Sequart Organization » French comics

Asterix the Gaul, Captain America, and Steroids

Marc DiPaolo — Sat, 05 Jul 2014 11:00:22 +0000

What if Tyrion Lannister had Popeye’s super powers? What if Thor had the appetite and I.Q. of Cookie Monster? What if the Spartacus universe was cross-pollinated with the Smurfs? Well, then you’d get Asterix, Obelix,… [more]

On Chicago Public Schools Censoring Persepolis‘s Images of Torture

Julian Darius — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 13:47:12 +0000

Persepolis‘s Images of Torture" title="On Chicago Public Schools Censoring Persepolis‘s Images of Torture" style="float:left;" />In the recent discussions over censorship of Persepolis in Chicago public schools, there’s been a notable lack of discussion over why anyone would want the book removed — and what such reasoning represents. The series… [more]

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 4 Concludes

Julian Darius — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 12:35:42 +0000

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 4 Concludes" title="The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 4 Concludes" style="float:left;" />We’ve previously looked at The Fever of Urbicande‘s prologue (and some of its implications), as well as chapters one, two, three (in two parts), and most of four (parts one, two, and three). We now conclude our… [more]

More The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 4

Julian Darius — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 11:00:42 +0000

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 4" title="More The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 4" style="float:left;" />We’ve previously looked at The Fever of Urbicande‘s prologue (and some of its implications), as well as chapters one, two, three (in two parts), and most of four (in two parts). We now continue our look… [more]

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 4 (Cont.)

Julian Darius — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:00:07 +0000

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 4 (Cont.)" title="The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 4 (Cont.)" style="float:left;" />We’ve previously looked at The Fever of Urbicande‘s prologue (and some of its implications), as well as chapters one, two, three (in two parts), and the beginning of four. Although it’s been a while, we… [more]

Persepolis & Fun Home: Women and Comic Books in the College Classroom

Bart Bishop — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:00:18 +0000

Persepolis & Fun Home: Women and Comic Books in the College Classroom" title="Persepolis & Fun Home: Women and Comic Books in the College Classroom" style="float:left;" />There’s been a lot of controversy over women’s rights in the United States in the media lately. From the debate over contraception and Obamacare, to the Amazons as murderous rapists in Wonder Woman #7, it’s… [more]

The Adventures of Tintin in Critical Controversy

Forrest Helvie — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:00:07 +0000

The Adventures of Tintin in Critical Controversy" title="The Adventures of Tintin in Critical Controversy" style="float:left;" />It is commonly held that the United States helped create the comics art and literary genre; however, what is often overlooked is the significant comics community thriving in Europe during these early years, particularly in… [more]

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 4

Julian Darius — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:00:22 +0000

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 4" title="The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 4" style="float:left;" />We’ve previously looked at The Fever of Urbicande‘s prologue (and some of that prologue’s implications), as well as chapters one, two, and three (in two parts). This time, we’ll begin to look at chapter four,… [more]

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 3 (Cont.)

Julian Darius — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:00:05 +0000

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 3 (Cont.)" title="The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 3 (Cont.)" style="float:left;" />We’ve previously looked at The Fever of Urbicande‘s prologue, some of that prologue’s implications, chapter one, chapter two, and the beginning of chapter three. This time, we’ll conclude our look at chapter three, in which the… [more]

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 3

Julian Darius — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:00:33 +0000

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 3" title="The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 3" style="float:left;" />We’ve previously looked at The Fever of Urbicande‘s prologue, some of that prologue’s implications, and chapters one and two. This time, we’ll continue to chapter three of this fascinating story. I’ve also previously introduced The Obscure Cities series and… [more]

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 2

Julian Darius — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:00:43 +0000

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 2" title="The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 2" style="float:left;" />We’ve previously looked at The Fever of Urbicande‘s prologue, some of that prologue’s implications, and chapter one of the comic proper. This time, we’ll continue into chapter two of this fascinating story. Also, I’ve previously introduced The Obscure… [more]

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 1

Julian Darius — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:00:39 +0000

The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 1" title="The Fever of Urbicande, Chapter 1" style="float:left;" />We’ve previously looked at The Fever of Urbicande‘s prologue and some of its implications. This time, we’ll dive into the story itself. Also, I’ve previously introduced The Obscure Cities series and discussed its first volume, The Walls of… [more]

The Fever of Urbicande: Ayn Rand, Totalitarian Architecture, Brutalism, and Busselization

Julian Darius — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:12 +0000

The Fever of Urbicande: Ayn Rand, Totalitarian Architecture, Brutalism, and Busselization" title="The Fever of Urbicande: Ayn Rand, Totalitarian Architecture, Brutalism, and Busselization" style="float:left;" />We’ve previously looked at The Fever of Urbicande‘s prologue, which sets up Eugen Robick’s status quo as the story starts. This time, we’ll explore some fascinating parallels and implications of that status quo. Also, I’ve… [more]

The Fever of Urbicande: A French Masterpiece You Probably Haven’t Read

Julian Darius — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:00:05 +0000

The Fever of Urbicande: A French Masterpiece You Probably Haven’t Read" title="The Fever of Urbicande: A French Masterpiece You Probably Haven’t Read" style="float:left;" />More than any other, this is the the book for which The Obscure Cities is famous. In his afterword to The Walls of Samaris, Benoît Peeters writes that his main criticism of that initial volume… [more]

The Walls of Samaris, Part 4: Textual Variants

Julian Darius — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:00:44 +0000

The Walls of Samaris, Part 4: Textual Variants" title="The Walls of Samaris, Part 4: Textual Variants" style="float:left;" />We’ve previously examined the story of The Walls of Samaris, a French masterpiece that deserves to be known among comics-literate Americans. In part two, we looked at several implications of its trompe-d’oeil device. In part three, I wrapped up… [more]

The Walls of Samaris, Part 3: More Mysteries… and Some Possible Solutions

Julian Darius — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:00:40 +0000

The Walls of Samaris, Part 3: More Mysteries… and Some Possible Solutions" title="The Walls of Samaris, Part 3: More Mysteries… and Some Possible Solutions" style="float:left;" />We’ve previously examined the story of The Walls of Samaris, a French masterpiece that deserves to be known among comics-literate Americans. In part two, we looked at several implications of its trompe-d’oeil device. If you haven’t read those,… [more]

The Walls of Samaris, Part 2: The Trompe-d’Oeil and You

Julian Darius — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:00:37 +0000

The Walls of Samaris, Part 2: The Trompe-d’Oeil and You" title="The Walls of Samaris, Part 2: The Trompe-d’Oeil and You" style="float:left;" />Having introduced The Obscure Cities and walked through its first volume, The Walls of Samaris in some detail, I ended with that book’s conclusion. I’ll pick up there, so it’s necessary that you read part… [more]

The Walls of Samaris: A Classic French Comic You Probably Haven’t Read

Julian Darius — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 11:00:50 +0000

The Walls of Samaris: A Classic French Comic You Probably Haven’t Read" title="The Walls of Samaris: A Classic French Comic You Probably Haven’t Read" style="float:left;" />Many fans of The Obscure Cities (which I introduced here) will tell you that the first volume, The Walls of Samaris, first collected in 1983, represents a freshman effort, despite the acclaim it’s won. The… [more]

The Obscure Cities: An Introduction

Julian Darius — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:00:05 +0000

The Obscure Cities: An Introduction" title="The Obscure Cities: An Introduction" style="float:left;" />The Obscure Cities (Les Cités Obscures) arose in the midst of a pivotal time in the history of French comics. So let’s talk about French comics, shall we? In the early 1970s, French comics were… [more]

Valérian: Spaceships, Simulacra, and Star Wars

Nicolas Labarre — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:30:57 +0000

The French Connection is back after a long hiatus with the same purpose it had two years ago, to present and review significant bande-dessinées. Previous columns dealt with recent publications, works by Sfar, Trondheim or… [more]

Not-So-Ordinary Victories

Nicolas Labarre — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 15:24:06 +0000

To my surprise, Manu Larcenet was nominated for last year’s Eisners (“Best US edition of Foreign Material”). He did not win, since Sfar did, but that was a reliable signal that Larcenet had acquired both… [more]

Deep in the Donjon

Nicolas Labarre — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 15:16:29 +0000

I wasn’t sure where to start, now that the introductory articles are over. Should I focus on a mainstream, and therefore easily accessible, series? Should I select, instead, some obscure but brilliant work, while knowing… [more]

Independents and/or Avant-Garde

Nicolas Labarre — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 14:07:29 +0000

In the latest issue of l’Eprouvette, a critical review published by l’Association, BD creator Edmond Baudouin provides a retrospective look on his relationship to the medium. Since he hadn’t read much BD, he started in… [more]

Bandes Dessinées in a Material World

Nicolas Labarre — Wed, 31 May 2006 15:20:44 +0000

Bandes Dessinées in a Material World" title="Bandes Dessinées in a Material World" style="float:left;" />My name is Nicolas Labarre. I am French, and while completing my Ph.D., including a dissertation on “Theories of Mass Culture in the United States,” I write comics. Or more precisely, bandes dessinées. This reminds… [more]