Louis Armstrong Comic Book

You might not think a Belgian comic publisher would enlist one of its authors to do an English-language comic based on Louis Armstrong’s time in New Orleans. But you’d be wrong if you thought that.

Bries, a publisher based in Antwerp, is publishing a graphic novel called (without an excess of imagination) Louis Armstrong. Written by Philip Paquet, it depicts what Bries’ Web site calls “peculiar moments from [Armstrong’s] early days in New Orleans.” Paquet’s drawings are straightforward and energetic, but he can create a touch of mystery when he needs to. It’s the perfect Christmas gift for that Belgian comic freak in your family who just won’t come around to the idea that jazz is the best music in all the world, and it’s only $12.95.

Originally Published November 26, 2001