Belle Époque – Review

The comic we are going to talk to you about today impressed me quite a bit. It’s been a long time since I read something so original and different from everything else on the market. Specifically let’s talk about Belle Époque of the screenwriter Matteo Filippi and the designer Lorenzo Grassi. The story, as can be guessed from the title, is set in France in the early 90s and features a couple of friends as protagonists, Seamus And Pierre.

Although the title recalls a period of rebirth and discoveries, Belle Époque it is “dirty” and throws us into the worst side of France at the time. Prostitution, corruption and racism, in fact, are an integral part of the plot. Not only is the “crudeness” of the story put together by the two Italian boys visible in the often “colourful” dialogues which reveal all the protagonists’ dissatisfaction with their lives. For this reason, in fact, they will fight with all their strength to change it.

Seamus, for example, because of his Irish origins and his red hair he has lost several jobs and no longer knows how to feed his younger sister. For his part, Pierre has the dream of becoming a director and giving shape to his own artistic vision. Both, therefore, will find themselves accepting the collaboration of a criminal friend of Seamus’s family. The latter, in fact, will find himself entangled in bad deals while Pierre will have the financing for his project but on the condition that the latter will be a film for adults.

Pierre’s story teaches us how sometimes it is necessary to compromise to make your dreams come true. The strength of the comic, in my opinion, is the extreme crudeness with which it develops. The two boys, although surrounded by degradation and difficult situations, never lose heart and seek their revenge. Above all, Seamus, practically forced to support his family alone, does not give up Pierre’s smile and friendship, without ever complaining about his position. He knows that he has to be responsible and that he has to do the worst jobs in order for his mother and little sister to find a plate at the table.

Over the course of the story we will see the protagonists grow and mature. Furthermore, what made Belle Époque even more special were the drawings of Lorenzo Grassi who, with his French comic style, made the story even more coherent. Furthermore, the choice to use different colors (depending on the chapter) instead of black is fantastic. I greatly appreciated the couple formed by Pierre and Seamus, real brothers from different mothers who, abandoned by society and their family, teamed up to rebel against their sad fate.

Who do we recommend Belle Époque to?

The story created by the two Italian artists is profound and excellently narrated. A reading, therefore, certainly “engaged” and which I would perhaps recommend to an audience of young teenagers to read. Obviously, however, if you are looking for something lighter with clashes and super powers Belle Époque it’s not for you. On the other hand, if you love “tragedies” or dark stories, you will love this title.