In Memoriam: Jean Giraud

Image via Le Blog de Mister Jacq

downthetubes was sorry to hear about the passing of one of the world's greatest comics artists, Jean Giraud (aka Moebius, or, simply, 'Gir').

Born in 1938, Giraud's comics work may have had sporadic publication in the UK but in the US and as far as many British comic creators are concerned his body of work - which includes strips for Metal Hurlant (Heavy Metal) magazine and stories such as Arzach, the Airtight Garage of Jerry Cornelius, The Incal and the western adventure, Blueberry - is without equal.

He also worked on both computer game and film design, working on storyboards for films such as Alien, Willow, adaptations of his own Blueberry character and Thru the Moebius Strip, and his work influenced many film makers, including George Lucas.

A painting inspired by Jean Giraud's story, Arzach.

"I consider him more important than Doré," said Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini. "He’s a unique talent endowed with an extraordinary visionary imagination that’s constantly renewed and never vulgar. Moebius disturbs and consoles. He has the ability to transport us into unknown worlds where we encounter unsettling characters.

"My admiration for him is total. I consider him a great artist, as great as Picasso and Matisse."

"It seems only a few years ago that we collaborated under the tutorship of Alejandro Jodorowsky on the initial version of Dune in Paris," recalls veteran SF illustrator Chris Foss. "Many, many happy memories come flooding back of our time together. It is fair to say that the firm basis of our relationship was a mutual admiration of each others work.

"... I fortunately spoke at length with Jean last year and the years just fell away. He was bright and cheerful and talked enthusiastically of his various projects. It did not occur to me that such a talented life would end so abruptly."

Above: Moebius at work on Telerama in 2010

There's no doubt his work was a strong influence on many and he was and will ever be, one of the best known artists of bandes dessinées outside France.

"Those that know me know what this man meant to me," says artist Dave Taylor, who make no secret of the impact Moebius' work had on his own art. "He was, at the beginning of my comic book career, my inspiration, my master and my guide. He continues to be all these things, he always will be.

"... Jean was, in a way, a father figure to me. I became aware of his work only a few years before my Father passed away. His work spoke to me as only a father can. He once told me that we were brothers. I guess this explains my mixed emotions right now. I've lost another Father and a brother all in one day."

"This has hit me hard like a thump to the heart," agrees artist Jon Haward."...  have loved this man's work for almost all my life.

"He showed me magical worlds beautiful people incredible creatures and inspired me on so many levels -- one being you don't have to draw only in one style. Jean was successful at what ever he drew, be it westerns, sci-fi, fantasy."

"I met Jean Giraud on a couple of occasions over the years," remembers writer Neil Gaiman. "He was sweet and gentle and really... I don't know. Spiritual is not a word I use much, mostly because it feels so very misused these days, but I'd go with it for him. I liked him enormously, and felt humbled around him. And in my 20s and 30s I didn't do humbled very much or very well."

Brazilian author Paulo Coelho (whose work Moebius once illustrated) paid tribute on Twitter this weekend, stating: "The great Moebius died today, but the great Moebius is still alive. Your body died today, your work is more alive than ever."

"France has lost one of its best known artists in the world," commented Benoit Mouchart, artistic director at France's Angouleme International Comics Festival. "In Japan, Italy, in the United States he is an incredible star who influenced world comics.

"Moebius will remain part of the history of drawing, in the same right as Dürer or Ingres. He was an incredible producer, he said he wanted to show what eyes do not always see".

While here at downthetubes we'll remember him for his amazing work on Arzach and Incal, and strips for Heavy Metal - but his many credits in comics, film and illustration mean that he will never be remembered across the globe for just one of his creations alone.

Ride on, sir - and live on in my minds and hearts.

• Moebius: Official website (French)

Leeds Alternative Comics Fair back in April

The Leeds Alternative Comics Fair is back once more on Saturday 28th April, and the fourth fair is once again going to be held at A Nation of Shopkeepers, which has proved itself an ideal venue with its great atmosphere, interesting food menu and a well-stocked bar. 

The organisers are sticking with the same formula as the previous fairs, with a diverse selection of creators from the North of England, keeping it intimate in scale so that attendees can have a good look at everything on offer, get to have a chat to the exhibitors and choose from a wide range of comics along with badges, posters, cards and other handmade items direct from their makers.

Exhibitors at the fair this time include John Allison, Oliver East, James Downing, Kristyna Baczynski, Dan Berry, Adam Cadwell, Gary Bainbridge and Andy ‘Hexjibber’ Sykes, organisers Steve Tillotson and Hugh Raine plus more yet to be confirmed. 

The Fair opens at 12 noon and runs until 5.00pm and as usual the event is completely free to enter, so get along, have a browse, a chat, a drink and a fish finger sarnie. 

• More info:  http://leedsalternativecomics.wordpress.com, Facebook search “Leeds Alternative Comics” or tweet them @leedsaltcomics

The Really Heavy Greatcoat: Death Comes in Threes

With the greatest of respect to all creators, of so many hues and four dimensions, everywhere...

In Review: Superior

By Mark Millar and Leinil Francis Yu
Publisher: Titan Books
Out: Now
ISBN: 9780857685940

The Book: Simon Pooni had it all going for him - plenty of friends at school, good looks, and his coach called him one of the most talented basketball players he's ever seen. But that was when he could still move his legs. Now he's living with multiple sclerosis — until Superior entered his life! But is the result f one magic wish all it seems?

The Review: Everyone knows the kind of comics Mark Millar writes, yes? Those ultra-violent, gore-filled comic books that horrify and hypnotise at the same time, like Nemesis and Kick-Ass. Angst and anger-filled nastiness writ large for alleged disaffected youth. Comics that would horrify the writers of the moribund Comic Code.

Trust me. Superior is not one of those books, which popular though they are, I can't say I enjoy reading (sorry, Mark).

Superior is, instead, pure unadulterated fun, with heart to boot, and one of my favourite comic collection reads so far this year.

Oh, of course it pulls in ideas and concepts from the movie Big to Superman to Marvelman, as young multiple-sclerosis sufferer and superhero fan Simon Pooni is turned into his idol, Superior, by Ormon, a mysterious talking monkey. But as the tale develops, Millar turns that well-trodden background into a singular tale, as Superior's story becomes real and Simon is forced to make a choice beteween saving the world or losing his immortal soul.

Throughout, Leinil Yu's art on this book - published under Marvel's Icon imprint in the US and CLiNT in the UK - is distinctive, although I do feel the superhero scenes work better than some of those with Simon as himself. There's a depth and detail to Yu's work that does not fail to impress.

As for the story - lightweight it might be, and perhaps a little padded (do we really need so many pages where Simon discovers what Superior's powers are and wherher he has all those of the fictional character he adores?) but above all else, as I said above, it's tremendous fun. And that, from reading Mark's interviews about the story before it launched back in 2010, was entirely the point of the tale.

So yes, you do genuinely feel for Simon when, after one week of playing the role of Superior, he learns that Ormon is actually a demon incarnate, and he must sell his soul to the devil in order to remain the superhero - and put back in his old, disease-wracked body while he makes his choice. You know he feels he really has no choice but to accept Ormon's deal when the demon also makes one of his school mates - this one a two-dimensional, no holds-barred bully - Superior's arch nemesis, Abraxas, who proceeds to set out to destroy New York. And yes, jaded by superheroes though I probably am, I did hear myself mentally cheer as Superior and his friends find a way to cheat a terrible fate and end the tale on a happy note (surely a rarity by Mark Millar standards).

While there are a couple of nearly gruesome scenes, there's nothing in Superior on a par with the (for me) unpleasant visceral nastiness you'll find in Nemesis or Kick-Ass. It's all the better for that.

Superior is a joyous romp, perhaps a trifle padded, but with some great characters and characterisation, a charming story - and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Just one question. Who will play President Obama in Matthew Vaughn's movie version?

Art copyright Millarworld/Leinil Yu. downthetubes was provided with a copy of Superior by Titan Books for review purposes.