French creator Simon Bournel-Bosson, who has a background in graphic design and artistic creation, is releasing his first comic book in America, Trumpets of Death. Trumpets of Death is about the conflicts that continue to cycle through generations as well as the broken connection people have with the world around us. Bournel-Bosson spoke to Cemetery Dance about his inspiration, why he likes magical realism, and what he hopes readers take away from his work.
(Interview conducted by Danica Davidson)
CEMETERY DANCE: You said, “I thought of Trumpets of Death as a two-part mirror story — where the fantastic responds to the silences and voids that reality creates.” Could you please elaborate what you mean by this?
SIMON BOURNEL-BOSSON: The first part of the story depicts a mistrust, a conflict between Antoine and his grandfather.
If I had wanted to depict and resolve this conflict in reality, it would simply have been impossible.
A silent grandfather, and a child who doesn’t yet have the tools to argue, take a stand, and confront his grandfather.
The mirror narrative is where The Trumpets of Death finds its originality.
To resolve reality, we step through a mirror, so to speak, to land in a fantastical realm. Fantasy allows us to talk about this conflict in a more imaginative and metaphorical way, when reality alone isn’t enough.
Antoine’s transformation highlights his desire for emancipation. It shows that he is growing up. He doesn’t try to become a little boy again, but accepts his condition and seeks a new balance. The shadow of his grandfather looms large, that of a patriarch from an old world. Antoine, transformed into a deer, confronts him and overturns his power. It is a passing of the torch.
What was the inspiration for Trumpets of Death?
The film The Bear by Jean Annaux was a great inspiration.
In the film, a little bear who has lost his mother must survive the forest and predators. What surprised me when I saw it as a child was that the voice dubbing of the bear’s cries was done by a human. I always felt as if a small child was inside this little bear. This voice dubbing created a strong sense of empathy for him. We could identify with him. We could put ourselves in his shoes.
I think all of this inspired this idea of human/animal transfer. As if a child were trapped in the body of an animal. The context around this, this issue of generations and misunderstanding, I draw from my own experience. I’m a city dweller, my grandparents are country people. There has always been a distance between us due to the fact that our lifestyles are very different.
What is it about magical realism that appeals to you?
What speaks to me is that magic can explain a situation that reality alone cannot.
For example, showing in a down-to-earth way that a child is growing up isn’t easy. With fantasy and transformation, I easily evoke and suggest this idea. Magic comes to the rescue when reality lacks the means.
What do you hope readers take away?
I hope they see a story of emancipation.
When you’re a child, you’re a blank slate. You evolve according to the models available to you.
Everyone has a different background, but I think Trumpets of Death depicts that precise moment when you take a direction. When you make a choice about who you are.
When the old models are obsolete, you have to create your own.
Where can people learn more about you and your work?
I’ve created another, completely different book. A romantic comedy called Weekend in Rome. And a children’s book, Florimonde and the Coquillette Affair. A pop thriller for young adults.
Each project is different for me. I have the idea of developing different universes with new graphic vocabularies each time.
I’m currently finalizing the storyboard for my next big project, which will be published. It’s a comic strip about boxing. It tells the story of a small group of boxers who train in a shed in an old lady’s garden while waiting for a real gym. It’s a collective story. Far from the spotlight. It’s about boxing practiced downstairs. A story also driven by the energy of a collective.
