This is the problem: you go to a French convention, get a gig with a European publisher, read a few BDs. Then everyone assumes you're an expert on European comics.

Well, I'm not. But I know some folks who are. I asked three artists one simple question; "What European comics would you recommend as absolute must-haves?" Though few of these books are available in English, I suggested that they focus on works with great art - works that might surprise and delight people interested in illustration, but who were mainly used to American-style superhero art.

Igor Kordey grew up in Zagreb reading European and British comics, and now lives in Canada drawing mainly for European publishers, though his US work includes SOLDIER X and BLACK WIDOW.

JJ Dzialowski is French, lives in Paris, but mainly draws for American publishers. His latest series, COMMON FOE with Keith Giffen, is now out from Image, but Dzialowski has also done work for BATGIRL and DETECTIVE COMICS.

Simon Fraser is Scottish, lives in Kenya, and after a long career drawing for redoubtable UK institution 2000AD (he co-created the much-loved NIKOLAI DANTE series) is now working on his European series, AXELLE, due out in Summer '06 from Editions Bambou.

So, we have a Croatian who draws for the French, a Frenchman who draws for the Americans, and a Scotsman who - a bit like James V - was just waiting for an opening to ditch the British and ally himself with the French. This is what they've recommended, with a few side comments from me.

AUTOROUTE DE SOLEIL, by Baru.

"Great storytelling, great characterisation. All comics should be as good as this." - Fraser.

Published in France by Casterman. Not available in English, although an earlier Baru work, ROAD TO AMERICA, is available from Drawn & Quarterly.

BLACKSAD, by Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido.

"Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido's BLACKSAD is a film noir story with animals instead of humans. Powerful storytelling combined with fantastic art, the expressions of the animals, the fluidity of the action is a pure delight. This one has got a movie between two covers." - Dzialowski.

Published in France by Dargaud (BLACKSAD TOME 1: QUELQUE PART ENTRE LES OMBRES) Available in English from IBooks. I must confess to liking BLACKSAD 2: ARCTIC NATION better, but they are both fantastic books, and the art is to die for.

BLUEBERRY: THE LOST DUTCHMAN'S MINE, by Jean Giraud and Jean Claude Charlier.

"Giraud and Charlier on their creative peak. By my opinion, DUTCHMAN'S MINE is the last fresh and innovative album from BLUEBERRY, before it became sort of a routine job. It also has the most powerful story." - Kordey.

Part of the BLUEBERRY series, a long-running Western that is known to almost all European comic fans. It was recently made into a film so poor that it made ELEKTRA look like a work of genius. Published in France by Dargaud (LA MINE D'ALLEMAND PERDU). No English translation.

COLIN-MAILLARD, by Cabanes.

"A beautifully painted, omnibus-style autobiographic album about growing up from boy to teenager, full of genuine (and so familiar for that age) erotic tension. Superb artist." - Kordey.

Published in France by Casterman. No English translation.

COMPANIONS OF THE DUSK, by François Bourgeon.

"Burgeon magnificently outdid his previous, very successful serial CARRIED BY THE WIND, by visiting the realm of druids, fairies and pixies, making a shocking dark drama the way only he knows." - Kordey.

Published in France by Casterman (LES COMPAGNONS DU CRÉPUSCULE). There is an out of print English translation from Catalan Communications.

CITIES OF THE FANTASTIC, by François Schuiten and Benoît Peeters.

There was considerable love for the CITIES OF THE FANTASTIC series. Kordey called volume four, THE TOWER, "a grand, innovative Borges-like parable about human pursuit for knowledge and meaning of life. Absolutely magnificent artwork - Schuiten at his best, finally solving all the problems in presenting human characters, which kinda diminished his previous efforts."

Dzialowski said of volume ten, THE SHADOW OF A MAN; "beautifully written and drawn - very delicate, poetic, offbeat - definitely a different and compelling experience, and a book you want to get back to. You might see it as a novel. With pictures."

Published in France by Casterman (LES CITÉS OBSCURES, TOME 4: LA TOUR and TOME 10: L'OMBRE D'UN HOMME). Some Schuiten and Peeters work is available in English, from NBM, but neither of these volumes. François Schuiten also collaborated with his brother Luc on THE HOLLOW GROUNDS, released as a US trade paperback under the brief and ill-starred DC/Humanoids partnership.

CORTO MALTESE EN SIBERIE, by Hugo Pratt.

One of Europe's greatest artists and storytellers, drawing his most charming character: the sailor and adventurer Corto Maltese. I love this story the most, because it starts in Hong Kong and has the Red Lanterns (a secret society of female gangsters), a train full of gold to hijack, a crazed White Russian general who thinks he's the reincarnation of Genghis Khan, and the beautiful and very fatale Duchess Seminova. It's an adventure story in the grand old style.

I should also mention Pratt's SCORPIONS DU DESERT, one of the greatest war comics ever created, about British soldiers fighting the Italians in the Libyan Desert during the Second World War. Published in France by Casterman. It's worth buying the oversized, hardbound editions, as they contain lots of sketches and histories of the areas where the stories take place. Pratt was fanatical about his research and usually travelled to wherever he was setting his stories. Various out of print versions of the first Corto book, BALLAD OF THE SALT SEA, may be available second hand in English.

FOLIGATTO, by Nicolas De Crécy and Alexios Tjoyas.

"I'm not arguing that this is better than LÉON LA CAME, it isn't, but the exuberance or ideas, colours and invention here is without equal anywhere. De Crecy brings a wonderful sense of reality to the most absurd and extreme characters and situations. Breathtaking!" - Fraser.

LÉON LA CAME ('Leon the Junkie') is published in France by Casterman; FOLIGATTO by Humanoides. That neither is available in English is a crime. Fans of the animated film THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE may be especially interested in these albums as Nicolas de Crécy is a huge influence on director Sylvain Chomet's style, and in fact they collaborate on LÉON.

HP & GIUSEPPE BERGMANN, by Milo Manara.

"This is about as good as Manara gets; Manara's tribute to his friend and mentor Hugo Pratt. Brilliantly imaginative, brilliantly drawn, complete nonsense. Manara is never afraid to do everything and anything that pops into his head. Very liberating." - Fraser.

Manara is basically a national hero in Italy for his ability to draw really hot women in various stages of undress. HP is not available in the US, although its follow up, ODYSSEYS OF GIUSEPPE BERGMANN, was released in the DC/Humanoids line. NBM also publishes some of Manara's erotica in English, though it's not as if you'll be reading the words anyway.

SHARAZ-DE, by Sergio Toppi.

"With Prado, the other finest draftsman in comics. This book sacrifices a lot of storytelling for the sake of graphical indulgence, but then nobody indulges like Sergio Toppi. This book could keep ten lesser artists in ideas for the rest of their careers." - Fraser.

Published in France by Mosquito. No English translation.

TANGENTS, by Miguelanxo Prado.

"Uncompromisingly grown-up stories of sex and break-ups, beautiful, sensitive drawing by possibly the finest draftsman in comics. Comics can do anything films can do and this proves it." - Fraser.

Published in France by Albin Michel (VENIN DE FEMMES) and available in English from NBM.

TEX: BLOOD ON THE COLORADO, by Nizzi and Ivo Milazzo.

"Nizzi and Ivo Milazzo's TEX: BLOOD ON THE COLORADO is a huge 240-page western in black and white. A masterpiece. While the story's not too original, it is still extremely well written and Milazzo manages to bring something more in there, something new and consistent throughout the book. A very nice read." - Dzialowski.

Westerns are a hugely popular genre in European comics, and TEX is up there with BLUEBERRY as one of the most famous and longest-running series. Published in Italy by Sergio Bonelli Editore (TEX: SANGUE SUL COLORADO). No English translation.

TINTIN, by Hergé.

"If you're looking for a book with a real sense of adventure, you might want to try Hergé's TINTIN - it grabs you starting with page one and takes you to lots of exotic places all around the world with very colourful and funny characters. Entertainment at its best. if I had to pick one or two TINTIN albums in particular, I'd go for LE SECRET DE LA LICORNE (THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN) and LE TRESOR DE RACKHAM LE ROUGE (RED RACKHAM'S TREASURE), which are companion books forming one huge story, or more accurately, three different stories that will eventually become one, involving a frantic search for a much-coveted treasure." - Dzialowski.

Published in France by Casterman, and available in English from Little, Brown. You can read more on Hergé in the Thumbnail by Ninth Art's resident TINTIN expert, Lindsay Duff.

THE TOWERS OF BOIS MAURY, by Hermann.

"I love this one because of its gritty and different view on the Middle Ages, with a strong and disturbing story. It represents authorship at its best - Hermann proved to be way better writer than professionals he used to work with for years." - Kordey.

Published in France by Glenat (LES TOURS DE BOIS MAURY). Available in English from Dark Horse.

VOLUNTEER, by Muriel Sevestre and Benoît Springer.

"Muriel Sevestre and Benoît Springer's second VOLUNTEER album is a tale filled with vampires, with storytelling ideas you don't get to see very often. The pages are just brilliant and full of clever ideas. Inspiring and beautiful. While not as detailed as the first album, the simplicity and sheer beauty of the art, the soft colours and the particular tone of the story create an emotion that makes this book truly special." - Dzialowski.

Published in France by Delcourt. No English translation.

For further recommendations of European albums, check out the Beyond Borders series of essays by Marcos Castrillón.

Alex de Campi is a comics writer whose projects include the Eisner-nominated SMOKE with Igor Kordey and the forthcoming KAT & MOUSE with Federica Manfredi.

This article is Ideological Freeware. The author grants permission for its reproduction and redistribution by private individuals on condition that the author and source of the article are clearly shown, no charge is made, and the whole article is reproduced intact, including this notice.