Translation and the acquisition of symbolic capital: The Blueberry Western series in the field of American comic books

Abstract

ABSTRACT One of the best Western comic book series in the field of Franco-Belgian comics, the Blueberry series is widely acclaimed and has generated considerable symbolic capital. Mirroring its success in France and Belgium, this series has also been extensively (re)translated and (re)printed in several countries, such as Spain and Italy. In Anglophone countries, however, this editorial success has not been replicated. The Blueberry series has never been published in its entirety in English, nor has it acquired the symbolic capital that it enjoys in the Franco-Belgian comics field. This article focuses on the American editions of the Blueberry series. By adopting a translational framework based on Jean-Marc Gouanvic’s works on the sociology of translation, this paper shifts the traditional focus of Translation Studies from the texts to the critical and often overlooked role of translators and other agents in the international circulation of (graphic) narratives. Based primarily on the analysis of interviews with the American translators and editors of the Blueberry series, coupled with close paratextual examination of selected comics samples, this article investigates the context behind the reception of this iconic Western series in the field of American comic books.