Euro Comics: Reviews of Pretending Is Lying and The Lighthouse

For the month of March, Edward and Derek look at two very different European titles. They begin with Dominique Goblet's Pretending Is Lying, released last month from New York Review Comics. This is a creator whom Edward has read in the original French, and so some of their conversation centers on matters of translation. But more significant is the guys' discussion of Goblet's handling of time and memory, as well as the book's expressive and experimental style. And, as Derek is keen to point out, there are key passages that allude to the work of Brian Wilson! Next, the Euro Comics Guys discuss the latest English-language release from Paco Roca, The Lighthouse (NBM Publishing). They've twice discussed Roca's comics before -- Wrinkles during their interview with Erica Mena, and his contribution to the Spanish Fever anthology on last year's September episode -- and this one is markedly different. Edward comments on the story's simplicity, even it's pat qualities, while Derek is charmed by the novella-like qualities of this early work from Roca. And ever the sound effects aficionado, Edward nitpicks (but in a good way) over some of the translator's choices.