Les Miserables - The Reunion

Acknowledgement
We would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to our teachers - Ms. Maulshree Sinha, Course Co-ordinator of Fashion Communica-
tion department and Mr. Amit Kumar, Assistant Porfessor of Fashion Communication department for providing us the knowledge of Publica-
tion Design as well as Mr. Ajeet Kumar and Ms. Apla Srivastava, Assistant Professors of Fashion Communication department, for providing us
an immense grip on World’s Fashion Costume Culture.
Four of them gave us the golden opportunity to do this wonderful project on Les Misérables, which also helped us in doing a lot of research
about the literature and the era. We did a thorough research on the fashion and the costumes which were recreated in the forms of theatres,
films, paintings or any other resources.
As a result we decided to create a graphic novel, “Les Misérables - The Reunion”. The inspiration of illustrations and costumes are mainly taken
from the movie, Les Misérables, released in 2012.

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 Books (Adaptations and Sequels)
1872, Gavroche: The Gamin of Paris, translated and adapted by M. C. Pyle.
1922, The Story of “Les Misérables”, adapted by Isabel C. Fortey.
1935, Jean Val Jean, a condensed retelling by Solomon Cleaver.
1946, Les Misérables, adapted by Mabel Dodge Holmes, edited by Grace A. Benscoter.
1995, Cosette: The Sequel to Les Misérables by Laura Kalpakian, more a sequel to the musical than to Hugo’s novel.
1995, Les Misérables, adapted by Monica Kulling for the Bullseye Step Into Classics series.
2001, French author François Cérésa wrote two sequels, Cosette or the Time of Illusions and Marius or The Fugitive. Hugo’s descendants, includ-
ing his great-great-grandson Pierre Hugo, wanted the novels banned, claiming that they breached the moral rights of the author and betrayed the
“respect of the integrity” and “spirit” of Hugo’s original novel.
2013, Barricades: The Journey Of Javert, a novel by C.A. Shilton based on the early life of Javert.
2014, A Little in Love by Susan Fletcher, a novel based on the early life of Éponine, published by Chicken House Ltd.

Comics
Western comics
1943: Classic Comics releases a comics adaptation with illustrations by Rolland H. Livingstone.
1961: Classic Comics releases a revision of the 1943 adaptation with illustrations by Norman Nodel.
François Dermaut adapted the story into a comic book version for the magazine Djin.

Manga
2013: Serial manga adaptation by Takahiro Arai in Japan’s Monthly Shonen Sunday magazine.
2014: UDON Manga Classics manga adaptation. Art by SunNeko Lee and story adaptation by Crystal Silvermoon.

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Prologue
Les Misérables, is a classic story of empathy, sympathy, redemption, love and hatred set in post-revolution France. Written by
Victor Hugo, Les Misérables follows the transformation of it’s main character from a criminal to an honest man and from a
dedicated conservative to a compassionate fellow. Hugo, through his book, provides us the detailed look into ninteenth century
France’s society and politics.

Following the events of Les Misérables which revolved around tragedy, poverty, drama, suffrage and uprisings, this illustrated
book features the characters in a humourous reunion with attention to their fashion.

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 On a sunday afternoon, the Thénadiers
sit and ponder about their life, naturally as
we all do, and decide to try and be better
people - ones who don’t steal, loot or trick
people - which is quite a task, according to
their history. However, they feel a change
is necessary in their lifestyle to attract more
guests and customers for their inn.

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While they’re at it, the Thenadiérs
also decide to throw a dinner party
for all the people they betrayed in
the past so as to spread the word
about their good intentions to
everyone.
They call on their daughter Epon-
iné and ask her to send invitations
to everyone, inviting them over for
dinner in a fortnight.

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 Eponiné sends the letters explaining
to everyone her parents plans. Many
of them respond straight away, as a
free dinner was promised.

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Maurius and Cosette are among
the first ones to receive the letters.
Marius tries to convince a very
doubtful Cosette about attending
the dinner party and mending
her ties with the Thenadiérs even
though it would never help her
resolve her childhood abuse.

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 On the day of the event, many peo-
ple show up with intrigue to see if
the letters they received were right.
They couldn’t fathom the fact that the
Thenadiérs actually knew what the
word ‘apologize’ meant.

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The Thenadiérs welcome all
their guests graciously. Madame
Thenadiér considers self involve-
ment to be more gracious than steal-
ing from them as soon as they enter.

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 They promised themselves they
would stop stealing but when an op-
portunity presented itself, Monsieur
Thenadiér couldn’t resist.

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 When Maurius and Cosette come,
the Thendaiérs decide to let the cou-
ple be, as they already have ruined
their lives enough, and also because
both Maurius and Cosette are well
aware of their tricks.

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Eponiné continues to stalk Mauri-
us as soon as he arrives while her
friends snicker behind her back
about how she should find someone
new to obsess over; and a new dress.

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 Jean Valjean decides to go at the
last minute since he couldn’t find
anyone to go with, due to a lack of
social life. He convinces Fantine’s
ghost, his only friend, to accompany
him. Though Fantine hates to be in
the same presence as the Thenadiérs
after all the things they did to her
daughter, Cosette, she decides it is
time to let bygones be bygones and
take the higher road by haunting
them.

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With a huge turn-up of people, the
inn was in a full swing of celebra-
tion. Javert, who is on duty near
the inn decides to go in to experi-
ence what fun looks and feels like,
while not crushed by overwhelming
feelings of killing oneself.

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 Thenadiér panicks as soon as
he sees a police officer enter his
inn but soon realises Javert is too
distracted by Jean Valjean, the
only man he’s ever been after and
doesn’t even care about all the
crimes the Thenadiérs have com-
mitted throughout their lives.

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Finally, all the people assemble at
the dining table and silently pray
for the food to come faster so as
to eat and get out of the awkward
interactions where everyone kept
apologizing to each other.

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Les Miserables - The Reunion

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