What is your background?
Pascal Bresson : “Basically, I am a designer, specializing in screenwriting. I am originally from Reims (51) and I was exposed to transmission. Particularly by my grandfather, who was part of the 2nd DB [division blindée] by General Leclerc, who participated in the Liberation of Paris and Colmar as well as by my grandmother, who was a liaison officer for Libération-Nord. I have a visceral need to transmit history, our past, especially to young people. I love talking about people, and those who made history. My work speaks, for example, of characters that I admire and whom I have often had the chance to meet such as Simone Veil, the Klarsfeld couple or Robert Badinter…”
You have worked more on historical themes. Why did you choose to adapt “The Henri Pick Mystery”, the novel by David Foenkinos, into comics?
“A few years ago, I met Tatiana de Rosnay and I suggested that we adapt her novel “Her name was Sarah”, which she accepted. We became friends and during a book fair in Boulogne-Billancourt (92), she introduced me to David Foenkinos, who knew and loved my work. He suggested that I adapt his novel, which I found funny and touching, and which contained quite a few ingredients that I liked: a story anchored in Brittany, intersecting character journeys, suspense, the middle of the edition…”
How do you adapt a novel into a comic strip?
“We must of course respect the work by bringing the style and codes of comics to it. The adaptation is neither a copy nor plagiarism. In general, I read the novel three or four times in a row to immerse myself in the story and form images of the characters, places, etc. Then, I “cut” the story box by box, page by page, putting myself in the shoes of the characters. For this one, for example, I chose to ignore certain passages, notably the erotic scenes, which did not seem useful to me in the comic. »
How did you work with Ilaria Tebaldini, the illustrator, who lives in Italy?
“We never met and only worked by email! Ilaria has a very pastel, very soft drawing. “The Mystery…” is her first album and she rose to the challenge with talent for this 160-page work. I sent him my descriptions of what I wanted, with details of close-ups, wide shots… like a scenario. After a year and a half of work on this project, I find the result very cool. It’s a comic book for all audiences that can bring readers to David’s novel. »
What are your links with Brittany? Do you know the Crozon peninsula, which is one of the “characters” in the story?
“Unfortunately, I don’t know the peninsula at all but I can’t wait to come there for a book signing! (Laughs) But I love Brittany, land of literature! I moved to Saint-Malo (35) around thirty years ago and settled down there for good. I was even elected Malouin of the year in 2015 and participated, as a kind of ambassador of the city, in the show Échappées belles… Now that’s it, I think I’m dubbed! »
What are your plans for 2025?
“My book on “Robert Badinter, the just man”, has just been released and I am working on two big projects. A first which should be released in 2025 on the affair of Bernard Natan, a Jewish director who, during the Second World War, was persecuted by the extreme right and Nazi propaganda. And then, a big book on the great history of the Jewish people, from the origins to October 7, 2023, which should be published in 2026. Anti-Semitism, racism in general, homophobia, are battles that I fight, in particular among young people. They need to understand that this kind of thing makes no sense! »
Practical
“The Henri Pick Mystery”, adaptation by Pascal Bresson; drawings by Ilaria Tebaldini; ed. The Bubble Box; €28. Pascal Bresson will be signing at the Le Parchemin bookstore, in Crozon, Saturday April 19, 2025.
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