Written by: Zidrou
Illustrations: Jordi Lafebre
Coloring: Jordi Lafebre, Mado Peña
Publisher: Dargaud
Mooie Zomers #1 Zuidwaarts! – Comic Book Review
Around this time of year, the weather is getting colder and it’s getting dark quite early. It’s the ideal excuse to light some candles, put on the heating and snuggle up under a blanket. Warm and cozy, with a hot drink on the table and Mooie Zomers #1 Zuidwaarts in your hands, it’s time to get nostalgic and think about the wonderful things you used to do, and the hot summer days that are over once again.
The family Faldérault is ready to go on holiday. The suitcases are packed and the children are very excited. There is only one problem: dad hasn’t finished his work just yet. He is a cartoonist and still has to finish some illustrations for his publisher. The children start to get impatient and bored, but after a three day delay, he is finally ready and the family are off to the Ardèche. It’s a long ride, but they sing songs and stop by the side of the road every now and again, making the travel itself already part of the fun. It is bound to be a carefree holiday, at least for the kids.
The story is simple and straightforward. There are no exciting scenes, no action, no big adventures. The comic book just tells the story of an ordinary family going on an ordinary holiday. While this might seem extremely dull, the simplicity makes it very pure and relaxing to read because it depicts real life with its wonderful moments, but also its hard times. These hard times don’t take over the story, which is overall very happy, but they are part of life and thus also present in this comic book.
When we first meet mum and dad, they are grey and old, and are enjoying a picnic in the midst of nature, where they used to come with their children when they were younger. Now it’s just the two of them and their thoughts wander off to the year 1973, when they had one of the best holidays together. The seventies are quite present when you look at the car they drive and the clothes they wear. Also, dad always drives because mom didn’t do the effort to go get her driver’s license yet, although in those times, you didn’t even have to take a test.
It’s fun to see that one of the main characters is a cartoonist. It makes you wonder whether Zidrou based some of the story on his own life. Nonetheless, apart from this, the story could be that of any ordinary family.
Jordi Lafebre did a great job illustrating this issue. His drawings show us a happy family, excited for the holiday that is ahead. The one feature that is very prominently drawn, are the characters’ eyes. By doing this, Lafebre was able to depict all kinds of different emotions in a convincing manner.
Conclusion
Mooie Zomers #1 Zuidwaarts! is very simple and straightforward, but shows you a happy holiday of an ordinary family. It’s a quiet story, but we get a beautiful insight into the characters’ personality, which will make many of us think about our family holidays, when we were little. Sit back, relax, and get nostalgic.
Mooie Zomers #1 Zuidwaarts! - Comic Book Review,
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