In Baldizzone999 's collection
The Tale of One Bad Rat #1 Page 21
Ink
29 x 42 cm (11.42 x 16.54 in.)
Added on 1/19/26
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Description
Page from "The Tale of One Bad Rat", an extraordinary masterpiece both in writing and artwork by Bryan Talbot.
The story follows Helen as she runs away from home and embarks on a journey of self-discovery, closely intertwined with the landscapes and legacy of Beatrix Potter and offers a deeply moving portrayal of the struggle to process a trauma too overwhelming to be faced directly.
Talbot deliberately sets aside graphic and narrative virtuosity, ensuring that the crucial theme of abuse is never pushed into the background. The result is a clear, honest narrative: spare, restrained, and powerfully direct. The artwork are defined by precise lines, with no shading or blurring. This visual clarity reinforces the idea that, when addressing abuse against minors, the line between innocence and evil is absolute, a solid wall that must never be crossed, nor even approached.
The Tale of One Bad Rat won the 1995 UK Comic Art Award for Best New Publication and the 1995 Don Thompson Award for Best Limited Series. The collected edition won the Eisner Award for best Graphic Album Reprint in 1996, and received several other awards and nominations, including a nomination for the James Tiptree, Jr. Award in 1997.
The story follows Helen as she runs away from home and embarks on a journey of self-discovery, closely intertwined with the landscapes and legacy of Beatrix Potter and offers a deeply moving portrayal of the struggle to process a trauma too overwhelming to be faced directly.
Talbot deliberately sets aside graphic and narrative virtuosity, ensuring that the crucial theme of abuse is never pushed into the background. The result is a clear, honest narrative: spare, restrained, and powerfully direct. The artwork are defined by precise lines, with no shading or blurring. This visual clarity reinforces the idea that, when addressing abuse against minors, the line between innocence and evil is absolute, a solid wall that must never be crossed, nor even approached.
The Tale of One Bad Rat won the 1995 UK Comic Art Award for Best New Publication and the 1995 Don Thompson Award for Best Limited Series. The collected edition won the Eisner Award for best Graphic Album Reprint in 1996, and received several other awards and nominations, including a nomination for the James Tiptree, Jr. Award in 1997.
Inscriptions
Signed (bottom right): Bryan Talbot
Publication
- L'histoire d'un vilain rat
- Vertige Graphic
- 01/1999
- Page 21
-
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About Bryan Talbot
Bryan Talbot (born 24 February 1952) is a British comic book artist and writer, best known as the creator of The Adventures of Luther Arkwright and its sequel Heart of Empire, as well as the Grandville series of books. He collaborated with his wife, Mary M. Talbot to produce Dotter of Her Father's Eyes, which won the 2012 Costa biography award.
