Good ol' Charlie Brown

Some years ago in a second hand english books sale in Geneva that I found by chance while wondering around in Paquis, I bought three comic books from the Peanuts. The Peanuts were not always consensual amongst comics lovers and there is an annoying tendency to compare it with Calvin and Hobbes as if you had to choose one and throw the other. I met Charlie Brown and the Peanuts a long time ago but only later I was able to fully appreciate Charles M. Schulz's humour. From Charlie Brown's anxieties and fears to Lucy's grumpiness and Linus' naivety, it is difficult not to empathize with the characters. But I understand the ambivalence towards Charlie Brown, he is not easy to love. As one of the characters said in one of Peanuts' first strips:

'here comes good old Charlie Brown, 

yes indeed good old Charlie Brown, here he comes... 

Good old Charlie Brown... 

- How I hate him!'

FIFDH 2015 Geneva

le grand mort

After the success and longevity of the already mythic "La Quête de l'oiseau du temps", Loisel continues exploring the realm of fantasy comics in the series "Le Grand Mort". Although not having the same epic stature of its previous work, "Le Grand Mort" is both engaging and intriguing. The scenario is carefully thought with a credible set of characters that are slowly introduced to the reader through the first books.
The only thing I would point out to anyone starting this series is that the plot  takes its time to unveil and this lenteur can be a bit unnerving. A deliberate strategy from the authors to allow more time for the reader to get involved and for the plot to thicken. So as long as you're ok with that, this is a series that can help mitigate that "l'oiseau du temps" nostalgia...

dia de chuva

tempo de sobra entre as palavras
para engolir espinhos, rosas, caules,
uma expressão gutural
que me caiu no rosto
muito antes da chuva
e estilhaços de céu
a bater nas vidraças

O Coxo