Last year, by electing the eccentric – and so sympathetic – American Emil Ferris with his formidable graphic novel Me what I like is monsters (Monsieur Toussaint Louverture), the Angoulême festival had highlighted an extraordinary artist, betting on independent, introspective and intimate American comics.
This year, a change of course for the 47th edition of the Angoulême festival which awards the prize for the best comic strip of the year, its Golden Fauve, to a tandem of young authors Florent Grouazel and Younn Locard for the first volume of ” a trilogy in the form of a historical fresco on the French Revolution: Revolution I. Freedom. Published at Actes Sud in year 2.
With a subject such as the French Revolution, the jury of this 47th festival brings comics back into the hexagonal fold, and thus celebrates an album created by two promising young authors, whose first print (5000 copies) was out of stock in two months.
From the cover, we could understand the graphic and symbolic approach of Grouazel and Locard, by discovering this raised forearm, blood red, holding a round barrel pistol, typical of cavalry weapons. In the background, peaks, arms and fists stretched out as a sign of popular revolt.
The dense and documented album traces the beginnings of the revolution in April 1789. But the two young people decided to be at the height of a man, and even at the level of children, because the album begins at the moment where two kids in rags run away in general panic while the bullets are raining. This revolt, the Réveillon affair (and the massacre of the inhabitants of the Faubourg Saint-Antoine), was one of the first upheavals that set fire to the powder.
Impressive graphic epic
As stated in the afterword of the album the historian Pierre Serna: “The Revolution no longer belongs to the only historians authorized to tell it. She is a subject of rare vivacity. “
It is this impressive graphic epic, full of breath and tension that tells this comic book in sepia colors, while reviving Paris at the end of the 18th century.
By taking a look at the other awards of the 2020 list, we note that a special Fauve du Jury distinguishes the graphic novel Clyde Fans (Delcourt) by Canadian Seth, telling 500 pages of the story of a retired fan salesperson. An intimate story borrowed from nostalgia, which settles in a Hopper-style America, or Mad Men it depends. And we realize that this album could have been on the verge of winning too, thus continuing to widen the furrow of Emil Ferris, and of the American graphic novel.
See also – Comic strip: Emmanuel Guibert receives the Grand Prix of Angoulême
Comic strip: Emmanuel Guibert receives the Grand Prix d’Angoulême – Watch on Figaro Live
Eclectic and independent
The rest of the list, to say the least eclectic and focused on independent publishing, gives pride of place to the excellent manga In the abyss of time, by Gou Tanabe, who adapts the fantastic work of Howard Phillips Lovecraft (Ki-on) with great talent.
We will also salute the great work of Cornélius editions on Green thumb and other stories, bringing up to date the brilliant work of Nicole Claveloux (artist capable of going fromOkapi at Screaming metal), to whom the festival devotes a large exhibition.
By awarding the France Télévisions Public Prize, to the album Rose season, by Chloé Wary, published by Flblb, (and of which Le Figaro had spoken), the festival distinguishes the work (all in felt) of a young artist who locates her comic strip in the suburbs, and whose heroine is a passionate high school student of round ball.
Finally, with No direction Emmanuel Moynot (Sarbacane), the thriller is showing up in its best light. During the ceremony, it is not trivial that the author went on stage barefoot to receive his award: “I have always been on the side of barefoot,” he said before. invite the authors to “get moving”. Without knowing it, the lucky winner of the Fauve du Polar joins the cohort of barefoot mandarins (see the eponymous work of the famous professor Alexandre Minkowski) who have proven in their time that walking barefoot does not prevent you from doing path…
Official competition winners for the 47th Angoulême BD festival
Golden fawn:
Revolution t.1, by Florent Grouazel and Younn Locard (Actes Sud – L’An 2)
Jury’s special fawn:
Clyde Fans, by Seth (Delcourt)
Fawn of the series:
In the abyss of time, by Gou Tanabe and H. P. Lovecraft (Ki-on)
Bold Fawn:
Act of God, by Giacomo Nanni (Right here)
Fawn Revelation
Skylight, by Joe Kessler (The Association)
Fawn of the Heritage:
Green thumb and other stories, by Nicole Claveloux (Cornelius)
Fauve Prix du Public France Télévisions:
Rose season, by Chloé Wary (Flblb)
Fauve Polar SNCF:
No direction, by Emmanuel Moynot (Sarbacane)
Fawn BD Alternative
Komikaze, (Croatia)
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