RKMBs Forums .::Robegories::. Comic Books English-language foreign comics

(Note: As a U.S. citizen, my use of the term "foreign" is meant for
published material whose primary audience originally wasn't the U.S.)


What foreign comics are available in English? I'm asking because I'd like
to read comics published by foreign countries but I'm not eager enough to
spend a couple years learning a different language just to do so.

I figure they'd fall into two categories:

Translated into English -
Comics originally published in countries where English is not a major
language (ex. Japan, Belgium, Mexico, India, .... )

Published in English -
Comics originally published in countries where English is a major language
(ex. Great Britain, Australia, Canada, .... )

Obviously, finding translated Japanese comics is easy considering the
influx of manga into the U.S., but I'm also interested in what is
available from Europe/Asia/Africa/north & south of our borders.

Herald
Member posted February 08, 2003 01:52 AM

Here are the foreign books know of. All are translated into English.

2000 AD
The premier British comic, published weekly. Many Brit writers who are now
popular here in the U.S., like Grant Morrison, Mike Carey and Dan Abnett,
wrote for 2000 AD first. (Mike Carey and Dan Abnett still do! :) ) I
especially like the Nicholai Dante serials and Judge Dredd.

The Curtis Comics line
Curtis began publishing its 13 Korean manhwa series separately at $2.95
each, but the company is now selling them in a large package for $28. I
recommend the serial killer series PSI. The translations are a little off
sometimes, but the books are still enjoyable.

The Humanoids line
Humanoids has offered two French comic series in monthly format, The
Metabarons and The Incal. Both series have been collected into TPBs. (BTW,
The Metabarons was co-created by world-renouned artist Mobius.) Metal
Hurlant is an anthology featuring new stories from French and American
creators. The company also sells numerous graphic novels in hardcover
format.

The Tokyopop line
As the company's name suggests, the line is dominated by Japanese manga.
However, it does have some Korean manhwa books as well, like Island and
Priest. And there are several more coming soon.

The Comicsone.com line
Comicsone also publishes manga (buy Crayon Shin-Chan NOW! :) ). But the
company now also offers a lineup of impressive Hong Kong comics. Of
special note is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which adapts the original
novels that formed the basis for the movie.

Dark Horse
Again, the company is known for its manga selection, but it also released
some Italian books under the Bonelli Comics imprint. Unfortunately, I
didn't buy any of those books (yet), so I can't recommend any. (I have to
draw the line somewhere... :) )

Singaporean comics
A few comic series that have found its way here from Singapore. The
Celestial Zone was the most recent, but there was also Return of the
Condor Heroes a year or so ago. (Interestingly enough, one of the ads in
the back of TCZ mentioned an American-stlye superhero monthly!) My
personal favorites, though, were the Wisely books (a detective series).
Frankly, I don't have a complete run of any of these myself, so I have
been trying to find them on eBay. I may try ordering them from the
publisher, if I can.

I'd like to add that, back in 1999, I bought a huge 2000-plus-page
hardcover called Comix 2000 (I think; it's been awhile since I read it).
This had wordless comics from all over the world! (Downside: it cost
$75...) I don't know if you can still get your hands on this one, but I
figured I should mention it.
All of these books are or have been mentioned in Previews. (It's the only
way I ever discovered them!)
------------------

FuriousFirestormer
Member posted February 08, 2003 02:09 PM

To the best of my knowledge, there are no Canadian comic companies who
market their books to Canadians first.
Todd McFarlane's empire is based out of Calgary Alberta and Dreamwave is
based out of Toronto.

Andrew Dynon
Member posted February 08, 2003 02:59 PM

Well, down here in oz we have The Phantom (the best-selling comic in
Australia - I remember reading that it sells ten times as many copies as
the best-selling Marvel and DC comics) - some of the stories are
originals, others are from Europe (translated) or reprints of old strips.
There's also a bunch of indie-style comics published here. I remember
liking one called _Platinum Grit_ a while ago, not sure if it's still in
publication.

Dave the Wonder Boy
Member posted February 08, 2003 03:09 PM

The French comic series, ASTERIX, is another available in English.
Many translated strips are avaailable at:
www.fantagraphics.com
My favorite was a German tanslation I found of the U.S. comic strip
Marmaduke, where the dog was barking, and instead of WOOF WOOF, he was
going VOOFEN VOOFEN !
He was barking in German !
I loved that.

profh0011
Member posted February 08, 2003 04:11 PM

My #1 favorite comics series remains THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN. Because
it's about the adventures of an English journalist and his friends, all of
whom also seem to be English (and there's a LOT of fun being made at the
expense of English people in general) I never realized as a kid that it
originated in BELGIUM!

Kenichi Sonoda's GUNSMITH CATS and CANNON GOD EXAXXION, both imported from
Japan by Dark Horse, are current faves. The first is about bounty hunters,
the other is an ongoing serial about an invasion-takeover of Earth by
GENOCIDAL expansionist aliens. The longer it goes on, I keep seeing more
and more parallels to Nazi Germany and similar dictatorships. (Good thing
there's an UNBELIEVABLY HUGE giant robot on "our" side to balance things
out!) Both series feature some of the cutest girls in any comics I've
seen.

Haroldson Jr
Member posted February 08, 2003 04:53 PM


quote:

Originally posted by FuriousFirestormer:
To the best of my knowledge, there are no Canadian comic companies who
market their books to Canadians first.


I can name (provided I did some research) the name of several Canadian
comic book series published in Montreal for the French Canadian market.
There is a whole dimension in the comic book world out of Montreal that is
ignored by most. It's the only place where you can get practically
anything that comes from Europe and North America for a reasonable price
and in several places, including the largest book chains, the moment they
are released.

Although several people here suggested that you buy Tintin or Asterix, if
you're a modern comic book reader, they will hold little interest to you.
It's like asking you to read stuff like Usagy Jimbo, Bone, and 60s
Archives from DC or Marvel. If you have kids, their perfect, but for older
readers, it's not the best.
Current material from Europe with a wide range of subject, modern design,
modern storytelling and sensibilities can be found from publishers such as
NBM and Fantagraphics.
------------------


Registered Member# 16603
Member posted February 08, 2003 10:30 PM

Thank you, everyone who've responded. This is the type of info I was
looking for.
Anyone else?
------------------

Dave the Wonder Boy
Member posted February 08, 2003 11:47 PM

You're welcome !
Another is the late 70's /early 80's issues of HEAVY METAL, reprinting in
English the work of French artists Moebius, Druillet, and other greats.
Druillet (pronounced droo yay) has been reprinted several times since. I
have a great collected edition of his LONE SLONE and DILIRIUS stories,
from the late lamented Dragon's Dream. Their successor, Paper Tiger, has
done later reprint collections.

Marvel did a great set of trades and hardcovers canonizing Moebius' work.
Marvel (under Archie Goodwin) did a beautiful series of the Japanese
series AKIRA in nice color squarebound editions.

Dark Horse reprinted LONE WOLF AND CUB in English (around 1986, shortly
after RONIN and DARK KNIGHT returns were first released.)
NBM does a lot of English/U.S. reprint editions of European graphic
albums. I first discovered Milo Manara's work from these ediotions. I
particularly enjoyed INDIAN SUMMER, THE SNOWMAN and GULLIVERA.
Alcatena (who I first discovered in Tim Truman's excellent 3 issue
HAWKWORLD limited series in 1989) is from Argentina.
Four Winds publishing did some excellent 8" X 11" trades in b&w of his
stories MOVING FORTRESS and SUBTERRA.

You can find a lot of this stuff from back issue dealers, or from:
www.budplant.com www.fantagraphics.com www.ripoffpress.com
www.nbmpublishing.com


Dave the Wonder Boy
Member posted February 09, 2003 12:04 AM


quote:

Originally posted by Haroldson Jr:

Although several people here suggested that you buy Tintin or Asterix,
if you're a modern comic book reader, they will hold little interest to
you.


I actually think ASTERIX is very interesting. Cartoonish, but very
detailed art and nice colors. It's semi-historical, taking a humorous look
at ancient France (then called Gaul) in Roman times.
I got the impression that the translation I read was not a good one,
though, and that much of the clever humor of the series in the original
French was lost in the translation.

Haroldson, as a Canadian, comics from your country are technically
"foreign". And many are also among the best comics ever published.
Topping the list of Canadian comics is CEREBUS by Dave Sim.
I also love CAPTAIN CANUCK by Richard Comely and George Freeman.
Ken Steacy and Dean Motter are two other talented Canadian artists. And
John Byrne. And the late Gene Day.
I especially love Gene Day's work on MASTER OF KUNG
FU 102-120, especially the last issue, plus tons of other inking work for
Marvel in the 1978-1982 period. And the book FUTURE DAY, that collects a
number of Day's stories from ORB, STAR REACH and other independent comics
anthologies.
And his surviving brothers, Dan Day and David Day.
Plus many others, I forget offhand.
If I recall, Joe Schuster and Jerry Seigel are also Canadian.

Haroldson Jr
Member posted February 09, 2003 12:40 AM

Hey Dave, I know all about Asterix, believe me :) . I probably read an
Asterix or another European classic of the type before I ever touched
anything American.

It's even a tradition for Gen X kids like me to watch Asterix cartoons
broadcated for Christmas everyyear. It's the same cartoons and we've seen
them thousands of time, yet we keep watching year after year, and have our
children floow suit. In particular, there,s two no one I know ever miss,
Asterix and Cleopatra (hilarious Cleopatra acting like the spoiled wife of
julius Ceasar) and The 12 Tasks of Asterix (Asterix goes through a
tournament enacted after the story of Hercules, the story is wild spoof of
society, including the best part, the House that makes people crazy-the
ultimate and best spoof on government and big business bureacracies I've
ever seen anywhere).

Asterix, Tintin and their compatriots,
are regarded as kid's comics in Europe and French Canada.
In Asterix, there are many spoofs of French pol,itical life form the 60s
and other things that only adults can pick up. But the brunt of the
material is intended for kids.
I don't know which version you read, but I get to read all my French
European comics in French, so I always get the exact meaning the autors
intended. There's quite a lot of play on words in Asterix and I'm not sure
if the translations can capture that.
When you go in a book store that carries European comics in Montreal,
you'll notice two or three sections. The first is the classics with
Tintin, Asterix, the Smurfs, Lucky Luke and more.
Another will abe about recent kids' comics. The last section will be the
contemporary stuff created for modern comic book readers like us.
That's why I'm not sure if people here would go for the classics, when
they could read material written for thinking adults.
I feel that directing someone to Tintin and Asterix is like telling a new
comic book reader to get Stan Lee's Boy Ranch or Eisner's the Spirit. It's
good material, but it's not recent and the best highlight of what's
available right now.
If people are willing to try and order modern and classic European stuff
online, I can give you addresses of serious bookstore chains in Montreal
where you'll find material.
You'll be uptodate with everything new coming out of Europe, provide you
can read French :) .
------------------


profh0011
Member posted February 09, 2003 02:49 AM

"That's why I'm not sure if people here would go for the classics, when
they could read material written for thinking adults."

Is that mutually exclusive?

semprini
Member posted February 09, 2003 04:09 AM


quote:

Originally posted by Haroldson Jr:
Asterix, Tintin and their compatriots,
are regarded as kid's comics in Europe and French Canada.
In Asterix, there are many spoofs of French pol,itical life form the 60s
and other things that only adults can pick up. But the brunt of the
material is intended for kids.


Speaking as a European, I can't agree with you in this one. Both Asterix
and Lucky Luke (as well as Tintin) are widely consumed by adults. All
these books are intelligently done, which appeals to readers of every age.
Be careful not to label series with a lack of sex'n'violence, gloom'n'doom
or complex philosophical issues as "childish"... Besides, all these books
are usually printed in oversize editions that are usually too expensive
for kids! If given a choice, most of them would rather pick up a cheap
Digimon or some other... cr*p with their money!

And, especially here in Norway, reprints of American Spandex series are
more likely to be branded as "kids' stuff" than any of the ones mentioned
above. Which is a shame, 'cause I enjoy those too. :)
As for the SMURFS, that's another matter entirely...
------------------


profh0011
Member posted February 09, 2003 04:24 PM

"Speaking as a European, I can't agree with you in this one. Both Asterix
and Lucky Luke (as well as Tintin) are widely consumed by adults. All
these books are intelligently done, which appeals to readers of every
age."
Aw man, I love LUCKY LUKE!!! It reminds me of what a Jay Ward western
might have been like, between the style of the art, the complex plots, and
the horse who talks (well, at least to himself). I discovered this about
10 years ago, and have managed to get my hands on about a half-dozen
volumes. GREAT stuff!

The dismissal of supposedly "kids' stuff" sounds to me suspiciously like
the attitudes of many teenagers I've known, who as they grow from year to
year are insecure and anxious to prove how "grown up" they are by putting
behind them things they enjoyed when they were younger. (My brother did
this on a regular basis about every 2 years-- I'd just begin to get into
what he was, and as soon as he saw me getting into it, he dropped all
interest. whereas in my case, if something was good enough to interest me,
I've tended to NEVER lose interest in it, but see that interest slowly
grow and grow as DECADES go by!)

I recall when I reached my teens discovering to my surprise that, for
example, while some "kiddie shows" on TV no longer held my interest, other
shows I didn't understand as a kid I now "got"-- and a few APPARENTLY
"kiddie shows"-- ROCKY & BULLWINKLE the extreme example-- I realized were
far too sophisticated to be UNDERSTOOD by kids! You could enjoy it when
you were young-- but you had to grow up to really "get" it!

Haroldson Jr
Member posted February 09, 2003 07:17 PM

Like I said, I've been reading Asterix and Lucky Luke since I remember.
Both, and other European classics have tons of adults subtexts and jokes.
When I talk about "adult" comics, I don't mean stories with deep
phychological undertones and sex and violence. I'm talking about the kind
of stories, the average current writer, like say, Geoff Johns would write.
In other words, it's not written with a 60s style, or by someone who
worries aabout the Cold War. It's written by someone who lives in current
times.

But then, perhaps I underestimated the interest some of you would have for
the Euro classics. Having read them over and over again as a youth, seeing
them everywhere, in colouring books, games, live action films and cartoon
series, I tend to go for newer stuff. Those Euro classics also lack
serious modern series. Tintin, Asterix and Lucky Luke's creators are all
dead and stopped releasing new material years ago.
------------------


profh0011
Member posted February 09, 2003 10:54 PM

"Those Euro classics also lack serious modern series. Tintin, Asterix and
Lucky Luke's creators are all dead and stopped releasing new material
years ago."
Oh, IF ONLY Marvel & DC had taken their example...!!!
:)

Hellst0ne
Member posted February 18, 2003 06:35 AM

Without critizicing neither, I'd say that several adventures of "Tintin"
are far more "adult" than anything Geoff Johns has written. "Tintin in
Tibet", is a great example of a complex theme clad in a simple story.
/ola

profh0011
Member posted February 18, 2003 02:35 PM

Favorite TINTIN moments...
Captain Haddock is telling Tintin the story of his ancestor, whose ship
was taken over was pirates. He acts out the story as he talks, which
includes a lot of jumping around, waving swords-- and DRINKING. "So
saying, he raised it to his lips, and down in one gulp-- LIKE THIS!"
(gulp) A mone tlater, he describes how the pirates got "ABOMNIABLY drunk.
Yes, that's the word-- ABOMINABLY!" We see Tintin yanking the glass out of
his hand, as the Captain frantically says, "Hey, wait, I just wanted to
SHOW you..." "That's alright, Captain-- go on with your story!" Tintin
places the glass on the floor, where he terrier Snowy laps up the booze.
"Hey! Now there are TWO glasses!" (Doesn't take much to get a small dog
drunk.)
...and...

After suffering from amnesia, the eccentric (and nearly-deaf) scientist
Professor Calculus comes out of his stupor just in time to hear Capt.
Haddock refer to him as a "goat". In a RAGE that's completely surprising
from such a mind-mannered (and small in stature) person, he rages
violently at the Captain, drags him along through corridors, beats up
armed security guards, steals a jeep, and drives out to the desert, where
he abruptly jams on the brakes and points toward the sky. "LOOK! SEE what
the GOAT has created!!!" You turn the page, and see a full-page spread of
a collossal moon-rocket in all its glory, and if you look real close, in
the bottom corner of the panel is the exact same shot from the previous
panel of the Professor pointing at the rocket.
Some things really stick in yur mind-- even decades later! :)

Registered Member# 16603
Member posted March 08, 2003 04:19 PM

Well, since rufus decided to bump my first attempt at this topic, I
thought that I'd bump the longer thread as well as add some suggestions
from the CGMB version.
----------------
Posted by Xetal on 02-08-2003, 02:37 PM:
Not a lot of U.S.-style comics in England, but some are good if you like
the subject-matter. Like Judge Dredd, for instance (I've seen his comics
over there in the States.)

----------------
Posted by Rescue on 02-08-2003, 06:44 PM:

There are not many French "US-comics" unfortunatly , but the latest I
know is "STRANGERS", published here by Semic and which will be translated
in english by Image.

----------------
Posted by Mr Socko on 02-08-2003, 10:10 PM:
Thanks for the suggestion of Dredd, Xetal. I'm not looking for
"U.S.-style" comics, rather I'm looking for any type of genre/style of
comics that is available in English (either original or translated) from
different countries.
----------------
Posted by GloryQuest on 02-08-2003, 10:34 PM:

These from Singapore are good, if you can find them:
The Return of the Condor Heroes and The Celestial Zone.
I've read the first few of Condor, but been having trouble getting #5.
Celestial Zone I've been picking up since Diamond started offering it, but
I'm behind on reading them. (These are Japanese manga size, with 144
pages.)

----------------
Posted by Xetal on 02-09-2003, 03:42 PM:

Mr. Socko -
The point is that in the U.K. there are very few comics written for adults
with continuous stories that last for several issues.
Comics in England are reckoned to be for kids (say up to age 11) unless
you're talking about 'American Comics.'

There's things like 'Viz,' which are usually bawdy, irreverent and funny
(if you share the sense of humor) where the same characters have a
different laugh each issue and the artwork is deliberately humor-style
rather than illustrative.

But the comics genre is generally not an adult one in England. The nearest
thing we get to that is some of the mini-strips published in daily
newspapers, which move along at 3-4 pics daily.

My Dad used to edit and write kids comics a generation or two ago. At one
point (about 1960)they tried publishing a comic for adolescents/ young
adults. It bombed completely - that age-group either preferred American
comics or (more usually) thought they'd grown out of comics and wouldn't
be seen dead reading one.

----------------
Posted by Taltos on 02-09-2003, 11:55 PM:

There's obviously a ton of Japanese Manga comics all over the place. I've
not read a lot of foreign comics though.
The Empire Strikes Back Manga is almost the movie EXACTLY. It was kinda
cool.
----------------
Posted by Bullwinkle on 02-10-2003, 12:34 AM:

For British comics try reading 2000AD - it's a weekly comic anthology that
is quite different to American comics, I believe. Judge Dredd is one of
the features (don't think of that Stallone knock-off!), but there are a
large variety of stories in each issue covering a variety of genres. You
can also get the 2000AD Megazine which comes out monthly .... I get both
of these here in Australia and recommend them.

For Australian stuff, there is quite a growing underground comics scene
here as well as traditional favourites such as The Phantom and The Panther
(a Phantom knock-off). These are pretty easily (and cheaply) available
here in Australia, so if you want to try some stuff out then send me a PM
and we'll work something out.
- Chris

----------------
Also, here's a suggestion from Hellst0ne made on the shorter thread:
I can recommend "Death and Candy" - an American, English-language
anthology by the Swede Max Andersson, reprinting his works from Swedish
alternative comic books such as "Galago" and "MegaPyton". If you like the
traditions of respectless Undergrond and Independent creators like Robert
Crumb, Chester Brown, James Kochalka, and Charles Burns, I'm sure you'll
enjoy "Death and Candy". Not everyone's cup of tea, admittedly. But I
personally think that the guy's a genius.

/ola
**********************
------------------


rufusTfirefly
Member posted March 08, 2003 04:20 PM

Wow...
Deja vu...
------------------

Did I mention that Solar Lord in Hong Kong was going to be translated and published by Image Comics?

bump

Posted by Evil Giraffe (Member # 3680) on 07-31-2003, 03:07 AM:

There is an Italian comic called Dylan Dogg that was translated and published by Dark Horse a few years back. It is huge in Italy.


Posted by GRIFFINTAMER (Member # 1568) on 07-31-2003, 07:19 AM:

The company COM.X is a British comic company. Try and look up its website. They published Bazooka Jules if you ever heard of it.
ALso, there is a comic called Jack Staff, a british super-hero...but I usually just read Crossgen and other American comics because basically...I prefer them .
Guess I'm a comic traitor.


Posted by Evil Giraffe (Member # 3680) on 07-31-2003, 09:15 AM:

Yeah, the Com.X stuff is pretty cool ... but they have a publishing schedule that makes Image look punctual!