The Evolution Guild

In Sweden, late 80's early 90's, we had a great distributor of French, Italian and other European comics; we had Bilal, Moebius, Pratt, etc. Then, after a lawsuit, it all disappeared. And my interest of comics disappeared too.

We have a pretty good selection of American comics, in the stores here in Stockholm, but too me it's a difference. Maybe the majority of the imported US comics springs from their superhero comics, with few exceptions (like for example Chester Brown and Daniel Clowes).

I know there are interesting Manga, but the stores seem to focus on teenage oriented stuff. I really like Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by Miyasaki, Joan by Yasuhiko and a few others. I just ordered Planetes by Yukimura on Amazon, looks good.

So, I'm asking Evolution for tips about good newer comics and manga, especially since we are so international. What's good in France, England, Germany, Denmark and Holland nowadays? Do you have anything to recommend?

The usual Astérix ! for france

Go for this http://www.bdangouleme.com/index.php?langue=en
Angoulème is a french city well know for its international comic festival... it always got good news for all ages.

I know there are some verry good french comics but they are not called that. It is more like a grafic novel, something we are finding more and more of here in the netherlands.

There is a french series called the metabaron (not sure what that would be in french or enlgish) that I liked. Things like thorgal and storm are very cool aswell. I have a lot of comics (most are hardcover) at home. When I get internet at home I'll try to post some things, remind me in a few weeks when I have unpacked. I've just moved

geeza wrote:When I get internet at home

Yikes!! Internet is prio 1, isn't it? =O

geeza wrote: I've just moved

Grats on the move

Drakfot wrote:

geeza wrote:When I get internet at home

Yikes!! Internet is prio 1, isn't it? =O

geeza wrote: I've just moved

Grats on the move

Unpack first internet later

geeza wrote:

Drakfot wrote:

geeza wrote:When I get internet at home

Yikes!! Internet is prio 1, isn't it? =O

geeza wrote: I've just moved

Grats on the move

Unpack first internet later

Yes of course, need a computer to connect to internet ;D

geeza wrote:There is a french series called the metabaron (not sure what that would be in french or enlgish) that I liked. Things like thorgal and storm are very cool aswell. I have a lot of comics (most are hardcover) at home.

That's a good tip! I've been thinking of buying Metabarons by Jodorowsky, actually.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabarons

Another series that might be interesting is Keepers of the Maser by Frezzato, has anyone read it? I ordered the first album.
http://www.amazon.com/Second-Moon-Keepe ... 1882931246

Hrm, was a great collector of mangas a few years ago. But somehow that interest vanished for me entirely. On the manga side I still remember "Blade of the Immortal", my most loved manga series. Very gory but with an intricate storyline too and nice drawing style, which may of course not please everyone. I'm not sure if it goes by that title in the rest of Europe, but as it's an almost direct translation from japanese should be safe assume.

The only american comics I've been following for some time have been "Spawn" and *well* the occasional Disney stuff.

The french stuff I've read was of course "Asterix" and a series called "Attalante" (sp?). Not really sure though what the second was about anymore, as I "read" it in either french or spanish, which I both suck at

Sorry for any mixups on my side

oh spawn!

The movie was a bit off but the comic was nice indeed !

My all time favorite is Yoko Tsuno, they are franco-belgique comics written by Roger Leloup.
All 24 comic books sadly are hard to get now, at least in German or English. I can't say much about the availability of the original French versions (because I don't understand french)

trini wrote:My all time favorite is Yoko Tsuno, they are franco-belgique comics written by Roger Leloup.

A few of those came out here too, but that must have been in the 70s. I hardly remember them at all I gotta pick up an album at the second hand comic store. In the light of really old comics - Valerian - that was a great comic! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val%C3%A9r ... _Laureline

Yeah, the first I read was 'The Devil's Organ' and that must have been in the late 70´th The last one I bought 2005 or 2006 if I remember correctly think. So I read the series for about 30 years - man am I old

Maybe I should give 'Valerian und Veronique' (german title) a try

trini wrote:My all time favorite is Yoko Tsuno, they are franco-belgique comics written by Roger Leloup.
All 24 comic books sadly are hard to get now, at least in German or English. I can't say much about the availability of the original French versions (because I don't understand french)

Yeah, I loved Yoko Tsuno too when i was a kid. If I remember right, there were about 2 different series, 1 in space / time, and 1 on earth (I think.)

I never checked but I think you might be able to still find some at specialized comic stores.(At least in the Netherlands you might be..)

Sxarlet wrote:If I remember right, there were about 2 different series, 1 in space / time, and 1 on earth (I think.)

Actually it is one series. Part of it taking place on nowadays earth, and some of in space and time.

I actually started reading them as I was 9 or 10. But came back to them at 36

Hmm, when I was young I never saw asterix comics as such was always a cartoon book, I always thought thought I wanted as a young child being Asterix would be incredible, got a little older and puberty and thought Obelisk would be my icon being all muscly and that.. but Getafix to me was always the hero ...(maybe that is where my troubles began :p). Getafix was so cool he has my vote !