The French Association of Cartoon Critics and Journalists (ACBD) has announced the wordless 3D graphic novel Jean Jambe and the Mysteries by Matthias Picard, winner of the annual Prix Jeunesse Kids Prize. ACBD has also narrowed down the candidates for its signature award, the Grand Criticism Award.
Roughly translated as “Jean Jambu and the Mysteries of the Depths”, the book is a wordless graphic novel that uses 3D (glasses included) to immerse the reader in the story of a character who follows a mysterious thread underground. This book was published by Éditions 2042’s children’s imprint 4048. You can check out part of the book here.
The Critics Association says the following about the book (translated via DeepL):
“The members of ACBD decided to appreciate a highly original wordless adventure. In Jean Jambe and the Mysteries of the Deep, Matthias Picard introduces a charming little character who explores the deepest parts of the earth. He constructs the story like a wandering journey without a specific destination. Readers become part of the story by donning cardboard 3D glasses that give a true immersion to the environment and artwork.”
Jean Jambe is Matthias Picard’s third children’s title, and also his third characterless 3D children’s comic. This work follows two works in Picard’s Jim Curious series (both available with English covers): Jim Curious and the Journey to the Heart of the Sea (2014) and Jim Curious and the Jungle Journey (2019). Both “English versions” were released by Éditions 2042, but Jungle Journey was later released for the US by Abrams in 2021.
Critics Award 2025 Finalist
ACBD is also currently awarding the five shortlisted books to the Criticism Grand Prize. It is the organization’s highest award and essentially equates to book of the year.
These books were selected from a longlist of 15 books during the bdBOUM festival weekend in Blois last weekend. The winner will be chosen in a final vote by ACBD members on December 2nd.
Most are currently not available in English, and no localization has occurred yet (as far as we know). We hope that the visibility these awards bring will generate enough interest for a publisher or two to pick it up. An exception is Silent Jenny by Matthieu Bablet. Thanks to a partnership between Label 619 and Magnetic Press, the film is scheduled for release in 2026.
The final candidates are:
‘Une Obsession’ (tr. ‘An Obsession’), by Nine Antico (Dargaud) — a meditation on sexuality and love by the author while traveling to Venice after a breakup
Sangliers (tr. ‘Wild Boars’) by Lisa Blumen (L’employé.e du Moi) — A psychological thriller about a beauty influencer grappling with the superficial demands and expectations of today’s digital age
Les Sentiers d’Anahuac (tr. ‘The Paths of Anahuac’) by Romain Bertrand & Jean Dytar (Delcourt) – About the 16th century Franciscan priest Bernardino de Sahagun and an indigenous boy’s efforts to preserve Aztec culture.
Silent Jenny, by Mathieu Bablet (label 619/Rue de Sèvres) — Post-apocalyptic eco-dystopian science fiction from the author of Adrastea, Shangri-La, and Carbon & Silicon. Magnetic Press plans to publish an English version in 2026
Soli Deo Gloria (tr. ‘Glory be to God Alone’), Jean-Christophe Devenay & Edouard Coeur (Dupuis) – from the artist Hercules. Set in the Holy Roman Empire, it’s a coming-of-age story about two children, their love of music, and how it shapes their lives.
The Critics Grand Prix longlist included some familiar names. Jesse Lonergan’s Drôme (released in French by 404 Graphic) and Brian Talbot’s Grandville prequel The Case of Stamford Hawksmoor (released in French by Delirium) received praise from comic book critics in French-speaking countries. Unfortunately, it wasn’t good enough to make the final selection, but I’m still honored.
Founded in 1984, the Association Bande Dessinée Critiques de Journalists (ACBD) is a French-language association that covers comics in the media (print, online, television, radio, etc.). There are five awards each year: Best Children’s Book (Jeunesse Prix), Best French Canadian Book (Prix Québécoise), Best Asian Book (Aggie Award), Best English Book (Comic Book Award), and, of course, the Grand Prix Criticism.
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