Etienne Davodeau
The sold out hardcover now in paperback. Etienne Davodeau is a comic artist. He doesn't know much about the world of wine-making. Richard Leroy is a wine-maker. He's rarely even read comics. But these two are full of good will and curiosity. Why do we choose to spend one's life writing and creating comics or producing wine? How and for whom do we do them? To answer these questions, for more than a year, Etienne went to work in Richard's vineyards and cellar. Richard, in return, leapt into the world of comics.
They opened a lot of bottles and read many comics. They traveled around, meeting authors and wine-makers sharing their passion for their jobs. The first time a book explores the nature of a man's vocation with a true life representation of it from two very different perspectives. They get to realize they both have that precious and necessary power to bring people together.
With guest appearances by Trondheim (Dungeon, Little Nothings), Emmanuel Guibert (The Photographer) and Marc-Antoine Matthieu (Museum Vaults)
See the Wine Spectator feature.
• NOMINATED FOR THE SLATE/CARTOON STUDIO PRIZE FOR BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR
• A 2013 Publishers Weekly Critics Poll selection
• WINNER best wine book translation,
GOURMAND WINE BOOK AWARDS
"Sadly, a bottle of the 2010 Les Nols de Montbenault, the wine created during the course of this book, will now set you back over £200. Settle down instead with a decent affordable bottle, a view of a vineyard somewhere and read The Initiates in ideal circumstances. It's one hell of a way to spend an evening."
-Frank Plowright, Slings & Arrows
"As Davodeau notes early in the book, “Here’s something that counts: feeling the devotion and pleasure felt by the guy who made the wine . . .or the book.” It’s a simple point, but one that is frequently lost in our commodified world."
-Bill Sherman, Seattle Post Intelligencer
“Best Graphic Novel of 2013. Enlightening and inspiring.”
Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading
"The artwork is gorgeous. Highly recommended."
-Benito’s Wine Reviews
"Compelling, entertaining tale!"
- Richard Pachter, Miami Herald
"World Top 50 Wine Book 2013. One of the best ever written to understand wine, it does the same for comic books. A masterpiece."
-Gourmand Magazine
"Davodeau’s proficiency as a storyteller is apparent on every page of this entertaining and enlightening account."
-Booklist
"Davodeau's lines are clean and economically sparse, but powerful enough to forge the bonds that tie both professions together."
-Shelf Awareness
"The best book ever for explaining, viscerally, the toils of a terroirist. Davodeau brings an intelligent outsider’s perspective.”
Wine Searcher, read his interview on this leading wine blogger site
"It's hard to imagine a more pleasantly told story."
-The Comics Reporter
"This intensely thought-provoking graphic novel makes us pause to consider our relationships with other people and asks us to think about who we are, what we do, and how we perceive and relate to the world around us. Consummate skill in illustrating moments of careful consideration and reflection so important to both of his characters’ vocations."
-Publishers Weekly starred review
"Engrossing piece of comics reportage. The sheer amount of foresight and raw faith that goes into making wine as a commercial proposition is a wonder to behold, and Davodeau does his best to capture every step and draw every esoteric piece of equipment that Leroy deploys."
-The Onion-AV Club
"Truth be told, comic strips, graphic novels and animation leave me cold. Don’t hate ‘em, they simply hold no fascination for me. That said, I was enchanted by The Initiates. It’s a compelling read."
-Wine Harlots
"I’m just going to come out and say it: The Initiates is one of the best books about wine I’ve ever read, period. For anyone looking to break out of their personal and professional comfort zone, The Initiates is a well-illustrated inspiration."
-Jamesonfink.com, leading wine blogger
"The excellent writing, characterizations, and tranquil-yet-stimulating vibe make this a treat to savor slowly, like wine."
-Library Journal
"This nugget in black & white is both graphic novel and autobiography. Proposing discovery of the making of a wine and a book at the same time, the story is up to the natural and living nectar it’s looking to make evident."
-Le Monde
OVER 100,000 SOLD IN FRANCE
See his interview on Comic Book Resources
Recommended by Unshelved
8x11, 272pp., B&W trade paperback: $24.99
ISBN 9781681121338
Buy the e-book: $9.99
ISBN 9781561637812