Ralf König

Infobox Comics creator
name = Ralf König


imagesize = 175px
caption = Ralf König at "Saló International del Còmic de Barcelona"
birthname =
birthdate = birth date and age|1960|8|8
location = Soest, Germany
deathdate =
deathplace =
nationality = German
area =
alias =
notable works = "The Killer Condom" "Der bewegte Mann" "Lysistrata" "Pretty Baby" "Wie die Karnickel"
awards = full list

Ralf König (born August 8, 1960 in Soest, Germany) is one of the best known and most commercially successful German comic book creators, whose work is translated into several languages. Having lived in Soest, Dortmund and Berlin, he currently resides in Cologne.

Biography

After attending the German Hauptschule, König completed his apprenticeship as a joiner.

In 1979 he experienced his coming out as a gay man, and during this time he created short comics stories that appeared in the Munich underground magazine "Zomix" and the gay periodical "Rosa Flieder". [cite web | authorlink =ralf-koenig.de | title = ralf-koenig.de English biography | url = http://www.ralf-koenig.de/comic.php?u=22&info=English-biography] From 1981–86, he returned to academic studies, attending the public Kunstakademie Düsseldorf with a major in free art ("Freie Kunst"). Also in 1981, his first comics "Sarius", "Das sensationelle Comic-Book" and "SchwulComix" ("GayComix") were published by Verlag Rosa Winkel in Berlin. In 1987 he wrote his first comic with a continuous story ("Kondom des Grauens").

His comics have a vast homosexual fan base following, and despite initial scepticism of broader comics audiences due to the work's consistent gay culture setting, it has gained great popularity among heterosexual readers.cite web | last = Schneider| first = Matthias | title = Ralf König bio | publisher = goethe-institut | month = March | year = 2005 | url = http://www.goethe.de/kue/lit/prj/com/pch/chk/en549418.htm ] To date several of his comics are adapted into films, translated into fourteen languages, and publications exceed 5 million copies.cite web | last = Lambiek| title =Ralf König | url = http://lambiek.net/artists/k/konig_r.htm ]

Works

His stories are drawn in an expressive cartoon style, normally written with humour, but occasionally deal with serious themes such as the tension between spontaneous sex and the risk of AIDS infection. Most frequently, the work portrays daily routines of gay life, often based on his own and friends' personal experiences.

Comics

*"Sarius", 1981
*"Das sensationelle Comic-Book", 1981
*"SchwulComix" (Gay Comics), 1981
*"SchwulComix 2" (Gay Comics 2), 1984
*"Macho Comix" (Macho Comix), 1984
*"SchwulComix 3" (Gay Comics 3), 1985
*"SchwulComix 4" (Gay Comics 4), 1986
*"Kondom des Grauens" (The Killer Condom), 1987
*"Der bewegte Mann" (Maybe...Maybe Not Again), 1987
*"Lysistrata", 1987
*"Pretty Baby", 1988 (sequel to "Der bewegte Mann")
*"Comics, Cartoons, Critzeleien", 1988
*"Safere Zeiten" (Safer Times), 1988
*"Beach Boys", 1989
*"Prall aus dem Leben" (Life to the Full), 1989
*"Bis auf die Knochen" (To the Bones), 1990 (sequel to "Kondom des Grauens")
*"Heiße Herzen" (Flaming Hearts), 1990 (with Detlev Meyer)
*"Zitronenröllchen" (Lemon cake), 1990
*"Schwulxx-Comix" (Gay Comix), 1990 (with Walter Moers)
*"Deutsche Tuntenpost", 1991
*"Bullenklöten!" (Bull's Balls), 1992
*"...und das mit links!", 1993
*"Konrad und Paul", 1993
*"Konrad und Paul 2", 1994
*"Konrad und Paul 3", 1997
*"Jago", 1998
*"Superparadise", 1999 (sequel to "Bullenklöten")
*"Poppers! Rimming! Tittentrimm!", 2001
*"Wie die Karnickel" (like bunnies), 2002
*"Sie dürfen sich jetzt küssen", 2003 (Third part of "Bullenklöten")
*"Suck my duck", 2004
*"Roy und Al", 2004
*"Dschinn Dschinn: Der Zauber des Schabbar", 2005
*"Dschinn Dschinn 2: Schleierzwang im Sündenpful", 2006
*"Hempels Sofa", 2007

Films

*"Der bewegte Mann", 1994
*"Kondom des Grauens", 1996 (script by Ralf König)
*"Wie die Karnickel", 2002 (script by Ralf König)
*"Lisístrata", Spain 2002 (according to "Lysistrata")

Awards

* Joop Klepzeiker Prijs, 1988
* Best German comic creator, Grenoble, 1990
* Max-und-Moritz Prize, 1992
* Best international comic creator, Barcelona, 1992
* Bundesfilmpreis for the movie Der bewegte Mann, 1995
* Goldene Leinwand mit Sternchen for the movie Der bewegte Mann, 1995
* Goldener RIK, Köln, 2002
* Zivilcourage-Preis des Berliner CSD, Berlin, 2004
* Prix Alph’Art, Angoulême, 2005
* Premio miglior storia lunga, 2005
* Max-und-Moritz Prize, 2006

References

* [http://www.goethe.de/kue/lit/prj/com/pch/chk/hkv/enin≥dex.htm Ralf König publications] from Goethe-InstitutFootnotes

External links

* [http://www.ralf-koenig.de/en/ Ralf König official site] de_icon
* [http://lambiek.net/artists/k/konig_r.htm Ralf König biography] on Lambiek Comiclopedia