Originally serialized beginning in 1978 for the French magazine À SUIVRE, the groundbreaking You Are There (Ici même) showcased the singular talents of Barbarella creator Claude-Forest and legendary artist Tardi. Presented for the first time in English, this nonsensical farce recounts the struggles of Arthur There and his attempts to reclaim his ancestral lands of Mornemont of which he only owns the walls that subdivide the area. Tardi's intricate, cartoony, and beautiful art perfectly expresses Forest's ideas and words. The humorous You Are There masterfully satirizes French society and politics unlike any comic before or since.

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This is really a great and enjoyable read-sardonic with a sincere protagonist who is just trying to get his property back in the midst of corrupt politicians facing election and being oppressed but the upper class elite who have taken away his family's property in the first place. Great drawings as usual and interesting characters..I was a little unsure about the ending but overall found it to be a worthwhile read with a farcical demeanor containing more serious political undertones. ( )

brilliant and delicate graphic novel. the first issue was published in 1978 and it seems a mature example of the genre by today's standards. it was originally written as a theater piece, rewritten as a comic. it has absurd elements that do remind you of a play. the drawings are simple but really effective and well done. the visual narrative is impeccable in black and white. it seems like one of those rediscovered classics. it's funny, erotic and entertaining. recommended. ( )

After a first read, You Are There is still something of a mystery to me, although clearly an entertaining and challenging one. This is a fantastical tale of a realm within the nation of France, apparently set in the early twentieth century, and involving all sorts of meditations on materialism, sanity, and political intrigue. While the plot does manage to remain relatively focused, the characterizations are something completely different, as each of the primary protagonists moves in a dreamlike state through the events that swirl around them. Jacques Tardi's black-and-white pen work is wonderful and a joy to look at. I think it will take at least one more reading for me to get my head around Jean-Claude Forest's complicated tale, but You Are There appears to be worth the effort - it's a intriguing work of art at the minimum. ( )