“Caboche”, “Last weekend of January”, “Slava”, “Merel”… Back-to-school comic books

THE MORNING LIST

Comics are also making their literary comeback. Eleven novelties, which testify to the vitality of the sector, appear in the monthly list of comic book journalists from World.

“Caboche”: in the damaged head of a private detective

Abundant in comics (Dick Tracy, Gil Jourdan, Ric Hochet, Alack Sinner, Canardo, Blacksad, Jack Palmer…), the figure of the private detective has not exhausted all the possibilities of graphic literature. Evidenced by this variation of the Americans Fialkov (screenplay) and Tuazon (drawing) over which hovers the palpable shadow of death.

Its narrator is a first class loser – so far nothing new – who is entrusted with the delicate mission of finding the daughter of a mafioso – idem – but who, the same day, learns that he has a brain tumour.

To the (many) adventures that dot his investigations are soon added his slow mental and physical disintegration, made up of hallucinations and time shifts. As the memory of a tragic personal story returns repeatedly, his efforts to stay focused on his investigation underline the brutality of the disease in its stark reality. In tune with the story, a drawing “rough formwork” – at first glance sloppy when it’s quite the opposite – accentuates the unease. Frederic Potet

“Caboche”, by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Noël Tuazon, translated from English (United States) by Julie Sibony, Sonatine, 256 p., €24.90 (released on 1^er september).

“The Man with the Lion’s Head”: Hybrid Destiny

Thanks to his abundant hair, inherited from his father, Hector Bibrowski embraces the career of“lion man” in circus performances. His wild face and his erudition lead him to New York, then on tour throughout the United States, where he performed in the company of a sword swallower, two Siamese sisters and Schlitzie, a strange creature of which we do not know whether it is a man, a woman or a child.

But, in the great circus of humanity, and in the face of its injustices, the animal is gradually taking precedence over man. Hector is in a hurry to leave his clever and elegant beast costume for if“fun with the tamer”. And as the monsters of the show are thanked one by one, failing to amuse their public, the“lion man” clings to his bestiality.

Hybrid between comics and painting, this moving fable in the universe of the circus in the XIX^e century explores animal fragility with finesse. Adrian LeGal

“The Man with the Lion’s Head”, by Xavier Coste, Sarbacane, 208 p., €29.

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