Les Clés de la bande dessinée #2
"La fonction d'une histoire" is a poignant, wordless narrative from Lynd Ward—writing, drawing, and inking with stark, expressive precision—whose quiet power lies in its unflinching look at hardship and resilience. Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, it follows a young woman and her former classmate as their lives diverge amid economic collapse, their fates intertwined by loss and quiet endurance. The cover, a striking piece by Will Eisner, captures the weight of the moment with a timeless, haunting simplicity.
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
The girl and the young man are graduated from high school in highest expectations. He hopes for a good job, she for a career as a violinist. As the Depression deepens he leaves town to find work, but she does not hear from him again. When the father loses his job he attempts suicide so that the girl will receive the benefits of his life insurance, but only succeeds in blinding himself. The girl pawns her violin, and they are evicted from their apartment. At the end they wait in line, with many others, for relief.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).