I’m Appealing…

…I don’t actually mean I am appealing though I’m guessing that I must be since I get 5-7 invites from young ladies to join them online every day.  Still got the old Hooper Magic.

No, this appeal is aimed at those comickers out there who buy nothing but Marvel, DC or the odd Independent English language comic.  CBO gets a lot of French, Belgian, Dutch and German hits (I must remember that Spain seems to be another place where CBO is popular!) and those Euro comickers buy English language comics and Small Press titles so they have a broad appetite comics-wise.
 
I would like to address the comickers in the UK and United States -it seems Canadian comickers are already into European BD/comic albums.  As far as I am aware only Gosh! Comics, in London, stock European BD.  If there is another UK comic shop stocking European titles let me know!

I heard every conceivable silly and/or ridiculous reason from comic shop owners why they could not stock books published by Cinebook The 9th Art.  They couldn’t see the people coming into their stores buying the books or most of their customers only wanted Marvel or DC.  Special offer with a spinner rack?  “where would I put it?” not to mention (in spacious shops) “It would take up too much space”  but an overwhelming reason was that these were “French books and they do not sell.”

I even had one moron who commented on CBO that he did not buy Cinebook titles because they came from a French publisher!!!!!  I asked why that was a problem?  Apparently it was not -he had nothing against the French but he wanted to support and buy from a UK company.  As I pointed out to this person, and many others, Cinebook The 9th Art is a UK based company in Kent that was set up by a Frenchman who lives here and is the UKs biggest publisher of comic albums.

Also, I recall how certain ‘experts’ (“X”=The Unknown and “Spurt” is a drip under pressure) laughed and wrote and said publicly:  “Good intentions to publish these books but there is no real interest in European comics even if they are translated into English…” The company was given, generally, 6 months to a year before it folded and went into obscurity.

Is publisher, Olivier Cadic worried?  Like hell. He had faith in the business and unlike previous publishers of BD in the UK he had a set year-by-year plan and only picked up titles he liked and knew were completed.  He started at the Bristol International Comic Expo with two tables I think it was -he now gets about six tables: and the books sell!  I’ve spoken to people at the Expo buying from Cinebook and some have dumped their Marvel/DC buying habit to buy Cinebook (one young man with his wife last year told me “My wife has put a limit on what I can spend -but these books are fantastic!”

But what Cinebook publishes -you can check their online catalogue or download a pdf from their site (see blog roll and there is a category to the right were you can find all the Cinebooks reviewed)- is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Franco-Belgian BD.

With the French language books I’ve been getting to review I’ve often just sat here looking at the various styles, art techniques and so on.  The skillful use of the sequential artform has meant that, before I even try translating, I can follow the story. Now that is not bad. I would have quickly said “no more” had it been a problem and I think this is where many comickers panic.  They feel that if they buy a French language book they are wasting money because it will mean nothing to them.

That is a mistake.

Looking at some recent Marvel/DC books (JLA being the main culprit) you look at the art and you have no idea what the hell is going on.  Things seem to jump around art-wise and then you notice there has been no jump it’s just messy.  Jim Shooter has pointed this out and he has enough experience to know what he’s talking about.  You should -should- be able to follow a story by looking at the sequential imaging.  I was reading a recent Avengers comic yesterday and seriously thought a couple pages were missing -they weren’t (I guess if you use 3-4 pencillers and some inkers they all do things their way: it’s the new “Marvel Way”…and DC way.)

I do know a few UK comickers have purchased books I’ve reviewed and admitted to being nervous but all say they were rewarded by the art in the books.  Not one of them said they were stumped by the language and one told me that Google translate is awful sometimes but he used it to get a better grasp of the story.
For schools, colleges and universities who teach art or foreign languages then these French books are ideal.  And people tend to learn more if images are involved.

Don’t get me wrong, even though someone accused me of being a “Europhile” (??), I still enjoy US comics and small press books.  I’ve spent the last few days reading through vols.1-7 of The Essential Avengers and at 0315 one morning I just saty back looking at the John Buscema art without the colour and realising just how good he was.  Ditto Sal Buscema, Don Heck and the seemingly much maligned George Tuska.

And looking at the French BD I have to keep asking myself how I could live without this!  The most recent batch of books this week had some incredible artwork/techniques and my call is always the same “Why is this not being published in English to grab the UK/US market??”

I have around 14 BD and, I think it’s 16, German comics to review this week along with one from the UK (one!!) and this between lettering a comic and finishing off other work.  So bear with me.

Please, please, please -if something catches your eye when it’s reviewed take a chance: buy the book and see what you think.  But you really are missing out on a tsunami of visual delight by just sticking to Marvel, DC or Image comics.

If you do try one of the books let me know what you think -and if you must have super heroes check out the link to Wanga Comics on the blog roll.

There.  That’s my appeal.