Jean Giraud – Moebius, the celebrated French comic artist passed away this year on 10th March 2012, aged 73. He created truly iconic work, such as Blueberry, Arzach (see image*), L’incal (The Incal), Le Garage Hermetique (The Airtight Garage), Silver Surfer (for Marvel Comics). He influenced all of pop culture; books, film anime. He will be greatly missed.
Whilst looking back over what little of Moebius’ work I own, I was once again staggered by the immensity of his work, its timelessness, its scope and its grandeur. One short story I came across links in with Lovecraft, of whom Moebius was ‘impressed’. It is to be found in Moebius 2. The Collected Fantasies of Jean Giraud. Arzach & Other Fantasy Stories** was Ktulu, a story including H.P. Lovecraft. The story was influenced by the report of a certain Giscard D’Estaing who went out to Africa hunting wild game using privilege of office (Moebius was shocked at this). The resultant comic is amazing, in true Moebius style.
If you can track it down, it is well worth the effort and cost (start with Wikipedia and work back to first principles…)
* Interior artwork from an unspecified issue of Métal Hurlant published by Les Humanoïdes Associés. Art by Jean Giraud.
** Published by Titan Books, November 1989
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