« Inside » is the first graphic novel by the American press cartoonist, inspired by his own life.
A designer from the famous American magazine The New YorkerWill McPhail, won the Fnac France Inter BD prize on Wednesday for the French translation of a graphic novel inspired by his own life. « Inside » (in English « In » quite simply) was published in January 2024 by 404 Éditions.
The jury welcomed this prize in a press release: “ an invigorating and moving story centered on the person of Nick, a withdrawn young man who will slowly awaken to the world ». The publishing house also wanted to highlight the modes of inspiration of its author: « A young city dweller, Nick is an illustrator whose life oscillates between his personal projects and work in an advertising agency. He poses in cafes and craft beer bars, aware that something is missing in his life. This something is other people and their intimate worlds. The young man questions his relationship with others.” Illustrated in black and white and in color, Au-dedans is “poignant as well as fresh and hilarious ».
Will McPhail, a 36-year-old Briton, lives in Edinburgh, and portrays a creative character, but for whom social life is a challenge. He told in 2021 to The Guardian having sent ten cartoons a week to the New Yorker, which mocked our failings as contemporary city dwellers. They will please and the newspaper will end up choosing two of them. A nice start, now worthily rewarded.
The 5 finalists were:Inside by Will McPhail (404 editions), Bobigny 1972 by Marie Bardiaux-Vaïente, and Carole Maurel (Glénat), Impenetrable by Alix Garin (Le Lombard), The Road by Manu Larcenet (after Cormac McCarthy) (Dargaud), Ulysses and Cyrano by Antoine Cristau, Servain and Xavier Doriso (Casterman). They were selected by the 35 members of the general public jury, among the 20 favorites for 2024 from Fnac booksellers and the France Inter editorial staff. It was then the turn of the final commission, chaired by Rebecca Manzoni, sponsor of the Prize, and made up of journalists and booksellers from Fnac, to designate the winner. The novel Insideby Will McPhail succeeds Lucas Wars by Renaud Roche and Laurent Hopman, published by Éditions Deman, winner last year.
