The 2023 Angoulême International Comics Festival has announced its official selection of top books released in the French language this past year. 2023’s edition will mark the massive French festival’s 50th anniversary.
There are some pleasant surprises as once again some English-originated material has snuck into contention in many categories. In the main Angoulême 2023 Official Selection list one standout is the French edition of Alison Bechdel‘s 2021 graphic novel The Secret to Superhuman Strength (in English with Mariner Books), which seems to have proved as popular with critics in French as it has in English.
Bechdel’s book is joined by the French editions of Tom Gauld‘s Revenge of the Librarians (2022, Drawn & Quarterly); Joshua Cotter‘s Nod Away Vol 2 (2021, Fantagraphics); Glenn Head‘s Chartwell Manor (2021, Fantagraphics); Chris Gooch‘s Under-Earth (2020, Top Shelf); and the second volume of James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds’ Department of Truth.
Linnea Sterte‘s A Frog in the Fall, published in French (as Une Rainette En Autumne) by La Cerise, is another welcome surprise and a bittersweet reminder that the English edition may disappear soon with the closure of Peow Studio at the end of this year. Regardless, it remains a very deserving work.
In the 2023 Angoulême Heritage Selection reprint category, Los Bros Hernandez‘ Love & Rockets – which is celebrating its 40th anniversary year – had a new French collection emerge in the running. Alongside that, a project originally put together by Sunday Press, Garrett Price‘s 1930s White Boy comic strip is also up for contention.
In the eighteen-strong Youth Selection [Sélection Jeunesse] category are two English originated books: Hope Larson & Rebecca Mock‘s Salt Magic (2021, Margaret Ferguson Books/Holiday House); and Trung Le Nguyen‘s The Magic Fish (2020, Random House Graphic).
In the 2023 Angoulême crime thriller category [Sélection Fauve Polar SNCF], the French edition of a 1986 graphic novel, Murder By Remote Control by Janwillem Van De Wetering and Paul Kirchner (currently available in English with Dover Press), and the third volume in Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips‘ Reckless original graphic novel series, Destroy All Monsters (2021, Image Comics) have two of the seven slots in the category.
Below is the full list of books in every category for Angoulême 2023. Those with translations or English language editions available have attached links. Those without have their titles translated via DeepL.
ANGOULÊME 2023 OFFICIAL SELECTION
[46 Titles]
A Journey Beyond Heaven vol 6, Masakazu Ishiguro (Pika)
Animan, Anouk Ricard (Exemplaire)
L’Arabe Du Future [Arab of the Future] vol 6, Riad Sattouf — Metropolitan Books has released the first four instalments in the series, available in US via Macmillan.
L’Artiste À Mi-Temps [tr. Part-Time Artist], Timothée Ostermann (Sarbacane)
Au Dessus L’Odyssée [tr. Above the Odyssey], Jason (Atrabile) — Fantagraphics just released this collection in English as Upside Dawn
Beta: Civilisations Vol 2, Jens Harder (Actes Sud – L’An 2) — Not in English as yet but Knockabout released the precurser to Beta, Alpha: Directions in 2015.
La Cendre et l’écume [tr. Ash and Foam], Ludovic Debeurme (Cornélius)
La Couleur Des Choses [tr. The Color of Things], Martin Panchaud (çà et là)
Darwin’s Incident vol 1, Shun Umezawa (Kana)
[Deplasmà], Joshua Cotter (çà et là) — First released in English as Nod Away vol 2, published 2021 by Fantagraphics
La Dernière Reine [tr. The Last Queen], Jean-Marc Rochette (Casterman)
Eden, Sophie Guerrive (2024)
Fool Night Vol 2, Kasumi Yasuda (Glénat)
Gannibal Vol 10, Masaaki Ninomiya (Meian)
Hoka Hey, Neyef (Label 619 – Rue De Sèvres)
Ils Brûlent Vol 1, Aniss El Hamouri (6 Pieds Sous Terre)
L’Institut Des Benjamines [tr. Benjamins Institute], Anne Simon (Misma) — a direct sequel to Boris The Potato Child, published by Fantagraphics this year
Intraitable (tr. Unstoppable) Vol 6, Choi Kyu-Sok (Rue De L’Echiquier)
Je Viens De Loin Mais Je Repars Bientôt [tr. I Come From Far Away But I’m Going Back Soon], Ward Zwart & Enzo Smits, (Même Pas Mal)
Khat: Journal D’Un Réfugié [tr. Khat: Journal of a Refugee], Ximo Abadía (La Joie De Lire)
Les Liens Du Sang Vol 11, Shuzo Oshimi (Ki-Oon) — Available in English as Blood on the Tracks from Vertical/Kodansha. Ten volumes currently available in English with 11 and 12 inbound.
La Maison Nue [tr. The Naked House], Marion Fayolle (Magnani)
Le Manoir De Chartwell [Chartwell Manor], Glenn Head (Delcourt) — original English version published by Fantagraphics in 2021. A paperback edition is coming in January 2023.
La Mer À Boire [tr. The Drinking Sea], Blutch (2024)
Merel, Clara Lodewick (Dupuis)
Metax, Antoine Cossé (Cornélius) — English translation coming February 8, 2023 from Fantagraphics
Michel: La Fin, Les Moyens, Tout Ça… [tr. Michel: The End, The Means, All That…], Pierre Maurel (L’Employé Du Moi)
Naphtaline, Sole Otero (çà et là)
Peau [tr. Skin], Sabien Clement & Mieke Versyp (çà et là)
Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise Vol 11, Kazuyoshi Takeda (Vega Dupuis)
Petar & Liza, Miroslav Sekulic-Struja (Actes Sud)
Les Pizzlys [tr. The Pizzlys], Jérémie Moreau (Delcourt)
Poisson À Pattes [tr. Fish With Feet], Blonk (Pow Pow)
La Princesse Du Château Sans Fin [tr. Princess of the Endless Castle], Shintaro Kago (Huber)
Une Rainette En Autumne, Linnea Sterte (La Cerise) — in English as A Frog in the Fall from Peow Studio. Get this quick though as the publisher is shutting down end of 2022. There is also a digital version.
Le Secret De La Force Surhumaine [The Secret of Superhuman Strength], Alison Bechdel (Denoël Graphic) — Originally published in English in 2021 by Mariner Books/Harper Collins
Roxane Vend Ses Culottes [tr. Roxane Sells Her Panties], Maybelline Skvortzoff (Tanibis)
La Revanche Des Biliothécaires [Revenge of the Librarians], Tom Gauld (2024) — published by Drawn & Quarterly last month
Se Rétablir [tr. Getting Well] Vol 1, Lisa Mandel (Exemplaire)
Spa, Erik Svetoft (L’Employé Du Moi) — Fantagraphics translation coming February 14, 2023
La Terre, Le Ciel, Les Corbeaux [tr. The Earth, The Sky, The Crows], Stefano Turconi & Teresa Radice (Glénat)
T’Zée – Une Tragédie Africaine, Brüno & Appollo (Dargaud) — Europe Comics released a translation in September, digital only
The Department of Truth Vol 2, James Tynion IV & Martin Simmonds (Urban Comics) — originally published in English from Image Comics in 2021
Under Earth, Chris Gooch (Huber) — originally published in English in 2020 as Under-Earth, via Top Shelf
La Voix De Zazar [tr. The Voice of Zazar], Geoffroy Monde (Atrabile)
Work-Life Balance, Aisha Franz (L’Employé Du Moi) — English edition coming from Drawn & Quarterly April 4, 2023
ANGOULÊME 2023 HERITAGE SELECTION (SÉLECTION PATRIMOINE, reprints)
[7 TITLES]
Fabulosas, Nazario (Misma)
Fleurs De Pierre [tr. Stone Flowers], Hisashi Sakaguchi (Revival)
Journal 1 & 2, Fabrice Neaud (Delcourt)
Là-Haut, non! [tr. Not Up There!], Filippo Scòzzari (Presque Lune)
Love & Rockets, Jaime Hernandez & Gilbert Hernandez (Komics Initiative) — originally in English, meanwhile Fantagraphics have just released their own special anniversary box set
Ras Le Bol [tr. Fed Up], Cardon (Requins Marteaux/Super Loto Éditions)
White Boy, Garrett Price (2024) — Sunday Press released their complete collection in 2015. Can now buy via Fantagraphics.
ANGOULÊME 2023 YOUTH SELECTION (SÉLECTION JEUNESSE)
[18 Titles]
Ana et L’Entremonde Vol 1 [tr. Ana and the World Between], Cy & Marc Dubuisson (Glénat)
Aujourd’Hui [tr. Today], Loïc Froissart, (L’Articho)
Boubou Et Ses Amis [tr. Boubou and his friends], Yoon-Sun Park (Biscoto)
Boys Run The Riot, Keito Gaku (Akata) — available in English via Kodansha. Four volumes available so far.
La Concierge Du Grand Magasin [tr.The department store concierge], Tsuchika Nishimura (Lézard Noir)
Les Contrées Salées, Hope Larson & Rebecca Mock (Rue De Sèvres) — Published in English as Salt Magic by Margaret Ferguson Books/Holiday House, 2021
De Cape et de Mots [tr. Of Cloak and Daggers], Kerascoët & Flore Vesco (Dargaud) — Europe Comics has just released a digital only translation published entitled “The Court Charade“
Derrière Le Rideau [Behind the Curtain], Sara Del Giudice (Dargaud) — digital only translation from Europe Comics, released back in August
Félixe Et La Maison Qui Marchait La Nuit [tr. Felix And The House That Walked At Night], Sophie Bédard (La Ville Brûle)
Hormiya Vol 6, HERO & Daisuke Hagiwara (Nobi Nobi) — Yen Press publishes the English edition. 15 volumes currently available.
La Longue Marche Des Dindes [tr. The Long March of the Turkeys], Kathleen Karr & Leonie Bischoff (Rue De Sèvres)
Ranking of Kings Vol 1, Sosuke Toka (Ki-Oon)
Récréation [tr. Recess], Victor Hussenot (La Joie De Lire)
Le Super Week-End De…L’Ocean [tr. The Super Week-End in…The Ocean], Gaëlle Alméras (Maison Georges)
The Magic Fish, Trung Le Nguyen (Ankama) — first released in English through Random House Graphic, 2020
Toutes Les Princesses Meurent Après Minuit [tr. All Princesses Die After Midnight], Quentin Zuttion (Le Lombard)
Violette: Contre Diablot1 [tr. Violette versus Diablot1], Émilie Clarke (Biscoto)
Voleuse [Thieves], Lucie Bryon (Sarbacane) — published in English just last month with NoBrow
ANGOULÊME 2023 SÉLECTION FAUVE POLAR SNCF (Thriller genre prize)
[7 TITLES]
Colorado Train, Alex W. Inker (Sarbacane)
Le Dormeur [tr. The Sleeper], Rodolfo Santullo & Carlos Aón (Ilatina)
Gauloises, Igort & Andrea Serio (Futuropolis)
Hound Dog, Nicolas Pegon (Denoël Graphic)
Lost Lad London, Shinya Shima (Ki-Oon) — available in English from Yen Press. First two volumes available with the third dropping in January.
Meurtre Télécommandé [Murder By Remote Control], Janwillem Van De Wetering & Paul Kirchner (Tanibis) — originally released in English in 1986, a reprint is available from Dover Press
Reckless: Éliminer Les Monstres [Reckless: Destroy All Monsters], Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips (Delcourt) — original English edition released by Image in 2021
ANGOULÊME 2023 SÉLECTION ECO-FAUVRE RAJA (Ecological Comics Prize)
[7 TITLES]
Être Montagne [tr. Mountain Being], Jacopo Starace (Sarbacane)
La Forêt, Une Enquête Buissonnière [tr. The Forest, An Inquiry], Claire Braud (Casterman)
Immonde! [tr. Filthy!], Elizabeth Holleville (Glénat)
Planètes [Planetes] Vol 1, Makoto Yukimura (Panini) — the complete Planetes series is already available from Dark Horse Manga in two omnibus editions
Sous Le Soleil [tr. Under the Sun], Ana Penyas (Actes Sud – L’An 2)
Les Trompettes De La Mort [tr. The Trumpets of the Dead], Simon Bournel-Bosson (L’Agrume)
Vega, Yann Legendre & Serge Lehman (Albin Michel)
ANGOULÊME 2023 LE FAUVE DES LYCÉENS
(Schools Prize, 10 books chosen by a jury of ten students from Official Selection)
Animan, Anouk Ricard (Exemplaire)
Eden, Sophie Guerrive (2024)
Hoka Hey, Neyef (Label 619 – Rue De Sèvres)
Ils Brûlent Vol 1, Aniss El Hamouri (6 Pieds Sous Terre)
Khat: Journal D’Un Réfugié [tr. Khat: Journal of a Refugee], Ximo Abadía (La Joie De Lire)
Naphtaline, Sole Otero (çà et là)
Les Pizzlys [tr. The Pizzlys], Jérémie Moreau (Delcourt)
Poisson À Pattes [tr. Fish With Feet], Blonk (Pow Pow)
T’Zée – Une Tragédie Africaine, Brüno & Appollo (Dargaud) — Europe Comics released a translation in September, digital only
La Terre, Le Ciel, Les Corbeaux [tr. The Earth, The Sky, The Crows], Stefano Turconi & Teresa Radice (Glénat)
Thanks for the heads up on Une Rainette En Autumne / A Frog in the Fall, and Peow Studio shutting down – I wasn’t aware of Linnea Sterte’s work but it’s beaufiful and I’ve now bought and downloaded two works from her before they close.
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