HEADLINER

Publisher Dargaud
Publication Date 29 October 2021

Comic Books and Graphic Novels

WORLD WITHOUT END

A publishing phenomenon: 400,000 copies sold in France, rights sold in 11 countries.

It's getting hotter and hotter on planet Earth. In just 30 years it will be difficult to live here. In this large-format non-fiction graphic novel, the famous comics artist Christophe Blain and Jean-Marc Jancovici, expert on energy issues, explain global warming in an intelligent, detailed and humorous way as well as propose concrete solutions.


In August 2018, while on the way to Normandy, Christophe Blain was driving full speed as his girlfriend read him the following information: "There’s a heat wave in Paris. Oh! It is says here that in Paris and eastern France, the temperatures will be up to 50 degrees centigrade by 2050." Christophe Blain is shocked. In only 30 years it’s going to be 50 degrees? And in 20 years? And in 10?

"I’ve been aware of climate change for a while now, but like everyone else, I chose to ignore it. But then, suddenly, the problem seemed very real to me," he said in a radio interview.

The famous comics creator, well known in France and internationally for his comic series Quai d’Orsay, chroniques diplomatiques which won the prize for the best album at the 2013 Angoulême Festival, decided to author a graphic novel on climate change. To do this, he contacted an expert – not just any expert, but the expert whose opinion everyone seeks whenever the subject of climate is discussed in France  – Jean-Marc Jancovici, engineer and president of the Shift Project which advocates for a carbon-free economy, is known for being able to explain any scientific phenomenon extremely simply.

"It was like a gift for me. As a comics artist, all I had to do was draw the images he was talking about and create a few others to contextualize it all."

"Is it the end of the world, Jean-Marc?"  – "Hopefully not right away."

Christophe Blain does indeed create detailed original images to explain global warming. He also takes on the role of the "main character, who’s a little naïve and asks a lot of questions on the subject. He also discovers that he has superpowers (flying, regulating his temperature, moving mountains ...), which, unfortunately, impact the planet", explains the Libération.

The result is a fun and informative book, whose different theories and opinions on energy transition sometimes lead to debates between Blain and Jancovici, though without becoming ideological.

"Many foreign publishers already knew Christophe Blain and decided to publish this work much as they did his others, others were attracted by the phenomenal success that this book has been having and that we highlighted in a special mailing," explains Sophie Castille, Director of Rights and Vice President of Mediatoon Licensing.

With more than 400,000 copies sold, this is an incredible success for a graphic novel with its page count (196 pages).

"This will undoubtedly be the publishing and commercial phenomenon of 2021 and 2022. This work is, to date, available in (or in the process of being translated into) 11 languages, but we hope to sell the rights in more countries. To help us do this, a digital English-language version is available through the Europe Comics catalogue," continues Sophie Castille.

Katja Petrovic
July 2022