The Belgian Comic Strip Center - Museum Brussels

The Comic Strip Center is particularly pleased to welcome Mon frère le chasseur to its Gallery. In this hard-hitting story, Sarah Herlant delivers a powerful, extremely moving account of the difficult topic that is depression. It is likely the author had this project in mind for many years before putting it into words and images as her final year project at the LUCA School of Arts in Brussels. The theme was then continuously developed until finally making its appearance in this graphic novel.

So this exhibition marks the beginnings of an author’s work and fits nicely with the BCSC’s aim to raise the profile of the wonderful world of comic strips by bringing it together and taking it to a wider audience. Indeed, the author met her editor at our annual workshop for comics creators, which is another good reason to welcome her with open arms!

Mélanie Andrieu, the Belgian Comic Strip Center

Mon frère le chasseur, the first album from the young Belgian-Bolivian author Sarah Herlant, is an autobiographical graphic novel which tells the story of her brother Thomas who suffered from a deep depression throughout his adolescence. The story is told through the eyes of Sarah, Thomas’ younger sister. Sarah faced problems each day, at school and at home, where she watched her brother gradually sink deeper and deeper into his depression. She also witnessed the helplessness and inadequacy her parents felt as their son withdrew into his own world and his thoughts became increasingly dark and morbid. The story focuses on those close to Thomas and analyses the family’s reactions to simple everyday situations. This is a family which has to learn to cope with depression as it eats away at their life.

Comics Artist Sarah Herlant is a young illustrator of Bolivian origin who now lives in Belgium. She has always loved the graphic arts and has just completed her studies at the LUCA School of Arts in Brussels. Sarah has contributed to many fanzines but it was her meeting with André Taymans at the Belgian Comic Strip Center’s Workshop for comics creators which led to Editions EP publishing this, her first work.

Editions EP