EPILEPTIC 179
in which he often rewrites the history of his family, only to let his parents question his
narrative decisions in a fi ctional account.
While Epileptic can easily be described as an autobiographical adult comic, genre
borders are more fl uid than in other contemporary European comics such as Perse-
polis by Marjane Satrapi and recent American publications such as Blankets by Craig
Th ompson, or Fun Home by Alison Bechdel. It is not solely the author’s life that is on
display but the depiction of the illness itself that takes the form of an enemy which
cannot be fought as conventionally as any other physical opponent. In any case, young
Pierre-François, who will become David in the course of the narration, armors him-
self with unique narrative techniques, as when historical fi gures such as Genghis Khan
accompany the young protagonist in his ferocious battle scenes against epilepsy, which
take upon the corporeal form of a dragon-like creature. After various dream-like clashes,
the protagonist realizes that such incidents cannot be won and chooses new allies to
cope with the illness; a whole array of literary fi gures, fable animals, and even deceased
relatives enter the narrative and discuss the family’s problems with him. Th is introduc-
tion of folklore and mythology provides the author with another possibility to cope
with the events displayed in the comic book.
In addition to the changing supportive fi gures in the course of the narration, the
understanding of the protagonist also evolves; while Pierre starts out as a naïve and
impulsive boy who questions every single event and every occurrence, he turns slowly
into an adolescent and eventually into a grown-up, accepting and even ignoring his
brother’s epilepsy coldheartedly. Th e use of dialogue in Epileptic gives a good account
of this evolution of the character: while conversations remain unchallenged in the
earlier passages of Epileptic, later captions —obviously provided by the narrator/
protagonist — comment rather ironically on the disputes in the family.
Although the narrative patterns and the emotional storytelling techniques in Epileptic are
absorbing enough, David B. has achieved international acclaim primarily for his unique
graphic style. Resembling the black-and-white American Alternative Comics of the
1970s, David B. creates a perfect chiaroscuro with his large black-and-white pages. Black
shadows and night-scenes do not always represent a form of danger but off er a sanctuary
for the young protagonist. Th us the seemingly clear-cut distinctions between black and
white do not present simple answers to the questions raised; they force the reader to
add his own solutions to the problems displayed.
Another interesting feature of David B.’s graphic technique is the ever-changing im-
agery. He introduces his readers into a world that ranges from centuries-old symbolism
to expressionist patterns complete with arabesque ornaments. Very often this change
in graphic style takes place abruptly from one panel to the next. Th us, the subjective
experience of little Pierre suddenly alters; what was a normal person in one panel turns
into a grotesque demon in the next one. In such a way the characters’ emotions like hate,
anger, and disillusion are expressed very fi guratively: when aff ected by these feelings,
they turn into deformed beings. It is especially this technique that allows David B. to
mix his reality with his dreams, blending one into the other and vice versa, and thus
