Le combat ordinaire

Manu Larcenet’s four-issue series for Dargaud, published from 2003 to 2008, follows a photographer grappling with the quiet disappointments and small wonders of adult life. Known as Le combat ordinaire, it’s a deeply introspective, slice-of-life drama that earned Larcenet acclaim for its nuanced storytelling and expressive art. The series stands as a landmark in European comics for its unflinching yet tender exploration of mental health, creativity, and the struggle to find meaning in the mundane.