Michigan On the Trail of a War Bride

November 1944, Paris, France. GI John arrives in France as a mechanic in the Military Railway Service. He meets and falls in love with a young French woman, Odette, working in a corner cafe after her family's business was destroyed. He is posted to Germany and returns a year later when his proposal of marriage is accepted and they decide to go live in the US, much to her family's chagrin. But first Odette must stop over at a 'cigarette camp', Philip Morris Camp in Le Havre, for indoctrination and training in being 'American' before boarding the MS Vulcania for the voyage to the new land. Fast forward to the start of the book where her great niece Maud and her husband Julien are preparing to embark on a trip from Paris to Michigan to meet up with Odette. But many a culture shock awaits them!

Born in 1977 Julien Frey grew up in Paris, France. After gaining a degree in Cinema Studies he turned his hand to script writing on a dozen or more animation series including 'Casper', 'Angry Birds Comics' and 'Geronimo Stilton'. He then turned to more personal projects and, in 2013, he became a regular constributor to the review magaine 'Papier' edited by Lewis Trondheim. The following year, in collaboration with artist Dominique Mermoux, he published 'One Day It Will Come And Knock On Your Door' - his first autobiographical album on the search for the origins and meanings of memory. 'Michigan' followed in 2017 and he continues to work to this day. Born in Buenos Aires in 1971 he studied graphic design in college and gained experience as an artist and designer working in the press. He turned his attention fully to comics in 2006 and became artist in residence at the Maison des Auteurs in Angouleme, France, home of Europe's biggest comic festival. He has worked with several writers and also created solo projects like his "The Longest Day of the Future" which was published by Fantagraphics in the US. He continues to live and work in Angouleme. Lucas Varela is a cartoonist from Buenos Aires.