Translated, this mean “Just a Kiss” in Francais (my 2nd language). It is also the name of one of my most favorite perfumes, created by Fragonard. No “eau de toilette” or “eau de parfum,” but “parfum.” The whole, concentrate scent that will remain lingering in my hair all day and night. Although I can only get it in France (how I miss thee), it was well worth the cost.

Looking at the shiny gold bottle, I think about my past kisses – all four. Yes, 4. 1,2,3,4. Only one of them am I unsure of the name (we just call him Scottish Boy) and only one of them do I still speak to (#4, R). The one I speak to also happens to have been the best one – coincidence? But really, a kiss can mean so many things, is it possible to have “just a kiss” with someone?

I’ve played Truth or Dare (the dares were never as bad as the truth was), and kissed many of my female friends on the cheek, occasionally the lips and it meant absolutely nothing. No questioning of my sexuality or longing to cut my hair short and call myself Bertha. But is it possible to have the same experience with a gender that you’re attracted to? Listening to many of my friends’ fights with their boyfriends (well, ex now), “It was just a kiss!” seems to be a commonly used line. None of my male kisses have been “juste un baiser” in my opinion, though 3/4 times I was intoxicated to some level. I’m a pretty relaxed miss, though I’m still unsure how I would feel seeing my significant other kissing another female. Or male actually… If he was falling off the stool drunk, would I forgive him? Or tell myself that “drunken actions are sober thoughts”? I suppose it would depend greatly on the situation and how much I trusted him… but as being the other girl in that situation before, I can tell you, it wasn’t just a kiss.

I feel like taking a trip to the past:

First kiss: Rugby Boy:

It was days after my 17th birthday, and I went over to his place to hang out, fully knowing what I was getting myself into. Well, I thought I did at least. We had been “friendly” and extremely flirtatious over the summer, and the past year as his best friend had shattered my heart. Rugby Boy was there to “comfort me” – via sexual healing. “No” meant nothing and his little sister was in the room next to us. I kept my Vcard, but nothing else. We don’t talk anymore, though he did call me a “natural.”

#2: First drunken kiss: David B. :

Fast forward 2 years after I’ve discovered the local country bar, getting free drinks, and harmless flirting. (Legal drinking age in Canada is 19). I’m not sure when he showed up at our table, but he was next to me for a while and eased my worries of the “friend” who was falling over and passing out drunk in the next booth. We danced, we laughed, some beer was drank. Then, his friend said it. “Dude, you have a girlfriend.” I laughed, mentioned something about my morals (ha), and still ended up kissing him on the cheek as he asked for my number. Two weeks later, it was Halloween (excuse to publicly role play? heck yes!), and at bar #1 #2, I ran (rather literally) into a group of amazingggg looking guys, who accompanied me to the bar. There, they mentioned their friend David B who, just happened, to be standing behind me – oh, and recently made single. At this point, the movie would flash to us dancing all night, and casually making out in the center of the dance floor. The next weekend I returned to said Country Bar, and hoping to God that he wouldn’t exist, he found me within 5 minutes. And his ex-girlfriend who turns out, is friends with many of mine. She informed me of how he dumped her via text after 9 months of love. We don’t speak anymore.

#3 – Scottish Boy:

That same night I ran into David B, my friends and I made some bad decisions with some verrry cute boys and ended up going back to their home to play pool at 2:30am. One of them, happened to be Scottish Boy who, yes, is Scottish. He had a lovely accent, and although I had no clue what he said, I’m sure it was equally lovely. At around 3:30am though, we were both rather tired and cuddling on a couch when he kissed me. Once again, he refused to believe me when I said “no,” which led to me crying in the bathroom to my one friend. 7:30am we ended up back to our side of the bridge, drinking coffee, wondering how the hell we got ourselves in that situation. We tried to find the names of the 3 boys (they don’t even deserve the title of guys) on Facebook – they don’t exist.

And last, but most definitely NOT least, #4 – R :

As I introduced myself, he mentioned that we had previously met and scared me to death. I wondered what I had done to make him not only remember my full name, but why did I have NO memory of him previously existing to my life. A friend calmed me down, reassured me R was “safe” (after Scottish Boy I hadn’t been out), and we talked. Friends would walk by, mentioning what a “cute couple” we were – all words I dismissed as I’m very much single. He would slide his arm around my waist, and for the first time of a male doing so, it felt natural. Later, he mentioned something about “skills” and I came out with a line oh-so-cliche you would have thought I had written it first: “What other skills do you have?” Yes, laugh all you want, but it worked. And damn, he had skills. After the kiss broke, a crowd – I exaggerate not – was formed around us, someone clapped, and another was taking a picture.  He’s currently on a cruise, but I saw him again a couple of days before he left. I’m hoping this new year will show more of him (as much as I love single-hood.)

Those, readers (if you exist?) are my kisses. What were yours?

“Sóc a París. Visc en un petit estudi del districte XX pagat pel meu pare.
Durant la setmana vaig a l’École d’Arts Appliques Duperré, al costat del mercat del Temple.
El cap de setmana el passo tancat a la meva habitació, tacant el paper i devorant llibres per omplir aquests dos dies abans de tornar a classe el dilluns.

Quan ara rellegeixo algunes de les històries que vaig escriure llavors, no hi entenc res.
Però què és el que jo deuria voler dir?
Ja no ho sé. Però llavors necessitava dibuixar i escriure sense parar. Perquè no m’atrapés la malaltia del meu germà havia d’omplir el meu temps.”

Fragment i vinyeta de L’ascencion du haut mal, de David B.

Zo. Het is waar. Ook in België is het fantastisch weer. Zeker als je nog niet moet gaan werken. In die gelukkige toestand bevind ik me. Voer momenteel een geweldig gevecht met een Ikea dressing kast, waarvan ik nog steeds hoop dat ik het als winnaar kan beëindigen. Hopelijk houd ik niet teveel vijsjes over.

Een voorspoedige nachtelijk rit van 10u en half, heeft me weer terug naar de realiteit gecatapulteerd. Vanavond voor het eerst weer repetitie. Ik was letterlijk een half uur weer thuis en mijn lief en kinderen probeerden de gemiste nacht bij te slapen toen ik even mijn mail checkte. Ja ik weet het, het is een verslaving. Daar trof ik twee berichten in aan die me van de hemel naar de hel slingerden. Of andersom, dat is zelfs mij niet helemaal duidelijk.

Ten eerste werd me gemeld dat toen de cast zonder regisseur een tekstrepetitie wilde houden afgelopen donderdag en ze zich naar onze vaste repetitiestek in de kelder van het Lepelhof wilde begeven, ze vaststelden dat het hevige onweer van de dag daarvoor diezelfde kelder onder water had gezet. Water! Tot daaraantoe. Maar in dit geval blijkt het rioolwater te zijn! Qua goedkope symboliek voor een productie met de titel ‘Schoon Schip’ kan dat tellen. We maken water in het repetitielokaal. Ik hoor het hoongelach van heel Mortsel klinken tot in Boechout. Ik wil weer op vakantie. Of toch alleszins weg van hier. Wordt ongetwijfeld vervolgd.

Tweede bericht dat me weer enigzins met het leven kon verzoenen. Dat dekselse promo team. Nu bereikte me twee foto’s van  het enige echte celebrity koppel (sorry Sam & Kelly!) dat tegenwoordig in LA resideert vanwege voetbalverplichtingen van de echtgenoot in kwestie.  Dat dit koppel een feilloze radar heeft voor het oppikken van wereldwijde trends is algemeen geweten, denken we maar aan de perfect getimede uitbreiding,  nog grotere uitbreiding en weer wat inkrimpen van de cupmaat van La Posh herself. Welnu, diezelde Victoria B. werd vorige week gespot op een gala -steeds op zoek naar middelen om haar street credebility op te …euh krikken – met een affiche van onze ‘Schoon Schip’ productie. Ik weet niet of het reclame is, maar het is alleszins wel een stunt, niet?

Victoria B.wil niet achterblijven en helpt een handje bij de promo campagne: Posh!

Maar wat schetste mijn nog grotere verbazing? Om zijn vrouw te steunen of voor te blijven, dat is me niet helemaal duidelijk, stelde echtgenoot David B. zijn allernieuwste tattoo voor. Blijkt plots mijn beeldtenis op het torso van deze metrosexuele man te prijken!  Opnieuw: ik weet niet of het reclame is, maar, opnieuw: het is wel een stunt. Ok, het zijn nog geen 53 sterretjes in zijn aangezicht, maar dit zal wereldwijd minstens zoveel aandacht trekken. Kimberley, eat your heart out!

Ik vrees dat Becks het een beetje kwijt is

Zo, nu ga ik me weer mentaal voorbereiden op de confrontatie met al die sterke madammen die de repetities bevolken. Ja, ja, zoals de Antwerpse uitdrukking het stelt:
Veel volk in de winkel! (Er moet toch iets mis zijn met mijn geest, dat ik blijkbaar steeds dat soort associaties maak)

Tot binnenkort!

BerD

Winning a Brian Griffin stuffed animal from one of those crane games at the 3 Brothers Dinner. – Check out the video podcast at VJnet.org | 206-495-6555 | vjnetcast[at]gmail.com | VJnetcast.com | A BustB!G and Live Your Dreams Production | Part of the Airstream Podcasting Network

Jesús Moreno es un hombre de ideas, de buenas ideas. Prueba de ello es el Premio FNAC/Sins entido de novela gráfica del que ahora se convoca su tercera edición. Pero mayor prueba todavía han sido las portadas especiales en blanco de Epiléptico y Mi vida mal dibujada destinadas a su firma por los autores de la obra en el reciente Salón Internacional del Cómic de Barcelona de las que la imprescindible Entrecomics nos ofrece unas imágenes.

David B. é um nome bastante conhecido na Europa, onde já trabalhou em diversos álbuns pela editora independente de quadrinhos L’Association, que ajudou a fundar. No Brasil é mais conhecido por seus dois álbuns intitulados Epiléptico. Neles o autor conta como sua vida foi alterada devido a doença do irmão, a epilepsia, ou como é chamado em francês, o Grande Mal (Haut Mal). A epilepsia é uma doença incurável, que causa convulsões, desmaios e vai, com o tempo, debilitando o cérebro. A odisséia dos pais atrás de uma cura para a doença do filho é a força-motriz da história. A família passa por acumpulturas e dietas macrobióticas, psicanálises e drogas, seitas religiosas e crenças sobrenaturais sempre na esperança que alguma dessas tentativas acabasse ou diminuísse o sofrimento da família.

O desenho sempre foi a válvula de escape de David B., que na verdade chama-se Pierre-François Beauchard. Resolveu usar o nome de David, pois se identificava com os judeus ainda no tempo em que passava os finais de semana lendo literatura fantástica na biblioteca da sua casa. Foi da imaginação alimentada por histórias extraordinárias que surgiram os monstros que estão presentes em Epiléptico. Primeiro Pierre-François desenhava cenas ultra-detalhadas de batalhas históricas, depois, com o desenvolvimento da doença de seu irmão, Jean-Christophe, passou a ser acompanhado por criaturas sobrenaturais que representavam seus temores e instintos. Ao revelar seus impulsos e fragilidades na figura de seres horrendos, B. humaniza sua obra, dá forma às suas limitações e dessa maneira, às vence. “Desenhar essa história foi uma forma de exorcizá-la, torná-la algo meu, que eu pude entender e aceitar”, conta o artista.

O autor une a narrativa com o processo criativo, explorando de maneira inteligente a linguagem dos quadrinhos e, a exemplo de Maus, de Art Spiegelman, transforma pessoas em animais e animais em pessoas – os monstros que o acompanham são aspectos de sua psique. Seus desenhos são baseados em artes japonesas, africanas, indígenas e medievais, chegando a ser comparadas inclusive à xilogravura. Quando da publicação na Inglaterra, o jornal The Guardian disse que Epiléptico era Harvey Pekar (de Anti-Herói Americano) desenhado por Picasso. Talvez por haverem se tornado seu refúgio, os desenhos de David B. guardam tanta riqueza nos detalhes. Seu irmão que, quando criança, tinha delírios de grandeza, queria ser como Hitler ou Gengis Khan, por outro lado, foi refugiando-se pouco a pouco na doença, perdendo quase toda a ligação que tinha com o mundo e ficando cada vez mais dependente da família e dos tratamentos.

Marjane Satrapi, autora de Persépolis, foi bastante influenciada por David B.. Ambas histórias são autobiográficas e mostram uma criança tendo que crescer rapidamente forçada a encarar o mundo através da perspectiva de um adulto. Já crescidos, porém, não conseguem achar seu lugar entre os demais por terem a sensação de haverem vivido demais. Os dois artistas encontraram nos quadrinhos uma maneira de expor e exorcizar seus monstros. David B. compara a segregação por causa da doença do irmão com as diferenças entre as civilizações – tema central de Persépolis – e diz que a criação de Epiléptico foi uma maneira de buscar entender por que razão as pessoas se afastam umas das outras.

Epiléptico ganhou prêmio de melhor roteiro no Festival de Angouléme em 2000 e David B. foi escolhido Artista Destaque no Prêmio Ignatz em 2005. Essa é uma história que merece atenção, outra da leva de autobiografias em quadrinhos, que ganham o leitor com a verdade e a crueza de sentimentos embutidos não apenas nas palavras, mas nos desenhos e na junção dos dois. Uma obra que nos leva a compreender a epilepsia não apenas do lado de quem sofre a doença, mas daqueles que convivem diariamente com a ascensão do “grande mal”.

El Salón ha recibido una cobertura considerable en los medios con entrevistas a David B y Gipi o Jeffrey Brown. Batman Barcelona también ha contribuido a la presencia de FICOMIC en algún medio norteamericano pero, pese a que el Batman se ha agotado, la queja es generalizada en cuanto a que las ventas no ha sido nada buenas a lo que contribuyeron el puente y la crisis. No sabemos que se ha vendido mejor en el Salón pero las ventas de la tienda Mazinguer de Gijón en Mayo nos pueden dar alguna pista.

Dando seguimiento a las entradas anteriores, el pasado 16 de marzo, escribimos sobre Josh Keyes – Naturaleza Acrílica y mencionabamos cómo ilustraba situaciones muy raras y casí imposibles de imaginar al recrear naturaleza dramáticamente aislada con aspectos de la vida cotidiana en un espacio no-físico. Y bueno, apartir del día de ayer, 30 de mayo, hasta el 3 de julio, Josh presenta su nueva colección en la galería David B. Smith en Denver, Colorado, Y bueno, aunque es un poco lejos, eso no impide echarle un ojo a su nueva serie. La exhibición Sprout es una mezcla perfecta de la imaginación, jugando con animales y objetos para crear una mezcla que realmente no hace sentido, pero otra vez, en el arte y en especial con gente así, no hace falta justficar nada. Al contrario. No estaría nada mal encontrarnos un día con una cosa así. ¡Soy su fanss!

I recently read a graphic novel which was unlike any I have read before. It is called Epileptic and was written and illustrated by the French graphic novelist David B. The story is an autobiographical re-telling of his experience growing up with an epileptic brother. The illustrative style is incredibly detailed incorporating magical and metaphorical elements with figurative characterization. I was continually interested. The story is heart wrenching without being gratuitous. If you collect graphic novels Epileptic should be one of them.

L’Ascension du Haut Mal est une bande dessinée autobiographique de David B. éditée par L’Association (collection éperluette) de 1996 à 2003.

Haut mal est un synonyme d’épilepsie, maladie dont est atteint le frère de David B. et que toute la famille combat désespérément, jusqu’à se retrouver à la merci de charlatans et autres gourous.

L’ascension du haut mal est plus qu’une bande dessinée, c’est avant tout une histoire formidablement bien écrite, des planches que l’on n’a de cesse de fouiller du regard tant les détails sont nombreux et un univers incroyable.

A l’édition française, je préfère de loin la version intégrale anglo-saxonne de l’éditeur Random House (isbn:0-224-07502-0). Non pour ses textes mais pour la qualité du papier sur lequel est imprimé l’ouvrage, sa couverture dure et les dimensions agréables de l’ouvrage.

En savoir plus

> biographie de David B.

Quelques planches de David B.

I went to the “RMB City Planning” Art Exhibition with David b at Lombard-Fried Projects, New York City on February 29-April 05, 2008. RMB City is a planned project by Beijing-based artist Cao Fei, involving the creation of a virtual city and art platform in the online 3D world of SecondLife, in which interactive art exhibitions and events will be held over a two year period. – http://vjnetcast.blip.tv/ and http://vjnetcast.com | voicebox 206-495-6555 | e-mailbox vjnetcast[at]gmail.com

Flashback | Winter Rendezvous at Stowe, VT Part 1 | 28 Jan 2009 – 05 Feb 2009

Brian G gives us his product review of the Flip Mino as we ride the chair lift.

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Joey Santiago

www.TheOccasionalFag.com
www.winterrendezvous.com

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Video from when I took David b and Leon (from TheOccasionalFag.com podcast) shopping at the A Dong Supermarket in West Hartford, CT.

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EPILÉPTICO-David B.

Libro cartoné, 376 págs. B/N- 20 €

(Recopilación en libro de La ascensión del gran mal. Imprescindible, si no lo tienes)

A catch-up talk and my recent New York Trip when I met-up with a fagle of podcasters and their partners for dim sum.

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okayruyi ( www.youtube.com/user/okayruyi )

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rebelyankee.wordpress.com
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theoccasionalfag.com

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Leon plays the piano while we chat about what we did this past weekend in NYC.

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Leon and
David b (theoccasionalfag.com)

meatfreeradio.com
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So it’s coming out this Friday.  After long years of waiting for not a few die-hard fans:

To begin with, I have probably read a lot of comics/graphic novels, but I do not consider myself at all well read in the format.  To end with, in honor of the release of the Watchmen movie, I provide you with this list of nine comics/graphic novels (and one graphic children’s book) which are better than Watchmen, the book, in no particular order:

1. The Sandman by Neil Gaiman–Hopefully you realize by now that Gaiman is a genius writer.  Check out this series for proof.  If you go to Duke, check out the Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1 from Lilly.

2. From Hell by Alan Moore–See, I don’t hate Moore.  I just don’t understand why everybody’s crazy for The Watchmen.  I think it might be that it was about the first graphic novel that literary critics noticed.  Returning to From Hell, you might recall that a movie of the same name was made of this book, starring Johnny Depp.  I’ve heard that it’s awful.  This book, however, is amazing: Jack the Ripper, Freemasonry and occult stuff, meticulously researched Victorian England, tons of sex and gore.  For all I know all those things make a great synopsis of the movie, but they actually do all click on the page.  Watch out if you think illustrated sex and gore might bother you, because there’s a lot of it.  Furthermore, Eddie Campbell did the art here, and that deserves mentioning.  Huge parts of the book could have been done with no dialogue whatsoever, and you would not miss a thing.

3. Epileptic by David B–David B is a French writer, and this book is a memoir of growing up with his epileptic brother over decades of their lives, in which the two boys’ parents try absolutely everything (from dabbling in various occult groups, to visiting Catholic shrines, to brain surgery, to joining macrobiotic communes) to help their epileptic son, only to see him become more and more distant from them, unable to live a normal life.  If I had to choose one on this list which I think would appeal to ’serious’ readers of all stripes, I would pick this one.

4. The Complete Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman–You know how I mentioned that Watchmen was one of the first graphic novels to be noticed by literary critics?  Well, this is the other big one.  So popular now that you might have had to read it in eighth grade or high school.  Please, film industry, if you absolutely have to make this into a movie sometime, do it right.  Oh yeah, the plot.  A very personal story of the Holocaust in which the Jews are mice and the Nazis are cats.  That might sound dumb or cheesy, but Maus is about as far from those two adjectives as you can imagine.  And if you’ve already read this, then check out Spiegelman’s In the Shadow of No Towers about 9/11.

5. Bone by Jeff Smith–The complete one-volume version of Bone was a wedding present to Holly and I from Aaron F., a high school friend.  Holly and I read it together over the first several weeks of our marriage.  Then we started Le Petite Prince but never finished it.  Bone is visually fairly cute, but then the plot becomes epic-er and epic-er.  Evil and good battling.  Dragons.  A princess, as I recall.  The outward cuteness makes this a good gateway book for those interested, which is I think why Aaron recommended it to people in high school.

6. The Push Man and Other Stories by Yoshihiro Tatsumi–Only a couple of the books on this list are anything less than incredibly well known, and this is at least halfway obscure.  Tatsumi is apparently a pioneer of serious graphic storytelling, and this is a book of graphic short short stories.  Incredibly dark stuff.  Perhaps mix Sartre,  Raymond Carver, and some dinginess together to do a graphic short story collection and you would get this.  Like From Hell, not for the faint of heart, although in this book’s case, that’s because of the intensely emotional subject matter rather than the visuals.

7. Get a Life by Phillipe Dupuy and Charles Berberian–Although all of the other books on this list are stories about very real and well-developed characters, this is the only one that can be described as celebrating the mundane.  Wonderful, gentle humor about day-to-day living in France.  As far as I know, this volume collects almost everything that these French comic creators have had translated into English.  I still don’t understand why the suits above haven’t made everything these guys do available.

8. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel–Bechdel’s memoir is about growing up with a mentally ill, closeted-and-raging-because-of-it gay father who lavishly decorates the family’s Victorian home and carries on gay affairs throughout his very much hurting marriage.  That’s a rather blunt and inartistic way of describing it, so I apologize.  But if you are a memoir fan (David Sedaris, anyone?), you would like this.

9. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick–Yes, this might be a cheating entry, because it is a childrens’ book, not a graphic novel or comic.  Except that the story is told graphically, the book is over 500 pages long, and it is so good that I couldn’t help pausing from time to time to clasp it to my chest and just breathe in its wondrousness.  (I literally do that from time to time with certain books; it’s how I know how much I like them).  I very much doubt anyone has ever had that experience with Watchmen.  Now they should make this into a movie, and it should be with the book’s black-and-white drawings mixed in with live action scenes and starring Freddie Highmore (Peter in Finding Neverland) or Alex Etel (Damian in Millions).  I never notice child actors, but those two are great.

Honorable mention (better in my opinion, but not incontestably better, than Watchmen):  Blankets by Craig Thompson; Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine; David Boring by Daniel Clowes; Road to Perdition by Max Allan Collins

Notably missing from my list: Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware; The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.  This is due to lack of personal emotional connection, not lack of artistry on the books’ part.  The same critique might also be made of Watchmen itself.  But I have to admit, that trailer does look amazing.

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De amerikanska förlagen, med NBM och First Second i spetsen, ser till att hålla ångan uppe vad gäller att publicera den nya vågens serieskapare från Frankrikes 90-tal; det är inte på något sätt heltäckande, men det är verkligen roligt att allt fler av de serier jag tidigare bara kunnat läsa om nu också finns på ett språk jag förstår.

David B. har tidigare presenterats på engelska med bland annat Epileptic, hans långa historia om sig själv men framförallt om sin brors epilepsi, och i Ignatz-serien (utan tvekan den bästa utgivningsserien som finns just nu) med två volymer av Babel. Drömmar är uppenbarligen en viktig del av hans liv, och i exempelvis Epileptic tar de allteftersom över mer och mer av handlingen. Och i den senaste boken av honom på engelska, den NBM-publicerade Nocturnal Conspiracies: Nineteen Dreams, är det som förstås av titeln bara drömmarna som är kvar.

Jag tycker oftast att läsa eller hör om någon annans drömmar är rätt så ointressant; drömmar kan vara oerhört engagerande och starka för den som har dem, men det innebär inte att andra kommer att bry sig lika mycket, och att de sedan nästan jämt är osammanhängande gör det inte bättre. Det finns andra som har publicerat sina drömmar i serieform förut, som exempelvis Rick Veitch och hans vänner, men det har inte varit så lyckat. Sen finns det förstås de som använt drömtemat som avstamp för annat, som Little Nemo, men det är någonting helt annat.

Så, hur lyckas nu David B.? Han kommer ut ur det hela med äran i behåll, utan tvekan, men det går inte att komma ifrån att det blir tradigt med dröm staplad på dröm utan något sammanhang, även om (eller kanske på grund av att) manuset frammanar en stark känsla av att det är en dröm som utspelar sig framför mig.

Det som räddar den här boken är att hans drömmar är ovanligt grafiska; jag skulle vilja ha liknande drömmar själv. Dessutom är teckningarna suggestiva, och den på ytan enkla stilen framhäver det fantastiska och drömska innehållet. Det är ett album i 2-färg, någonting som ibland kan kännas lite billigt, men här lyfter det snarare fram det overkliga.

Jag skulle närmast säga att det är ett intressant och läsvärt misslyckande, men i jämförelse med Epileptic där drömmarna får ett mervärde i och med historien som utspelar sig runtomkring dem så är det här en obalanserad bok. Men teckningsmässigt står den sig väl, och för den drömintresserade är det definitivt någonting att titta närmare på.

imagesource | wonderlandmagazine.com

O quadrinhista francês David B., que tem sua obra-prima publicada por aqui, Epiléptico (Conrad) acaba de lançar nova HQ, Nocturnal Conspiracies. Segundo o autor, é um livro que fala de sonhos. Nesta edição, o autor transcreveu dezenove histórias direto de seu subconsciente.

Pra quem já leu o trabalho dele, sabe que seu exercício narrativo é impressionante. O preview também foi solto na web. Tem mais imagens aqui.

Dá só uma olhada em algumas páginas. Se clicar, amplia.

Dans un style dont se sont inspirés d’autres auteurs talentueux, comme Marjane Satrapi, David B. abolit la frontière entre le rêve et la réalité.

En accordant une place essentielle aux monstres et à la folie, aux cauchemards et aux souvenirs, à l’imaginaire et aux contes… David B. ne s’intéresse pas à la réalité mais au contraire à ce qui lui échappe. Des univers où, par définition, rien n’est stable et où tout est mouvant. La logique, la morale mais aussi la vision du monde. Son art réside dans ce tour de force : donner forme aux incohérences, aux ambivalences, aux métamorphoses qui nourissent l’inconscient en permanence…

Article en cours de rédaction

Errant dans les bibliothèques, fouillant dans les greniers, les auteurs de bandes dessinées entreprennent aujourd’hui des recherches colossales pour être au plus près de la réalité de la Grande guerre. L’histoire, semblent penser les dessinateurs, est un sujet trop sérieux pour être laissé aux historiens. Reste que toutes ces petites vignettes façonnent désormais notre imaginaire. Au risque d’une réalité biaisée.

L’exaltation de la confrontation, l’odeur de terre retournée et de poudre, l’imminence de l’ennemi… Peindre la guerre va être passionnant : elle est si jolie ! » lance le général Morancet à Vincent Van Gogh dans l’album La ligne de Front. Le dessinateur et scénariste Manu Larcenet, peu soucieux de l’anachronisme – Van Gogh est mort en 1890, transporte le peintre aux tournesols dans les tranchées. De leurs salons boisés, les ronds de cuir parisiens le chargent d’aller croquer les combats. Ils veulent voir et « sentir l’odeur du sang » pour mieux comprendre la guerre. L’univers de la BD a suivi cet exemple : les auteurs sont de plus en plus nombreux à dessiner la Grande guerre.

Mais la BD est une aventure solitaire voire cathartique. Prenons deux auteurs. Le dessinateur Jacques Tardi, par exemple, se lance sur les traces de son grand-père le poilu. Pierre Gibrat, lui, réécrit sa jeunesse. Il dessine un personnage, Matteo, tous deux sont fils de révolutionnaires, tout deux partent se battre pour l’admiration d’une femme. Ce regard partial fait forcément de la BD le véhicule d’un message, voire même, d’une idéologie.

L’instrument de la propagande de l’Etat

Cette nature prosélyte, la BD la traîne depuis sa naissance. Au début du XXe siècle, cette littérature n’est rien d’autre qu’un instrument de la propagande de l’État. Les « illustrés » sont vendus dans les kiosques. Ils sont le seul moyen pour le citoyen non-mobilisé de se représenter le front.

André Simon est l’organisateur du Festival de la BD de Gradignan en Aquitaine. L’origine de la BD, il peut en parler : chez lui, les albums se comptent par milliers. Se définissant comme « archiviste », il possède de véritables antiquités.

La rigueur de Tardi

14-18 devient donc pour longtemps un thème évité par la bande dessinée. Il faudra attendre 1974 avec l’Adieu Brindavoine de Jacques Tardi pour qu’un nouveau regard se pose sur la Der des der. En 1993, il réitère et signe une œuvre majeure, C’était la guerre des tranchées. Loin de la propagande du début du siècle, Tardi n’en défend pas moins un message fort : 14-18 n’est rien d’autre qu’une boucherie inutile. Il cite Anatole France, « On croit mourir pour la patrie et on meurt pour des industriels ». Par la force de son dessin, en 126 pages, il nous a convaincu.

L’auteur se plonge dans l’étude des tranchées avec une rigueur toute scientifique. Si bien qu’il s’oblige à préciser, dans l’introduction à son ouvrage, que « C’était la Guerre des tranchées n’est pas un travail d’historien ». L’historien dans l’affaire, c’est son ami Jean-Pierre Verney avec qui « chaque image de cet album a nécessité une ou plusieurs longues conversations téléphoniques » explique encore l’auteur. Désormais « dessiner la Grande guerre, c’est marcher sur les plates bandes de Tardi » disent parfois les autres dessinateurs.

Luc Révillon est historien, auteur de “14-18 dans la BD”. Il pointe les tensions qui existent entre l’histoire et les dessins de Jacques Tardi. Selon lui, malgré sa rigueur, “la démarche de Tardi est plus idéologique qu’historique”.

Un éventail inépuisable de situations romanesques

D’autres dessinateurs prendront la suite de cette démarche militante. Mais 14-18 offre un éventail inépuisable de situations dessinées. Si Tardi s’attaque de front à la condition poilue, la guerre est pour d’autres un prétexte à des sagas romanesques. Un exemple parmi d’autres : Jean-Pierre Gibrat. Son Matteo, c’est la petite histoire dans la grande. Jean-Pierre Gibrat dessine les tranchées avec de la pastel. Même en plein jour, on ne reconnaît pas le soleil. Dans cette ambiance mélancolique, Matteo part au front pour impressionner Juliette. “Sa reconquête passait toujours par celle de l’Alsace et la Lorraine”.

Jean-Pierre Gibrat va chercher ses sources dans les films, dans les romans, dans les documentaires. Son travail de création est intimement lié à ses recherches historiques.

Dans la bande dessinée, la Première guerre est « à la mode » avait dit un jour Tardi. Et cette littérature est de plus en plus populaire. Elle occupe désormais une place prépondérante dans la construction de notre imaginaire. Au détriment, parfois, de la vérité historique. Pour Luc Révillon, la BD n’est qu’un “reflet de son époque”.

Cette rivalité entre histoire et bande dessinée ne fait que commencer. Historiens et dessinateurs reconnaissent bien volontiers que leurs travaux sont forcément orientés Probablement a-t-on besoin d’idéologie pour évoquer 9 millions de morts sans en perdre son humanité.

Benjamin Huguet

Illustration de tête : Bruno Tondeur

En annexe

• Diaporama : Matteo, de Jean-Pierre Gibrat.
  

Aller plus loin

A voir

• L’écho des tranchées : la guerre 14-18 vue par des auteurs de bande dessinée, exposition au salon On a marché sur la bulle à Amiens, du 6 octobre au 28 novembre 2008.

A lire

• « 14-18 dans la BD : Images de la Grande guerre de Forton à Tardi », Luc Révillon et Bruno Denéchère, Cheminements, 2008, Paris.
• Visages de guerre, Article d’ActuaBD.com, mai 2004.
• 11 Novembre : des bulles dans la tranchés, Article d’ActuaBD.com, novembre 2007.
• Le révisionnisme dans les mangas, Article de ToutenBD.com, mai 2005.

Oeuvres citées

• Adieu Brindavoine, Jacques Tardi, Casterman, 1974, Paris.

• Une aventure rocambolesque de Vincent Van Gogh. La ligne de front, Manu Larcenet, Dargaud, Collection Poisson pilote, 2004, Paris.

• C’était la guerre des tranchées, Jacques Tardi, Casterman, 1993, Paris.

• Matteo, Jean-Pierre Gibrat, Futuropolis, 2008, Paris.