Last week I wrote a piece on how I enjoyed watching people punch each other in comics and that I kind of miss seeing more of it. The piece had a satirical element that a few people caught on to. It got a crapload of reads and I kind of like the fact that people enjoyed it in different ways.
‘I liked ‘Repo Man’. Satire.’ - Harry Dean Stanton.
So... what will this grumpy old man talk about this week?
Let’s go from thumps to gentle Summers and those vacations of our childhoods.
This is a book that I’ve seen images of but never been able to read. I even follow the artist on Twitter just to drool over his art.
Then along came Europe Comics. The digital only publisher of comics from France and Belgium. We are lucky enough to be on the comps list for this company for covering on here and at the Awesome Comics podcast and I’ve loved books like ‘Desert Star’, ‘The Mermaid Project’, ‘The Eagles of Rome’, ‘Raptors’, ‘World Book of Records’, and many, many more.
Once again. This book is outstanding. If you have not discovered Europe Comics yet you need to have a look.
Glorious Summers: 1 Southbound.
Written by Zidrou.
Art by Jordi Lafebre.
Colours by Jordi Lafebre and Mado Pena.
64 Pages - Full Colour.
The Story - ‘In this nostalgic account, the Faldérault family sets out for a final summer vacation together before an impending marital separation disrupts the family dynamics for good. Along the way, heading south to France from Brussels, Pierre, Maddie, and their children revel in impromptu skinny-dips, family sing-alongs, and camping in the wild, ultimately finding a renewed zest for life—and vacation!’
The Review - This is a book that is funny and sad and nostalgic and I dare you to come away without a lump in your throat. As you read you can feel the breeze from the lake and feel the sun on your bones as you lay in the grass. Whilst it is set in Belgium and France it feels like those holidays you had as a kid. Those long car journeys arguing with your brother or sister and your parents in the front chatting in the heat of the dusty back roads.
But don’t make the mistake that nothing much happens in the 64 pages of story. There is something poking at your ribs in the side lines you feel something is going on beyond the idyllic settings. You feel that there is unhappiness in the relationship between the mother and father. Pierre is a comics artist who isn’t managing to break through with his work. Maddie is unhappy working in a shoe shop and the romance has gone stale, they are drifting apart with only the mischievous chorus of the children to distract and occupy them.
As the family set off on the journey they each come across as individual characters. Arguments break out as they climb and scrap in the back seat. But as the dusk and night draws in they fall asleep and the parents turn from talking to them to talking to each other. It’s then that you notice the cracks. This scene is absolutely masterful in writing and art. The weight of the conversation and maybe just a couple of lines speaks volumes. As this reality in a panel hit me I became a fan of both these creators.
It is that coexistence on the page and in the moment in the beauty of image and genuineness of dialogue that you realise that this is an incredibly important book, and yes, medium.
I’m been following Jordi Lafebre on Twitter for sometime after being tipped off to his art by Marc Laming. I understand only a portion of the French language but followed him on Twitter for his art (find him @jordilafebre where there is a lot in English!) So when Europe Comics translated his work I was over the freaking moon!
This is a combination of cartooning and caricature with detailed and richly coloured realistic landscapes. There is a vast depth to each scene and nothing cuts corners. The caricature in the faces has an animation feel to it that allows for displays of emotion and reaction. I have also never seen anyone play with light and shadow so beautifully on a comics page. You feel at ease when they lay and sit around at a picnic, you feel the cramped confines of the car, you feel the heat of the village streets and taste the food they eat. You can look at a panel for an age before moving on to the next.
This book is set in the 1970s. The border between Belgium and France is manned and identities are checked. I suppose that these were different times but at one moment Maddie slaps one of the kids in the face (fortunately a less common event now than it was then) and then storms off. She’s had enough. This happens at almost halfway through the book. You realise but not necessarily agree with her motivation. But, it resonates so hard on your emotions because you feel that you know the characters. This is due to the richness in the characterisation. That investment in carefully chosen lines and well crafted visual personalities pays off a thousand per cent. A lesson to us all when writing character. Outstanding, just pure comics.
Recommended to everyone who loves comics.
Find your copy at http://www.europecomics.com/author/jordi-lafebre/
You can also follow Europe Comics on twitter @EuropeComics and sign up for their newsletter for upcoming releases.
As if you prove my point I swipe to the back page and find the following. Put much better than I was able.
Many thanks for reading and have a great summer.
No comments:
Post a Comment