Lax

A slow, steady, undramatic story about a team of French soldiers searching for a missing commando unit in the wilds of Kabylia during the Algerian War. The soldiers are from the Section Administrative Spécialisée, that hybrid civil-military group which had the admirable job of supporting local Muslim populations by setting up hospitals, building schools etc. So we are seeing the good side of the French military here; but even so, Giroud takes care to show us plenty of soldierly brutality show more and callousness as well. Lax's artwork is excellent, ranging confidently from vast, ochreous landscapes to focused details of 1950s clothing, Berber villages, political fliers stuck to walls and so on.

The story was originally released in two parts, of which the first won the critics' prize at Angoulême in 1999. This collected edition is followed by a long and interesting essay by Giroud about his father, who fought in the war himself; and many details of Azrayen’, including its powerful closing lines, are taken from his letters. show less

Thank You to NetGalley and NBM Publishing for this ARC!!

Alou, a young honey hunter is attacked by Islamists one day and they destroy the tree where he goes to collect honey. Among the destruction he finds a statue which he takes to the village hogon, who then tells him that the statue is named "A red Mother with Child", a 14th century African sculpture.

The village hogon tells him that it is of the utmost importance that the statue be taken to the Louvre, where it can be kept safe, and so show more Alou sets off for Paris with a goal and obsession to entrust the precious statue to the Louvre Museum!

The story then follows Alou's journey and the difficulties he faces along the way. It was an interesting read but I felt that the story was rushed and very little emphasis was given to each event. show less

Une histoire complexe trop brièvement racontée tant les problématiques sont tentaculaires. Et pourtant, un dessin superbe ! L’histoire d’une statuette trouvée au Mali et apportée par un jeune migrant jusqu’au Louvre pour la protéger de l’obscurantisme islamiste.

Pourtant, cette co-édition du Louvre pose bien plus de questions que cette bande dessinée n’évoque. Les questions d’appropriation des biens, de restitutions des objets spoliés, des moyens existants pour permettre show more aux œuvres de rester dans leurs pays, de la bienveillance condescendante des musées occidentaux ne sont pas traités – ou trop brièvement – pour un sujet aux pareilles ramifications.

… Voilà donc une bande dessinée qui ressemble beaucoup à un livre publicitaire et qui me laisse bien dubitatif show less

Modeste Bonhomme heeft zijn baby achtergelaten in het hospitaal, maar dat zit hem niet lekker.
Hij wil hem kost wat kost terug.
Frankrijk maakt zich stilaan klaar voor de revolutie.
De koning zit krap in geld en de industriële revolutie zet de mensen aan tot "denken".
Tegen deze achtergrond worden de personages uit dit verhaal als marionetten tegen elkaar aan geslingerd, ook al laat de ultieme confrontatie nog op zich wachten.