The new Blacksad dropped in English from Dark Horse. Its originally written in Spanish but because their main publisher is Dargaud, the primary language is French. It is now published in 39 different countries! This is a slim volume at 60 pages, but DH have done their usual quality job on the hardback. Its a beautiful book.
I m trying reading French books in there English translation. They are easier to find, cheaper and it gives my wife a chance to read my favorite books too. I have been surprised at how much pleasure I have been getting from reading French graphic novel again (kinda makes me wonder why I am still here, in the land of Mickey, Batman and Iron Man, but that is beyond the point.) Here is what I read lately: Mooncop by Tom Gould. I love what this guy is doing. Ripple by Dave Cooper. Read it way back when it first got released. Picked up the newer, big format edition to have it in the US. This made much more of an impact on me today than it did back then. I think me being older has something to do with it, the larger format must have played a role too. Strongly recommended if you somehow missed it all this time. A man's skin by Hubert and Zanzim Story that begins looking like something we've seen many times and becomes more and more interesting. Sand Castle by Frederik Peters and P.O. Levy I love Frederik Peters works (Blue Pills, Aama and Lupus) and had not read this yet. It's better than Old. Black Paths by David B. I think Epileptic is one of the most interesting work ever made in the comic format. It felt good entering back in this author world, filled with war and dreams.
Desert Island's upcoming ish of Smoke Signals will consist entirely of 41 pages of new work by Tanaami: https://www.desertislandbrooklyn.com/webshop Fucking AWESOME. No-brainer purchase!
I read 'Below Ambition' by Simon Hanselmann a few weeks ago. As he mentions in the notes, he's really testing his readers with this one. Its so fucking bleak, and I still really liked it. It comes with a free 7" flexi-disk btw, that I have no way of playing ...
This is essential 2000ad. I already have the original Star Lord comics run that contains many of these stories, but its nice to have them in a new chunky and nicely printed hardback. It also contains short stories from various annuals and specials. The artwork by Carlos Ezquerra is the best old-school 2000ad has to offer, in my opinion.
I think this and Vol. 2 was recently reprinted (contains the first stories to appear in 2000ad) and there's a third volume up for pre-order.
The first decade/15 years of 2000AD is unquestionably a fantastic place to mine, but here are a handful of spots to visit if you find your faith in comics is eroding: https://www.bubbleszine.com/ https://strangerspublishing.com/ https://www.dominobooks.org/ https://www.wigshopwebshop.com/ Tip o' the iceberg for exciting shit happening these days. Bubbles and Strangers are also putting out TOP NOTCH zines *about* comics in addition to publishing *actual* comics, and holy ships, get your hands on a copy of any issue of Domino's STAT! https://dominobooks.org/comicaht4.html
Blueberry's (Stardom 1997) The dust jacket version of this french hardback was published in a box set with a signed print and VHS featuring a short film about Jean Giraud. Only the book was available to me, but it's nice to have the limited dust jacket.
Shared this on a FB group, thought i'd share here too. My Moebius / Gir collection, i have a few Heavy Metal specials and The Elsewhere Prince in a box somewhere, but this is the bulk of my collection. Mainly English translations. One of my fave pages from 'Chaos'.
Nice collection! Reminds me I need to get my paws on the new Arzak published by moebius production. Couldn’t find it this winter in Paris and shipping to CA is much. (Not to worry, I got MANY other comics and rare prints while I was there) My local comic book store here in Oakland was recently sharing their bestseller for 2023 and I discovered Something is killing the children. It’s a fun easy read with cool monsters. after watching The Killer on Netflix I found the comics in English. Rereading them, I still think the writer is kind of an asshole (using the protagonist inner monologue in a preachy way that get all the fibers of my being cringe). Yet I’m going through them. Story isn’t bad, those monologues sucks. Best recent discovery was Zoe Thorogood.if you haven’t yet got around reading her work, go do it. It’s lonely at the center of the Earth is amazing and her 2nd comics ?!? I want all the Donjon in digital format and can’t find them. Anyone know where to look? (Ideally in French, English works).
Hey Nico, which comic book store is your favorite? Dr Comics or are you going to Cape and Cowl? The Escapist? Just curious. Also, loved Killing the children. And I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that I spend ten hours a day with children.
Haha! I feel you. I love that my interactions with kids are limited to ‘cool uncle’ (my sister in law would say obnoxious uncle). I do go to all 3. The one I spent the most time in is Dr Comics cause it was super close to where I landed in the Bay and I like spending time in the neighborhood. Then I discovered the selection of EU comics at The Escapist and mostly went there for a while. Cape and Cowl is a newer discovery for me and the one I spend the most time in currently cause it makes the most sense with my current commute.In the post above I was referring to Cape and Cowl. Spending some time in comic bookstore in Paris over the winter, I got quickly reminded why I thought comic bookstore here weren’t that great around here. I am slowly forgetting how life was back when I was living on the other side of the Atlantic. It’s a weird thing.
Nice collection! Reminds me I should check out what Mattoti has been up to recently. I should get my hands on The Quest for the Time Bird and all Corto Maltez… it looked into getting my collection shipped here.
Do you have others? I discovered him way back when through Stigmata. It’s very different from most of his work as it’s in black and white. Strongly recommend you finding it if you have not read it yet.
