[Alfonso Asensio]

As you may know, there are quite a few comics being published in Europe right now. Many of them come from the Franco-Belgium area, they are quite different from the American mainstream comics in several ways. They tend to cover a variety of genres besides superheroes and they usually come in a more expensive, hardcover, large size format.

There have been quite a few where fictional characters are put in a historical context and the authors seem to put a lot of care in making sure they get a good depiction of weapons and armour as well as lifestyle.

Some examples you may find interesting

-The towers of Boi-Maury
-The seven lives of the Sparrow hawk
-Thorgal (Viking theme but with a strong fantastic element)


Just thought some of you may be interested

[Vincent Le Chevalier]

I would add at least two comics in French:

- Chevalier Ardent, by François Craenhals. Set in a fictional middle-age, but the visuals are very XIIth century-ish if I remember correctly. There is quite a bit of travel in the series, from Ardennes to Central Asia, India even, and back... Perhaps not so historical but entertaining...

- Jhen, by Jacques Martin. Jacques Martin is best known for his series Alix, telling the adventures of a young boy in Antiquity, in the time of Cesar to be exact. The author is famous for his very accurate research about history. Jhen is set during the hundred year war, the main character is a cathedral builder in France. Many historical characters appear in the series, such as Joan of Arc, Gilles de Rais... I think this is the most historically accurate comic I ever read.

Sadly, I don't think either were translated in other languages. But just the images of Jhen are worth it, if you can grab one...

Fond memories, all that... I'll have to dig them up again, now

[Sam Barris]

What? No love for Asterix?

[Jean Thibodeau]

Comics or graphic novels using stories based on well researched historical contexts or more fantasy but still inspired by history have been around for decades in French.

One of my treasured favourites it one written by Fred Funcken, LE CHEVALIER BLANC, Les Éditions du Lombard, © 1956.

I have no idea if it's still in print or available in an English version, but it's a great illustrated book set in the mid 13th century.

The arms and armour are very authentic ( at least what was considered so in 1956 ).

A more fantasy novel has two kids, a girl and boy and an older gentlemen being transported through time while looking at a painting by Peter Breughel the elder in a museum i.e. they see a ghost and pursue it and are told by the ghost having to go back and deliver a letter to lift the siege of Kriekebeek that he failed to do at the time by getting drunk and getting killed in a bar fight: In other words the ghost is condemned to wander the Earth until he delivers the letter.

So, the ghost convinces the 3 to go back in time and they appear in the scene of the Breughel painting and have " adventures ". ( Peasant wedding, I think ).

Set in the low countries in 1564 the ghost has to deliver the letter to the Duke of Alba from Philippe II King of Spain.

Book: LE FANTÖME ESPAGNOL, Les Aventures de Bob et Bobette, Les Éditions du Lombard, © 1956

This one is more a children's book, but it did feed my hunger for history when I was a very little kid.
Again this may be out of print and I don't know if it's available in English.

[Hugh Fuller]

Warren Ellis did a one-shot on the battle of Crecy called, logically enough, Crecy. It seemed pretty good except that it did show a more modern social point of view than would have existed at the time, I suspect.
http://www.amazon.com/Warren-Ellis-Crecy/dp/1...amp;sr=1-1

[Vincent Le Chevalier]

[Alfonso Asensio]

I wonder if any of you may know the name of this series I read along time ago.
I don't remember much of it, the main character was a knight with the face ruined by a burn, very grim fellow. He travels with a lecherous squire who tries to get away constantly.
It is a very underwhelming book (no armour nor big action scenes) but I remember it gave me an amazing sense of reality while reading it. It has a memorable scene where one character tries to ride a horse and use a sword without having any training and gets decapitated right away by an experience soldier
Cannot remember the title by the life of me.

[Mikko Kuusirati]

[Alfonso Asensio]

Thank you!
Finally I find out! it has been nagging me for weeks now...