A double-header of classic French comics -- or bande dessinée, as they say dans le Français -- by two Angoulême award winning cartoonists.  Best known in North America for their appearances in  Drawn & Quarterly's eponymous flagship title, Dupuy & Berberian's work combines an urban and refreshingly adult wit  -- one in which adult actually means adult and not the worn and torn euphemism for graphic sexual content -- with an astute artistic flair to produce thoroughly engaging reading experiences that no one will ever feel ashamed for enjoying.  Get a Life is a full color collection of about a dozen of the early Monsieur Jean short stories and serves to introduce readers to the titular character, "a laconic, single Parisian male struggling through the usual calamities of life." These extremely entertaining tales will leave you basking in a warm afterglow and looking forward to your next encounter.

Maybe Later presents the rare initial solo outing of Dupuy and Berberian as each tackles the task of describing the behind-the-scene experience of creating their popular Monsieur Jean series from their own point of view.   Along the way these black and white tales introduce the creators' individual idiosyncrasies, as well as take quite a few flights of fancy.  The result is a rollicking rollercoaster ride.  Each of these books is beautifully designed by Tom Devlin and lushly produced in the inimitable Drawn and Quarterly fashion. Get a Life: 

This year’s oversize (11" x 13") annual of North American (with the accent on Canadian), European and Asian comics is here.  Beautifully produced as always, this issue features covers and end papers and a graphic novella by DuPuy and Berberian, a short work by long ignored Japanese master, Yoshihiro Tatsumi, “Kept,” a Michel Rabagliati short featuring Paul, and more.  The highlight for us is ”The Crypt of Bronte” by that master of all styles, R. Sikoryak.  Of special interest for jaded know-it-alls is the massive 75 page retrospective on the unknown (at least to us) Canadian artist, Albert Chartier.  This retrospective presents a truly rare opportunity to simultaneously discover and then plunge right into a whole new bit of artistic terrain.  Reader’s of Seth’s It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken will relate.

Now from Humanoids, Dupuy & Berberian's signature creation, Monsiur Jean is back in this collection of short tales of Parisian singles going steady.