Comixology Speaks French --
Joe Keatinge Makes The French Connection
 Comixology announced this week that their service has now expanded into France -- perfect timing and no accident, of course, with the world-renowned French comics convention Festival de la Bande Dessinée d'Angoulême.
Joe Keatinge is the writer of Image, Marvel and DC Comics titles including SHUTTER, TECH JACKET DIGITAL, GLORY, HELL YEAH, MARVEL KNIGHTS: HULK, MORBIUS: THE LIVING VAMPIRE, BATMAN INC. SPECIAL & AMAZING SPIDER-MAN as well as the Executive Editor of Eisner & Harvey award-winning Image Comics anthology, POPGUN, and the Courtney Taylor-Taylor penned ONE MODEL NATION. Keatinge, based out of the Portland, OR comics studio, Tranquility Base, also writes for the premiere French-language magazine on American comics, COMIC BOX. Comixology asked him to write the following article, and gave us permission to use it here on Fanboy Planet. But, as we knew Joe back in his Popgun days, we'd like to think that he, too, would personally say "oui."
 When Comixology asked about selecting some of the titles I'm most excited about in the French language offerings on comiXology, I wanted to give a good overview of titles most people new to Bande Dessinée may not be familiar with, from a cross section of publishers I think are all doing interesting work in a variety of genres in a huge diversity of styles.
There are a number of great titles available and I skipped over ones I think most people will be aware of (for instance, I highly suggest Julie Maroh's Le bleu est une couleur chaude from Glenat, but given that the film adaptation, Blue is The Warmest Color, is a massive success, you've likely found it or will find it on your own) and wanted to give you a sample of recent works for you discover.
1. Docteur Radar, Vol. 1: Tueur de Savants - Glenat  I’ll read anything illustrated by Frédéric Bézian, but the story he’s crafted with writer Christmas Simsolo seems tailor made toward my interest, taking place in Paris in 1920, in which a murder by poison on a train leads to a strange murder mystery with roots in everything from Fantomas to the era’s European surrealists.
2. Love Vol 1 - Ankama
I discovered Ankama’s Love series last year and am absolutely enthralled.
Beautifully illustrated, silent stories of grand subject in naturalistic settings anyone can enjoy.
(comixology’s note: There are no words in this book, so you can pick it up and enjoy it even if you don’t speak French! The art speaks for itself.)
 3. Ekho: Monde Miroir - Soleil
Like many people, I was a massive fan of Alessandro Barbucci’s work on Skydoll (reprinted by Marvel a few years back -- editor) and am loving this fantasy series just as much.
His already masterful storytelling and character emotion has only increased since Skydoll, so this is one you cannot miss.
4. Hollywood Killer - Indeez
I have to admit a slight bias with Hollywood Killer, as I’ve worked with Fabrice Sapolsky on the French comics magazine, Comic Box.
 But I really enjoyed his collaboration with Ariel Olivetti.
A Tarantino-esque crime series set in Hollywood with a biting humor I find makes for a really solid comics cocktail.
5. Metropolis - Delcourt
Another bias has to be copped here as Delcourt’s the publisher of my work with Ross Campbell, GLORY.
However, as I mentioned with Docteur Radar, this is a story tailor-made for me, with an alternate history set in the early 20th century, with a world that never faced the horrors of World War I, and centered around a macabre murder mystery.
 Beautiful work.
Comments and criticisms welcome at the Fanboy Planet Facebook page!
|
