20 ans ferme #[nn]

A lone figure sits hunched and isolated in what appears to be a confined, institutional space — a quietly devastating image that sets the tone for this French graphic novel from Futuropolis. 20 ans ferme, subtitled "un récit pour témoigner de l'indignité d'un système," announces itself as a frank witness account of a broken system, brought to life by Sylvain Ricard and Nicoby. The restrained, muted palette of greens and grays on the cover perfectly mirrors the heavy subject matter, making this 2012 album a compelling and humane piece of bande dessinée journalism.