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Il était une fois en France #1-6
Once Upon a Time in France
Based on the true story of Joseph Joanovici, a Romanian Jew who immigrated to France in the 1920s and became one of the richest men in Europe as a scrap-metal magnate. During the second world war he becomes a Nazi collaborator and war profiteer who provides the Nazi regime with the metals it needs, but secretly he uses his wealth and influence to finance the French Resistance and free fellow Jews from Nazi hands. Due to his tactics he was one of the three Jews who were denied Israeli citizenship.
360 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2013
32 people are currently reading
579 people want to read
About the author
Fabien Nury
116 books112 followersBorn in 1976, Fabien Nury began his career by co-writing with Xavier Dorison the script of W.E.S.T (Dargaud), a hit series illustrated by Christian Rossi (six volumes between 2003 and 2011). Nury independently wrote Je suis Légion (2004-2007, Humanoids Associés), a trilogy illustrated by the American John Cassaday. Translated into eight languages, the series continues with several other illustrators under the title Les chroniques de Légion (Glénat). In 2007 he also started working on Le maître de Benson Gate (Dargaud) with Renaud Garreta. From 2007 to 2012, Nury wrote the script for the six volumes of Il était une fois en France (Glénat). The historical series, illustrated by Sylvain Vallée, received wide critical and public acclaim (850,000 copies sold). Amongst other achievements, in 2011 he received an award for best international series at the Angoulême Comics Festival. Since then Fabien Nury has been gaining success in various genres: Mort de Staline (The Death of Stalin, Dargaud/Europe Comics, forthcoming), in historical narrative; Steve Rowland, volume 5 of the XIII Mystery series (Dargaud, art by Richard Guérineau) in thriller; Corey Silas ( Glénat, art by Pierre Alary) in detective series; and Atar Gull (Dargaud, art by Brüno) in literary adaptation, based on the novel by Eugène Sue. In 2013, he created Tyler Cross with Brüno, (Tyler Cross, Dargaud/Europe Comics, 2015) a noir graphic novel. The album was praised by both critics and readers (over 50,000 copies sold) with volume two in August 2015. In 2014, Fabien Nury published the fourth and final volume of L'or et le sang (Glénat), the script by Maurin Defrance and art by Merwan and Fabien Bedouel. With Tierry Robin he created the two-part series Mort au Tsar (Death to the Tsar, Dargaud/Europe Comics, 2015). In 2014, with Eric Henninot he also published Fils du soleil (Dargaud), an adventure album adapted from two novels by Jack London. As for audiovisual, Fabien Nury co-wrote with Dorison the scripts to a feature film Les brigades du Tigre (directed by Jérôme Cornuau, 2006) and a TV movie Pour toi, j'ai tué (directed by Laurent Heynemann, 2012).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
February 6, 2020
A huge (360 page) graphic novel (published by the US Naval Institute Press) based on the true story of Joseph Joanovici, a Romanian Jew who emigrated to France in the 1920s and became one of the richest men in Europe as a scrap-metal magnate. He's an anti-hero, ruthless, though complicated. On the one hand, during WWII he became a Nazi collaborator and war profiteer who provided the Nazi regime with the metals it needed, but on the other hand, he also secretly used his wealth to finance the French Resistance and free fellow Jews from Nazi hands. Due to his tactics he was one of the three Jews who were denied Israeli citizenship.
While the story is fascinating, I had a hard time getting into it, and have had it around for a month or so. Something about the script feels flat to me--maybe it's the translation, where the dialogue feels kind of lifeless--and I was not a particular fan of the art, but the basic story is nevertheless really interesting, a great story. Not a likable guy, but his war profiteering, that's just part of war you don't typically read about in history books and is a valuable contribution to our understanding of war. He's also wholly neither a good nor a bad guy, and history usually puts people in either category.
While the story is fascinating, I had a hard time getting into it, and have had it around for a month or so. Something about the script feels flat to me--maybe it's the translation, where the dialogue feels kind of lifeless--and I was not a particular fan of the art, but the basic story is nevertheless really interesting, a great story. Not a likable guy, but his war profiteering, that's just part of war you don't typically read about in history books and is a valuable contribution to our understanding of war. He's also wholly neither a good nor a bad guy, and history usually puts people in either category.
June 17, 2021
‘Érase una vez en Francia’ es la narración monumental de la vida de un personaje complejo, contradictorio y fascinante que sintetiza una buena parte de la historia europea de mediados del siglo XX. Su ascenso vertiginoso, su caída (o sus caídas) en desgracia, su trabajo duro y todo lo que abandona en el camino en pos de su hambrienta ambición es uno de esos ejemplos literarios en los que se profundiza en la historia de un héroe que no es tal, o que al menos no lo es en el sentido más tradicional del concepto.
Joseph Joanovici es un judío rumano que llega a Francia buscando ganarse la vida en la chatarra. Su talento y sus pocos escrúpulos le hacen escalar muy rápido social y económicamente, y ya es un hombre clave en París cuando avanza la Segunda Guerra Mundial y los nazis hacen tambalearse a la sociedad francesa. Y es ahí cuando ve que su influencia puede ser clave... y la usa doblemente: para ayudar a ciudadanos franceses moviendo sus hilos para salvarles de un trágico final, pero también para colaborar con los alemanes y aumentar su fortuna e influencia aprovechando la coyuntura. O no. O todo lo contrario. Porque si Joanovici es un traidor colaboracionista o un héroe del pueblo es algo que tendrá que juzgar el lector, ya que el resto de personajes parece tenerlo bastante claro (a ratos).
Este libro es fascinante, pero hay que reconocer que también puede ser demasiado apabullante. Las relaciones se extienden durante décadas, los personajes se multiplican y se traicionan y se reconvierten, y eso puede ser un poco demasiado para el lector. ‘Érase una vez en Francia’ es la historia de un personaje, pero también la historia de un conflicto... e incluso la de una enemistad enfermiza. Es el ascenso de un Jean Valjean si este personaje recorriese el arco moral de todos los demás personajes de ‘Los miserables’ y esta historia aconteciese en el mundo atribulado, imprevisible y decisivo del París de ‘Suite francesa’.
La edición integral de #ÉraseUnaVezEnFrancia es una obra de #FabienNury y #SylvainVallée. En España lo ha editado NORMA EDITORIAL en 2020 con traducción de #MarionCarrière.
Joseph Joanovici es un judío rumano que llega a Francia buscando ganarse la vida en la chatarra. Su talento y sus pocos escrúpulos le hacen escalar muy rápido social y económicamente, y ya es un hombre clave en París cuando avanza la Segunda Guerra Mundial y los nazis hacen tambalearse a la sociedad francesa. Y es ahí cuando ve que su influencia puede ser clave... y la usa doblemente: para ayudar a ciudadanos franceses moviendo sus hilos para salvarles de un trágico final, pero también para colaborar con los alemanes y aumentar su fortuna e influencia aprovechando la coyuntura. O no. O todo lo contrario. Porque si Joanovici es un traidor colaboracionista o un héroe del pueblo es algo que tendrá que juzgar el lector, ya que el resto de personajes parece tenerlo bastante claro (a ratos).
Este libro es fascinante, pero hay que reconocer que también puede ser demasiado apabullante. Las relaciones se extienden durante décadas, los personajes se multiplican y se traicionan y se reconvierten, y eso puede ser un poco demasiado para el lector. ‘Érase una vez en Francia’ es la historia de un personaje, pero también la historia de un conflicto... e incluso la de una enemistad enfermiza. Es el ascenso de un Jean Valjean si este personaje recorriese el arco moral de todos los demás personajes de ‘Los miserables’ y esta historia aconteciese en el mundo atribulado, imprevisible y decisivo del París de ‘Suite francesa’.
La edición integral de #ÉraseUnaVezEnFrancia es una obra de #FabienNury y #SylvainVallée. En España lo ha editado NORMA EDITORIAL en 2020 con traducción de #MarionCarrière.
April 25, 2020
The true story of Joseph Joanovici, a Romanian Jew who came to France in the 1920's. He builds a scrap-metal empire from nothing. When the Germans occupied France during World War II, he's able to manipulate his way into profiting while helping the Resistance. Playing both sides against one another to stay alive. Joanovici is an antihero, war profiteer and Resistance hero. The book reminds me of The Sopranos where you find yourself rooting for a guy who sometimes does despicable things. The first issue is confusing with all the time jumps, but every other issue is straight forward and easier to follow. The art is quite good, with lots of different looking characters. Although with the sheer amount of characters I sometimes got them confused. The latter part of the book deals with the aftermath of the war and a police detective who will do anything to take Joanovici down.
Received a review copy from Dead Reckoning and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Received a review copy from Dead Reckoning and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
January 20, 2020
A massive and wholly engrossing epic of French criminals, collaborators, and resistance members during and after World War II. I thought at first the events of the book and its antihero Joseph Joanovici were entirely fiction, but they are based on reality, even if Nury does take a great deal of dramatic license.
Joanovici, a Romanian Jew, flees Russian pogroms and builds himself up from nothing in the scrap-metal business to a millionaire who plays both sides -- Nazi and Resistance -- in occupied France. The violence and the dark machinations clashing with personal lives reminded me a lot of The Sopranos. Like that show, I simultaneously despised the protagonist while finding myself on the edge of my seat wondering how he was going to get out of this next life-threatening moment.
Pretty damned amazing.
Joanovici, a Romanian Jew, flees Russian pogroms and builds himself up from nothing in the scrap-metal business to a millionaire who plays both sides -- Nazi and Resistance -- in occupied France. The violence and the dark machinations clashing with personal lives reminded me a lot of The Sopranos. Like that show, I simultaneously despised the protagonist while finding myself on the edge of my seat wondering how he was going to get out of this next life-threatening moment.
Pretty damned amazing.
November 11, 2016
Kako i piše na koricama samog stripa ovo je priča o Josephu Joanoviciju, koji je kao imigrant bez ičega došao u Francusku, počeo skupljati staro željezo, a na kraju postao milijarder.
Uz njegovu hladnokrvnu proračunatost i snalažljivost pomogla mu je i zabrana prodavanja metala Njemačkoj nakon Prvoga svjetskog rata koju je on zaobišao uz potplačivanje i povezivanje s raznim državnim službenicima, a dobro se snašao i tijekom Drugog svjetskog rata kad je istovremeno surađivao i sa Gestapom i sa francuskim pokretom otpora.
Bilo jednom u Francuskoj je pojednostavljen, ali dobar prikaz kako nastaje organizirani kriminal najčešće u krizna vremena kad će psihopati oportunisti iskorisiti sve i svakoga da se obogate.
Puno je tu događanja i prati se cijeli njegov uspon i sve što mu se dešavalo do kraja života, strip događaje dokumentira jasno i razumljivo, scenarist se nije izgubio u masi događanja, ali to je i zato što ne ide u detalje. Nema tu dubine, a problem su tu i likovi, svi su kao od kartona pa tako ni nakon ovih 360 stranica stripa ne dobivamo nimalo bolji uvid ni kakav je bio sam glavni lik, Joseph Joanovici, a kamo li netko od gomile ostalih.
Crtež mi se nije baš svidio, kao ni Nuryev scenarij, nema autorski pečat.
Dakle, strip nije loš, ali slične priče su već više puta ispričane pa je scenarist trebao naći neki svježiji pristup ili bolje definirati glavnog lika da nosi priču, ovako se strip čita više kao reportaža.
Uz njegovu hladnokrvnu proračunatost i snalažljivost pomogla mu je i zabrana prodavanja metala Njemačkoj nakon Prvoga svjetskog rata koju je on zaobišao uz potplačivanje i povezivanje s raznim državnim službenicima, a dobro se snašao i tijekom Drugog svjetskog rata kad je istovremeno surađivao i sa Gestapom i sa francuskim pokretom otpora.
Bilo jednom u Francuskoj je pojednostavljen, ali dobar prikaz kako nastaje organizirani kriminal najčešće u krizna vremena kad će psihopati oportunisti iskorisiti sve i svakoga da se obogate.
Puno je tu događanja i prati se cijeli njegov uspon i sve što mu se dešavalo do kraja života, strip događaje dokumentira jasno i razumljivo, scenarist se nije izgubio u masi događanja, ali to je i zato što ne ide u detalje. Nema tu dubine, a problem su tu i likovi, svi su kao od kartona pa tako ni nakon ovih 360 stranica stripa ne dobivamo nimalo bolji uvid ni kakav je bio sam glavni lik, Joseph Joanovici, a kamo li netko od gomile ostalih.
Crtež mi se nije baš svidio, kao ni Nuryev scenarij, nema autorski pečat.
Dakle, strip nije loš, ali slične priče su već više puta ispričane pa je scenarist trebao naći neki svježiji pristup ili bolje definirati glavnog lika da nosi priču, ovako se strip čita više kao reportaža.
July 14, 2022
Buenísimo. Una adaptación fantástica de una de esas biografías que solo pueden darse en momentos de conflicto.
May 16, 2021
Uh, kakva priča. Kakav čovek. Verovatno najbolja priča o ratu koju sam pročitao. Voleo bih da neko napravi film po ovom stripu. Nenadmašivo!
January 21, 2020
I know I'm supposed to cherish a very good book while reading it, and I certainly did cherish Once Upon a Time in France, but I simply couldn't stop imagining it as a movie. An epic! Paris during the occupation. A Jewish metal monger works both sides, fueling the Nazi war machine while also supplying the Resistance. Is he a hero or a villain? Or is he both?
Fabien Nury does a stellar job of recreating Joseph Joanovici as a full character, saving French lives as he simultaneously neglects his family and makes an endless string of nerve-wracking, self-serving choices. You'll never be bored with Once Upon a Time in France, though the first issue is a bit confusing with its multiple time jumps. The following issues settle into a steady, straightforward story of one man's war, a war that's gorgeously evoke by Sylvain Vallee. The book is truly an excellent read - but it also needs to be a movie, and stat.
Fabien Nury does a stellar job of recreating Joseph Joanovici as a full character, saving French lives as he simultaneously neglects his family and makes an endless string of nerve-wracking, self-serving choices. You'll never be bored with Once Upon a Time in France, though the first issue is a bit confusing with its multiple time jumps. The following issues settle into a steady, straightforward story of one man's war, a war that's gorgeously evoke by Sylvain Vallee. The book is truly an excellent read - but it also needs to be a movie, and stat.
April 11, 2021
Es una obra maestra. Podría dejar ahí la reseña pero... ¿Es el mejor europeo he leído este año?
Es muy bueno, el tamaño grande ayuda. El dibujo es espectacular. Son seis capitulos nada más, pero es denso. La historia trata de Joanovici, un judío en Francia que se dedica a la chatarra y ya de ahí pues a los negocios más oscuros. Antes de la segunda guerra mundial tenemos a Joanovici en Francia y vamos viendo su ascenso a lo largo de los años, también su descenso. Colaboracionista con los nazis, estafador, un superviviente con sus taras.
La crítica la ha aclamado y con razon. Una de las grandes lecturas de este año. Aún así creo que ha estado haciendo de tapón de otras obras que tenía pendiente. Obviamente es más denso que el género de superhéroes de Marvel y DC.
La respuesta es No, ha habido otro mejor.
Es muy bueno, el tamaño grande ayuda. El dibujo es espectacular. Son seis capitulos nada más, pero es denso. La historia trata de Joanovici, un judío en Francia que se dedica a la chatarra y ya de ahí pues a los negocios más oscuros. Antes de la segunda guerra mundial tenemos a Joanovici en Francia y vamos viendo su ascenso a lo largo de los años, también su descenso. Colaboracionista con los nazis, estafador, un superviviente con sus taras.
La crítica la ha aclamado y con razon. Una de las grandes lecturas de este año. Aún así creo que ha estado haciendo de tapón de otras obras que tenía pendiente. Obviamente es más denso que el género de superhéroes de Marvel y DC.
La respuesta es No, ha habido otro mejor.
August 23, 2021
Superb.
This biography of one of France's most notorious metal dealers-cum- shady dealer-cum-collaborator-cum-resistance man asks so many questions. Is Joseph Joanovici a hero or a villain... what would you have done? In my eyes he is a survivor in a world where he could have just as easily ended up on the trash heap or up in smoke in the chimneys of Auschwitz. Instead he plays his cards just right... he is a survivor...
and the ending... now there's a question that needs answering.
This is a superb read, and informative. It will change you.
This biography of one of France's most notorious metal dealers-cum- shady dealer-cum-collaborator-cum-resistance man asks so many questions. Is Joseph Joanovici a hero or a villain... what would you have done? In my eyes he is a survivor in a world where he could have just as easily ended up on the trash heap or up in smoke in the chimneys of Auschwitz. Instead he plays his cards just right... he is a survivor...
and the ending... now there's a question that needs answering.
This is a superb read, and informative. It will change you.
September 17, 2019
Once Upon a Time in France tells the, so unbelievably it must be true, story of Romanian Jew Joseph Joanovici.
After immigrating to France in the 1920s, scrap metal makes him rich. When World War II begins, he slowly starts supplying the Nazis with metal after they occupy France. He uses his money and connections to the Germans to save his family and many other Jews if France from death. He also contributes some his war profits to the French Resistance. When the war ends, society has a difficult time characterizing him as either a hero or a villain. In truth, he was just a man making hard decisions. War truly is hell.
Joseph is a complex character stuck in a bad situation. After World War II, people wanted to glorify war heroes and vilify its villains. Unfortunately, Joseph was a little of both. The story is enthralling and little known in popular culture. Once Upon a Time in France does an excellent job drawing the reader into a completely different time and place. It forces contemplation of what the reader would do if in Joseph’s place. The artwork is beautiful and really enhances the feeling of immersion in French culture and the shock of war. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!
Thanks to Dead Reckoning, Naval Institute Press and Edelweiss+ for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
After immigrating to France in the 1920s, scrap metal makes him rich. When World War II begins, he slowly starts supplying the Nazis with metal after they occupy France. He uses his money and connections to the Germans to save his family and many other Jews if France from death. He also contributes some his war profits to the French Resistance. When the war ends, society has a difficult time characterizing him as either a hero or a villain. In truth, he was just a man making hard decisions. War truly is hell.
Joseph is a complex character stuck in a bad situation. After World War II, people wanted to glorify war heroes and vilify its villains. Unfortunately, Joseph was a little of both. The story is enthralling and little known in popular culture. Once Upon a Time in France does an excellent job drawing the reader into a completely different time and place. It forces contemplation of what the reader would do if in Joseph’s place. The artwork is beautiful and really enhances the feeling of immersion in French culture and the shock of war. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!
Thanks to Dead Reckoning, Naval Institute Press and Edelweiss+ for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
November 21, 2024
El cómic es fascinante, en buena parte porque lo es su protagonista.
Joseph Joanovici fue un personaje real: un judío rumano huido a Francia antes de la Segunda Guerra mundial. Chatarrero y analfabeto, pero con un aguzado instinto para los negocios, consigue medrar vendiendo metal a los alemanes (que no podían adquirirlo por las restricciones impuestas tras las Primera Guerra Mundial). Durante la ocupación nazi consigue sobrevivir gracias a que la red de contactos que había tejido lo hace necesario para los invasores. Sus negocios con los alemanes le llevan a ser ejl hombre más rico de Francia. Cuando entiende que el régimen nazi va a caer, decide apoyar a la resistencia para lograr apoyos que le hagan perdonar su colaboración con el enemigo. Sin embargo, eso no le salva de la investigación judicial tras la guerra, lo que provocará su caída.
Sobre esta historia el cómic completa los numerosos agujeros de la biografía real para construir una historia fascinante de ambición, traiciones y deshonestidad. El guión es acompañado con un dibujo magnífico y un muy acertado tratamiento del color.
Se trata de un cómic extraordinario, una lectura muy recomendable.
Joseph Joanovici fue un personaje real: un judío rumano huido a Francia antes de la Segunda Guerra mundial. Chatarrero y analfabeto, pero con un aguzado instinto para los negocios, consigue medrar vendiendo metal a los alemanes (que no podían adquirirlo por las restricciones impuestas tras las Primera Guerra Mundial). Durante la ocupación nazi consigue sobrevivir gracias a que la red de contactos que había tejido lo hace necesario para los invasores. Sus negocios con los alemanes le llevan a ser ejl hombre más rico de Francia. Cuando entiende que el régimen nazi va a caer, decide apoyar a la resistencia para lograr apoyos que le hagan perdonar su colaboración con el enemigo. Sin embargo, eso no le salva de la investigación judicial tras la guerra, lo que provocará su caída.
Sobre esta historia el cómic completa los numerosos agujeros de la biografía real para construir una historia fascinante de ambición, traiciones y deshonestidad. El guión es acompañado con un dibujo magnífico y un muy acertado tratamiento del color.
Se trata de un cómic extraordinario, una lectura muy recomendable.
April 23, 2018
Excellente BD historique qui présente les différentes facettes du fascinant personnage qu'était Joseph Joanovici ainsi que tous les gens qui ont gravité autour de lui (dont son amante Lucie Fer, son plus grand ennemi le petit juge de Melun, et plein d'autres personnages, collabos, Nazis, résistants, parents, etc). Une série qui donne ses lettres de noblesse à la bande dessinée. A partir d'un matériau historique riche, les auteurs développenent une intrigue à la fois complexe et excellemenent bien racontée. Une BD qui fait clairement date et qui plaira aux BDphiles comme à ceux qui ne s'immergent
que ponctuellement dans le 9ème art.
que ponctuellement dans le 9ème art.
January 26, 2021
La historia de un judío rumano ambicioso que todo lo que hizo fue para sobrevivir. O eso le gustaba creer. Jugar a dos bandas con la Gestapo y la Resistencia en la Francia ocupada por los nazis no es una tarea fácil, desde luego. Érase una vez en Francia está llena de imágenes poderosas y sus giros y la desbordante personalidad de su protagonista la vuelven adictiva.
April 28, 2022
Espectacular.
Todo en este cómic es una maravilla: el dibujo, el guión, la estructura de la historia...
La historia de un chatarrero en la Francia de principios de siglo XX, de cómo llegó a lo más alto de la sociedad desde el barro, cómo sorteó la ocupación nazi para seguir manteniendo su imperio, el alto precio que tuvo que pagar para lograrlo y su triste final.
Y la historia también de su némesis, un juez dispuesto a todo para que se haga justicia.
Cómo si Scorsese (o Leone con su Érase una vez en América) se hubieran pasado al cómic.
Todo en este cómic es una maravilla: el dibujo, el guión, la estructura de la historia...
La historia de un chatarrero en la Francia de principios de siglo XX, de cómo llegó a lo más alto de la sociedad desde el barro, cómo sorteó la ocupación nazi para seguir manteniendo su imperio, el alto precio que tuvo que pagar para lograrlo y su triste final.
Y la historia también de su némesis, un juez dispuesto a todo para que se haga justicia.
Cómo si Scorsese (o Leone con su Érase una vez en América) se hubieran pasado al cómic.
February 26, 2023
Une narration infaillible, froide et haletante qui dévoile le destin d’un anti-héros de première classe. Dans la lignée des films de gangster, on suit la vie de Joanovici et les pions qu’il utilisera dans son ascension, jusqu’à son inévitable chute.
C’est un récit de destruction, qui révèle le coût réel d’un tel égocentrisme. Passionnant !
C’est un récit de destruction, qui révèle le coût réel d’un tel égocentrisme. Passionnant !
February 19, 2020
An enormously engaging read. It lays bare the darker sides of human nature.
March 16, 2020
I found this book a fascinating read. Based on real people, wonderful art and really compelling storytelling.
A stunning portrait of a time and place with complex characters and situations.
A stunning portrait of a time and place with complex characters and situations.
October 18, 2020
Aldeles fremragende. Medrivende historieypperligt fortalt.
February 20, 2022
This was really good.
Morally complex and truly haunting.
Morally complex and truly haunting.
July 5, 2025
What a read!! Couldn't put this down. Excellent script writing & art!
August 30, 2019
This is a hard book (graphic) to review because of the main character that the book follows. Joseph Joanovici, was a Romanian Jew who immigrated to France in the 1920s. He was not a religious man and made his fortune as a scrap-metal magnate.
During the German Occupation he was able to protect his family and save over 150 lives because of his connections with the SS and Vichy government. But he had to bribe people on both sides of the Law. He contributed to Resistance groups with money and weapons.
By playing both sides against each other he was able to make a lot of money and lots of enemies. After the war he was first hailed as a hero, but later he was hounded by men of the Police who felt he participated in too many pro-Nazi programs.
I found it hard to decide whether the book itself was anti-hebrew or maybe I'm too sensitive. The Nazis and their collaborator speak the way you would expect so that their hatred of Jews is presented without modification.
During the German Occupation he was able to protect his family and save over 150 lives because of his connections with the SS and Vichy government. But he had to bribe people on both sides of the Law. He contributed to Resistance groups with money and weapons.
By playing both sides against each other he was able to make a lot of money and lots of enemies. After the war he was first hailed as a hero, but later he was hounded by men of the Police who felt he participated in too many pro-Nazi programs.
I found it hard to decide whether the book itself was anti-hebrew or maybe I'm too sensitive. The Nazis and their collaborator speak the way you would expect so that their hatred of Jews is presented without modification.
April 9, 2018
"Bilo jednom u Francuskoj" štivo je koje je poučno za sve one koji povijest vole promatrati iz današnje perspektive, s naknadnom pameti. Nury, autor "Staljinove smrti", u ovoj priči govori nam o "kralju metala" u vrijeme Drugog svjetskog rata. Posebnosti te jedinstvene ličnosti su jasno vidljive: nagon za preživljavanjem, židovstvo i mogućnost razlikovanja kvalitetnog od nekvalitetnog metala. "Bilo jednom u Francuskoj" priča je o herojima i kolaboracionistima, ali i tankim granicama između njih. Prije svega, to je priča o pojedincu koji nastoji preživjeti duboko svjestan da je vrijeme u kojem živi teško i da je moral - što me podsjeća na jednog našeg političara - teško definirati.
S njegovim viđenjem se možete i ne morate složiti, možete i promatrati život u apsolutnim kategorijama, ali Nury je ovim stripom većim dijelom pogodio bit. Da je i kraj ujednačen s ostatkom, odnosno da ne djeluje malo zbrzano, bio bi apsolutno remek-djelo. Možda bi čak bio i bolji bez njega, da je ostavljen otvorenim. Ovako, ostaje žal za onim što je ova priča mogla biti. Svjeedno, aktualnu kakva je, vrijedi ju pročitati.
S njegovim viđenjem se možete i ne morate složiti, možete i promatrati život u apsolutnim kategorijama, ali Nury je ovim stripom većim dijelom pogodio bit. Da je i kraj ujednačen s ostatkom, odnosno da ne djeluje malo zbrzano, bio bi apsolutno remek-djelo. Možda bi čak bio i bolji bez njega, da je ostavljen otvorenim. Ovako, ostaje žal za onim što je ova priča mogla biti. Svjeedno, aktualnu kakva je, vrijedi ju pročitati.
January 3, 2024
Érase una vez en Francia no es un cómic ligero. Repleto de personajes que se entrecruzan a lo largo de los años, nunca pone el foco en darte una opinión sobre lo que tienes que pensar de cada uno, sino que deja que seas tú el que los vaya juzgando. Alternando entre distintos momentos de la historia de un personaje que es a la vez salvador y villano. Agradezco haber leído directamente el integral, ya que he podido cerrar todos los cavos que iban dejando los autores sin tener que esperar. Un libro complejo, una mastodóntica obra de arte.
June 7, 2019
This is an amazing graphic novel about Joseph Joanovici, a ruthless Jewish entrepreneur who did all that he needed to do to survive during WW2. The story flows so well, even non-graphic novel readers would be immersed in this fantastic account of a smart guy playing both sides. The artwork is detailed and neat, enabling the readers to focus on the compelling story.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
March 19, 2014
Za mene, najbolje stripovsko iznenađenje u ovoj godini. Odličan prikaz na koji način se način rađaju i nastaju kriminalni sustavi i organizacije sa moćnim pojedincima u centru, najčešće na valovima koje turbulentna vremena znaju uzburkati i dati im povoljan vjetar u leđa...
August 28, 2021
Una biografía interesante adaptada de forma magistral al cómic. La historia de un hombre complejo y contradictorio, un judío que hizo fortuna en la Francia ocupada durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Una lectura adictiva y una reflexión sobre la supervivencia.
December 24, 2013
Izvrsna priča o tome što sve čovijek radi da preživi i/ili uspije.
July 2, 2022
A historical comic with a thriller vibe, "Once Upon a Time in France" tells the story of Joseph Joanovici. A metal dealer of Jewish descent, Joanovici gets rich in pre-war France, making connections with a few unsavory characters as he builds his fortune.
But those ambiguous partnerships are nothing compared to the compromises he makes after the Nazis invade. Joanovici finds himself collaborating with the evil regime, trying to preserve his fortune, protect his family and keep his workers alive.
It seems like an obvious case of collaboration, but Joanovici is careful to play both sides. He provides the Nazis with bad metal--sabotage, he claims--even as he relies on them to outmuscle gangsters keen on his turf and keep himself out of jail. The tension between his Jewish background and the value he provides are a constant throughout the book. He's forced to rely on bravado and lavish bribes to keep himself, his family and other members of his Jewish community alive.
Things get darker as the war progresses and he finds himself aligned with the French Gestapo. Scared of repercussions after the war, he begins funding the Resistance, but this just gets him in a deeper morass of lies, danger and double crosses. Set on survival, Jianovici betrays both sides at different times, pursuing a dark path to the end of the war.
What choice did he have? Both the central character and author Fabien Nury raise this point throughout the book. Indeed, one of our first scenes sees Joseph as a boy in Romania, witnessing his family being slaughtered during a pogrom. There may not be a good moral choice available to him...although he does stay in France when he could have fled the country. He does it to preserve what he's built, but the consequences are grave, both for himself and those he's forced to betray.
After the war, Jianovici doesn't quite "go straight." He remains a hustler, bending the law and using wartime connections to fuel his business. This inspires conflict with a Javert-style judge, and it also prompts some of his wartime contacts to sniff back around for cash. The story is tense throughout, and Nury does a great job chronicling the tightrope Jianovici is forced to walk, his conspicuous glad-handling and rare bursts of anger.
The art by Sylvain Vallée is excellent. He manages a large cast, taking them from Parisian night clubs to executioner's basements. Better yet, he conveys a huge range of emotion, capturing a man who has to keep so much hidden that we never know exactly where he stands.
But those ambiguous partnerships are nothing compared to the compromises he makes after the Nazis invade. Joanovici finds himself collaborating with the evil regime, trying to preserve his fortune, protect his family and keep his workers alive.
It seems like an obvious case of collaboration, but Joanovici is careful to play both sides. He provides the Nazis with bad metal--sabotage, he claims--even as he relies on them to outmuscle gangsters keen on his turf and keep himself out of jail. The tension between his Jewish background and the value he provides are a constant throughout the book. He's forced to rely on bravado and lavish bribes to keep himself, his family and other members of his Jewish community alive.
Things get darker as the war progresses and he finds himself aligned with the French Gestapo. Scared of repercussions after the war, he begins funding the Resistance, but this just gets him in a deeper morass of lies, danger and double crosses. Set on survival, Jianovici betrays both sides at different times, pursuing a dark path to the end of the war.
What choice did he have? Both the central character and author Fabien Nury raise this point throughout the book. Indeed, one of our first scenes sees Joseph as a boy in Romania, witnessing his family being slaughtered during a pogrom. There may not be a good moral choice available to him...although he does stay in France when he could have fled the country. He does it to preserve what he's built, but the consequences are grave, both for himself and those he's forced to betray.
After the war, Jianovici doesn't quite "go straight." He remains a hustler, bending the law and using wartime connections to fuel his business. This inspires conflict with a Javert-style judge, and it also prompts some of his wartime contacts to sniff back around for cash. The story is tense throughout, and Nury does a great job chronicling the tightrope Jianovici is forced to walk, his conspicuous glad-handling and rare bursts of anger.
The art by Sylvain Vallée is excellent. He manages a large cast, taking them from Parisian night clubs to executioner's basements. Better yet, he conveys a huge range of emotion, capturing a man who has to keep so much hidden that we never know exactly where he stands.
March 25, 2020
*Kindly provided with a copy by Edelweiss. Thank you*
This was such a captivating and heartbreaking book. I just couldn't put it down. You won't believe this is based on a true story. It's the story of a Jew who had a special talent for business. He also had a special talent for surviving, since he slipped through the Nazis' noses.
I have to admit that it's size scared me. I was having second thoughts about whether to read this book or not, but I'm so happy I had the courage to pick it up. My next problem was how to stop reading it because I obviously couldn't finish it in one standing(it's just too huge). It also has a lot of text, which allowed me to better understand the story, but it slowed the pace a bit.
When the Nazis came to France, things had to change for Joseph Joanovici. He started playing too many sides, risking too much, doublecrossing a lot of important people. But what I enjoyed most about this book was the epic vendetta.
It was like a movie that had everything you could wish for. Family, love, revenge, power, money. The art was so compelling. Every scene had its own palette of colors, making it very clear when the scene ends and another one begins. There are some time jumps that don't disrupt the flow of the book.
One thing didn't add up, so I checked the facts. The beginning is set on 19 November 1905, Kishinev, Bessarabia, Romania. However, Bessarabia united with Romania in 1918, and it belonged to Russia until then. I chose this book because I'm Romanian, but Joseph Joanovici doesn't seem like a Romanian to me. I had no problem with it, but he could've been portrayed better if his description is "a Romanian Jew". He is more like a Russian Jew. However, he is exceptionally portrayed as a Jew. He was a great character, a morally grey one. Even if this is a graphic novel, the big number of pages allowed the characters to grow, to change for the better or for the worse.
I enjoyed the story and the characters a lot. Even with the little inconsistencies, the book seemed complete and left an impact on me. That's what I look in a book. I feel like people who enjoy historical fiction would like the book as much as I did.
This was such a captivating and heartbreaking book. I just couldn't put it down. You won't believe this is based on a true story. It's the story of a Jew who had a special talent for business. He also had a special talent for surviving, since he slipped through the Nazis' noses.
I have to admit that it's size scared me. I was having second thoughts about whether to read this book or not, but I'm so happy I had the courage to pick it up. My next problem was how to stop reading it because I obviously couldn't finish it in one standing(it's just too huge). It also has a lot of text, which allowed me to better understand the story, but it slowed the pace a bit.
When the Nazis came to France, things had to change for Joseph Joanovici. He started playing too many sides, risking too much, doublecrossing a lot of important people. But what I enjoyed most about this book was the epic vendetta.
It was like a movie that had everything you could wish for. Family, love, revenge, power, money. The art was so compelling. Every scene had its own palette of colors, making it very clear when the scene ends and another one begins. There are some time jumps that don't disrupt the flow of the book.
One thing didn't add up, so I checked the facts. The beginning is set on 19 November 1905, Kishinev, Bessarabia, Romania. However, Bessarabia united with Romania in 1918, and it belonged to Russia until then. I chose this book because I'm Romanian, but Joseph Joanovici doesn't seem like a Romanian to me. I had no problem with it, but he could've been portrayed better if his description is "a Romanian Jew". He is more like a Russian Jew. However, he is exceptionally portrayed as a Jew. He was a great character, a morally grey one. Even if this is a graphic novel, the big number of pages allowed the characters to grow, to change for the better or for the worse.
I enjoyed the story and the characters a lot. Even with the little inconsistencies, the book seemed complete and left an impact on me. That's what I look in a book. I feel like people who enjoy historical fiction would like the book as much as I did.
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