Comic book at Festival du Voyageur lets readers imagine the story

Robert Malo's graphic novel has no words, just illustrations

Image | Tibert Le Voyageur

Caption: Tibert Le Voyageur (CBC)

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words — something Robert Malo will tell you must be true — but his comic book detailing the adventures of French voyageurs has no words at all.

Image | Tibert Le Voyageur

Caption: Malo says it's up to readers to tell the story. (CBC)

"I'm an oral storyteller so I use my words to put images in your mind," Malo said.
Malo's comic TiBert Le Voyageur relies solely on illustrations by artist Christian Miranda.
Malo, a Franco-Manitoban with Métis background, said the comic is about his ancestors from 200 years ago — voyageurs.
He said he studied voyageurs' stories, amalgamated them and then made his comic.
Malo said an added bonus of the wordless comic is that there's no need to print in English and French.
"I myself, when I look at them, I almost see different stories every time, so I figured you've already got the images — you can put your own words."