Title of the work
Country of the First Edition
Country/countries of popularity
Original Language
First Edition Date
First Edition Details
Édouard Cour, Héraklès, T. 1. Talence: Akileos, 2012, 154 pp.
Édouard Cour, Héraklès, T. 2. Talence: Akileos, 2014, 154 pp.
Édouard Cour, Héraklès, T. 3. Talence: Akileos, 2015, 160 pp.
ISBN
Genre
Comics (Graphic works)
Mythological comics
Myths
Target Audience
Young adults (From YA up)
Cover
Covers of volumes 1–3: Courtesy of Éditions Akileos, ©ÉdouardCour/Akileos/2017.
Author of the Entry:
Elżbieta Olechowska, University of Warsaw, elzbieta.olechowska@gmail.com
Peer-reviewer of the Entry:
Susan Deacy, University of Roehampton, s.deacy@roehampton.ac.uk
Portrait : L'auteur de bande dessinée Édouard Cour venu en dédicace à la librairie Bulle, Le Mans, June 13, 2015; photographed by Selbymay (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (accessed: January 1, 2018)], via Wikimedia Commons.
Edouard Cour
, b. 1986
(Author)
Born Nov. 9, 1986 in Orsay, France, Cour studied at the École d’Arts Plastiques de Paris; he obtained an MA in Visual Design at the Institut d’Arts Visuels d’Orléans. He is an author and illustrator of comic books. Between 2012 and 2015, he published his first comic book, a trilogy Héraklès about Heracles’ twelve labours, writing the script as well drawing the plates.
Sources:
Interview with the Author, posted May 3, 2014, length: 14:59 min. (accessed: May 28, 2018).
Official website (accessed: May 28, 2018).
Bio prepared by Elżbieta Olechowska, University of Warsaw, elzbieta.olechowska@gmail.com
Translation
English translations:
Edouard Cour, Heracles. Book 1, St. Louis, MO: Lion Forge Comics, 2018.
Edouard Cour, Heracles. Book 2, St. Louis, MO: Lion Forge Comics, 2019.
Edouard Cour, Heracles. Book 3, St. Louis, MO: Lion Forge Comics, 2020.
Summary
On the back cover of all three volumes, the author quotes the alleged reply of the Oracle of Delphi to Alcides of Argolis:
"Alcides, son of Zeus, King of the Olympian Gods, everybody will have now to call you Herakles, because you’ll be the Glory of Hera, Zeus’ spouse. In her name, you will live and prove the value of a God. You will be victorious in the trials of Eurystheus, King of Mycenae. Then, you’ll become immortal and Olympus will be your home."
The three volumes describe Herakles’ life and deeds: the first describes the first eight labours, the second the remaining four; the third volume is about Herakles’ life following the successful completion of the twelve labours.
Analysis
This comic book constitutes an unusual adaptation of the myth of Herakles, in its entirety (drawings and text) due to one young author and illustrator fascinated by Greek mythology and its heroes. It is a classic example of a bande dessinée with short and sparse captions providing text. A rich collection of strikingly beautiful plates presents the twelve labours of Herakles and his entire life before and after these events. The drawings and colours are magnificent, the text subtle and full of humour; both provide a fresh and youthful look at the best known and most celebrated of classical demigods, particularly popular in cartoons and animations. The style of drawing is more impressionist than realist and allows the artist to express moods of the characters, especially of the ever present Herakles whose full head of hair and eyes often no more than slits, reflect his various emotions. Cour’s Heracles is not an unapproachable demi-god high on his divine pedestal but rather a big bear who looks and behaves awkwardly and with naivete; still, the reader acquires sympathy and liking for this figure unexpectedly showing a sensitive nature in his often comic adventures. The stories of the twelve labours and the dialogues between the stories combine to create the mood of a fairy tale, classical in theme but contemporary in the way it is told. It is an example of reception of a classical myth appropriated as an almost ordinary narration and refreshing in its lack of claims to greatness.
