Where is Joann Sfar?


Welcome to With Great Chutzpah Comes Great Responsibilityyour every other week dose of Jews and comics.

Where is Joann Sfar?  K, I’m pretty sure we all know the answer- he is probably at his home in Paris.  What I really mean is- why are publishers not putting out his new books for the American audience?  But I think you got the gist of my first question.

I originally planned for this article to be a top five list of Sfar’s best Jewish graphic novels.  I planned to use this column as a platform to expose new readers to his work.  As I began re-reading his graphic novels, I became emotional and realized how much each book meant to me… how much I missed him.  So while I hope this column does expose new readers to his all-ready classic books, I also hope it will put a bug in the ear of American publishers- do whatever you have to do to get Joann Sfar’s work back on American soil.

To me, it felt like the British invasion when Sfar’s work first arrived in America in the early 2000s.  Sure, it seems dramatic to sayrabbis cat 2 that, but it was a big deal.  He was part of this trendy French comic movement that included David B. and Marjane Satrapi.  How cool is that?  His work was showcased in all the major Jewish press.  I remember my mom and dad handing me a copy of a local Jewish magazine with the Rabbi’s Cat’s mug featured on the cover.  Everyone in the Jewish community was talking about it; the book was more popular than matzah on Passover.  We fell in love with his simple, energetic and gorgeous artwork.  We fell in love with his multifaceted characters, always flawed but always beautiful.  And no one, NO ONE, can draw more gorgeous women than Sfar.  He draws real women, with all their lovely curves.  And Sfar’s work appealed to all ages- kiddos would be reading his all-ages books while their parents were in the other room reading his mature titles.

The Rabbi’s Cat series connects to modern Jewish thought like no other.  The intellectual chatter between a mischievous, talking cat and his rabbi mirrors the thoughts on many Jews’ minds.  It takes place at a time often forgotten when Jews and Arabs lived side by side.  The series delves into key issues in our community: assimilation, racism and tolerance.   And of course, it features Zlabya, the most stunning woman in all of comics.

klezmerAfter the Rabbi’s Cat, I discovered Klezmer, Book One: Tales of the Wild East.  While The Rabbi’s Cat takes place in early 20th century Algeria, Klezmer takes place in pre-World War II Eastern Europe.  Sfar uses his comics to explore both his Sephardic and Ashkenazi heritage; his mother was born in the Ukraine and his father in Algeria.  Klezmer was his ode to the Ashkenazi music genre the book was named after.   For anyone who knows klezmer music, it is full of energy and creativity, and somehow this dude translated its rhythm into sequential art.  The book is about the formation of a traveling klezmer band.  After the lead character, cleverly named Baron of My Backside, sees his entire troupe murdered by a rival klezmer band, he joins together with Chava, another of Sfar’s gorgeous women, Yaacov, an expelled yeshiva bocher, Bincenzo, a violinist, and Tshokola, a gypsy.  I suddenly had a new appreciation for the music that blasted from my 102-year-old Aunt Marrion’s room (and by blasting, I mean BLASTING because she could hardly hear anything at all).

I then found the Little Vampire series of books.  In the series, the book’s namesake little vampiremakes friends with a human buddy named Michael.  In Little Vampire Goes To School, the title character wants to go to get an education like other youngsters.  The problem is monsters don’t go to school; why would they when they can do whatever the crap they want to do after sunset?  Even though his community doesn’t understand him, all his monster friends and family come together to help Little Vampire’s dreams come true.  Of course, hilarious hijinks commence, and our hero ends up meeting Michael, a character based somewhat on Sfar.  Michael loves Little Vampire because he does his homework for him.  In the second book in the series, Little Vampire Does Kung Fu, a bully is picking on Michael, but Little Vampire knows where to get help… from Rabbi Solomon the kung fu master!  The great Rabbi wants to build a golem which he defines as “a giant dude… [who will] go to school with you and protect you… [and] can even carry your book bag.” I have always wanted my own golem, but once I read this, I knew I NEEDED ONE!  The creatures living in Little Vampire’s world are a diverse lot including a crocodile muscleman, a flying tomato-colored doggie and a Frankenstein monster that somehow confuses Dr. Einstein for his dad.  Some monsters are smart with great wisdom and some seem to have emigrated from the town of Chelm.  Great for kiddos, the books all have messages but never seem didactic.

A self-portrait Sfar drew of him chillin' with his Golem.

A self-portrait Sfar drew of him chillin’ with his Golem.

During this same time period, Sfar also released many other books for different age groups which he either created or co-created, including the Sardine in Outer Space series, Vampire Loves (which features themes of Jewish mysticism), The Professor’s Daughter,The Little Prince and the Dungeon series.  But, other than the Dungeon series, Sfar’s work has disappeared from the American market.  In France, Sfar continues to publish many new works, including the promised later books of the Klezmer series.  In fact, France has gotten more Sfar than ever because now the dude writes and directs movies (including the awesome Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life and The Rabbi’s Cat adaptation) as well as penning novels.  So why are American audiences not getting their dose of Sfar-tastic comics?  Sure, I’ve seen both the flicks subtitled, but I can’t get my comics subtitled, dangit.  I know his comics were selling in America; the first Little Vampire book was a New York Times best seller.  I love First Second Books, the publisher of many of his works, but I only first started recognizing them because they published Sfar’s work.  I know someone from their company may be reading this column, so where did the contracts end and why have they not been renewed?  This goes ditto for Pantheon; I know Rabbi’s Cat was a huge success for you, so why are we not seeing Sfar’s other work?   This dude has over 100 works in French, over 40 different series.  I am not asking for original work; reprints will be just fine.  If you are reading this, Mr. Sfar, do it for me; I’m a mensch, I promise.

In a bit of exciting news, a new Sfar graphic novel is set to hit American bookshelves.  On September 9, 2014, Pascin is scheduled to be released by Uncivilized Books.  It’s a biography of Jewish modernist painter Julius Mordecai Pincas, AKA Pascin.  The book’s description states that it “is Joann Sfar’s most personal and important work.”  Hmmmmmm, count me in.  But we need more:  Please First Second. Please Pantheon. Please Uncivilized Books. Please other smart book publishers. Please Mr. Sfar.

Sources: Joanne-Sfar.comTabletMag.orgInterfaithFamily.com