A FLAS Fellow's Semester Abroad in Amman

Audrey Dombro, an agricultural and consumer economics student and 2019-20 FLAS fellow, reflects upon her experience studying in Jordan.

Master of Arts in European Union Studies

The European Union Center at the University of Illinois offers the only Master of Arts in European Union Studies (MAEUS) program in the Western Hemisphere. Learn more here.

Nuclear Energy and Its Environmental, Policy, and Security Implications

On Earth Day 2022, the EU Center organized a symposium on the future of technology, energy, and security in Europe, featuring prominent scholars and policy makers from France, Germany, and the U.S.

Conversations on Europe

Watch the collection of online roundtable discussions on different EU issues sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh.

Accelerating Climate Change Mitigation: Policy Statements on the Road to Sharm-El-Sheikh and Beyond

Bruce Murray, Resident Director of the Illinois Program in Vienna, presents a series of student-written policy statements for accelerating climate change mitigation.

Videos of Previous Lectures

Missed an EUC-hosted lecture? Our blog's video tag has archived previous EUC-sponsored lectures.

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Going Graphic with the European Union: Blacksad by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido

Image Courtesy of Comics Alliance
Over the past few decades, graphic novels have become a respected form of literature. Europe, in particular, has published a wide variety of graphic novels, and these works have become available to wider audiences due to the growth in popularity. In this summer series presented by the EUC, graphic novels from a wide variety of EU members will be reviewed and discussed. 

By Rachel Johannigmeier

Noir...with human-like animals?  While it is not a typical story combination, Blacksad by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarrido proves that it is a combination that works as a story that is both compelling and complex.  Created by two Spanish creators and published originally in France as three different bande dessinée, the publisher Dark Horse Comics has collected these three stories in one English translated graphic novel.  The stories collected are Somewhere Within the Shadows, Arctic Nation, and Red Soul.

Image Courtesy of Comics Alliance
Story Information

Title: Blacksad

Creators: Juan Díaz Canales (writer) and Juanjo Guarnido (artist)

Translation: Anthya Flores and Patricia Rivera

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Audience: Adults

The three stories in Blacksad follow the adventures of the title character, John Blacksad, a black cat who has seen many things in his life.  The stories take place in the United States of the 1950s, and even though all the characters are depicted as animals, real historical events and problems are addressed within the stories.  For example, World War I, the atomic bomb, and racism are all significant points of the plot.  Each story provides insight into the main character, a private investigator with a rough past, as he interacts with a colorful supporting cast.  In Somewhere Within the Shadows, Blacksad is tasked with investigating the death of a starlet (and former lover).  In Arctic Nation, Blacksad looks into the disappearance of a child in a town strongly influenced by race politics.  Finally, in Red Soul, Blacksad encounters an old teacher with a dark past that is causing problems in the present.

Crime comics can sometimes rely too heavily on stereotypes, plot points, and genre elements that make the whole story feel as if it is a cliché. I have read many noir comics, and I can say that the three stories presented in Blacksad, are excellent examples of a superior crime comic narrative.  It still utilizes the trappings of the genre, but the emotions and ideas of the story set it above the average story for its genre.

Another area of praise for the story is the artwork.  The characters are incredibly distinct, and the coloring makes the features of the artwork stand out.  These characters are animals but they are incredibly human-like, with a wide variety of expressions and appearances.  The creators have developed a unique world with characters that seem incredibly realistic.

Sometimes the stories feel short which is understandable as they are around 50 pages long, but even with that in mind, the stories definitely work well as short stories.  I would definitely recommend this graphic novel for fans of noir comics and well-crafted narratives. 



Share/Bookmark

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Going Graphic with the European Union: The Incal by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Moebius

Image from Comics Alliance
Over the past few decades, graphic novels have become a respected form of literature. Europe, in particular, has published a wide variety of graphic novels, and these works have become available to wider audiences due to the growth in popularity. In this summer series presented by the EUC, graphic novels from a wide variety of EU members will be reviewed and discussed. 

By Rachel Johannigmeier

If you have ever seen David Lynch's Dune, you may be aware of the troubled history of the production, including the version of Dune by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Jean Giraud (also known by the pen name, Moebius).  According to Comics Alliance, the two had collaborated on the incomplete vision of the project, and eventually, from 1981-1988, they collaborated on a work known as The Incal.  What they created is a work that stands strong as an example of what the science fiction can accomplish in graphic novels.

Image from Amazon
Story Information

Title: The Incal

Creators: Alejandro Jodorowsky (Writer) and Moebius (Artist)

Publisher: Humanoids

Audience: Adults

The Incal is a work that follows its protagonist, the unlikable detective John DiFool, as he becomes a part of a group saving the universe with the power of an entity known as the Incal.  He is not the chosen one of the story, but almost every segment of the story requires his involvement in some manner.  Whether it involves beating a thousand of other trained competitors in winning the honor of ushering in the Golden Age of the race the Berg or stopping the Darkness from corrupting the Emporess, he is always a reluctant, but necessary part of the fantastic journeys he finds himself on with his companions. 

The story begins and ends in the same way, but the journey in between is what adds power to the story's ending.  It is clear that the story was originally serialized, as the plot bounces at a rapid pace that sometimes left me confused as to what was exactly happening.  However, the art is astonishing, and makes up for any plot points that might have been missed along the way. 

It is a story that is set above average by the art, as many of the familiar cliches of sci-fi appear in the story.  Whether or not they were cliches when the story was created is debatable, but it is still an enjoyable story to read. It is a fantastic world, and as a reader, it is a treat to see into this interesting world. 

It also provides commentary on society and the corruption of those in power and those who are not in power.  There were incredibly cartoonish moments, but they serve to address issues of power.  I laughed at these moments, but I also thought about the implications of the source of humor.

I would recommend this graphic novel for fans of classic sci-fi that also provides social commentary on the world. 
Share/Bookmark

Saturday, July 2, 2016

Going Graphic with the European Union: Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life by Ulli Lust

Image from the Comics Journal
Over the past few decades, graphic novels have become a respected form of literature. Europe, in particular, has published a wide variety of graphic novels, and these works have become available to wider audiences due to the growth in popularity. In this summer series presented by the EUC, graphic novels from a wide variety of EU members will be reviewed and discussed.

By Rachel Johannigmeier

While Ulli Lust may have been scared of dying when she was a child, by the age of 17, she was living by the motto, “live as if every day was my last” (Lust 70). In her graphic novel, Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life, Austrian-born comic artist Ulli Lust relates the experience of her summer across Europe in 1984. The journey is not only physical; it is an emotional journey uses the experiences of the author as landmarks. It also is a story that is conveyed with “honesty,” and no topics are considered too sensitive; Lust mentioned in her interview with Comics Journal that she had to be honest to create “a better story.”

Image from Fantagraphics
Story Information:

Title: Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life

Creator: Ulli Lust

Translation: Kim Thompson

Publisher (English Translation): Fantagraphics Books

Audience: Adult

Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life is the tale of Ulli Lust’s travels from Vienna to Italy with her “friend” who is simply called Edi within the book. The two girls travel without passports, traveling supplies, and money, and throughout their trip, they encounter various ways of surviving on the streets and avoiding the police. Ulli Lust and Edi are both a part of the Punk scene of the time, and they meet a variety of people who share their interests. They are separated for a while, and in that time, Lust must survive on her own. Eventually, the two girls are reunited, but their reunion is impacted by Italian crime. Eventually, Ulli returns home, weary of her travels, but more aware of the nature of the world.

It is hard to summarize the plot of Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life. It is a real story with true facts and events, but it is also an odyssey of emotion. With her simplistic style of art, Lust manages to do a wonderful job with portraying her trip to Sicily. Lust’s art also helps convey the emotions of her teenage self and the art, while  cartoon-like, really captures the essence of each scene. Lust never draws herself the same, and it’s fascinating to see how she changes along with the story.

It is also a refreshing story in that Lust does not tone down her message or the events of her past. The graphic novel discusses feminist topics such as rape culture and gender roles. It is never gratuitous in its portrayal of sexual violence, but it presents it in a blunt manner; as a reader, I felt Lust’s recollections had strong emotional power.

It is a longer graphic novel than previous books I have read for “Going Graphic with the European Union,” but it is a tale worth reading. I would recommend this book for audiences interested in feminism and memoirs. I would also recommend it for readers who enjoy travel stories such as On the Road by Jack Kerouac.
Share/Bookmark

 
Cookie Settings