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what not to miss this month

The beginning of 2022 also marks the release of many literary publications. Between the ambitious reboot of DC Comics at Urban with Infinite Frontier, and the arrival of several particularly promising novelties, the month of January was particularly prolific. A quick overview of what not to miss.

The Iliad and the Odyssey

Scenario and collective drawing — 192 pages
Published on December 29, 2021 by Soleil Manga editions — €7.99

illiad odyssey comics
© Amandine Jonniaux / JDG

On the condition of going beyond his astonishing sense of Western reading, Homer goes beyond the borders of classical literature to offer himself a manga adaptation. Released at the very end of last year, The Iliad and the Odyssey faithfully reproduces the epics of Ulysses and Achilles, in a retro aesthetic, which is also reminiscent of the endearing characters of the French animated series Once upon a time there was a man.

By completing an already well-established series of Manga Classics (which notably includes La Theory of evolution of Darwin or In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust), Soleil offers us here a nice rereading of Homer’s cult work, in a version that already promises to dust off the myth for the youngest.

Discover the Iliad and The Odyssey

Diablomachia (T01)

Script and drawing by Da Hosoi — 192 pages
Published on January 5, 2022 by Glénat editions — €6.90

Diablomachia comics
© Amandine Jonniaux / JDG

Neve is a young boy who lives isolated in the mountains. However, he is far from alone. Since the death of his parents, the character has befriended a motley group of benevolent demons, with whom he now forms a perfectly dysfunctional but happy family. Capable of opening passages between Earth and the Underworld, Neve will nevertheless quickly attract the attention of evil creatures, determined to annihilate all of Humanity.

In the purest shonen tradition, halfway between Radiant and My Hero Academia, Diablomachia signs a loquacious and promising first volume. Populated with endearing characters and carried by the beautiful illustrations of Da Hosoi, this new series signed Glénat is to be followed closely in 2022.

Discover Diablomachia

The Chimerical Brigade — Ultimate Rebirth

Screenplay by Serge Lehman and Gess, drawing by Stéphane de Caneva — 240 pages
Published on January 5, 2022 by Delcourt editions — €34.95

BD Chimerical Brigade
© Amandine Jonniaux / JDG

If Superman and Batman are at the top of the most popular superheroes in the world, European heroes also exist. Born from Marie Curie’s experiments on radium at the beginning of the 20th century, these homegrown Avengers were called the Chimeric Brigade. Now extinct, they are getting a revival this year at Delcourt, more than ten years after their creation by screenwriter Serge Lehman. The opportunity to discover the Paris metro like never before.

Discover The Chimerical Brigade: Ultimate Rebirth

Tales of the Lost Hearts — Bad Blood

Screenplay by Loïc Clément, drawing by Lionel Richerand — 48 pages
Published on January 5, 2022 by Delcourt editions — €10.95

tales of the lost hearts comic book
© Amandine Jonniaux / JDG

Tristan is a millennial vampire, with the appearance of an eight-year-old child. Neurotic, anxious and deeply alone in his long life, the character nevertheless finds a semblance of redemption when he meets the Lux family. Edited by Delcourt jeunesse, this wacky and luminous fable is devoured like candy, both in substance with its biting humor and poetry, and in form with its soft and colorful illustrations. An unexpected cure for anxiety, for all ages.

Discover Tales of the Lost Hearts

Talion (T01)

Script and drawing by Sylvain Ferret — 64 pages
Published on January 12, 2022 by Glénat editions — €15.50

Talion comic
© Amandine Jonniaux / JDG

With its large format and dark graphic atmosphere, this first volume of Talion is a successful dive into a post-apocalyptic universe, the day after an ecological collapse that is on the way to destroying humanity. While the poorer classes crowd into the slums of the Root districts, the wealthier survive on clean water, and escape pollution from the top of an impregnable citadel, ruled by King Sirius Retaliation. Between Matrix and the Netflix series 3%Sylvain Ferret signs with Retaliation the beginnings of a promising work in three volumes, which we can’t wait to discover in more depth.

Discover Talion

shadowlife

Screenplay by Hiromi Goto, drawing by Ann Xu — 368 pages
Published on January 14, 2022 by Ankama editions — €22.90

shadow life comic
© Amandine Jonniaux / JDG

Kumiko Saito is old, sometimes a little senile, and is slowly starting to lose her mind. More than anything, she hates being told what to do. So rather than listen to her daughters, she decides to leave her retirement home to settle alone in a small apartment. A freedom that will quickly bring with it its share of inconveniences. Especially since lurking in the shadows, a mysterious creature seems determined to take it with her.

Poetic and contemplative, this nice fable about death and old age reads in one go, and ends with a heavy heart. It is also reminiscent of the excellent Jizo, also published by Glénat, and which had been one of our love at first sight of the year 2020.

Discover Shadow Life

batman ego

Script and drawing by Darwyn Cooke — 168 pages
Published on January 14, 2022 by Urban Comics editions — €16

Batman Ego comic
© Amandine Jonniaux / JDG

Six years after the disappearance of Darwyn Cooke, the legendary author returns in a large format compilation and in French at Urban Comics. The opportunity to (re)discover Batman Ego, the artist’s very first work around the Dark Knight, but also four other independent adventures, which will alternately feature Harley Quinn, James Gordon or the Spirit, a whimsical masked vigilante created by Will Eisner, with whom Bruce Wayne will have to team up.

Rich in several assertive graphic styles, Batman Ego will particularly delight fans of Batman: The Animated Series, who will find the cartoonish style of the series created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini. No wonder that, since Darwyn Cooke officiated for many years as an animator on the project. With this dark compilation that questions the inner demons of Batman, Ego is a dark and controlled compilation. A beautiful tribute to a cult author.

Discover Batman Ego

DC Infinite Frontier

Screenplay by Joshua Williamson, collective drawing — 360 pages
Published on January 21, 2022 by Urban Comics editions — €35

DC infinite frontier T0 BD
© Amandine Jonniaux / JDG

After the New 52 and Rebirth runs, DC Comics is back in a new reboot, this time called Infinite Frontier. Launched at the beginning of last year in the United States, the event arrives this month in France at Urban Comics, and lays the foundations for a whole new universe. The opportunity to restart all the existing series, from Batman to Superman, via Harley Quinn, Flash or Green Lantern, which will arrive later in the year.

We’ll tell you more about it in a dedicated file, Infinite Frontier has its origins at the end of Batman Death Metal, when (spoiler alert) the Batman Who Laughs reforges the universe within a vast omniscient multiverse. The perfect opportunity to set foot in DC Comics, for all those who have been discouraged by the density of publications. After this volume #0, which reviews all the new Infinite Frontier series, all you need to do is invest in the ones that catch your eye.

Explore DC Infinite Frontier

Filthy!

Script and drawing by Elizabeth Holleville — 240 pages
Published on January 26, 2022 by Glénat editions — €22.50

filthy comics
© Amandine Jonniaux / JDG

Nour and his little brother have just moved to the small town of Morterre. A godsend for their father, who found a job in the local factory, a gigantic open-pit mine that extracts a very powerful radioactive ore. However, the atmosphere quickly turns out to be oppressive when disfigured creatures burst into the neighborhood, while several Agemma employees disappear in turn. The opportunity for the young girl to conduct the investigation, accompanied by Jonas and Camille, two horror film enthusiasts.

Not necessarily original, the scenario of Immonde! obviously recalls other references of the genre, starting with the Stranger Things series. With its substantial format and its very particular colors, Elisabeth Holleville nevertheless succeeds in the bet of hanging on to the fantastico-horrifying adventures of this group of teenagers. A pretty declaration of love for 80s cinema and the fantastic genre of Spielberg, in a modern reinterpretation with the air of a macabre ecological tale.

Discover Immonde!

The Department of Truth (T01)

Screenplay by James Tynion IV, drawing by Martin Simmonds — 152 pages
Published on January 28, 2022 by Urban Comics editions — €10

The Department of Truth BD
© Amandine Jonniaux / JDG

In line with the excellent series InsideJob, The Department of Truth brilliantly deals with the subject of conspiracy, this time from a much more dark and scary. While agent Cole Turner has made conspiratorial movements his specialty, he decides one day to infiltrate a strange group, which will push him to his limits, and lead him to doubt everything, even reality. Finally approached by the Department of Truths, a mysterious occult government agency, Cole will quickly understand that the biggest conspiracies in the world are not necessarily those we believe.

The more you believe in a plot, the more it becomes reality. Between thriller in high political spheres and paranormal events, The Department of Truth is a slap. First visually, with the work of Martin Simmonds, which is reminiscent of that of Grant Morrison in the cult Akham Asylum. Then in the background, with an oppressive and violent dive into the depths of conspiracy. Not necessarily accessible at first glance, you may need several readings to appreciate all the issues of this spectacular first volume by James Tynion IV. Between horror and unhealthy fascination, we promise you, however, that the trip is worth the detour.

Discover The Department of Truth

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