Literature adaptations are quite commonly found in the modern history of Swiss comics. The transfer is made when one medium is changed into another, when a written piece is transformed into the drawn pictures and text of a comic. Swiss comic-artists quite often take material from existing Swiss literature. In doing so they obviously condense and shorten the original material but create new perspectives and qualities by working with another medium. Comic artists are attracted to literature that is in someway stubborn or difficult to transform. The pictures set a comic’s mood and atmosphere more directly than a written text. Literature adaptations can basically be described as having two effects: On one hand they convince literature followers of the comic mediums’ qualities and on the other they lead comic lovers indirectly to literature. It’s interesting to note that it’s the rather demanding books from the thriller genre that are often chosen for adaptation, mostly from the two Swiss authors Friedrich Glauser and Friedrich Dürrenmatt.

The “Glauser” Case

Hannes Binder (Zürich) was most productive with the adaptations and interpretations of Swiss literature. As a result of seeing the book-cover illustration from Friedrich Glauser (1896-1938), he came up with the idea of translating the Swiss author’s texts into comic form. His preoccupation with Glauser’s work has since developed into an obsession. Binder was especially attracted to the novels and tales involving constable Jakob Studer, the somewhat obstinate policeman who loved his red wine and “Brissago” cigars. In 1998 he adapted Studer’s fourth case, “Der Chinese” (Original 1937/1938). He then converted the final (sixth) case, “Krock & Co.” (1937) into a comic thriller in 1990. Glauser, (who was only really recognised as an important Swiss author long after his death) not only offered his readers suspense and entertainment with his constable Studer thrillers, but also firmly criticised poor social standards of the day by bringing the little people into the spotlight. Hannes Binder didn’t just leave his comic adaptations at extremely ordered scratchboard technique graphics. In “Glausers Fieber” (1998), he goes one step further and combines facts with fiction: “ The “Fieberkurve” reading matter convinced me even more that an adaptation would only make sense if I read, compared and mixed Glauser’s biography, his time spent in France plus his written work together with the fiction in which it entails. The whole thing is a single “Fiebertraum” (fever-dream), which fragments of reality - post offices, diary notes - continually penetrate. They are then added using filming techniques and are superimposed, transforming the “Fieberkurve” into a single collage.” (Hannes Binder)

Comic-documents by Dürrenmatt

Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921-1990), (not forgetting Max Frisch 1911-1991), is one of the most important Swiss authors of the post war period. His “philosophically-moral” thrillers have been repeatedly converted to comics. “Der Richter und sein Henker” (novel: 1950/ 1952, comic: 1988) came into being during a high school lesson in Berne. Both the location and time setting (from 1948, when the story takes place) were meticulously reconstructed for the pictorial adaptation. The comic text consisted of original quotations. The same school then adapted Dürrenmatt’s “Der Verdacht” (novel: 1952, comic: 1993). A very detailed, documentary like atmosphere was once again the aim of all involved. The novel’s philosophical reflections were portrayed by the students in full-page pictures and were orientated once again on Dürrenmatt’s painting work.

The novel “Farinet ou la Fausse Monnaie” by Charles Ferdinand Ramuz (Lausanne, 1878-1947) was released in 1932. It was the story of the anarchic forger and freedom fighter (from the Wallis) of the same name, who revolted against the lands upper class and helped the poor like “Robin Hood”. It was popular material and was promptly made into a film (1939, Director: Max Haufler). The figure Farinet was also to be seen in Cosey’s two band comic “A la recherche de Peter Pan” from (1984/ 1985). A fictitious writer also played a role with Cosey weaving “Peter Pan” motives from James Mathew Barrie (1860-1937) through his fiction. The comic artist Simon (Tschopp) from the Wallis and the scriptwriter Daniel Varenne from Paris came together in 1989 in an aim to create an actual comic version of Ramuz’ “Farinet”.

Ursula Fürst adapted the novel “Die Ballade von der Typhoid Mary” in 1990 which was originally released in 1982 by the Swiss writer Jürg Federspiel. It was the story of Maria Caduff, a Swiss woman who migrated to New York in the late 1800’s. She condensed the existing literary document with typical strokes and grey tones into an idyllic comic.
“Die Abenteuer des Odysseus” (1992) from Frida Bünzli (Debra Bühlmann-Drenten) was the result of a whole years work after receiving the job from the well-known publishing house Artemis & Winkler. She reduced the antique epic from Homer down to a 96-page comic, even though the way in which she gained access to the material was quite strange. The tale is told is from a female‘s point of view with Frida Bünzli bringing Nausikaa’s (Odysseus’ benefactress) side of the story to light.

A Critical Glance from France

The Varenne brothers Alex (drawings) and Daniel (texts) from France believe it is vitally important to understand the autobiographical text “Mars” (1976) from Zürich author Fritz Zorn in order to understand today’s world. (Fritz Zorn is actually a pseudonym for Fritz Angst, an upper class son from Zürich, struggling with cancer). They attempted an adaptation of the book, not even trying to copy or represent the story’s entire complexity. The Varenne brothers actually wanted to create some sort of homage (with 27 pages), to give a reference in comic form that brought attention to the original literary document. Because the Varennes wanted their “Angst und Zorn” work (released 1986 in German: 1986 coincided with “10 Jahre nach Mars”; and then 1988 in French as “Angoisse et Colère”) to be ordered and detailed, the original documents they received from Paris just weren’t enough. Even though original text passages were used in the comic, they had no intention in simply transforming the story into picture form. As a result they travelled more often to Zürich, visiting the various locations used in the book, making sketches and taking photographs. Additional information about the author’s character was acquired from friends and contemporary witnesses of the deceased. Ten years after the book, the somewhat unconventional but successful conversion was finally complete. The Varennes deliberately drew a critical picture of Switzerland in their work, believing in someway that money and high society makes one sick!

There’s already been theatre pieces, radio plays, picture books, both real and animated cartoons, musicals and even an opera- a comic therefore can’t possibly be left out when we’re talking about one of the worlds most famous novel characters. In both her “Heidi” novels from 1880/ 1881, Johanna Spyri (writer, 1827-1901) describes the life of a young orphan girl called Heidi who grows up with her grandfather (Alpöhi) in the Swiss Alps. She later provides the physically handicapped daughter of a wealthy business family from Frankfurt with new strength and determination to live. Countless international adaptations of the “Heidi” material into comic form in numerous languages prove just how famous and loved this particular Swiss teenage novel character really is throughout the whole world.

Drawn World Literature

A unique, extravagant form of literature adaptation into comic form was presented in the series “Comic-Artists interpret Pieces of World Literature”. Their work appeared from 1991 to 1993 in the Zürich newspaper’s supplement, “Das Magazin”. Each individual piece of world literature was allocated one complete page. Internationally known comic-artists took part in the project along with well-known Swiss artists: Thomas Ott (Carolls “Alice im Wunderland”, Wildes “Das Bildnis des Dorian Gray”, Bradburys “Der illustrierte Mann”), M.S. Bastian (Becketts “Warten auf Godot”, Dürrenmatts “Der Tunnel”), Noyau (Castanedas “ Reise nach Ixtlan”, Kerouacs “Unterwegs”), Mix & Remix (Diderots “Jacques der Fatalist”, Cervantes’ “Don Quichote”), Ursula Fürst (Jean Pauls “Dr. Katzenbergers Badereise”, Twains “Eine Rigibesteigung”), Schuler/ Caprez (Shakespeares “Macbeth”, “Romeo und Julia”, “Hamlet”, “Die Zähmung der Widerspenstigen”), Frida Bünzli (de Costers “Eulenspiegel”) and Gefe (Sartres “Der Ekel”). World literature short and funny.

Bibliografie (selection):

Hannes Binder:
Friedrich Glauser. Der Chinese. Krimi-Comic, Arche-Verlag, Zürich 1988, ISBN 3-7160-2067-2
Friedrich Glauser. Krock & Co. Krimi-Comic, Arche-Verlag, Zürich 1990, ISBN 3-7160-2115-6
Friedrich Glauser. Knarrende Schuhe. Bilder-Krimi, Arche-Verlag, Zürich 1992, ISBN3-7160-2155-5
Dichterwort vor Ort, Zytglogge Verlag, Bern 1993, ISBN 3-7296-0459-7
Wachtmeister Studer im Tessin. Eine Fiktion, Zytglogge Verlag, Bern 1996, ISBN 3-7296-0533-X
Glausers Fieber, Limmat Verlag, Zürich 1998, ISBN 3-85791-316-9
Eine Melodie, die der Kommissär schon einmal gehört hatte ..., Limmat Verlag, Zürich 2002, ISBN 3-85791-383-5

Frida Bünzli: Die Abenteuer des Odysseus, Artemis & Winkler, Zürich 1992, ISBN 3-7608-1079-9

Cosey: A la recherche de Peter Pan, 1 + 2, Lombard, Paris 1984/1985, ISBN 2-8036-0456-6/2-8036-0497-3; Auf der Suche nach Peter Pan, 1 + 2, Carlsen, Reinbek 1987/1992, ISBN 3551027226
/ 3551027234 / 355102720X

Friedrich Dürrenmatt: Der Richter und sein Henker. Comic auf der Grundlage des Romans, Städtisches Literargymnasium Bern-Neufeld, Kernfach Zeichnen, Zytglogge Verlag, Bern 1988, ISBN 3-7296-305-1

Friedrich Dürrenmatt: Le juge et son bourreau. Bande dessinée tirée du roman, Favre, Lausanne 1989, ISBN 2-8289-0436-9

Friedrich Dürrenmatt: Der Verdacht. Comic auf der Grundlage des Romans, Städtisches Literargymnasium Bern-Neufeld, Kernfächer Deutsch und Zeichnen, Edition Exodus, Luzern 1993, ISBN 3-905575-79-5

Ursula Fürst: Die Ballade von der Typhoid Mary. Nach einem Roman von Jürg Federspiel, Edition Moderne, Zürich 1990, ISBN 3-907010-49-3

Féle Loser: Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Der Besuch der alten Dame. Comic, auf der Grundlage der dramatischen Komödie vollends überarbeitete Zweitfassung, Dietschi-Verlag, Olten 1998, ISBN 3-9520203-9-7

Irene Mahrer-Stich (Hg.): Alice im Comicland. Comic-Zeichner präsentieren Werke der Weltliteratur, Edition Moderne, Zürich 1993, ISBN 3-907010-73-6 (Thomas Ott, Lorenzo Mattotti, M.S. Bastian, Mary Fleener, Kamagurka, Noyau, Kim Deitch, Mix & Remix, Loustal, Ursula Fürst, Ben Katchor, Schuler/Caprez, Bernd Pfarr, José Muñoz, Frida Bünzli, Julie Doucet, Gefe)

Simon (Tschopp)/Daniel Varenne: Farinet. Edition Kesselring, Lausanne 1989
Tom Tirabosco: L’Emissaire (d’après une nouvelle de Ray Bradbury), Papier Gras, Genève 1998

Alex und Daniel Varenne: Angst und Zorn, in: Angst und Zorn. «Mars» – zehn Jahre danach, Strapazin-Sonderheft/Edition Moderne, Zürich 1986, ISBN 3-907010-25-6

Alex et Daniel Varenne: Angoisse et Colère, Casterman, Tournai 1988, ISBN 2-203-33441-X

Text by Urs Hangartner (2005)