Black Paths

Par les chemins noirs #1-2

by David B.

 When the Austro-Hungarian Empire disintegrated after World War I, control of the Adriatic port of Fiume (now Rieka, Croatia) was hotly disputed. Enter "Pirate King” Gabriele d’Annunzio, an Italian poet who stormed the city with 3,000 Italian nationalists. D’Annunzio declared Fiume a free republic and himself commander. He envisioned a utopian city-state, but Fiume quickly became a surreal center of violence, looting, and decadence, with shades of the Fascist movement to come. Acclaimed comics artist David B. uses this real event as a backdrop and seamlessly weaves history, hysteria, and highly stylized art into the tragic love story of a beautiful torch singer and a young soldier haunted by the horrors of trench warfare.

Praise for Black Paths:

David B. draws with the chaotic, high-contrast style he used in his best-known work, Epileptic, to capture the distressed, surreal mood of artists struggling to run the world.”

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Historical, Fiction, War

128 pages, Hardcover

First published May 7, 2007

About the author

Pierre-François Beauchard, who uses the pen name David B., was one of the initiators of the French alternative editorial house L'Association, and is now well-known among the French comics audience. After his Applied Arts studies, David B. had his first publications in magazines such as Chic, Circus, Okapi and A Suivre. Among his early creations are 'Le Timbre Maudit', a story published in Okapi, and 'the mini-series 'Zèbre' in Chic. As a scenarist, he cooperated with Olivier Legan on 'Pas de Samba pour Capitaine Tonnerre', an album published by Glénat in 1985.

After he co-founded L'Association in 1990, he began using the pseudonym David B. and specialized in short black-and-white stories, detailing nightmarish dreams, collected in the album 'Le Cheval Blême' in 1992. As powerful as his dream imagery is in itself, it is amplified by his masterful use of black and white drawings. In the Association's magazine Lapin, he published series like 'Le Prophète Voilé', 'Le Jardin Armé' and 'Le Voyage de l'Est'. From 1996, Beauchard has concentrated on the autobiographical series 'L'Ascension du Haut-Mal', which earned him the highest praise from comics critics.

In addition to his work for L'Association, David B. cooperated with the publishing house Cornélius, where he published the quarterly comic book Le Nain Jaune from 1993 to 1994, as well as 'Les Quatre Savants' from 1996 to 1998. He was also present in the reviews Fusée and Le Cheval sans Tête (with 'Les Incidents de la Nuit'). Also present at Dargaud, he made 'Le Tengû Carré', an allegory of Japanese legends, and the scenarios of 'La Révolte d'Hop Frog' and 'Les Ogres', which were illustrated by Christophe Blain. For the publisher's collection Poisson Pilote, he made 'Urani - la Ville des Mauvais Rêves' (script by Joann Sfar) and 'Les Chercheurs de Trésor'.

After May 2000 David B's work would reach a wider public when his artwork was featured in the collection Aire Libre by the popular publisher Dupuis. After 'Le Capitaine Écarlate' (with artwork by Emmanuel Guibert) in 2000, David wrote and drew the album 'La Lecture des Ruines' in 2001. David B has also been active as an illustrator for Le Seuil, Automne 67, Albin Michel and Coconino Press.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the aftermath of WW1, the port city of Fiume was separated from Italy and given to the newly formed nation of Czechoslovakia much to the displeasure of the citizens of Fiume. The city endures a siege, a revolution, and all the struggles of wartime during peacetime (the book is set in 1919) highlighting how WW1 hadn't been a contained conflict but had set the spark to would transform the face of Europe, leading to WW2 and the Cold War.

This historical/political thriller/romance comic book is an unexpected departure for the excellent David B who wrote a fantastic book a few years ago called "Epileptic" which was autobiographical. While I have studied history for years, the story of Fiume was unknown to me so it was interesting to read about. I will say that it is hard work at times - the political intrigues and complicated relationships going on between, frankly unknown, figures is not easy to follow and David B doesn't really introduce them very well nor make them stand out particularly.

The "Casablanca" style story of the romance is a bit forced and never seems very real. Sure, the idea of a man and woman finding themselves in a sieged city with forces of evil hounding them seems attractive, in this book David B doesn't quite pull it off and the book never really sweeps the reader up in its story.

The magical realist parts of the man haunted by his dead comrades from the trenches are the best parts of the book as it allows David B to display his enormous talent for drawing just fantastic scenes of ghosts, wolves, trenches, moons, and all sorts of oddness brought together beautifully on the page.

And that's the best thing of the book - the artwork, in parts. For the most, it seems like a strangely amateurish effort from an artist who is anything but. The story is too distant to have an meaning today nor did it influence future, bigger events down the line. An odd choice then for an artist to pick and decide to build a story around.

I love David B's work but "Black Paths" didn't do it for me. Instead I'd recommend new readers to this artist's work to seek out "Epileptic" or even his abstract graphic novel about dreams "Nocturnal Conspiracies" for better examples of this tremendous artist's work.

[George Ilsley · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the chaos following World War I the Adriatic port city of Fiume was taken over by a ragtag militia run by a surrealist poet — that’s the historical background to this graphic novel.

So why didn’t I like it as much as I expected to? Maybe because I dipped into it over several days, rather than immersing myself in this work. Maybe because the work was fragmented and hard to enter.

I just read a lengthy 5 star review here for this book, which I enjoyed much more than the book itself. I’d read that review again.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well plotted story that shows how street fighting can eventually lead to political control. When totalitarian regimes are look at it is a warning when violence starts to occur in the streets. What the government does to control such violence is (more often than naught) a very good indication of how politics will change under an ideological 'stress test'.

[Dario Malic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was born and still live in Rijeka, the biggest Croatian port but by global standards a really small city of less than 200 000 people. Although it's one of the biggest ports of the Adriatic sea it's a fairly unimportant city on a bigger scale, but just some hundred years ago that wasn't so. In 1918, after the end of WWI, the city of Rijeka (then called Fiume, the meaning of both names being "river") was one of the hottest points of dispute with both Italy and Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) claiming sovereignty over what was until then the main Austro-Hungarian port. It even provoked Allies to take control over the city until the negotiations were finished, with US president Woodrow Wilson being the main arbiter in the dispute. But that situation didn't last long as in September 1919 Italian poet and soldier Gabriele D'Annunzio gained control over the city with around 2 500 loyal troops. Thus was created Italian Regency of Carnaro, a self-proclaimed state with D'Annunzio at the helm which was opposed by nearly everybody, Italians included. It lasted for a little more than a year and seemingly left no marks on the future city of Rijeka but made a very peculiar and unusual historic oddity.

The short history lesson has its reasons. It is precisely that small episode of history that inspired Pierre-François Beauchard, a French comic book writer and illustrator commonly known as David B., to create a book called "Par les chemins noirs" ("Black Paths"). The book introduces us to Lauriano, Italian who's had enough of war but can't shake off its horrors, a man who is made up of his works and beliefs and lives in a "Land of No-Where" growing apart from the world that surrounds him. Like most of the other characters he lives by pillaging all over the city of Rijeka (I've decided to refer to it by its current name) along his comrades from the war. But that's just to survive on that most basic level. Lauriano is in fact a dreamer, a lost soul finding and losing itself over and over again. In that he's a metaphor for the city of Rijeka itself (at a given point in time). Run by a man whose ambition is as endless as his love of art, or his insanity for that matter, for a year Rijeka was a home to ex-soldiers, thieves, artists, philosophers, revolutionaries, romantics and simple lunatics of all kinds.

David B. conveys the feeling of a mad city through fragmented approach to several intersecting stories. Lauriano, who's suffering from PTSD and sees the ghost of his dead friend, falls in love with Mina, a cabaret singer, his comrades are caught in a fight with a Milanese gang, a police commissioner is investigating the trafficking of stolen goods, Guido Keller, one of D'Annunzio's closest associates publishes a magazine called "Yoga", and D'Annunzio himself makes plans to conquer Yugoslavia in an armored train. As the stories progress, the violence and absurdity grow bigger and it all ends in a grotesque but liberating Danse Macabre in the streets of Rijeka. Our main character ultimately gets rid of the ghost of his past, but nevertheless gets even more detached from the world, as we realize the past was his greatest link with the present.

The drawing is even more impressive than the story. With a sort of caricatured style and ignoring the rules of anatomy or perspective, David B. manages to make surreal feel normal and normal feel surreal. The style reveals David's influences in its expressionistic and cubistic qualities, which get more apparent as the violence in the story rises, bringing the old "homo homini lupus" saying to its extreme. Some of the pictures have an impressive, painting-like quality, making it almost a shame they're confined to such a small space. The colour palette is comprised mostly of pastel shades and dominated by bluish-grey for the night scenes and red (often becoming garish) as an indicator of heightened emotions.

"Par les chemins noirs" makes the most out of a historic curiosity. It sows facts but from them grows illusion as well as truth. What happened makes way for all that didn't but could or even should have. There's romance, war, art, ghosts, saints, thieves, and the most sane individual is the one least connected to this world. It's a really beautiful mess which shows that faith can indeed be helpful, those of others if not your own, and proves that the blackest of paths can lead to the light. Even if only with the help of a saint.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mix of art and military history.....was kinda blah at times.

[Gene Kannenberg Jr · Rating 2 out of 5]

David B. is one of my favorite cartoonists: His lush drawings brim over with bold design work, mythological references, and symbolic energy. Epileptic, his account of growing up with a brother who suffered from grand mal seizures and his family's attempts to cope with the situation, remains one of the finest non-fiction graphic novels I've ever read. My French is very poor, but back when I had access to French-language comics I would buy anything with his name on it, just to luxuriate in his imagery, even when my understanding of his verbal nuances was lacking.

Black Paths is a fictionalized account of the Free State of Fiume after the First World War, told mostly through the eyes of Lauriano, a young writer who suffers from his experiences in WWI, and Mina, a French cabaret singer. The book is utterly beautiful: B.'s artwork sings with the addition of color (most of his earlier work I'd encountered was in black and white only), and--as usual for him but unusually for most cartoonists--there are many passages where impressionistic images and non-standard design and layout create beautifully dream-like moments.

However, the ins and outs of political intrigue have never held much appeal to me, and such matters are the meat of this book. Perhaps I simply wasn't in the right mood when I read it, but I could never seem to connect with the narrative in a meaningful way. I am convinced that the fault lies with me, not with the cartoonist, though. One day I'll give this book another chance, which it deserves. It's a bravura exercise in cartooning, but on a subject matter I couldn't seem to relate to. This time.

(originally published at http://one-sentence-reviews.blogspot....)

[Paul-Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Post-World War I, there's a lot of whimsical crimey/politico/war-is-hell stuff going on in the port city of Fiume.

Plot-wise, this is forgettable and slight, and it did take an actual force of will to go back to reading it to begin with. But when it got going around halfway in, it fair rattled along pleasantly, and the charismatic, interesting art makes up for the shortcomings I found.

[Daniel Mossop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice coloured block art. It has quite a lot of history mixed into it so if that isn’t your thing... But it’s portrayal of quite a niche part of Fascist Italian history was interesting, gives a good feel of the Zeitgeist of this one city and the conflicting feeling of many different types of Characters.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love that David B.'s illustrations are so integral to understanding his stories. Some graphic novels are just novels with cool pictures...not this one.

[P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

there's so much of this that was stunning but I'm too tired to go into it.

[Kitty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous artwork, but I found the story very difficult to follow.

[ComicNerdSam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as gripping or as visually stimulating as Epileptic, but still pretty damn good.

[Rick Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Black Paths is a fictionalized account of the Adriatic port city of Fiume (current day Rieka, Croatia) in the aftermath of the Great War. Control of the city was taken away from Italy and granted to the newly minted state of Czechoslovakia, but the local populace revolted against the decision. Enter the fascinating figure of Gabriele D'Annunzio who led a large force of Italian nationalists and seized the city for himself. Anointed as a "Pirate King", D'Annunzio declared Fiume to be an independent state that would soon need to weather sieges, revolts and open war. As the Italian forces encircled the city, D'Annunzio began chartering a constitution for his independent state, while a criminal underworld begun to blossom.

The unique history of Fiume is observed primarily through the eyes of starstruck lovers Lauriano and Mina. The romance is centerstage amidst the political intrigue, with the increasing tensions of a besieged city taking a toll on the pair. Magical realism plays a role in the narrative too, particularly in Lauriano's increasingly disturbing visions of his dead comrades that fester into more horror oddities. The magical realism works well into David B.'s strengths as a cartoonist since he favors a whimsical expressionistic style. The swooping lines of hand-lettered text further highlight a dreamlike atmosphere that works really well here. David B.'s artwork is at times a little simplistic, but there is a sense of timelessness to his aesthetic that serves the historical fiction setting well.

Still, the read is a fair bit dry for at least the first two-thirds of the book. As we explore more into D'Annunzio's impact on the wellbeing of the citizenry of Fiume, we get a crack at what would have been a much more interesting story had it had been the focus. D'Annunzio is an endlessly intriguing historical figure given his background as a poet turned nationalist turned socialist. The cradle of fascism is often regarded to be in Fiume, with Benito Mussolini even taking some inspiration from D'Annunzio with respect to the aesthetics. In contrasts, D'Annunzio's rebellious spirit became a spark for many Italian resistance movements during the height of the rise of fascism. Those things are touched upon here, but only slightly and I personally believe that would have more interesting to read about than the cobbled together Casablanca type of tale we got.

[Miloš · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ovo mi je prvi susret sa legendarnim mentorom Marjane Satrapi, preživeo sam i želim da istražujem dalje.
Radnja se vrti oko serije uzajamnih napada i odmazdi zavađenih odmetnutih grupica italijanske vojske u Rijeci utonuloj u bezvlašće neposredno nakon WWI, da bi se u drugom delu kristalisala oko otmice skupe statue Franje Asiškog opasane revolverima, bila ubrzana do vratolomnog krešenda na paradi smrti, nakon čega sledi smiraj, razrešenje i utapanje u bledilo.
Situacije i mesta u kojima caruju smrt i nasilje kao što je bila Rijeka 1919. godine - inače za mene potpuno nov istorijski podatak - poslužile su kao odgovarajuća pozadina ljubavnoj priči i crticama iz suludih života nekolicine istorijskih ličnosti. Ovakvi kontrasti prisutni su i vizuelno, kao recimo u prvom delu kako pred sam njegov kraj, kad se smenjuju tople unutrašnjosti soba i lokala i hladna spoljašnjost riječkih ulica, tako i u okviru poslednje, "nadziračke" table, kada se boje doduše izjednačavaju ali radnja završava na suprotnim polovima emotivnog spektra. Drugi deo takođe donosi zanimljiva grafička rešenja i igranje formom u vidu crvenih, "psećih" flešbekova iz WWI ili sumanutih planova vojnih akcija omeđenih oklopnim vozom umesto marginom.

[Soobie is expired · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jeez, devo chiamarla Fiume o Rijeka?

In generale, questo fumetto non mi è piaciuto per niente. So che D'Annunzio non era propriamente a posto, ma in questo fumetto sembra ancora più fuori con le carte. Spero che l'autore abbia esagerato volontariamente e che D'Annunzio e i suoi non abbiano portato veramente dei matti certificati a Fiume per vedere come riorganizzare la città.

Ci sono intrighi politici; una strana storia d'amore; dei fantasmi delle trincee che perseguitano il protagonista chiedendo un funerale che non potrà essere officiato perché delle vittime non è rimasto nulla; un vecchietto che vende i giornali di quando non c'era la guerra; e un sacco di gente che fa a botte per i più stupidi motivi.

Ammetto che tutti gli intrighi mi hanno lasciato totalmente indifferente. Anche perché, per tutto il tempo, non sapevo chi stesse tessendo intrighi contro chi.

Stile che non mi è piaciuto per niente. Dicono che questo non sia il capolavoro di David B., ma non so se mi verrà la voglia di provare a leggere qualcos'altro di suo. All'archivio c'è Il grande male, comunque. Un giorno potrei farmi coraggio, però.

[StrictlySequential · Rating 4 out of 5]

I art reeeealy annoyed me. MOST of the time I disliked his ink work that was regularly botched puddily. As if he made sure his hand was shaky whenever he took to the page.

It nonetheless held my interest when it deviated at lengths into unintentional (or maybe not) nods to the artists of Western Europe that have attained carte-blanch priority in my acquisitions. I let U.S. created books slide way lower in price while carting an international once it drops into my price points.

He frequently framed two of my favorites of Spain- the strange games of Max and Martí by name. I instantly noticed some of their pseudo-typography that's intended to bemuse while they drive to hypno-confuse. From above you're forced to wander through hectic spreads of misshapen characters in alterache as they engage -in a way caged- by elaborately manic claustrophobia.

There were at least two more- I remember that one was Italian but I'd have to jump back to explain.

I must mention that he cast -as the protagonists lover- une femelle de Loustal. Check her out on back cover to spy a likeness of my favorite artist in the entirety of the world!

The story is solid. I liked the plot tense with the uncertainties intense. Rampant horrors of The Great War seed an unrelentingly harsh drama set in the throws of a radical struggle of cult politics. Be ready to endure murder masked as revolution at the whims of a society in the chaos of a SWOLLEN police state bathed in the blood of institutional anarchy.

[Elly Call · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe I haven’t read Beauchard sooner. Good lord. I’m not usually one for long form war/political comics. They’re objectively good for the most part, just not usually my personal taste—but the dreamy magical realism of Black Paths brought such ironic poetry to this particular war story (of sorts. A lot of people would probably fight me on this characterization but war is undeniably its setting). I’m completely blown away by the writing, dialogue-wise and storyline-wise . The funeral for Power? Saint Francis in a tank? Plus the art is genius, his Ignatz in 2006 is absolutely well earned. This is this story is absolutely worth everyone’s time.

[Rex Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the Austro-Hungarian Empire disintegrated after WW I, control of the port of Fiume was hotly disputed. Enter “Pirate King” Gabriele d’Annunzio, an Italian poet declared Fiume a free republic and himself commander. He envisioned a utopian city-state, but Fiume quickly became a surreal center of violence, looting, and decadence, with shades of the Fascist movement to come. Wonderfully illustrated by the author, this story doesn't hold back.

[dv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tutto lo stile espressionista e onirico di David B. al servizio di una storia d'amore immaginaria che si incunea in una fetta di storia relativamente poco conosciuta: l'impresa di Fiume di D'Annunzio. Fra (tante) risse e personaggi più che mai surreali, David B. è decisamente a proprio agio nel costruire una vicenda semplice ma visivamente sempre sorprendente.

[Manuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous artwork, great use of colour, set just right after WWI in Fiume (a place I knew nothing about) was a plus. The story at best moments when depicting the madness of fascism, the insanity of war and the mental instability of a Dictator. But overall, I found the story very convoluted and the romance the least interesting. The tragic love story was not so tragic after all.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different from his other books, this title follows soldiers in the short lived nation of Fiume after world war I. Ghosts, poets, fascists, lovers, this title has a little of everything.

[Francesca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

[Graeme · Rating 4 out of 5]

The crowd + crowded fighting scenes were beautifully illustrated while the story was a bit melodramatic.

[Jessie B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very weird

[F Line · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit of a disappointment, given it had quite an interesting premise. A few funny moments with the dictator/poet though, nice artwork and a cute ending. Shame the plot and writing let it down!

[Ralph · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork on this is very interesting. It's an odd story but it's certainly worth investigating

[Russell Mark Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of the Independent State of Fiume before reading this. Although not historically robust in terms of facts (it does plonk you straight into Fiume without really explaining the context) it is a beautiful story. David B. does something here that isn't often done, at least not in English language literature: He sets a stage, puts characters in motion, and proposes a piece of living poetry. The characters aren't developed and the books ends just after the prologue, but B. has distilled a feeling, a nostalgia, a moment into a lovingly illustrated graphic novella. I would still love to see this closed concertina stretched out, but then it would be a different piece. Most likely a character piece about Lauriano and the effect the trenches had on his life, but B. doesn't do that, he merely sets the stage for a moment when a creative spirit descends upon a city of people in need of catharsis and allows for a few weary souls to escape the prison of war. I'm sure I missed the point, but I loved the book anyway.

[Fredrik Strömberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book, but that goes without saying when David B. is the artist. David B. is one of my very favorite contemporary French comics artists, and in this book he really delivers, not the least with the added bonus of color, which he handles just as deftly as he otherwise does with black and white.

Based on the historical Free State of Fiume, which was formed shortly after WWI and run by the Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio, this is a story of history, politics, love and war anxieties; all lovely melded together like only David B. could. None other can put images to complex inner demons like he can, and when one of the main characters sees his dead and unburied comrades from the trenches of WWI pop up as specters in the crowds of Fiume it is at the same time artistically very interesting and somehow believable,

Oh, and I do love the poetical, non-Hollywood, sad but sweet ending of the book. The line "When Mina left him he was mildly surprised." is pure poetic genius.

Almost a five star book...

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! David B is an outstanding graphic artist to begin with, but every once in a while he gets to pair his talents up with subject matter that he really knows how to handle. He did it with Epileptic, and he's done it again with Black Paths. His evocation of the short-lived "Free State of Fiume" and the war-weary, Dada-leaning residents within the city walls is a complex tale, but this author has the chops to pull it off. His beautiful pen work and tasteful coloring is matched only by the sheer richness of his visual imagination. This is one of the world's best graphic novelist at the top of his game - absolutely great stuff.

[Penelope · Rating 2 out of 5]

As usual, beautiful illustrations from David B. I read pretty much everything he puts out because I love his style and the way he integrates the surreal/dream-world into his stories. However, this one just didn't do much for me. I felt like the translation was clunky (I hope--because there was a lot of awkward, stilted dialogue) and many of the characters were one-dimensional. Overall, I didn't actually feel like finishing the book, but read the whole thing hoping it might get better as I went. It didn't, but I still enjoyed the illustrations. Might be of more interest to history/military buffs, maybe?