Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Today in Comics History, October 25: Happy birthday, Georges Bizet!

Born on this day in 1838: composer Georges Bizet! If you thought he was a plumber, you're mistaken: that's actually his cousin, Georges Bidet.

Bizet died of cardiac arrest in 1875, so his career did not stretch a long as some of his peers. But he left us a majestic work that some acclaim as the most popular of all operas: Carmen. Or, as I like to call it on account of how horny it all is, Carmen Get It.


from Classics Illustrated #49 (Gilberton, July 1948), creators uncredited and unknown




This classic comic book asked the musical question: "What's Opera, Arch?"



from "Archie Presents the Riverdale High School Opera Workshop (or Carmen Through the Wry)" in Archie's Pals 'n' Gals #19 (Archie, Winter 1961); pencils, inks, and letters (and script?) by Tom Moore

Interested in the story but still shying away from actually going to the opera? (I mean, they require special glasses!) Check out this gorgeously illustated graphic novel!




from Carmen (Clover Press, November 2022), script by Alek Shrader, layouts by P. Craig Russell, finishes and colors by Aneke, letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

So, happy birthday, Georges Bizet! if we've learned one thing today about you, it's that the S in your first name is silent.

2 comments:

  1. Disappointed you didn't mention the audio adaptation of the story by the immortal Spike Jones.

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  2. Every opera adapted to comics is legally required to involve P. Craig Russell.

    ReplyDelete