Philémon (comics)

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Philémon is a French comic book series created by comic book artist Fred, published by Dargaud. The series began serial publication in the magazine Pilote in 1965, before it eventually became an album series. The general tone of the series is of fantastic realism, depicting the adventures of the young farmboy Philémon in surreal adventures featuring odd creatures in odd places, and is considered one of the most poetic and original bande dessinée of all time.^[1]

1 Synopsis
2 Philémon titles
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Synopsis

Philémon is a rural French teenager. His best friend is "mature" donkey named Anatole. Philémon's parents are absent, his father appears but as an upset authority figure. Philémon's uncle is practitioner of pagan (pre-Christian) techniques (rebouteux: bone setter/sorcier: sorcerer).

By accident Philémon and Anatole fall through a well. Because of the uncle's practices this well turns into a "portal." Philémon and Anatole end up in an odd world whose nature is reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, in its alterations of our commonly accepted reality. One of the effects of this transfer through a well is that Anatole becomes endowed with speech. Many adventures follow. For examples there are several encounters with "Manu-Manus" (these "centaurian" hands live in herds). This odd location is the letter "A" from "Atlantic Ocean," unfortunately Fred specified which of the three possibilities was the actual location. Through the course of the series Philémon and Anatole do travel back and forth, but most the action takes place on the "A."