And now I sing the praises…

The currently working cartoonist who most inspires me is without question Manu Larcenet. A diversity of work and styles that makes the illustrator in me sit in contemplative awe. From his out-n-out cartoon styles to his deeply moving, realistic and emotive panels (and story) in BLAST - there is not another comic artist I admire more. Not all of his work is in English, but you can often find digital versions that are translated. His graphic novel, Ordinary Victories (published as two books in English) make up a big part of the graphic novel class I teach. They are funny, engaging, political and the characters are unforgettable. Recently released in English his graphic novel version of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road is a visual storytelling masterclass. (I hate to use that cliche, but it is!)

Graphic novels are a very odd hybrid. Many are overwritten and the visuals seem rather pointless, scribbles in the margins. Many GN’s I read I would rather have experienced as a novel. Why all the visual distractions? Other GN’s are a series of great images - but narratively they add up to little. The dialogue is flaccid and we all know the creator just wanted to draw pictures. It is a rare treat to find graphic novels where the writing and story are not just enhanced but COMPLETED by the visuals. Manu Larcenet’s work does this magic. At the core of it all - his work has IDEAS. Intriguing reflections as his characters search for meaning and truth. Nothing more literary than that.

The work of his I have read is inventive and seems to follow his own personal interests and obsessions. Detective stories, personal essays, the struggles of just trying to be a decent human in this world.

I highly recommend tracking down his work if you are interested in comics and visual storytelling. I have yet to be disappointed.