Murnau, Browning, and Fisher? Or maybe Herzog?

Donjon Zenith Vol. #1-#6, Donjon Crepuscule Vol. #1-#5, and Donjon Potron-Minet Vol. #1-#4

Writers : Lewis Trondheim, Yohan Sfar
Artists : Lewis Trondheim, Blain, Boulet, Sfar, Kerascoët



French comics had a real new wave in the early 90ies with L'Association, as if Fantagraphics had been for France what Image was for the US back then.
Most of those athors are still famous, probably even more, some have crossed over to movie making, but the great thing is that in the second half of those 90ies, most of those guys went to do some work for Delcourt, like the french DC.

Donjon is one of those works, created by Sfar and Trondheim, three interconnected series told at three different times. The main one is Zenith, illustrated by Trondheim, the one in the past is Potron Minet, illustrated by the amzing Blain, and Crepuscule is the futire, where the series would end, illustrated by Sfar and later by the Keraskoët duo.

If it seem at first to use the heroic fantasy genre as Dave Sim did with Cerebus, it rapidly turns into something equaly ambitious but with very different objectives and means.
Sfar and Trondheim are obviously making fun of their D&D days, but not in a mainstream way : they go deep in geekiness, but play it straight, even with the jokes. Most of the humor comes from the very crude language used in real life ther transposed in a world we don't associate with vulgar street talk. Also, the characters are sexualized, and behave badly, which in a way reminds me of the work of Dave Cooper or even Jim Woodring, when funny animals become dark and somewhat creepy.
But all in all, it tells a great story of adventures, dinasties, curses, and ends up in quasi Sci-Fi concepts.
There are other volumes to the three series, but those came a little later and have a different feel. There's also two aditional series to those main three, "Monster" which has many volumes, each by a diferent artist, focussing on a character of the main series, but often crucial to the main storyline. Then there's "Parade", which is more just about stupid fun, more childish, illustrated by Larcenet.

I nominated this since I often revisit it and constantly find new cool details that previously escaped me. And if the drawing style might appear childish, it is actually rather subtle, and it really grows on you, the story being so strong doesn't hurt either.

I know quite a few volumes have been published in the US, but I don't know how far the publication went. But really, in this series, as in all great role playing game sessions, the end isn't really the goal, it's all about the journey, and you never really end with a cliffhanger, especially not in the volumes I nominated.

I don't see it there, but they have a series by Trondheim and Larcenet which is quite good, "The Cosmonauts of the future".

Here's the english publishing history of "Dungeon" : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeon_(comics)

www.readaboutcomics.com/2004/09/21/dungeon-vol-1-duck-heart/

I'd put Herzog first too; I just assumed I was the only one

Not familiar with the Badham version. Apparently, I have some hunting to do...

It stars Frank Langella as Dracula, and if you do go looking get the director's cut with the muted color pallet. Universal felt they needed big bright colors for their first color Dracula and it totally detracted from the mood but with the darker color filter and softer light effects it looks almost like a black and white film which is neat.

Dark Shadows was probably superior, but his TV adaptation of Dracula was pretty decent.

What I've read Day 3 (again aside from my choice):

-Corto Maltese
-Watchmen
-Judas Contract
-Golden Age
-Elfquest (again)
-Mansion Siege
-Planetary
-Zot! in part (I have the big omnibus of the b&w issues and a handful of 1-10, bit not all)

I have 2 of the issues of that Dracula adaptation, I need to pick up the rest so I can read it. So again read most of what was listed on this day.

-M