this post was submitted on 30 Oct 2024

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European Graphic Novels+

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“BD” refers to Franco-Belgian comics, but let's open things up to include ALL Euro comics and GN's. Euro-style work from around the world is also welcome!

* BD = "Bandes dessinées"
* BDT = Bedetheque
* GN = graphic novel
* LBK = Lambiek
* LC = "Ligne claire"

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Exhibit A: WHY did I fall head-over-heels for Euro comics, anyway? (i.imgur.com)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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NOTE: I'm deleting and repurposing the earlier entry, here.
(I don't feel like I got it quite right at the time, so here's this:)

Now, there's sort of a hidden backstory here, in that after I got to the States, and after reading American comics, I became a pretty much long-time, loyal DC/Marvel fan until I noticed that they just... I dunno... kept recycling their content, and kept using their characters as resurrectionist puppets?

For example-- they'd make a huge song & dance about killing off a character, only to later bring them back perfectly intact via whatever bullshit excuse, some issues later? (sometimes even needing to create alternate worlds for them to exist in!)

Point is-- it pretty much hammered home the idea that all these characters were just licensed properties (tm), and not representative of remotely approaching real characters.

Dense as I was, it did become clear as a comics reader that my needs just weren't being met anymore, suggestible teenager as I was. That's roughly around the time that I started exploring American-indie/alt comix, such as Cerebus the Aardvark, Love & Rockets, and several others.

What can I say? I just lost total interest in bullshit fantasy, and got WAY more interested in Euro and Alt / Indie stuff, and in truth, I've rarely looked back.

Now here's the great Dave Cooper:

-----> https://imgur.com/a/dave-coopers-bizzaro-world-super-dumped-xi144QU <-----

EPILOGUE? Uh... I guess just that Euro-comics... at bare minimum, they suggest to me how your day went, and what little (but crazy) challenges you went through that day. That's some real stuff, to me.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They've pretty much turned into stock characters, which isn't necessarily a bad thing in itself, but it does make having a clean timeline pretty much impossible.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I mean... stock characters go back to... the age of Greek Tragedy, right? And that's cool!

But I mean, either way... there has to be a compelling story, or way of relating, or something that rises us up and connects us, right?

EDIT: I've lightly edited in a clarification, above, hopefully that makes sense.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Oh, and Exhibit B, sometime:

Our family drove up to MontReal when I was around 8yo, and while there, our family-friend gave me some funny picture-albums, "Ma Dalton" and "Asterix au Egypt"....

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I feel like American comics are made with an entirely different intent than the European ones. Or at the very least the publishers have a different approach. I think is due to big cultural differences.

If you ever want an interesting read; Alessandro Baricco wrote a series of essays for an Italian newspaper using the fall of the roman empire to the barbarians as an example for trying to understand why all sorts of cultural 'barbarians' have a tendency to not respect their predecessors, rich as that heritage might be. He uses all sorts of examples close to the Italian heart (Wine, soccer, food ect.) to explain why other countries barbarize these institutions. All to eventually paint a picture of the modern 'barbarian' and why they act the way they do. It was a real eye opener for me, and since then I look at other comparable situations (like the difference between european, american and eastern strips) with entirely new eyes.

Nothing Graphic about this, still I recommend: (2006) I Barbari - [Alessandro Baricco] (It's been translated in quite a few languages)

Edit: Hmm, maby that is a bit of an off topic leap. The reason why I'm bringing this up, is because I've often been annoyed with a lot of american comics, to the point of being snobbish. Having had the privilege of growing up around Gaston/Guust, Thorgal, Suske & Wiske, Asterix, ect. I've always felt that what the americans offered, seemed kinda empty in comparison.

But then again, those strips aren't perse empty in comparison (as much as it pains me to admit it) but just cater to needs different than my own. which... brings me again to Baricco.

Ces barbares ne sont pas si fous après tout ;)

Still, we have the right to our own preferences

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Thanks for weighing in, you 'orrible ol' goblin, you! :D

In the final outcome, yes, I totally agree that the product gets molded to the needs of the regional audience, as dictated by pure sales, times, experimentation, and of course, capitalistic profit. Which explains so very much of all this, mais non?

Ugh, my eyes aren't the best anymore, so I don't know about reading Alessandro Baricco specifically (I have so much to read, when I'm able) but I definitely enjoy hearing you discuss him and his thoughts. Thank you for that. ^^

...the fall of the roman empire to the barbarians as an example for trying to understand why all sorts of cultural ‘barbarians’ have a tendency to not respect their predecessors...

I mean, I'm deeply respectful of the Roman Empire, but the more I learn about it, the more deeply flawed and unsustainable I come to understand it as. Whereas, the so-called 'barbarians' might be said to live the more natural, sustainable, peaceful life on the whole. Not always of course, but sometimes there is that possibility!

Also, my understanding is that Rome 'fell' many times in roughly a century's time, with some of the conquerors being fellow Romans by one definition or another. It seems sort of easy to understand in general principle, but sorting out the various historical events can get pretty complex AFAIK.

Ces barbares ne sont pas si fous après tout

heeheehee, love it