JustFocus is committed to defending the coastline in the face of climate change through Le signal de l'océan published by Vents d'Ouest in July.
Modernity is coming?
In 1976, Malberosse, a village on the Atlantic coast, is proud to open up to modernity by building a seaside resort but is it that simple? The screenplay is written by Pierre-Rolland Saint Dizier who has already written a comic strip about the liner Normandie. The drawings are by Joub and Nicoby.
The scenario explains well the ins and outs of the project at the time by different inhabitants of the municipality of Malberosse. Supporters see modernity, job creation and a source of income while opponents refuse the arrival of tourists, are afraid that the village will lose its soul and see the danger of building on sand. The dialogues always ring true. Once the resort is built, we see tourists coming for the first season and nostalgic pages recalling the songs in the car but also the vomit of the children …
A divided family
Pierre-Rolland Saint Dizier succeeded in making the problem of coastal development very human by integrating family history into the story. On the one hand, the father is mayor and therefore one of the promoters of the project. He is supported by his eldest son living in Paris who thinks that everyone should have the right to come on holiday "feet in the water". The youngest daughter set up a restaurant there and was able to stay in the village. Faced with them, the youngest son postman refuses the concretization of the coast and discovers that his father is involved in a crime of corruption. We will know later in the book why he is so suspicious…
25 years later, the son became mayor. We switch into a disaster film by seeing that with the effects of climate change, these developments have serious consequences on the landscape but especially on the lives of the inhabitants.
A committed comic strip
This story is illuminated by a drawing in the Franco-Belgian tradition. The faces are simplified, the background is often a solid color, and the box is separated by hand in a grid. The beautiful colors in watercolor and the lettering by hand reinforce the effect of a craftsman's work well done and very pleasant to look at.
Published in partnership with the Conservatoire du littoral, Vents d'Ouest editions produce a quality comic. The sturdy blanket is made to resist in your suitcase or on the beach. At the end of the volume, there is a small file to present the role of the Conservatory, the dangers of climate change and the Adapto program set up by the association to act.
The Ocean Signal is a committed comic book but never goes to extremes. Through the life of a family, the reader becomes aware of the complexity of a project on the coast. In summary, this book is the perfect partner for your sunscreen on the beach.
