Humor: From Gags to Social Satire

Humor comics in BD encompass an enormous range, from child-friendly slapstick to savage adult satire. This diversity reflects French and Belgian cultures' appreciation for different comedy registers and BD's ability to modulate tone through visual and verbal interplay.

The gag-a-day tradition, exemplified by Franquin's Gaston Lagaffe, demonstrates BD's genius for visual comedy. Gaston's office mishaps operate through pure visual choreography, with Franquin's elastic line work conveying motion and impact. Yet even this apparently simple series contains subtle workplace satire and environmental commentary.

Adult humor BD achieved breakthrough success with creators like Gotlib, whose "Rubrique-à-Brac" mixed literary parody, sexual humor, and formal experimentation. Gotlib's influence opened doors for increasingly transgressive humor, though always maintaining artistic ambition alongside provocation.

Contemporary humor BD ranges from Boulet's observational webcomics about daily life to Riad Sattouf's sociological satire in "Pascal Brutal." The humor genre has proven particularly effective for addressing sensitive social issues, using comedy to make difficult subjects approachable while maintaining critical edge.