Betty Blues

After spending another night sitting alone at a seedy bar, Betty decides to follow the champagne and leave her trumpet playing boyfriend, Rice Duck, behind. When Rice discovers she is gone, he decides to leave the musician's struggle behind and he tosses his trumpet in the river. However, it is not as easy to walk away as either would have hoped. Like his Eisner nominated Abelard, Dillies's first published graphic novel (being released here for the first time in English), winner of Best Debut at the Angoulême Comics, features anthropomorphic animals as the main characters. At times, this feels awkward as species are hard to discern and the noir tone seems thrown off by their presence. Dillies is a skilled artist and storyteller though. The art features a limited palette, strong textures, and measured panel pacing. The story is poetic and delicately balanced; even though the mood turns despairing at times, there is an almost naïve belief in the power of love.