A comiXologist Recommends (a comiXology exclusive)
When lightning strikes the plane carrying Fourmille Gratule on her way to New York, she and her seatmate Yuri Podrov are transported onto a different plane of existence altogether, an alternate world mirroring Earth’s reality. Welcome to the zany world of Ekho from French publisher Delcourt whose first volume is now available in English! While New York City is still called New York City, the Statue of Liberty has been replaced by a giant squirrel, the taxis are powered by creatures resembling dinosaurs, Central Park is a fearsome overgrown jungle, and the rules of society are dictated by a squirrel-like species known as the Preshauns. The Preshauns inform Fourmille she has been brought to Ekho to take over her deceased aunt’s talent agency which she has inherited—even though said aunt supposedly died over twenty years ago in the “real world.” As Fourmille and Yuri try to make sense of their nonsensical surroundings and the illogical rules that govern Ekho, they quickly develop a love/hate relationship and try to stay out of each other’s way. Unfortunately for the both of them, it looks like they are stuck with each other and on Ekho since it is impossible for them to return to where they came from.
For those familiar with Christophe Arleston’s work which includes the Lanfeust series and the Angoulême Festival prize-winning Trolls of Troy (both available in French on comiXology), readers will recognize Arleston’s trademark brand of silliness and humor as the two main protagonists struggle to navigate their peculiar new world in this very fish out of water comedy. The artwork by Alessandro Barbucci compliments the wacky Ekho universe well and manages to capture the chaos of a fantastical New York City. As a resident of New York City myself, I really enjoyed this reimagining of Manhattan, particularly the Victorian architecture and the mutant-insect pulled subway system. And while I have read the book in its original French, the English translation is seamless, immersing the reader right into the story. If you have always wanted to read Arleston’s books but were unable to due to the lack of an English translation, I highly recommend starting with Ekho.
Amélie Milet is an International Production Coordinator at comiXology living in Manhattan and gets really excited when good French books are translated into English.
A comiXologist recommends:
Josephine #1
by: Amelie Milet
As part of the “French invasion” of Delcourt books launching in English this week, Josephine #1 consists of a series of one page vignettes offering glimpses into the life of Josephine, a young twentysomething woman dealing with the typical encumbrances of daily life. Such familiar struggles that many readers will be able to relate to include meddling family members and friends, the social awkwardness of the dating scene, and the elusive quest for motivation to enter that evil realm known as the gym. Things may not always go according to plan for our protagonist (especially in the love department) but she somehow manages to pick herself back up after each mishap and you can’t help but root for her and admire her tenacity.
One of the things in the artwork that struck me was the innate fashion sense every character seemed to possess (maybe because they are all French), giving me a serious case of wardrobe envy as I swiped from panel to panel. Life is complicated enough as it is, why not look fabulous and wear a cute outfit amidst the confusion? Author Pénélope Bagieu, whose book Exquisite Corpse was also recently released in English, has managed to successfully inject humor into the mundane, exaggerating the situations in the book for comedic effect and bringing to life an endearing female character experiencing the trials and tribulations of life just like the rest of us. It is not often that a book revolves mostly around the banality of the day-to-day but Josephine #1 is a delightful and entertaining story that reminds us that life can be messy and weird and that it is okay to not have it all figured out just yet.
[Read Josephine #1 on comiXology]
Amélie Milet is an International Production Coordinator at comiXology and will be first in line if a Josephine Boutique ever opens up in New York City.