what comic(s) for your teenager this summer?

“Philanthropists with holey pockets”: the formation of political opinion

Understand the reasons for poverty through the lives of the residents of Mugsborough, England in the early 20th century. “Philanthropists” is the name of city workers and fellow painters after the First World War. They call themselves “philanthropists” because they use their bodies and souls to enrich their bosses. One of them, Owen, will try to make them understand that there are other solutions. The posthumous political work of the Irish writer Robert Tressel is considered a cornerstone of proletarian literature. George Orwell described her as “A book that everyone should read” while it was rejected by several publishers at the time. Reworked in comic form, the drawing makes its subject very modern, as comfortable as it is accessible.

Philanthropists with holes in their pockets according to Robert Tressel of Sophie and Scarlett Richard in Delcourt Encrages

‘Les Cahiers d’Esther’: being young during the French baccalaureate year

Esther is like a younger sister that we meet every year. Now she is 17 years old, she is experimenting with indoor sports, she is afraid of Putin, she says she had a lover. At the French high school graduation, she is afraid to come across Jean-Luc Lagarce’s text… Likeable as always, Riad Sattouf’s heroine tells us like no one else about the lives of today’s young people, and holds up a mirror to teenagers.

Esther’s notebooks, the story of my 17th birthday Riad Sattouf was published by Allary

“Queens of music”: music for women

On Arte, a series drawn by Leslie Plee and written by Emilie Valentin puts into pictures the admiration of Rebecca Manzoni (host Totemic at France Inter) for the great ladies of music. From Nina Simone, to Beyoncé, through Anna Sylvestra or Patti Smith… These artists tell the story of the liberation of women from male control over music… Inspirational portraits for young girls today.

Music queensRebecca Manzoni, Emilie Valentin, Leslie Plée published by Arte Editions and Bayard Graphic

We will read in the same spirit Surfers, those who surfed from 1915 to the present day Paola Hirou in Hélium: from Isabel Létham, dubbed the “mother of Australian surfing” to Justine Dupont, world champion in big waves, to Lisa Andersen who helped publicize her women’s discipline, nine portraits of incredibly gifted women for this sport, but not always known .

“Half-boarders”: college years

In a minimalist but very expressive drawing, the everyday life of Zoé, Coralie, Louis and their friends at college. German lessons, falling in love with Louis, sleeping with friends at the pool where the depilation problem arises, the discovery of beer, stupid games, boyfriends, first kisses… Here, we would believe that much. Mona Granjon’s facial features are expressive.

Half board Mona Granjon in Virages Graphiques.

“Gisèle Halimi, the Tunisian bride”: how feminism reached a dedicated lawyer

Another inspiring portrait of a woman. As a child, the future lawyer, defender of, among others, a young girl accused of abortion after rape in 1972, was revolted by the injustices in Tunisia. She notices the difference between settlers and Arabs, between men and women, between her brother and herself… Born in a poor family, with a loving father and a tradition-loving mother, Gisèle Halimi said very early on that she would be a warrior. Which will become in its own way. Her journey told through an effective and endearing drawing shows the incredible determination of one woman. And that’s exciting.

Gisèle Halimi, a young TunisianDaniele Masse and Sylvain Dorange in Delcourt

“Fairy Garden”: between Lilliput and the Secret Garden

Continuation of Lucia’s adventures. Inspired THE The secret garden Frances H. Burnett adapted into a comic by Maud Begon, and the Cottingley mansion affair, Fairy garden mixes family stories and fantasy. In this volume, Lucie is appointed the new fairy shepherd, and her uncle is as unsympathetic as ever… We love the English-inspired drawings, the back-and-forth with old documents, Angus Cottingley’s botanical journal, the attention paid to nature around the fairies, and to their language that distorts ours with poetry.

Fairy gardenVolume 2 Little queen Alwett and Moretti were published by Drakoo

“Djarabane”: an artistic vocation in Africa

In Chad, paintings that evoke images and emotions that make you want to become a painter. Kandji was seven years old when, impressed by the colors of a painting, he decided to become an artist no matter what. In this first volume, the author describes his consciousness. This autobiographically inspired story in a suggestive black and white drawing shows how difficult it is to be an artist in a context that is increasingly complicated as war threatens.

Djaraban – Volume 1. In the small market of lost loves Adjima Danngara published by Delcourt Mirages

“The summer of my 17th birthday”: a review of the last vacations before coming of age

And you, what have you learned since your 17th birthday? Cartoonist Guillaume Bouzard remembers working in a slaughterhouse, Lisa Mandel remembers her first sexual experience, Jul went to Greece without funds, Lewis Trondheim traveled north to see the Northern Lights, Leslie Pleen didn’t have the vacation he dreamed of… These small stories about youth, told in very different styles, evoke nostalgia for a time, but above all, they remind us that youth is not a long, quiet river.

The summer of my 17th birthdaya collection of short stories in comics by Bouzard, Kim Consigny, Fabrice Erre, Claire Fauvel, Alix Garin, Lucile Gomez… At Bayard graphic

And also…

• Steel snowthe third and penultimate volume Yojimbot, by Sylvain Repos in Dargaud. This robot-samurai adventure continues to be amazing. In an effective design, the story with numerous fights, driven to the ground, takes us to a universe bordering on manga. It’s very strong.

• Eddie and Noah, Volume 2, by Max de Radiguès and Hugo Piette in Casterman: the continuation of the adventures of two students devoted to the climate. A good comic about racism, ecology, love… on a teenage level. We will read from the same publisher, on the same topic The day I wanted to save the forest Nora Dasnes recounts the dedication of Bao, a sort of Greta Thunberg in the fight against the expansion of parking lots at the expense of trees. A brave, instructive and useful fight!

• Butterfly keeper by K O’Neill from Bliss Edition: a beautiful drawing that serves a fantastic story with shamanic characters