French critics organization ACBD has announced the shortlist for its sixth annual Comics Awards, which promotes works translated from English into French. The winner will be announced after a member vote at the Quai des Bulles Festival in Saint-Malo, France (October 25-27) from August 18 to September 7, 2024.
Eligible books will be published in French between August 2023 and July 2024, with the final five books in competition selected by a selection committee composed of five ACBD members: Arthur Bayon, Yaneck Chareyre, Frédéric Grivaud, Bernard Launois , Valentin Paquot, Florian Rubis and Arnaud Tomasini.
Here is the shortlist:
- exist [Au-dedans]go through Will McPhail; Translated into French by Basil Begheri (404 Graphic) — UK publisher Mariner Books (2021)
- Creepy Gifts Alex Toth [Eerie & Creepy présentent Alex Toth]go through Alex Toth; Translated into French (Delirium) by Doug Headline — UK publisher Dark Horse (2015)
- Doctor Strange: Autumn Sunrisego through Trad Moore; Translated into French by Benjamin Viet (Panini Comics) — British publisher Marvel (2023)
- The center of the earth is lonelygo through Zoe Thorogood; Translated into French by Maxime Ledin (Hi Comics) — British publisher Image (2022)
- victory parade, go through Lila Koman; Translated into French by Jean-Paul Janequin (Here and There) – Pantheon (2024)
As expected, the shortlisted works include mainstream, independent and alternative works. One interesting thing to note is that this is the second year in a row that Zoe Thorogood has been nominated for a Comic-Con award, following the French version of Zoe Thorogood. Billie Scott is going blind (published in French with Bubble Editions), this year it’s the turn of the autobiographical graphic novel The center of the earth is lonely (with Hi Comics).
The list of honorable mentions is also quite strong:
- Howard the Duck 1973-1977 [Howard le canard 1973-1977]go through Steve Gerber, Gene Colan, etc; translator Benjamin Viette/Quentin Bermage (Panini Comics) — The closest English version is Howard the Duck: The Complete Collection Volume 1 (Marvel, 2015)
- extrago through Lorenzo de Felici; translator Benjamin Riviere (Delcourt) — Published in English by Image/Skybound (2023)
- eye of odin [L’œil d’Odinn]go through Joshua Dysart, Thomas Giorello, Diego Rodriguez; translator Wolf Hall (Bliss Editions) — Published in a single issue in English by Bad Idea (2021)
- Eternal love volume. 1go through Tom King, Elsa Charetier, Matt Hollingsworth; translator Arno Tomasini (Urban Comics) — Published in English by Image (2023)
- wild [Murmures des sous-bois]go through Kurimoto Kengo; translator Fanny Sovereign (Rue de Sèvres) — Published in English by Groundwood Books (2024)
- heaven, no hell [Le paradis, pas l’enfer]go through Michael Deforge (Atrabile) — Published in English by Drawn & Quarterly (2021)
- giver [Le passeur]go through Philip Craig Russelladapted from the novel Lois Lowry; translator Patrick Marcel (Phileas) — English edition published by Clarion Books (2020)
- victim [Sacrifice] roll. 1go through Rick Raymond, Max Fiumala, Dave McCaig; translator Benjamin Riviere (Urban Comics) — Published in English by Image (2024)
- The genius of Scourge Smith and Noel Sixx [Scorchy Smith et le génie de Noel Sickles]go through Noel Sixx; translator Mary Rainier (Galerie Barbier) — This appears to be a new version that repackages elements of IDW’s 2008 out-of-print series Art by Scourge Smith and Noel Sixx
- Shaolin Cowboy: Cruelty as a Kiss [The Shaolin Cowboy tome 4]go through Jeff Darrow, Dave Stewart; translator Lorraine Darrow (Futuropolis) — Published in English by Dark Horse (2023)
- Wonder Woman Historygo through Kelly Sue DeConnick, Phil Jimenez, Gene Ha, Nicola Scott; translator thomas deville (City Comics) — English version of DC Black Label (2023)
Last year’s winner was the French version JH Williams III and W.Haden Blackmanof Echo Orchid Published by Panini Comics, originally published by Image Comics.
The Association des Critiques et Journalistes de Bande Dessinée (or Association of Comic Critics and Journalists) – ACBD – is a French-speaking group of people who report on comics in the media (print, online, TV, radio, etc.). Now in its fortieth year, it has over a hundred members worldwide, mainly from France, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada. It celebrates the medium with five awards each year, including Prix Jeunesse, Prix Québécoise, Prix Comics, and Prix Asie. Its highest honor is the Grand Prix de la Critique (Grand Critics’ Award), an award as old as the organization itself.
In French, the word “manga” is similar to the word “manga” and indicates a category of comics of foreign origin. A common term for French comics is “bande dessinée”. Prix Comics therefore refers broadly to all works translated from English.
