Drawing the city – recommendations from the French Comics Apéro
Updated: Nov 18, 2020
During the last session, we looked at urban sketches and how comic book artists have drawn cities over the years, from imaginary worlds to realistic impressions. As such, the talk was divided into three parts: futuristic cities, travelogues and depictions of the French banlieue. We have compiled here the many recommendations that were made by participants on Tuesday 16 June.
Benoit Peeters in an interview for la Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine explains how modern architecture and the art of comics are closely intertwined and how they both expanded into common culture in the 1900s. Drawings of the city in the press are, first and foremost, a means of inciting a feeling of fascination. The verticalisation of structures, technology (planes) and the advantages of new materials (glass, steel) appear, for instance, in Winsor Mccay's Little Nemo in Sumberland and for many years, the comic was hugely popular and the architecture featured in it considered a real wonder. While the XIXth century was a time of optimism, the XXth century saw the emergence of a different kind of artist. The focus also switched and the entire world started looking at what Europe was doing in terms of comics. Jean Giraud (Moebius), François Schuiten, JC Mézi, and Enki Bilal, among others, started drawing dystopian cities and did not hesitate to add a subversive twist to their stories.
Nowadays, architecture still appears in comic books in a perhaps more nuanced matter. It often is the background of real cities and builings, metro stations, streets, houses add to the overalll atmosphere and feeling of the story. Yet comic books in Europe count so many sub-genres that science fiction or visions of the periphery - now often appearing in narratives taking place in the banlieue - still have a soft spot in many hearts.
FUTURISTIC CITIES
Les cités obscures
Les cités obscures: Brüsel de Benoit Peeters et François Schuiten, Casterman
Cities of the Fantastic: Brüsel by Benoit Peeters and François Schuiten, NBM Publishing
Bug
Bug: Tome 1 et 2 de Enki Bilal, Casterman
available to borrow at la Médiathèque
The Long Tomorrow
The Long Tomorrow by Moebius and Dan O'Bannon, Les humanoïdes Associés
A special hommage available on the French publisher's website.
Paris 2119
Paris 2119 de Zep et Dominique Bertail, Rue de Sèvres
available on Culturethèque
Negalyod
Negalyod de Vincent Perriot, Casterman
available to borrow at La Médiathèque
Valérian
Valérian de Jean-Claude Mézières et Pierre Christin, Dargaud
available to borrow at La Médiathèque
Valerian and Laureline: The city of shifting waters by Jean-Claude Mézières and Pierre Christin, Cinebook
Prosopopus
Prosopopus de Nicolas de Crécy, Dupuis
More on British critic Paul Gravett's blog
Travelogues
Paul dans le métro
Paul dans le métro de Michel Rabagliati, La pastèque
available to borrow at la Médiathèque
Tokyo on foot
Tokyo on foot by Florent Chavouet, Tuttle Publishing
available to borrow at La Médiathèque
Chroniques de Jérusalem
Chroniques de Jérusalem de Guy Delisle, Delcourt
available to borrow at La Médiathèque
Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City by Guy Delisle, Penguin Books
Portugal
Portugal de Cyril Pedrosa, Dupuis
available on Culturethèque
Portugal by Cyril Pedrosa, NBM Publishing
Bye Bye Babylone
Bye Bye Babylone by Lamia Ziadé, Penguin Books
O nuit, ô mes yeux
O nuit, ô mes yeux de Lamia Ziadé, P.O.L
Drawing the French banlieues
La petite couronne
La petite couronne de Gilles Rochier, 6 pieds sous terre
Demain, demain
Demain, demain, Tome 1 et 2 de Laurent Maffre, Actes Sud BD
Webdocumentaire : 127, rue de la Garenne | Le bidonville de La Folie, Nanterre
This original documentary brings to life the graphic novel by laurent Maffre through sound archives by Monique Hervo and sound creations by Fabrice Osinski. This frieze, made for Arte from "Demain, Demain", received the SCAM award for new digital writing in 2012.
Saison des roses
Saison des roses de Chloé Wary, FLBLB
available on Culturethèque
More comic books that feature interesting architectural elements
Le patient
Le patient de Timothé le Boucher, Glénat
available to borrow at la Médiathèque
La Mouche
La mouche de Lewis Trondheim, Seuil
available to borrow at la Médiathèque
The Family of Mr Lee
The Family of Mr Lee by Yoshiharu Tsuge, Drawn and Quaterly
Tintin: Le temple du soleil
Tintin: Le temple du soleil d'Hergé, Casterman
Tintin: Prisoners of the sun by Hergé, Egmont UK