David B.

Published 7:00 am Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Known by his nom de ’toon David B., Parisian author-illustrator Pierre-François Beauchard is visiting town as part of the Alliance Française’s tribute to the French graphic novel. His autobiographical Epileptic (Pantheon, $17.95) is new in paper, and he’ll likely show and discuss panels from that often disturbing illustrated family memoir. In it, his brother’s disease becomes both a monster and an inspiration to the young future artist. Also on display through Aug. 25 will be panels from Beauchard’s new comic series Babel, a kind of feverish boyhood adventure serial with stops in danger-filled Africa. See the Alliance Française Web site for the week’s other related events, including a Tintin documentary at Northwest Film Forum and a cartoonists’ panel, also including locals Jim Woodring and David Bagge, at the Henry. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, 1201 S. Vale St., 658-0110, www.fantagraphics.com, www.afseattle.org. Free. 6 p.m. (Also: Seattle Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., 386-4636, www.spl.org. 2 p.m. Sat., Aug. 16.) BRIAN MILLER

Aug. 15-25, 6 p.m., 2008