From an earlier, short interaction we had, Mssr Lvxferre was kind enough to help catch me up with some nice Portugais & Brésilien comics & graphic novels.
(Lvxferre, keeping it cool as ever)
(seriously, that’s his avatar!)
So let’s dive in–
Most comics I read are manga, so I don’t know a lot about the ones in Portuguese; the exception is Maurício de Sousa’s “Turma da Mônica” (Monica’s Gang) [samples], as it’s something I grew up reading. However the author is Brazilian (and markedly Paulista*), and the target audience are kids so… probably not what you’re looking for.
* i.e., from São Paulo
That said, I looked for recs across the internet, and found a few interesting ones:
“Balada para Sophie” (Ballad for Sophie) - from Filipe Melo and Juan Cavia. About a misanthrope pianist in the century XX, visited by a journalist who makes him tell her his thorough life’s history. The art style looks really polished and nice. (as seen in the lead image above)
Note: it’s by writer Filipe Melo (Portugal), and Juan Cavia (Argentina, home of a million great comics creators)
Note2: Me, I’d previously read it, and liked it a LOT, as well as other GN’s that take the reader in to the ‘heart of music,’ so to speak --JE
“A Fórmula da Felicidade” (The Equation of Happiness) - from Nuno Duarte and Osvaldo Medina. A mathematics prodigy finds an equation that grants everyone but himself happiness. The animal characters seem to evoke something of a fabula*.
* folktale
(right-click as needed)
“Estes Dias” (These Days) - from Bernardo Majer. It’s a half dozen slice of life stories, mostly about monotony and relationships.
Appreciate, friend. Appreciate.
So that’s maybe the ‘tip of the iceberg,’ I would hope. In any case, it’s great to hear about more comics & GN’s across various Euro-languages from around the world.
Plus-- I understand that there’s more specifically to say about the relative scarcity of Portu’ & Brésil comics and GN’s across the general ‘comics-sphere.’ Something to maybe explore in future…?
Oh, and of course–
RIP, dear Jane
She was one of my heroes in life, and one of the very best of us naked apes, as I perceive it. ❤️
Thanks for the extensive comment and recommendations! :D
Me, I read and liked Prado’s Streak of Chalk, and hope to read more of him. I’m also kind of embarrassed to so far not have given much attention to Portugal and various other Euro countries. This is generally improving though, as most European stuff also comes out in French, which I work on every day. I’m getting more and more comfortable reading whole tomes at an early “A2” level, or at least skimming through them, trying to get a sense of everything.
That means so much to me. <3 This project is mostly a labor of love and a way of giving thanks to the creators, but at times it can be difficult, especially when my lower back is giving me trouble. (I like to sit upright when writing)