Tristan Demers: cookies to celebrate his 40-year career!

BET À DAY

Samples of cookies were distributed in the neighborhood. Tristan and his friend collect all the cookies! But wait a minute: is this theft? After 40 years of career, Tristan Demers presents a first album signed only by his pen.

You are known as an illustrator and cartoonist. Why, now, a first album signed only as an author?

For a dozen years, I have managed to get out of the guy who just does Gargoyle. I put myself in danger with something else, especially documentary books, like Tintin and Quebec, then Asterix among Quebecers. The cookie hunt, I wanted to write it, but not to illustrate it. Since the narration is in the first person, it took me a certain distance.

Exactly, the illustrations are superb, with their retro side!

Marie-Ève ​​Tremblay did a great job of illustration! I chose it because I liked its vintage style. The story takes place in 1979, 1980. Throughout the album, there are several retro nods. Little Tristan has a Steinberg bag. In his room, there is Tintin's rocket and an Obelix figurine. Then we see a car with the side in faux wood.

Is the story really inspired by a memory from your childhood?

Yes. At the time, I was seven years old and I lived in Sept-Îles. I went on a bike with my friend Louis and we picked up the biscuits in front of the doors of the houses. My mom found me on the other side of town! I well remember the feeling that inhabited me that is that of the conflict of ethics. I found that there were few books that tackled the ethical conflict for children. I think it is a book that can lead to a discussion with toddlers. You, would you have taken the biscuits? Did you feel bad?

You are celebrating your 40-year career! If we did an overview of your journey…

I'm not tired, I'm still here! At ten, I created my comic book character Gargouille, at 12 I had my company, at 14 I had 2200 subscribers to my magazine, two employees and an office. Then, I worked at the Petit journal of TQS. I have published 81 books and sold almost a million copies of all my publications. For me, it comes from the heart and the pleasure of telling a story. To give children a taste for dreaming, to explore creativity. I would never do a project just to make sales. I would feel dishonest and then my ethical conflict of Cookie Hunt would appear (laughs)!

The question goes without saying: do you have a recipe? signature cookie?

I sometimes make oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies. However, I suck at cooking! It's chemistry and we fall into mathematics, into something Cartesian. I'm an artist (laughs)!