the unexpected return of a genre between comics and photography

It’s not easy to reinvent yourself when you’ve already written dozens of culinary books. Sonia Ezgulian, however, found a solution: publishing a collection of her recipes and those of her friends as a photo novel. “I was looking for a way to stage the transmission in a friendly way,” says the journalist, who published at the end of August I tell you everything! . “As I wanted to avoid writing a classic educational work with a very strict framework, I thought of the photo novel, a nice format which allows touches of humor,” she explains. A daring gamble as this narrative genre mixing comics and photos may seem outdated today. However, this unique formula still has fans.

Stories of the heart revisited

Sophie is one of these diehards. On Facebook, she created a group of genre aficionados. “It’s a very rich format with multiple possibilities, even if it is true that when we talk about it, we often restrict it to romance and its success with women,” regrets this 37-year-old from Avignon. Sophie became interested in photo novels after hearing an antique dealer tell her that he systematically burned them. Paradoxically, this rejection made him want to take an interest in it. Because, before arousing the disdain of second-hand dealers, the photo novel has long brought glory to magazines such as The two of us, Today’s Readings Or The woman’s echo. These titles have long been confined to “stories of the heart”, as they said then. “Some people find these romances a little silly and easy, but I like them as much as when I was a teenager,” confides Jeanne, 78, still a subscriber to the weekly The two of us

Over time, the photo novel loses its splendor. From the 1970s, the genre was considered dusty and out of date, before regaining color in recent years thanks to a proliferation of projects. “There is really a revival,” assures Jan Baetens, professor at the University of Louvain (Belgium) and expert in this narrative genre. This format, long reserved for magazines, is now being exported to bookstores and is a real novelty. This gives him a second wind. » The designer Fabcaro, co-author of the last Asterix, and the comedian Éric Judor tried their hand at the very absurd Voodoo Guacamole written in 2022. Last May, the actresses Ovidie and Sophie-Marie Larrouy published The Prince Charming Factory in which they mock the gendered clichés long conveyed by photo novels. As for the photographer and director Vincent Jarousseau, he has made it his specialty. From The national illusionan immersion into popular frontist families in Nord-Pas-Calais conducted in 2017, he has published three books in this format. “This type of creation proves that the photo novel is not old-fashioned in itself, but, sometimes, by its purpose,” notes Jan Baetens. This medium only lacked good stories and well-crafted scenarios. »

The kitsch asset

His forays into publishing have not diverted the photo novel from the world of media which introduced it into French homes. It has even become “cool” according to the digital medium Urbania, of which 18-35 year olds form the core target. Its administrators regularly post humorous photo novels on the social network Instagram. “Our media relies heavily on video, but we are constantly looking to explore new formats,” says Anaïs Carayon, editorial director. This genre has the advantage of talking about serious subjects while making people smile. » On social networks, the revisited photo novel, which plays on vintage codes, has accumulated thousands of “likes” (the “like” mention given by Internet users to content). New generations appreciate it all the more because it takes hold of current events to make fun of it. “For some time now, this format has come back to the forefront, and we are not the first to divert it,” emphasizes Anaïs Carayon. In the 1970s, the newspaper Hara-kiri helped to break him out of the romantic straitjacket in which he was trapped. » Regardless of the subject covered, the kitsch side of the photo novel has become one of its best assets and even arouses the enthusiasm of new generations. “My teenage children read issues of The two of us with pleasure,” says Cyril, who also diverts stories on his Facebook account.

Couple’s life, current affairs, cooking or humor, could the photo novel experience a new golden age? “The recently published works are only attempts and they are not long-term,” says Annie Viaud, editorial director of The two of us . Despite these projects, this type of publication retains its “nerdy” image. » However, this does not prevent the magazine from renewing itself. He modernizes his stories and adapts them to the spirit of the times. Exit the unequal representation of relationships between men and women, welcome to contemporary issues. “We portray social issues, a bit like the television series More beautiful life, continues Annie Viaud. Homosexuality is mentioned and more and more stories are interpreted by older people. » That the regulars of The two of us are reassured: the magazine’s penchant for romance remains intact, to the great satisfaction of Jeanne who appreciates this touch of modernity.

Less of the sulfurous side

This makeover does not prevent the photo novel from having forever lost one of its initial strengths. “Our readers tell us that they discovered our stories as teenagers,” says Annie Viaud. At the time, this represented sulphurous reading practiced in secret, because such romances were supposed to lead young girls astray. » An association for the dignity of the women’s press was even formed in 1951 in order to denounce their content. At its head, Robert Barrat, president of the Catholic Center of French Intellectuals, did not have harsh enough words against gender. “It doesn’t matter that these pseudo-real stories end hypocritically with the triumph of virtue,” he argued. How many households are thrown out of balance by the constant use of “heartfelt letters”? » To the eyes of the 21st century, these sweet stories of yesteryear seem quite trivial. Another time, other customs.