Modern Speed

by Blutch

Modern-day Paris. One night, as she's leaving rehearsal, Lola, a young dancer, is approached by Renée. She introduces herself as a writer, and asks Lola if she could share her life for a while in order to gather material to write a book about her. Despite not feeling entirely comfortable with the idea, Lola accepts. The very next day, Lola and Renée experience the strangest day of their lives, involving an absent father who reappears at random points throughout the book, a bashful but psychopathic admirer, Omar Shariff, and a huge spider... All this is set against a backdrop of a general power cut, a highly demanding dance class and a very rainy day. In the world of today, where everything goes too quickly, twenty-four hours is sometimes enough to change your life.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Bande Dessinée, France

82 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 9, 2002

About the author

Pseudonym of Christian Hincker. Born 1967.

Reviews

[XenofoneX · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blutch has been the cool kid at Angouleme for many a year now, winning the big prize that recognizes his artistic contributions over the span of a career, despite the fact he's not quite dead. And probably won't be for a while, unless the festival organizers know something I don't. Actually, they know lots of things I don't. Why wouldn't they? They know a LOT more words in French than I do. They know more than one Edith Piaf song. And they know way more about Asterix. I hate Asterix, sort of... not because Asterix sucks, but because I wanted to like it, tried to like it, and failed miserably... I feel better now that I've admitted the awful truth.

From 'Vitesse Moderne' (as are the images that follow, unless noted otherwise) and 'Lune L'Envers', by Blutch:


In North America, he's only known by a small group of comic-book loving freaks who have learned to forgive foreigners for not speaking English. That may be starting to change; Picturebox released an English edition of 'So Long, Silver Screen', his meandering book-length rumination on the fading beauty of cinema, and the New York Review of Books have a long-overdue translation of his classic Peplum coming out in April. After 'Peplum', 'Vitesse Moderne' might be the best place to start with Blutch, assuming you can excuse his French. It makes a little more sense if you know what the characters are babbling about, but I think open-minded readers might appreciate the untranslated version... heavy emphasis on 'might'.

From 'So Long, Silver Screen' and 'Peplum':


'Vitesse Moderne' is a lightly surreal tale unlike anything else I've read; it follows a half-insane dream logic, featuring a chase, a stalker, a disconcertingly intense dance instructor who is way too fucking old for his leotard, a friendship and/or a romance. If you need a big, healthy plot to chew on, leave this for someone else and find your nearest Dungeon (it's my default recommendation at the moment), but this is some of the best comic art you'll find between two covers. So says me, at least, and a bunch of artists who all seem to agree on his awesomeness; after Alex Toth, Blutch is the essential 'artist's artist'.




If you know and appreciate Craig Thompson's art in 'Blankets' or 'Habibi', you'll appreciate this. Thompson inadvertently based his entire style on Blutch when he started work on 'Blankets'. Based on the merits of 'Goodbye, Chunky Rice!', 'L'Association' expressed interest in publishing a French edition, but upon seeing the first part, they changed their mind. "We already have a Blutch", he was told. Oh, that wonderful French Snark. Upon getting their crusty rejection letter, however, he wasn't angry... he was embarrassed. It suddenly hit him just how much he had subconsciously been imitating Blutch, even discovering panels from the 'The Little Christian' that he had copied from memory, completely without thinking. Thompson is a nice guy, and honest to a fault... that story was part of a testimonial featuring several renowned artists when Blutch was awarded 'le grand prix' (that might actually be what they call it) at Angouleme.




I'm not going to recommend 'Vitesse Moderne' to every English-speaking comics fan, obviously. If you've never read a book published by Fantagraphics or D & Q or Pantheon, it's probably not for you. Fair enough. Some people want very specific things from their comic books, and there is a definite scarcity of superpowers, secret origins and cosmic-Kirby-crackle in this book... though tights and capes play a brief role, I think. If you like Frederik Peeters, David B., and/or Craig Thompson, I'll suggest 'Vitesse Moderne' -- and the English edition of 'Peplum', when it's released -- might be worth your time.

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[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comic book/graphic novel that is almost impossible to review. Written and illustrated by the cult figure of Blutch whose depictions of modern Paris are quite wonderful in this surreal story. A story about the meaning of love and cognitive understanding into feelings and desires of your heart.

The ideas are focused through the life of a dancer, Lola who is struggling to put her unconscious self into a part for a challenging role in the production. She has a stalker, Renée with two e's who approaches her to ask if she can spend time with Lola as she wants to write a book about her life. Renée interrupts Lola outside the dance studio where a strange admirer is pronouncing his unrequainted love. Perhaps to escape his advances but without real consideration she finds herself in the company if Renée.

The drawings are wonderful, the translate a sense of place, convey danger and the lack of control Lola has in the next 24 hours. In an almost dreamlike world Lola is presented with various situations that threaten her life, challenge her sanity and undermine her ability to see reality. Paris becomes a menacing backdrop, devoid of people and tourist just characters like her Father from her past & present memories. intermixed with her strange suitor, her dance maestro and weird parties. I was freaked out by the images of nuns they follow to escape a perceived danger.

The theme seems to be relationships and in this 24 hour episode can Lola comprehend her own desires or will she be left to the misery of spurned suitors, indecision, trying to be someone different, repeating mistakes of others, missed opportunities and a life without the love of the one?

So much to contemplate; I feel I have so little understanding and comprehension on first reading. The images will live long in my mind and you know the meaning of the piece is perhaps secondary to my enjoyment of engaging with this visual format. I could score it from 1 to 5 stars but I only know it will always bring something new and please me each time I pick this comic up again.

[Lukasz · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, here's the thing. It was surreal and gross. I like surreal. I rather dislike gross. All told, I could. have misunderstood it. Or maybe it's just not for me?

Anyway, I see no story or plot here. The art is great in places, less so in others.

ARC through NetGalley

[Marc Bosch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Velocidad Moderna no está hecha para ser entendida, si acaso funciona como reflejo o como alegoría. Blutch no sigue ninguna lógica en el planteamiento de la trama, aunque todo lo que sucede a Lola desde la noche hasta el alba tiene capacidad de resonar. La heroína y el resto de personajes entran y salen de escena bajo las mismas premisas que los personajes y situaciones que se dan cuando soñamos. En este sentido son reales. Lo son para el autor y también por el lector que esté dispuesto a sumergirse hasta ciertas profundidades para reconocerlos. Cada uno de ellos deja algunas frases memorables y aporta una dimensión sobre la forma que toman las relaciones según esos personajes que nos habitan.
El trazo de Blutch y la paleta de colores utilizada acaban por redondear una bella obra de autor que acepta segundas y terceras lecturas hasta ir desentrañando los kilos de simbolismo que atesora.

[Cookie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Seriously, what are these authors smoking when they write these?

[Juan Fuentes · Rating 4 out of 5]

El dibujo es maravilloso y la historia, fascinante. Se añade un epílogo con las mismas protagonistas en unas circunstancias completamente diferentes. Un cómic original y muy bueno.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 2 out of 5]

'Modern Speed' with art and story by Blutch is a strange fever-dream of a story that takes place with a dancer and her would be biographer.

When we meet Lola, she is a dancer rehearsing for a demanding role. She meets a woman named Renee who introduces herself as a writer and wants to follow her around a write about her. What follows is a strange evening, where every door that opens brings another bizarre surprise in Lola's life, like her philandering father and his odd art projects, or the masked hoodlums who keep following them around.

I admit to not really getting this one. I tried to just go with the flow, but it eventually felt pointless, which is too bad. I usually like weird stories. It reminded me a bit of the Griffin Dunne movie 'After Hours.' Just not enough to recommend. I did like the art style with it's elongated lines and weirdly deformed male characters.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Theediscerning · Rating 1 out of 5]

When rebuffing the advances of a weird Addams Family-styled fat bloke, ballet dancer Lola is told by a passing woman in an impractical coat that she is to be the subject of Coat Woman's next book, if only Lola will allow her to shadow her through her days and nights. Little is she to predict what those days and nights will entail, in this woozy mix of nightmare and Parisian mundanity. And for the reader there is little to flag up the fact this is a teenager's wet dream of light bondage, daddy issues, nuns, floods, and as many hang-ups as you'd like. Absolutely bonkers, this is an unsightly mix of signs that someone is desperately in need of therapy, and it ain't me.

[Mips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thema: dromen, angsten, verrassende ontmoetingen,...
Lekker totaal absurd met interessant bijvoegsel over de totstandkoming van de strip.

[StrictlySequential · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grand Format = D.L. septembre 2002 = eo
2nd "Aire Libre" series design- realized titles belong on spines!

At no point did I understand what was happening or even the intended meaning of any of it and thus, this circus of randomness took me hours of frustrated reading- constantly wasting time postulating about what he was "getting at" and how anything connected. Then it ended.

Since he wasn't writing a story that conformed to any traditionally discerned logic, freestyling reality with abandon, there had to be some sort of "message", metaphor or humor that he was striving towards. What did the rapid-fire succession of situations/settings/switcheroos/etc. represent?

Why did it take her so long, looking at very close range, to recognize her massive statured and Cyranosed father? Twice! What was with the rich guy drag party? Why did the female that gave them the ride have such bizarre looking "hair" that was deep-shadow black with zero texture? I have so many questions that I'll just order them by which seemed plague me most:
1.Whys
2.Hows
3.Whos
4.Whats
5.Whens

This is an A-level example of the ample peril caused by my greatest reading problem -besides prose- so I must warn those like me by discouraging:
Do not try to put yourself "in the head" of the writer! Don't try to analyze why he chose to do what he did with the narrative!

Oh yeah-> He had a guy say that there were no great mysteries left because every corner of the world has been explored. That made the dude's "deep" flounder-rhetoric drown, at a crucial plot nexus, because what recipient of such philosophical entreaties doesn't know that the bottoms of the oceans are unknown?
(As long as I can remember, I have had great comfort every time that my mind has swam in those waters because as a youth it was the magic of the unknown and as an adult that became combined with the NEED for there to be somewhere free from human folly).

The art is great and very fun though... too bad I was angry looking at it...
but do not expect the color of the hair you see above because I guess that was direct colored paint vs. the old-school blue hued inside.

[Lucy Goodfellow · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐️1 Stars

A surreal depiction of modern Paris that is at once both dangerous and expected.
Focused on the life of one woman and her family, Blutch struggles to encapsulate the emotional intricacies of these relationships and instead relies on cheap scares and cliches to keep the reader interested.

Although I enjoyed the dynamic between our main characts Lola and Renée I felt that the style of the story hindered my attachment to them and this affected my enjoyment of the book.

You Should Read This Book if you Like 💕:
+ Interesting Narratives
+ Unique Art Styles

Trigger Warnings: Assault, Kidnapping, Predatory Men, Nudity.

I read this book twice expecting to enjoy it significantly more on reread and although I think Blutch's writing conveyed an excellent sense of pace and it was very easily digestible at 82 pages, I didn't get anything out of it on my second reading that I dint get on my first.

I received an advance review copy for free via NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily 📚.

[Rick Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Modern Speed ("Vitesse Moderne") is a somewhat surreal tale, filled with dream logic and half-told plots. There's a fair bit going on but also not going on, letting the reader really decide what aspects of the "story" to chew on. Broadly speaking, the story is centered on Lola, a dancer who is struggling with a challenging role in a new production. She deals with her uncertainty within her own sub- or unconscious state, but also must contend with a stalker. A lot more does happen, but Modern Speed resolves little.

It's Blutch's illustrative prowess that really carries the comic. The dreamlike musings from Lola work well with Blutch's scratchy, hazy artwork, which does frame the city of Paris as a menacing and foreboding backdrop for the tale. It's a good looking comic no doubt, but lacks the narrative depth to make for an engaging second reading experience.

[NoID · Rating 4 out of 5]

Des rencontres dans un récit qui ressemble fortement à un rêve qui saute d’une idée à une autre avec des fils conducteurs aussi fins que ceux de l’araignée de Tintin

Je suis entré dans ce récit sans attentes… heureusement.

Une BD comme une occasion de se laisser aller au gré des fantaisies de Blutch

J'ai pas compris grand chose, mais c'est pas trop grave

https://www.noid.ch/vitesse-moderne/

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't get into this strange story of a fevered night following a dancer and a woman who has decided to chronicle her life out of the blue. None of it really made any sense as she walked into strange scene after strange scene that felt more like a fever dream.

[Guilherme Marques · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Blutch's finest works to this date, it really displays his maturity as an artist, both in writing and visually. So much better than Dark Side of the Moon, for instance.

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goeie tekenaar, raar verhaal. Freudiaans droomnarratief. Seks, ouders, kinderen, liefde, prestatiedwang, je loopt een deur door en staat ineens in zee. Dat werk. Ik kan er geen touw aan vastknopen.

[Diana]

No sólo no pude encontrarle sentido al relato —si es que acaso lo tiene— sino que algunas escenas me parecían excesivamente grotescas. No lo puntúo porque fui incapaz de llegar a su final.

[Garconniere · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first Blutch I read - loved the style but wasn't captivated by the story. Liked it enough to want to seek out everything else he's done, though!

[Javier Jiménez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mon premiere Blutch. C'est justement le type d'histoire que j'aime: surrealiste, très bizarre et quelquefois un peu effrayante. Quelle agréable surprise!