Epileptic (graphic novel)
Encyclopedia
Epileptic is the English
title of L'Ascension du haut mal (meaning The Rise of the High Evil), an autobiographical
graphic novel
by David Beauchard
(more commonly known as David B.).
by L'Association
in six volumes from 1996 to 2003:
The first half of the series was published in English by Fantagraphics
in one volume in 2002 (ISBN 2-84414-085-8); a complete edition was released by Pantheon
in 2005.
, causing the family to seek a variety of solutions from alternative medicine
, most dramatically by moving to a commune
based on macrobiotic
principles. As the epileptic brother loses control of his own life, the artist develops solitary obsessions with cartoons, mythology and war. The book's graphic style becomes increasingly elaborate as the children's fantasy life takes over, with their dreams and fears (including epilepsy itself) appearing as living creatures. In brief interludes, the children appear as adults when the artist begins the process of writing the story.
reported the book had an average score of 92 out of 100, based on 15 reviews. Publishers Weekly
has called it "one of the greatest graphic novels ever published."
. David B. won the 2005 Ignatz Award
for Outstanding Artist for his work on the series.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
title of L'Ascension du haut mal (meaning The Rise of the High Evil), an autobiographical
Autobiographical comics
Autobiographical comics are autobiography in the form of comic books or comic strips. The form first became popular in the underground comics movement and has since become more widespread...
graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
by David Beauchard
David Beauchard
Pierre-François "David" Beauchard , who uses the pen name David B., is a French comic book artist and writer, and one of the founders of L'Association.-Biography:...
(more commonly known as David B.).
Publication history
It was originally published in FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by L'Association
L'Association
L'Association is a French publishing house which publishes comic books. It was founded in May 1990 by Jean-Christophe Menu, Lewis Trondheim, David B., Mattt Konture, Patrice Killoffer, Stanislas, and Mokeït, who left soon thereafter...
in six volumes from 1996 to 2003:
- 1996 (ISBN 2-909020-73-8)
- 1997 (ISBN 2-909020-84-3)
- 1998 (ISBN 2-84414-004-1)
- 1999 (ISBN 2-84414-020-3)
- 2000 (ISBN 2-84414-047-5)
- 2003 (ISBN 2-909020-07-X)
The first half of the series was published in English by Fantagraphics
Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint...
in one volume in 2002 (ISBN 2-84414-085-8); a complete edition was released by Pantheon
Pantheon Books
Pantheon Books is an American imprint with editorial independence that is part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.The current editor-in-chief at Pantheon Books is Dan Frank.-Overview:...
in 2005.
Plot
The book tells the story of the artist's early childhood and adolescence, focusing on his relationship with his brother and sister. His brother develops severe and intractable epilepsyEpilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
, causing the family to seek a variety of solutions from alternative medicine
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
, most dramatically by moving to a commune
Commune (intentional community)
A commune is an intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests, property, possessions, resources, and, in some communes, work and income. In addition to the communal economy, consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical structures and ecological living have become...
based on macrobiotic
Macrobiotic diet
A macrobiotic diet , from "macro" and "bios" , a dietary regimen which involves eating grains as a staple food supplemented with other foodstuffs such as local vegetables avoiding the use of highly processed or refined foods and most animal products...
principles. As the epileptic brother loses control of his own life, the artist develops solitary obsessions with cartoons, mythology and war. The book's graphic style becomes increasingly elaborate as the children's fantasy life takes over, with their dreams and fears (including epilepsy itself) appearing as living creatures. In brief interludes, the children appear as adults when the artist begins the process of writing the story.
Translation
The French title proved difficult to translate, as it contains several meanings: haut mal is an archaic term for epilepsy meaning literally "high evil" or "great sickness" (formerly used as a medical term in English, now replaced by grand mal), and ascension can mean either rise or climbing, as seen in a recurring image of the family climbing a steep slope into unknown terrain.Reception
The English translation of the book received very good reviews from critics. The review aggregator MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
reported the book had an average score of 92 out of 100, based on 15 reviews. Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
has called it "one of the greatest graphic novels ever published."
Awards
The fourth volume won the 2000 Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for ScenarioAngoulême International Comics Festival Prize for Scenario
This Prize for Scenario is awarded to comics authors at the Angoulême International Comics Festival.As is the customary practice in Wikipedia for listing awards such as Oscar results, the winner of the award for that year is listed first, the others listed below are the nominees.-1990s:* 1993:...
. David B. won the 2005 Ignatz Award
Ignatz Awards
The Ignatz Awards are intended to recognize outstanding achievements in comics and cartooning by small press creators or creator-owned projects published by larger publishers. They have been awarded each year since 1997, but skipped a year in 2001 due to the show's cancellation after the September...
for Outstanding Artist for his work on the series.
External links
- Pasquier, Renaud "David B., le sommeil de la raison" in Labyrinthe #25 "La bande dessinée : ce qu'elle dit, ce qu'elle montre", 2006
- Epileptic Is Schizophrenic -- But Interestingly So