After "Dracula" and "Frankenstein", Georges Bess takes on Victor Hugo's "Notre-Dame de Paris"

Sébastien Bordenave / Photo credits: RKO RADIO PICTURES / PHOTO12 VIA AFP 11:37 a.m., December 07, 2023

One year to the day before the announced reopening, Notre-Dame de Paris regained its cross at the top of its spire on Wednesday. Emmanuel Macron is expected on Friday at the site and will pay tribute to General Georgelin, who died last August, who had been in charge of the reconstruction site since the fire of April 15, 2019. This may be an opportunity to immerse yourself in the work of Victor Hugo.

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An incredibly meticulous graphic style

The famous writer's novel has just been published as a comic book. Its designer, Georges Bess, is accustomed to the fact. He's already released a dark and gothic Dracula, a horribly handsome Frankenstein and now a new monster Quasimodo.

As in his two previous albums, the monster may not be who we think. It took him a year and nine months to produce this Notre Dame de Paris, published by Glénat with his co-author Pia Bess. To find the right setting, the right atmosphere, the right costumes, they were inspired by a medieval encyclopedia written by Viollet-le-Duc.

Current personalities to draw your characters

Georges Bess told Europe 1 that he used current personalities to draw his characters. By choosing "typically medieval faces", a judge resembles Gérard Larcher. As for his Quasimodo, which could look like Michel Houellebecq, the author assures him, he "is much uglier". Who was George Bess talking about? The mystery remains.