Jacques Martin (comics)

Infobox Comics creator


name = Jacques Martin
imagesize =
caption =
birthname =
birthdate = birth date and age|1921|9|25
location = Strasbourg, France
deathdate =
deathplace =
nationality = French
area = artist, writer
alias = Jam, Marleb
notable works = "Alix" "Lefranc" "Jhen"
awards = full list

Jacques Martin (born September 25, 1921 in Strasbourg) is a French writer and artist of comics. He is one of the classic artist of "Le Journal de Tintin" magazine, alongside with Edgar P. Jacobs and Hergé, of whom he was a longtime collaborator. He is best known for his series "Alix".

Biography

After being initially forced into engineering studies as a young man, Jacques Martin began in 1942 to draw his first comic stories. In 1946, following the end of the War, he travelled through Belgium in search of an editor for his work. Soon afterwards he met Georges Remi (aka Hergé) with whom he collaborated on several albums of "The Adventures of Tintin" (and more specifically on "Tintin in Tibet" and "The Red Sea Sharks") while working on his own albums. It was from Herge that he learned of the ligne claire style and, under Herge's guidance, began to use it in his own work. He would later be considered one of the great five of the ligne claire style, along with Hergé, Edgar P. Jacobs, Bob de Moor and Willy Vandersteen.cite web | last = Mouchart |first = Benoit | title = Hergé Son of Tintin | url =http://www.objectiftintin.com/whatsnew_Tintin_11.lasso fr_icon]

In 1948, he created "Alix", his most famous series, published in the magazine Tintin, whose adventures - extremely-well researched - occur in Roman antiquity. This historic comic soon became one of the most popular of the genre and went on to be published in several countries worldwide.

The story "Le spectre de Carthage" won the award for best French realistic comic book at the 1978 Angoulême International Comics Festival.

Martin went on to create other characters, beginning with the contemporary journalist "Lefranc" in 1952. Much later he created others in collaboration with various partners, namely the medieval architect "Jhen" (initially entitled "Xan") in 1978, the French revolutionary officer "Arno" in 1984, the Athenian "Orion" in 1990, and the Egyptian "Keos" in 1992.cite web | last = Lambiek Comiclopedia | title = Jacques Martin | url =http://lambiek.net/artists/m/martin_jacq.htm ] In 2003, he also started a new series - "Loïs" set in the court of Louis the sun king of France.

In 1998, due to failing eyesight, he left the drawing of "Alix" to Rafael Morales. "Alix" continues running with great success.

Awards

* 1978: Angoulême Best French Realistic Work, for "Alix: Le spectre de Carthage" cite web
last = toutenBD | title = Le palmarès 1978 | url =http://www.toutenbd.com/article.php3?id_article=846 fr_icon]
* 2003: Prix Saint-Michel Grand Prix cite web
last = ComicsFestivalBelgium | title = Comics Festival Belgium 2003 | url =http://cfbelgium.free.fr/festival2003.php#vainqueurs fr_iconnl_icon]

ources

* [http://bdoubliees.com/tintinbelge/auteurs4/martin.htm Jacques Martin publications in Belgian "Tintin"] , [http://bdoubliees.com/journaltintin/auteurs4/martin.htm French "Tintin"] BDoubliées fr_icon
* [http://www.bedetheque.com/auteur-105-BD-Martin-Jacques.html Jacques Martin albums] Bedetheque fr_icon
* Thierry Groensteen, Jacques Martin. "Avec Alix". Casterman, 1984.
* Schtroumpf: les cahiers de la bande dessinée, no. 20, Spécial Jacques Martin (mars-avril 1973) ;Footnotes

External links

* [http://lambiek.net/artists/m/martin_jacq.htm Jacques Martin biography] on Lambiek Comiclopedia
* [http://www.evene.fr/celebre/biographie/jacques-martin-1921--25149.php Jacques Martin biography] in "Evene" fr_icon