BAR2 - Lot 8

BAR2 JOE BAR TEAM Volume 1, Vents d'Ouest, 1990 Original plate no. 9, prepublished in Moto Journal in 1989-1990. Signed. India ink and white gouache on paper 33.6 × 39.2 cm (13.23 × 15.43 in.) In the commentary accompanying the previous lot, it is said that bad faith is one of the major ingredients of humor "à la Joe Bar Team". And if there's one plate that illustrates this perfectly, it's this one. And that's probably why this gag is one of the most popular with readers. "I didn't really expect it to be, because I was afraid it would be a bit too hermetic for the general public. The terms I use in the thought bubbles, as well as in the last panel, could have put off unsophisticated readers. Fortunately, this was not the case. In fact, this was the panel I heard the most about. And I've come to realize that the reason this panel was so highly regarded is undoubtedly that it encapsulates everything that makes my comic so unique. And from a purely graphic point of view, I remember the joy I felt after inking the penultimate panel. Everything about that drawing - Joe's gestures, his hands, his face, his attitude, the very quality of the inking - showed that, in terms of technique, I'd reached a milestone. A moment of pure bliss! If only I'd danced the Zumba!