L'assommoir

In 2022, Les Arènes launched a graphic adaptation of Émile Zola's classic novel L'assommoir, bringing the gritty, naturalist tale of working-class Paris to the comics page. This single-issue volume distills the harrowing story of Gervaise Macquart's struggle against poverty and alcoholism, rendered by a team of French creators. While still early in its publication, this adaptation matters as a contemporary entry in the long tradition of literary comics, offering a visually immersive take on a cornerstone of French realism.