From one universe to another… After “Lucas Wars” in 2024, investigation into the birth of “Star Wars”, time for “Au-dedans”, an intimate story in the head of a young English illustrator. This thick graphic novel, the first by Englishman Will McPhail, known as a leading designer for the American magazine “The New Yorker”, won the Fnac-France Inter 2025 prize this Wednesday, of which Le Parisien is a partner. The reward for work full of subtlety and emotion.
Throughout the pages, the reader follows the wanderings of Nick, a young illustrator in an advertising agency: in the craft beer bars he loves, at his mother's to help him do work, at his sister's to keep the small, in the metro…
Moments that he goes through a bit like a ghost, always looking sad. Because Nick has an essential problem: he is incapable of really interacting with others, of confiding what he really feels. Neither with his mother, nor with Wren, a young woman oncologist he has just met. When he gets there, eyes wide open, the pages, all black and white and pure lines, light up with large passages of color, like so many waking dreams.
Ultra modern solitude
On this plot which may seem austere, the author nevertheless manages to subtly take us through the whole range of emotions, without ever losing us in the story of this “ultra modern solitude”, close to that sung by Souchon. Following in the footsteps of Nick, endearing and always quick to self-deprecation, we slide easily, and with pleasure, from laughter to tears.
A reward deserved and hard-won. Launched three months ago, the Fnac-Inter prize is based primarily on the choice of readers. After registering via the Internet, fans must elect their five favorites from a list of 20 titles. This year, the level was particularly high with, alongside “Au-dedans”, “Ulysse et Cyrano” “Impénétrable”, “La Route”, “Bobigny 1972”.
Sponsored by Rebecca Manzoni, journalist and producer of “Totémic” on France Inter, the jury, a mix of booksellers and specialist journalists, finally leaned towards the album by Will McPhail, which will also be in official competition at the Angoulême festival, from January 30.
“Inside,” by Will McPhail. Ed. 404. 272 pages. 26.50 euros
