Bande dessinée

Bande dessinée translates to English as comic strip, comic book, or graphic novel, depending on the context. It is a term used to describe the Franco-Belgian comic tradition, which includes popular series like The Adventures of Tintin, Asterix, and Lucky Luke.

The term literally means “drawn strips” and is often abbreviated as BDs. In academic and cultural contexts, bandes dessinées are sometimes referred to as the “ninth art” (le neuvième art), highlighting their artistic and literary significance.

Franco-Belgian comics, also known as bandes dessinées (BDs), differ from American comics in several key aspects:

Franco-Belgian comics rarely feature superheroes, focusing instead on a wide variety of genres and normal protagonists, often with exceptional skills. This results in a more diverse range of stories and characters compared to the superhero-dominated American comic industry.

Many Franco-Belgian comics employ the “ligne claire” (clear line) style, popularized by Hergé in Tintin. This style features clean, precise outlines with minimal shading, allowing for flat coloring and detailed backgrounds.

Traditionally, Franco-Belgian comics first appear in magazines before being collected into albums, whereas American comics typically go straight to individual issues or graphic novels.

Franco-Belgian series often have longer runs with consistent creative teams, sometimes spanning decades with the same author or artist. This contrasts with the frequent creative team changes in American superhero comics.