Jean Teulé and the cover of the comic strip adaptation of his novel "Eat it if you want" -

Photo © Philippe Matsas / Cover © D. Gelli & éd.

Delcourt 2020

  • "Eat it if you want", by Dominique Gelli, uses a comic strip from a novel by Jean Teulé which appeared in 2009.

  • This is the sixth graphic adaptation of a book by the author of “Gare à Lou!

    », And two more will follow soon.

  • Today a successful writer, Jean Teulé himself made his professional debut as a comic book author.

It is one of the darkest novels of Jean Teulé, a popular writer, often adapted in comics.

After (

Le Montespan

,

Je, François Villon

,

Le Magasin des Suicides

,

Charly 9

and

Enter the Dance

) and while waiting for two next outings (*), here is 

Eat it if you want

 (Delcourt), adapted from a published book initially in 2009.

The story returns to the proven tragedy of which was the victim in the summer of 1870, when the Prussians inflicted heavy defeats on the Second Empire, a young notable of Dordogne: on the grounds that the crowd is persuaded, on a misunderstanding, that Alain de Monéys pronounced the phrase "down with France", the unfortunate man was lynched with incredible barbarity ...

© D. Gelli & ed.

Delcourt 2020

The magnificent visualization of this dramatic story by Dominique Gelli impressed Jean Teulé, himself a former comic book author, who opened up to

20 Minutes

...

What appealed to you the most about what Dominique Gelli did with your novel?

Its formal audacity!

Even if he scrupulously respected the chaptering of the book, the fact that he adopted a black and white only enhanced with red (for the blood) completely stuck me, I found the idea brilliant.

Especially since he did not deflate, he went to the end of the day by pulling from an already very hard novel one of the most violent comics I have ever read.

He impressed me so much that I asked him to design the cover of my next novel, whose title is

Crenom Baudelaire

and which comes out on October 7th.

And believe me, the result is really great!

© D. Gelli & ed.

Delcourt 2020

He also allowed himself some freedoms, right?

Very little, but he did well: at times, his adaptation tilts into a sort of dreamlike very apropos, and which did not appear in the book.

It's great, and Dominique Gelli is typically the kind of author who brings a real plus to a work.

I was also so thrilled that I also suggested - and this is the first time that I have taken this initiative - to continue by adapting the comic strip

Crenom Baudelaire

, which has not even been released yet!

He accepted and is working on its cutting!

© D. Gelli & ed.

Delcourt 2020

What other adaptations of your books did you like the most?

“I like them all;

and I'm not saying that out of politeness or for fear of offending authors!

I love when one of my novels becomes a comic!

First of all because I like to see my universes pass into different hands, all very talented;

secondly, because I am very happy to return to comics - which I gave up in 1990 - through these graphic adaptations.

"

© D. Gelli & ed.

Delcourt 2020

Exactly, does the fact that you have been a comic book author make you more critical of these adaptations?

“More critical, no, because I never get involved;

but better informed, certainly, since knowing the mechanisms of comics, I immediately understand how the authors proceeded.

I never choose the writers and designers who adapt my novels, I don't even meet them during their work.

For example, I only met Richard Guérineau, who adapted

Charly 9

, on the day of his album's release, that's to say!

I add that I let them do what they want with my writing, because I consider that freedom - of tone, of point of view, of expression - is essential in their profession.

© D. Gelli & ed.

Delcourt 2020

Finally, what can a comic book adaptation bring to a novel?

It already makes it possible to reach another audience, that of comic book readers who do not read a novel.

And then what pleases me is that apart from Philippe Bertrand (now dead), all the comic book authors who take hold of my novels are younger than me.

I'm already very proud and honored that there are so many creators who want to adapt my stories, and super happy that they're mostly kids (laughs).


(*) Two other comic book adaptations of Jean Teulé's novels will be released soon: 

Fleur de tonnerre

(published by Futuropolis, October 7) and

Ô Verlaine

(published by Steinkis, November 19).

READ ALSO >>> "The horns of Montespan in bubbles" READ ALSO >>> "" The suicide store ": Patrice Leconte adapts the novel by Jean Teulé into animation"

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