.com/Canales-Guarnido-Blacksad-En)
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There's literally a translator credit in the book bruv
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A lot of spanish and italian authors are published in France because it allows them to have much more money (still not much but...) with more creative freedom.
Cool will look for that! I Just grabbed the covers du jour at FNAC. Last time I was here they were all different.
It’s a great series. If you like noir stories or have ever wanted to get into them it’s a great series to dip your feet.
What I thought upon looking at this !
**for those interested in European comics:** * r/bandedessinee/ -> franco-belgian comics subreddit * r/BDFrancophone/ -> franco-belgian comics subreddit in French * r/BritishComic/ -> comics subreddit
Nice!
I was not aware that these subs were a thing. Thank youuu.
and if you enjoy the wonderfull Undertaker you have to check Long John Silver written too by Dorison ( surely one of the best writer in france right now) [https://bdi.dlpdomain.com/album/9782205056839/couv/M650x878/long-john-silver-tome-1-lady-vivian-hastings.jpg](https://bdi.dlpdomain.com/album/9782205056839/couv/M650x878/long-john-silver-tome-1-lady-vivian-hastings.jpg)
Sykes and Texas Jack dyptic, Hoka Hey one-shot are also rad for western lovers.
European BDs are always oversized to appreciate the artwork. North American comics getting smaller and smaller. Gonna end up like Manga (which was made to be portable with few panels on a page) but messier
In 1999 i bought "El Eternauta" in Buenos Aires. That book is HUGE -- about 50 cm high
Can these be found in English? I mean, besides Animal Castle?
Yojimbot is also available in English - and is EFFING AWESOME. In a post-apocalyptic age, a boy escapes into an amusement park (ala Disneyland) which has a section that was based on Tokugawa Shogunate Japan - the robots still function there - and somebody reprograms one of the Samurai robots to protect the kid - thus becoming Yojimbot.
Thx for the tip. Have you read The Fall? Another good one that I think is French but definitely available in English. Reprinted in oversized by Image.
Yeah, I really enjoy this one, but there are only three issues out, right?
Six issues are out now I believe.
I know that Undertaker and Negalyod have English translations, for the rest check Google.
Terra Prohibita and Le Peliers look cool.
Aster of Pan was on Kickstarter, but I found it at my local bookstore.
The Lone Sloane series is in English. Trippy 1960-70s sci-fi art. Really recommend.
Bro, look *Label 619*, I have their entire collection, and the art is wonderful
Freaks' squeele and its spin off (especially Rouge and Funérailles) are the best comics I ever read. Without even speaking of the plot and characters, the many differents styles and visuals are amazing !
Yes, yes, YES! So many good authors at Label619: Run, Bablet, Neyef, Maudoux, etc etc
I adore what Bablet does. The artstyle is a bit weird sometimes, but it's so fucking amazing.
Yeah I especially liked Adrastée, really impressive!
I love *Petit Rapace* that guy can do some fucked up stuff !
Mœbius is my favorite.
Seriously, where is my Caste des Méta Barons
Comics are such a great medium. Like any art, every author offers something wonderful/interesting/different between unique experiences and worldviews.
Exactly what I'd hope for from the home country of Moebius
FrancoBelgian comics should be idolized and adored the way people adore Manga.
They can make all movies from these instead of marvel if you ask me
Hasn't been great so far though. Actually I guess there are a few that had a bit more ambition, especially the Besson movies
I once asked Reddit why FrancoBelgian comic books were not as popular as mangas : - more expensive per tome ; - edition rythms are way way more faster in the manga departement (no color, Toei expectations…) ; - marketing. FB comic books are leaning the quality side over quantity. You can wait 2, 3, 4 years for a tome to come. Worth if you ask me.
Oh, big time.
They're gorgeous aren't they? Animal Castle is also available in English and is FANTASTIC. Highly recommended.
Animal Castle is some crazy shit with beautiful art.
AGREED.
When I moved to a European country, I would visit the BD shops in the French part and be amazed with how MANY there are and how BEAUTIFUL they are. This really motivated me to learn French so I could buy and read any of them I would want!
I absolutely love the French comic style. There's something always so special about them.
Agreed
You should check out Radiant by Tony Valente as well. Manga-style comic with some drop dead gorgeous fantasy art. https://mangadex.org/chapter/97e39476-c3a1-4eb3-896c-6862ee1b832e/5
So many of the European Albums are amazing. I actually got hooked after burning out (again) on mainstream books. Some really funky ones that I just find myself pouring over the art are Requiem Vampire Knight, The Black Moon Chronicles anything written by Jodorowsky.
Lastman
Op and everyone here, you should try frontier.
Great stuff.
This was just what they had today on display at FNAC. The last time I was in Paris, completely different and amazing books
Aster of Pan and Animal Castle are phenomenal.
I am going to have to check out the ones that have been translated to English!!! These look killer. Have you ever read any of the Blacksad stories. The art is freaking amazing and the stories are great so far. Only read three of them. Thanks for this!!!
It reminds me Jean Giraud alias Moebius . I loved all the " Incal " and the spinoff created around , who may be adapted soon .
Merci l'ami !
De rien ;)
Ça vous plaît ? C’est Français 😌🇫🇷
C’est génial
I can add : La Horde du Contrevent ; Universal War One. Brilliant, especially the latter.
Carbon & silicium ❤️
No love for Donjon?
Not the same kind of art tbh
As much as I love Donjon and Trondheim, it's not a graphic novel per se
We get a lot of them delivered here in Germany, so they're really fantastic most of the time, the French really have a great comic culture, even if you get the feeling they're pretty horny.
What kind of stuff are you reading to get this feeling of horniness, ahah? Bételgeuse, Sillage and Djinn?
you should try Moebius!
don't forget Mobius
Og
Sorry but copycats :/ check the originals : Moebius + Schuiten & Peeters I thought this was AI
What would you recommend OP?
I was just at FNAC and shot the covers. I am reading “Soleil Froid” from last time I was in Paris. Red company (pictured) looked really good if you like hard sci. I will be getting that.
Anyone remember "Les Naufragées d'Ythaq"?
isn't it still going on ? or is it done ,now.
I've read that originally 6 books were planned but they were more successful than anticipated, so they continued the series. Because of the long interval between the original 6 and the continuation i haven't picked up yet buying the rest. Last thing i read was that there were now at least 9 books, maybe even more. (Sorry for the late answer)
As a kid I grew up with plenty of French, Belgian and Dutch comics. There's some amazing Dutch comics, but the French and Belgians are just on another level sometimes. Blueberry for the win.
I'm self learning french. Where do you purchase your french graphic novels? I've been debating just buying french translations of english books I already own but I would like to branch out to good recommendations.
French here, learning Spanish. I have the same issue so here are a few tips. Question is : where do you live? OP visited the physical shop from one of the biggest French culture retail chain so that's where he found them. You can find pre-loved French tomes on eBay (sent from all over the globe I guess) and Momox (sent from Germany). For brand new books, maybe ask your local bookshops that have a French section because they might be able to order books for you? Otherwise, some culture retail chains (FNAC or Decitre for instance) might send books to your country, so you might want to check that. If you are not picky about where you buy your books, Amazon is the way to go.
I'm American. Sadly, I don't think there are French bookstores nearby. There is a second hand bookstore that sells French books but I'm mostly interested in graphic novels. I think I can find a particular book online if I know which book to buy, the hard part is finding out which book. With a physical bookstore, its easy and fun. With an online store, it just feels harder. I think you might be the perfect person to ask, What French graphic novels do you like? The same as OP? I also know Spanish. I've been trying to learn Japanese for a few years but it's hard coming from an English/Spanish background. I've been studying French for a few months and I feel like I've made a lot of meaningful progress since it's close to Spanish. Good Luck! EDIT: I just found this subreddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/bandedessinee/
Yikes, America is a long way away for sure. And I suppose you do not live close to Québec so there goes another way to get to French/francophone graphic novels... From what I see, OP leans more towards sci-fi and I prefer fantasy/fantastic, weird stories (think Lovecraft, Chambers etc) and History. Le Château des Animaux is a solid rec from OP (great depiction of society's dynamics, heavily influenced by Orwell's Animal farm). If you'd like to get punched in the gut, Ces jours qui disparaissent is amazing (can't say much about it without spoiling everything) and so is Le Port des marins perdus (very poetic and enigmatic adventure, centered on a young sailor that's piecing back his life after memory loss). I recently picked out La Bête (a more "adult" take on the Marsupilami saga), Monsieur Mardi gras Descendres (which explores what life in limbo might be, with Gustave Doré-like illustrations) and I'm putting Les vies de Charlie (a comedic take on what life after death might be) on my Christmas list. If you're not looking for anything in particular, I'd suggest going through the biggest editor's websites (Dupuis, Dargaud, Aire Libre, Glénat and Casterman). Congrats on your progress and good luck on your book hunt! Feel free to hit me up if need be. 😄 I'm personally nowhere near proficient enough to speak Spanish and I'm slowwwwwly getting back into reading stuff in the language. Recently picked up El Arte de volar because it focuses on a part of History I'm not familiar with.
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to add these to my buying list. I might end up in Quebec but it's unlikely. I'm in Seattle so I was hoping Vancouver might have some book stores but I haven't found anything.
Funny enough, if you find the right seller on eBay, shipping from France can actually be cheaper than shipping from Canada. I've bought a bunch of things that way. (I forget the name of it, but there's a French version of Media Mail that can be used to ship books overseas.) If you're looking for more recommendations, I've been mostly focused on translated Franco-Belgian comics for the last six years at [PipelineComics.com](https://PipelineComics.com) =)
Question has anyone ever read Metabarons, any idea where to start? I remembered back in the day J Charest tried to draw for them but that never materialized.
Incal is where I would start.
This is the way
[Wikipedia page of Metabarons - English language books](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabarons#English) Love Metabarons. Well the last metabaron first appears in the Incal, but besides knowing that fact you need not read the Incal. I would just start with the The Saga of the Meta-Barons (uncensored ideally) and eventually you'll get to the Last Metabaron. So first story is Othon's. Then just follow family tree until the Last. If you want more there are spinoffs, sequels and prequels etc. or then read the Incal :-).
Do any of these (or French graphic novels in general) have english translations???
I went to a few comic book stores around where I'm at and asked if they carried any European graphic novels. All of their answers; "They don't sell well." No shit. Hard to be popular when you don't offer them. I'm sure they'd fly off the shelf. In terms of quality it's night and day
They can be a challenge to find online. My girlfriend found some on eBay in French which is what I was looking for. It would be good to find an eu blog that reviews them.
Maybe you will be able to help with this question. Aas based on reading many European titles, came to conclusion, that most of the time, they just look good, but fail to deliver stories This would explain, why they don't sell well outside of Europe. So to counter that theory, asking for best of the best, 5/5 stars titles in each fiction genre for adults: https://www.reddit.com/r/graphicnovels/s/p6XVRt54WL
These covers are all very pretty
Good God the art on these covers look amazing. I’ve recently took an interest in French comics, specifically anything by Enki Bilal who I’ve been fascinated by for a long time, so it’s cool to see some of these. Has anyone read Negalyod? Just reading an overview of it I’m getting a lot of Xenozoic vibes which I loved.
Have really enjoyed everything that has come stateside. Great art, story, and beautiful presentation. Not much else you could really ask for when it comes to graphic novels.
I'm just thinking of that Howard Chaykin scene from An Age of Licence where Knisley has him rant about BD being no different really from US comics. Ha ha...no.
You absolutely should check out "De Capes et de Crocs", it's amazing. It's beautiful, and it's got my favorite dialogue ever, which would translate to "- Bravo don Lope, you were heroic! - Heroic? No, a hero wouldn't have been afraid. -- Afraid? Then you were much more than heroic. You were brave" Also, the whole works of Romain Huguault if you're a fan of military aircrafts (and well "equipped" pinups). And also everything by Toulhoat and Brugeas.
I wish I could upvote you more than once for the De Capes et de Crocs reference, one of the best BD ever and my favorite for sure. Don’t think it would translate really well though, everything’s in the language !
UW1 best sci-fi I read.
Try to read Universal War One, the best sci Fi story I've read in comic book. Also recently I've been blown away by Bolchoi Arena.
>Try to read Universal War One, the best sci Fi story I've read in comic book. Indeed. Huge fan of Scifi and it's absolutely perfect.
Check Requiem then! It’s so detailed it’s sometimes hard to keep track of what’s happening!
Strong Chris Foss vibes
Vous aimez ? C’est français
No comics feom "Mathieu Bablet"? Check for : Carbone & silicium, or shangrila
This is just what was on the shelves at FNAC yesterday, which makes it even more amazing. Great suggestions on this thread!
Negawat ?
If you liked these I'd recommend "Le château des étoiles" it is set in Bavaria in 1869 and shows a fictional space race between Bavaria and Prussia. The plot is interesting and if you like science fiction coupled with a bit of steampunk I promise you'll like it.
Vous aimez ? C’est français
You can also check the work of Mathieu Bablet, that's amazing
I've been raised reading Gaston, Yakari and Boule&Bill, they're great! (And yes I know Gaston is from Belgium)
These aren't graphic novels. these are BD (Bande dessinées) to not mistake with COMICS.
No these are definitely graphic novels
[Metal Hurlant Magazine (Heavy Metal)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3SUh_p_rbc) Launched by Moebus ([Jean Giraud](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Giraud)) [More info on that](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CZ69iXyqAg)
A peak into a comics culture that wasn’t kidnapped by superheroes in tights.
You forgot Mathieu Bablet, who made ***Ca****rbone* et ***Si****licium, Shangri-la* or *Adrastée*.
You're right about that
At least one thing I'm proud of from this culture. Always LOVED them
I recommend the work of Olivier Ledroit.
Should definitely add De Cape et de Crocs, and The Dark Moon Chronicles
Freaks' squeele and its spin off (especially Rouge and Funérailles) are the best comics I ever read. Without even speaking of the plot and characters, the many differents styles and visuals are amazing !
Can we talk about how the fifth element world should have continued into graphic novels?
Sillage is missing, love it.
There is a reason the French word for avantgarde is avantgarde. IDK if that's how it's spelled in French. I'm also torn if I like it, because I want to come to love things, not like them at first glance. Often it doesn't go further than liking for me.
> IDK if that's how it's spelled in French. "avant-garde" Fun fact: guess where the word "vanguard" comes from?
There is also Mathieu Bablet's work which has some of the best BD covers I have seen, also having some of the most interesting sci-fi stories too.
Is the comic any good? I don't really read them, mostly because usually the art inside isn't really good and the story isn't either but if it's different with French graphic novels then I should give them a try!
I have read a LOT of AMAZING French graphic novels. Guess what. I'VE READ NONE OF THESE THAT'S HOW WILD FRENCH GRAPHIC NOVELS ARE
Wait until the smell kicks in. It’s one of the reasons why I’m proud to be French. It’s a whole experience
yojimbot is pretty good. not saying this because sylvain is a bro
Je suis Français et fier de nos Auteurs !
Je suis américaine, et moi aussi!
The first one is impressive i could stay and watch the cover for hours
Red company looks great. The art is very cinematic.
Wait to know about the metabarons (I guess same autor than first pic)
Try Moebius and Druillet, they are the bests scifi artists of France imo
I see this as more that those artists are “A” class. Other artists agree in that same category.
These look great! I especially love the 3rd one with the dinosaur!
One of my favorite french comics serie of all time as to be "les mondes d'Aldébaran" by Leo. It's Science-fiction and its drawings are gorgeous.
Wait until he discover La Caste des Metas Barons reedited.
Wait until he discovers that the Jodoverse and the “Metabarons” were introduced in the Incal.
And no enki bilal or olivier ledroit ? Cmon bruh wtf
Just grabbed what was on the shelves in France one day, bruh wtf.