Comics / European Comics

The Humanoids

By Hervé St-Louis
April 5, 2004 - 14:29

Here are brief descriptions of the Humanoids series that DC Comics will publish. One important information that DC Comics withheld is that each of the six initial series are multi volume series. Expect each story to continue in several other books. Some of them have as much as six following albums.

European artists have differing sensibilities than North American or British writers. They do not write down to readers. In fact, much of their established audience in Europe and France, in particular are more educated than the average. Europeans love to tackle philosophical issues. They also love epics.

European writers are professional authors. That is they work with strong plots and well-established writing structures. Plots contains lots of subtleties and much is left for readers to figure out. European comic book writers are as good novelists as their prose-based cousins. Don't expect them to simplify their stories or to read anything but strong material.

Art-wise, European comics are less standardized than North American or Mangas. Artists have more time to work on series. In fact, several produce nothing but one graphic novel per year, instead of the monthly 22 pages that we expect of North American pencillers. European comics don't rely on the same standard colouring methods currently used in North American comics.

The Technopriests

First published in 1998, The Technopriests is the story of Albino, a virtual game designer who's about to attain godhood in his world. Games are played around the hardships of violence, business and the imaginary world. Things may not be as they always seem.

Alexandro Jodorowsky is a Jewish writer born from a family that fled the Pogroms in Europe and settled in Chile. In the 1950s, he traveled the world with his puppet theater against the wishes of his father who wanted him to be a doctor. He has worked with the celebrated French comic book genius, Moebius on the film adaptation of Dunes. In 1978, the duo released their first joint comic book The Eyes of the Cat. He has written several comic books influenced by his days a surrealist.

Artist Zoran Janjetov was born in Yugoslavia and worked studied fine arts and painting. A lover of Carl Barks's work, Moebius deeply influenced his style, who has marveled at the work of this younger artist. He has worked with Jodorowsky on L'incal, before starting the Technopriests series.

The Horde

Inspired by recent historical events, The Horde published in 2003 is the story of Ivan Apelsinov a Russian dictator in the year 2050 who dreams of an empire that spreads from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean. Europe is divided in an East versus West battle and Poland is the battleground. To reach his goals Apelsinov uses mystic forces and battles a Buddhist resistance.

After completing his armed-forces enrolment, Ukrainian-born Igor Baranko moved around the former Soviet Union studying Buddhism, fine arts and looking for the meaning of life. Back in Ukraine, he decided to become a comic book artist and get published by European studios. Now, as US resident, Baranko is trying to adapt to the world of American super heroes.

Townscapes

A perfect city where children dream, women are free and men all equal, it's time for someone to perform a check up to see if this utopia really exists. This story was first published in 1977 and is part of the Legends imprint.

Born in the suburbs of Paris in 1936, Pierre Christin has created with artist Mélière, Valerian, one of the most celebrated science fiction comic book series ever. He has collaborated with some of the biggest names in French comics such as Tardi and Bouq. Trained as a journalist, he writes novels where illustrations, reporting and fiction are all intertwined. He also works in film.

Raised in France, Yugoslav Enki Bilal studied fine arts and published his first story in the prestigious anthology Pilote in 1972. Bilal has worked on several series, many of which the Humanoids later acquired and reprinted. He is working on a film.

The Metabarons

Written by Alexandro Jodorowsky, the Metabarons is the story of slave Lothar and his master, Tonto, who happens to be from the cast of the Metabarons. This series contains several volumes, some of which are prequels to the first story. They have been published and recompiled several times. It is not clear which stories will be collected and published by DC Comics.

Borne in Argentina, artist Juan Gimenez studied fine arts in Spain. Meeting Jodorowsky, whom he admired, he accepted to work on his first multi-volume series with the celebrated writer. His work is very popular and can be seen gracing many novels and music albums' covers.

Deicide

Failing his quest to bring the Great Canine to honour his god, Madorak, Angkor's tribe offers his wife as a sacrifice to the god instead. Angkor defies the god and attempts to retrieve his wife from with the aid of fallen gods and mystical creatures echoing Greek mythology. The first volume exploring a fantastic world, Deicide is a story about vengeance and the unknown.

A Frank Miller and Will Eisner fan, writer Carlos Portela has worked as reporter and television director for several years. Having written several stories published in Metal Hurlant, the French version of Heavy Metal, the Spanish author loves all comics, whether European, Japanese or American.

Das Pastoras is a tenured comic book artist published in Spain-based anthologies since 1981. In 1998, Das Pastoras wrote his own comics for the first time.

The Hollow Grounds

The Hollow Grounds' world seems very similar to our own, but to careful readers this elegant world is ruled by deadly intelligence. Very cryptic indeed!

Borne in 1956, at the age of 16, François Schuiten joins Bruxelles' Institut Saint-Luc, a sequential art school. In 1977, with the help of brother Luc, François publishes The Hollow Grounds in Métal Hurlant. Schuiten has worked on several comic book and film projects with partner Benoit Peeters. In 2003, he received the Grand Prix de la Ville d'Angoulême.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12