Charles Darwin's voyage on the Beagle from 1831 to 1836 was, in his view, “by far the most important event in my life,” which “determined my whole career.” Few scientists are as important to biology as Darwin, and few periods in his life were as formative, so it is hardly surprising that a significant segment of the Darwin industry is devoted to recounting, contextualizing, and analyzing these five years. Yet, despite the ample opportunities for storytelling and illustration afforded by the voyage, HMS Beagle, Aux Origines de Darwin (2016) is apparently the first graphic novel devoted to following Darwin around the world. Darwin: An Exceptional Voyage is its English translation.
The illustrator, Jérémie Royer, makes the most of his opportunities, using the ligne claire style familiar from the Tintin books of Hergé, with generally cartoonish characters against generally realistic backgrounds. Tall panels accommodate the layers of tropical rainforests; wide panels...
University of California Press