|
BOBC |
 |
 |
 |
|
Starkey, Hugh. "Is the BD ‘à bout de souffle’?." French Cultural Studies 1. (1990): 95–110. Added by: joachim (7/27/09, 6:05 PM) Last edited by: joachim (11/1/13, 12:16 PM) |
 |
| Resource type: Journal Article Language: en: English Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1177/095715589000100202 BibTeX citation key: Starkey1990 Email resource to friend View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: "Pilote", Comics research, Film, France Creators: Starkey Collection: French Cultural Studies |
Views: 58/836
|
| Attachments |
| Abstract |
|
As the adult BD, bande dessiné, enters its fourth decade its demise is widely foretold. The revolution in adult reading started by the magazine Pilote on 29 October 1959 with its first number, seems to have blown itself out. After transformations and mergers the periodical finally folded with its November 1989 edition. Lack of inspiration? Certainly. But also, perhaps, a conscious sabotage by its new and very Catholic owners who might have objected to some of the opulent feminine forms revealed in every issue. The death of Pilote follows hard on the heels of that of the second of its three founder editors, as Jean-Michel Charlier joined René Goscinny in a place without publishers’ deadlines. The BD itself has not yet expired, far from it. Indeed, annual sales continue at a very healthy 30 million albums. However, the demise of periodicals and personnel have had a demoralizing effect on the industry and one that can only be accounted for by the absence of an obvious nouvelle vague. This paper will attempt to identify and analyse some of the achievements of the past thirty years and to predict some directions for the nineties.
|