Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

Out of curiosity, what kinds of comics are popular in Europe right now?

Manga.

Just manga? I thought I heard a while ago that Tintin and Judge Dredd were pretty big over there.

Well, manga really are popular in Europe (although I can be sure only for Germany), since Akira, Dragonball and such like hit the shelves; I have given some of them a try, but couldn't enjoy them too much.

Tintin is a classic comic, and these fantastic comics have been reprinted a short while ago due to the 100th anniversary of George Remi's birthday.

http://lambiek.net/artists/h/herge.htm

You could say Tintin is as popular in Europe as the Peanuts are in America.

American comics in general have their fan communitys, but there's not a single title which is especially "hot" or "hip" or "en vogue". (I'm still working on that subject for Usagi )

As for genres, I've got the feeling that besides the massive Franco-Belgian fantasy comics a new kind of very personal, almost autobiographic comic novel stlye is trying to develope, with artists like Trondheim, Joann Sfar anf Manu Larcenet being the most productive.

http://lambiek.net/artists/t/trondheim.htm

http://lambiek.net/artists/s/sfar.htm

http://lambiek.net/artists/l/larcenet.htm

http://lambiek.net/artists/b/berberian.htm

Joann Sfars "Klezmer: Tales of the Wild East" is as gripping and educating as Art Spiegelman's "Mouse", I'd dare say...

Hoping to be of service

There are a few of those personal/autobiographical comics in the US, as well. Like Art Spiegelman's "Maus," like you mentioned, and Gene Yang's "American Born Chinese." I find them powerful, and strangely addictive. When I first read Maus, I thought it was good, but so tragic that I wouldn't be able to bring myself to read it again. And yet I found myself reading it over and over again. I'll look on ebay for the ones you mentioned (and remind myself that I need to save my money for Christmas presents for other people )

What kind of comics do you like personally (besides Usagi)?

Dear Readers,
I think more Donald Duck is read in Europe than the usa.
The Legend of Mother Sarah is a Japanese series.
In the usa Dark Horse published some but not all of the Legend of Mother Sarah.
In Germany the series is published way beyond the Dark Horse version.
BTW does anyone know if the German version is complete?
If so I would like to get a German set since it is much easier for me to read the German than the Japanese.
Also think about all of the different versions of Usagi Yojimbo published in Europe!
The French are so in love with Usagi they published the largest and smallest versions.
Best wishes to all!
go

go wrote: Also think about all of the different versions of Usagi Yojimbo published in Europe!

I know this is not in Europe, but the first of the Indonesian edition was just published. This is the first edition that is shrink wrapped.