Presentation

Name : Franquin First name : André Date of birth : January 3, 1924 Date of death : January 15, 1997 Occupation : Scenario writer-draughtsman Main works : Spirou and Gaston

Biography

André Franquin was born in January 1924 in Etterbeek / Belgium. When he was 20 years, he attended the courses of the art school and Saint-Luc architecture in Brussels. Fascinated by Disney, he enters the CBA studios at the same time of its output in 1944. He met Morris, Peyo and Paape there.

When the owner gave up, the trio had a commitment with the Spirou magazine directed by Joseph Gillain alias Jijé. The team of the 4 (Jijé, Franquin, Morris and Will) lives, works under the editorship of brilliant Jijé. He entrusted Franquin, 22 years old, to create the groom Spirou, creation of Rob Vel, and his companion of Fantasio adventures.
The first episode of Spirou, written by Franquin is the Tank published in 1947. In 1948, the quator went to the United States and Mexico. When he went back to Belgium, Franquin felt in love with a woman, Liliane, and soon they got married.

All his time was dedicated to Spirou who was accompanied by the Count Hégésippe Adélard Ladislas of Champignac, good erudite living in a country castle, Marsupilami, a remarkable animal coming from the equatorial forest of Palombie, Zorglub, Zantafio, etc...
Franquin gave up Spirou, that was taken up again by Fournier in 1967, specially devoted to the first anti-hero of tape-drawn: Gaston Lagaffe. He will publish 15 albums of " hero-without-employment ". In 1977, with Yvan Delporte, he created the Illustrated Trombone, supplement of the Spirou magazine, in which he published his first " Black thoughts ". Then they were published by Heavy Metal when the Trombone disappeared.

At the end of the 80's, he started up the comics and created the Tifous, three gnômes (the Wise, the Poet and the Insane) and laughing came from the medium of tree in love, river malicious and dwelling bubble of soap. But, among the 78 episode done, only 3 were broadcasted on FR3-TV and on Switzerland television, because of financial problems. In 1987, he started up Marsupilami again and created the Marsu Productions.
Franquin died on January 15, 1997 of a heart attack and we will remenber him as a great comic strip maker.

Hergé said: " When I see Franquin, I tell myself: how can I compare to him? He's a great artist, and compared to him I am just a poor draughtsman "