8 Underwater Landscapes in Comic Books
131
public the best known figure of the “scientist” is certainly Captain Cousteau, and it
is not surprising that he decided to use films and comics to communicate about his
expeditions. Dominique Serafini created for him a presentation of The adventure of
the Cousteau team in a series of 10 comic books published between 1985 and 1991
(Serafini 1985a, b, 1986a, b, 1987a, b, c, 1989, 1990, 1991). These books take the
reader to all the seas of the world, with a very accurate and realistic presentation of the
underwater landscapes, and share with him all the themes explored by the Cousteau
team; the aim was obviously to inform the audience, and it was extremely effective.
There was a sometimes excessive cult of the man with the red bonnet which provoked
an interesting parody in a recent comic book, The ghost of Captain Cousteau (ISA
2009). In her depressingly spoilt underwater landscapes, she draws a caricature of
the classic markers of the underwater landscape: the grotto (assimilated to the grotto
of Lourdes), the gorgons . . . and the groupers. The author casts a humorous but critical glance at the pollution of the ocean bed and the media coverage of ecological
thinking.
Thus the comic book accurately reflects the complexity of our feelings for these
underwater landscapes: the exaltation of discovery but also the reality of the degradation of natural environments by man, the imagination of fantastic worlds but also
the projection of our everyday universe. The variety of underwater landscapes is
perceived via very different landscape models. The model of wild and sublime landscapes has a powerful influence on the representation of the abyss and the deep sea
depths: a very mineral vision, with no anthropisation, inaccessible and often distressing. But the model of the park, even the garden, is closer to the representation
of landscapes in shallow waters: in an environment of colourful and welcoming biodiversity, with the occasional wreck, and with decorative structures or follies to be
visited; a very popular landscape where people can spend their leisure.
Acknowledgments Thanks are due to Claude Blayo for his expert proofreading of the comic book
and underwater exploration.
References
Anderson B, Harrison P (2010) Taking place: non representational theories and geographies. Ashgate
Publishers.
Baetens J (2008a) Quel décor pour quel récit dans la bande dessinée contemporaine? Nouveaux
Actes Sémiotiques, Paris, pp 1–10
Baetens J (2008b) Olivier Deprez et les frontières de la bande dessinée. RELIEF- Revue électronique
de littérature française 3(2):381–397
Baetens J (2012) Visual studies and visual culture. In: Art history and visual studies in Europe:
transnational discourses and national frameworks. Leiden Brill, pp 91–106.
Carre D, Desroche JP, Goddio F (ed) (1994) Le San Diego, un trésor sous la mer, Ed. Réunion des
musées Nationaux, p 381
Chaulet-Endry G (1985) Les aventures de Fantômette, Fantômette fend les flots, Ed. Hachette
Conrad D (1991) Donito, 1 La sirène des cara¨ ıbes, Ed. Dupuis
Conrad D (1992) Donito, 2 La pyramide des tempêtes, Ed. Dupuis
Conrad D (1993) Donito, 3 Le Grand secret, Ed. Dupuis
131
public the best known figure of the “scientist” is certainly Captain Cousteau, and it
is not surprising that he decided to use films and comics to communicate about his
expeditions. Dominique Serafini created for him a presentation of The adventure of
the Cousteau team in a series of 10 comic books published between 1985 and 1991
(Serafini 1985a, b, 1986a, b, 1987a, b, c, 1989, 1990, 1991). These books take the
reader to all the seas of the world, with a very accurate and realistic presentation of the
underwater landscapes, and share with him all the themes explored by the Cousteau
team; the aim was obviously to inform the audience, and it was extremely effective.
There was a sometimes excessive cult of the man with the red bonnet which provoked
an interesting parody in a recent comic book, The ghost of Captain Cousteau (ISA
2009). In her depressingly spoilt underwater landscapes, she draws a caricature of
the classic markers of the underwater landscape: the grotto (assimilated to the grotto
of Lourdes), the gorgons . . . and the groupers. The author casts a humorous but critical glance at the pollution of the ocean bed and the media coverage of ecological
thinking.
Thus the comic book accurately reflects the complexity of our feelings for these
underwater landscapes: the exaltation of discovery but also the reality of the degradation of natural environments by man, the imagination of fantastic worlds but also
the projection of our everyday universe. The variety of underwater landscapes is
perceived via very different landscape models. The model of wild and sublime landscapes has a powerful influence on the representation of the abyss and the deep sea
depths: a very mineral vision, with no anthropisation, inaccessible and often distressing. But the model of the park, even the garden, is closer to the representation
of landscapes in shallow waters: in an environment of colourful and welcoming biodiversity, with the occasional wreck, and with decorative structures or follies to be
visited; a very popular landscape where people can spend their leisure.
Acknowledgments Thanks are due to Claude Blayo for his expert proofreading of the comic book
and underwater exploration.
References
Anderson B, Harrison P (2010) Taking place: non representational theories and geographies. Ashgate
Publishers.
Baetens J (2008a) Quel décor pour quel récit dans la bande dessinée contemporaine? Nouveaux
Actes Sémiotiques, Paris, pp 1–10
Baetens J (2008b) Olivier Deprez et les frontières de la bande dessinée. RELIEF- Revue électronique
de littérature française 3(2):381–397
Baetens J (2012) Visual studies and visual culture. In: Art history and visual studies in Europe:
transnational discourses and national frameworks. Leiden Brill, pp 91–106.
Carre D, Desroche JP, Goddio F (ed) (1994) Le San Diego, un trésor sous la mer, Ed. Réunion des
musées Nationaux, p 381
Chaulet-Endry G (1985) Les aventures de Fantômette, Fantômette fend les flots, Ed. Hachette
Conrad D (1991) Donito, 1 La sirène des cara¨ ıbes, Ed. Dupuis
Conrad D (1992) Donito, 2 La pyramide des tempêtes, Ed. Dupuis
Conrad D (1993) Donito, 3 Le Grand secret, Ed. Dupuis