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Alfonso Asensio




Location: Tokyo
Joined: 31 May 2007

Posts: 29

PostPosted: Wed 12 Dec, 2007 12:10 am    Post subject: European Historical Comic         Reply with quote

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



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Bois-Maury

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The seven lives of the Sparrowhawk

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Thorgal
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Vincent Le Chevalier




Location: Paris, France
Joined: 07 Dec 2005
Reading list: 15 books

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PostPosted: Wed 12 Dec, 2007 2:45 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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 Big Grin

--
Vincent
Ensis Sub Caelo
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Sam Barris




Location: San Diego, California
Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Likes: 4 pages

Posts: 630

PostPosted: Wed 12 Dec, 2007 3:50 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

What? No love for Asterix? Laughing Out Loud
Pax,
Sam Barris

"Any nation that draws too great a distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards, and its fighting done by fools." —Thucydides
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Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
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PostPosted: Wed 12 Dec, 2007 8:01 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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 ". Laughing Out Loud ( 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.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Hugh Fuller




Location: Virginia
Joined: 01 Oct 2003

Posts: 256

PostPosted: Wed 12 Dec, 2007 8:30 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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

Hugh
Still trying to walk in the Light
Please see 1 John 1:5
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Vincent Le Chevalier




Location: Paris, France
Joined: 07 Dec 2005
Reading list: 15 books

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Posts: 870

PostPosted: Wed 12 Dec, 2007 8:34 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Sam Barris wrote:
What? No love for Asterix? Laughing Out Loud


Of course Big Grin

However, if we were to apply to Asterix the same scrutiny about historical accuracy as we do for films, I think it would be flamed to oblivion, no Wink ? It's a good thing they made all the anachronisms on purpose Laughing Out Loud

In the same vein, but in a middle age setting, there is also Johan and Peewit. Their adventures are in fact where the Smurfs first appeared. I can't comment on the historicity, I don't remember enough... But it wasn't the point of the series.

--
Vincent
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Alfonso Asensio




Location: Tokyo
Joined: 31 May 2007

Posts: 29

PostPosted: Wed 12 Dec, 2007 5:16 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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.
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Mikko Kuusirati




Location: Finland
Joined: 16 Nov 2004
Reading list: 13 books

Posts: 1,080

PostPosted: Thu 13 Dec, 2007 1:00 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Alfonso Asensio wrote:
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.

Les Compagnons du crépuscule, by François Bourgeon, who's famous for his extremely well-researched (semi)historical graphic novels. The story is primarily about the hot red-headed girl travelling with the two, it gets pretty surreal at points despite being quite firmly grounded in history, and the knight actually wears his transitional armour almost constantly (in part to hide his mangled face behind the beaked visor). Happy

"And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is."
— Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum
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Alfonso Asensio




Location: Tokyo
Joined: 31 May 2007

Posts: 29

PostPosted: Thu 13 Dec, 2007 4:17 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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