Bringing comic books into the digital age

Comics (bande dessinée or “BD” in French) are an important part of European cultural heritage. They have been published in various formats throughout the years, be it in newspapers and magazines, stand-alone albums or, more recently, digital form. Unfortunately, transferring a comic from one format to another is a long and costly process, as the artists have to painstakingly reproduce the layout each time. This project aims to make that process easier.

The cultural angle

We will be analyzing digital technology’s influence on European comics. We will also use visual computing to generate detailed segments of graphic elements such as individual characters or objects, as well as 3D effects. Finally, we aim to enhance the archives at Lausanne’s BD Centre through a digitization initiative.

Keywords:

  • Digital humanities
  • Comic books (BD)
  • Digital preservation of cultural heritage