On March 10 the comic artist Jean Giraud, also known under his pen name Moebius, passed away. He was a true great and a towering talent. Comics are definatley richer to have had him as part of the craft. Giraud initially gained fame doing western comics (a genre that is very popular in his native France) the most famous being that of the Ranger Lt. Blueberry. If that was the only thing Giraud had ever done, I believe he would still be viewed as a legend. But Blueberry was just his "day job". Giraud was extremely passionate about the art and craft of comics, and was famous for being experimental. Eventually to, free his work from his famous style, as well a possibly to protect his reputation from his experiments. He created the pen name, some say alter ego, of Moebius for his experimental work. And it is with this work that he redefined comics for a whole generation. Moebius' bold experimental work was usually in the vein of science fiction, and it never repeated itself, from wordless comics like "Arzach" to pure surrealism like "Le Garage Hermetic" to social satire and commentary, and surreal trance like autobiography. He proved that comics have no limits and he proved it with some of the most beautifully rendered comics. As well as pushing the envelope Giraud also did much to facilitate the works of others that wanted to push the boundaries of the form, with the foundation of Les Humanoids, and their seminal magazine Metal Hurlant, which was made available in the US in a diminished sense by the National Lampoon as Heavy Metal. Due to his influence as a comics artists many film makers approached Giraud, to do design for them including Alejandro Jodrowsky's (whom he collabarated on comics with as well including the amazing "L'Incal) unmade film of "Dune". Ridley Scott on "Alien", and probably most famously of Stephen Linsberger's Tron. Aside from directly designing films his influence pours over other's like Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" (Scott has never hidden his love of Moebius) and Luc Besson's the "Fifth Element" Some have even said that "The Fifth Element" is a complete ripoff of Moebius and Jodorowsky's "L' Incal". Giraud was an amazing talent. I have never seen a comic artist read his work and not come away influenced. And there is something magical about his influence, you can tell that the artist has been inspired but, there are not many Moebius wannabes like their are of many other great artists. I believe that the biggest aspect of this is that more than anything Giraud's art expresses to the reader the power of the imagination, and that's what artists take away from him.
As with all of my tributes like this, I like to point out, although he is a god of comics art to me and others. He is just a man, and however sad we are at the loss of Giraud. It is more sad and painful to those who knew him as just a man. The people to which he was not Giraud or Moebius, but Father, Brother, husband, Grandfather, and friend. And to these people I offer my condolences. And I urge others to keep in their thoughts and prayers.
David
Image belongs to copyright holder used for scholarly purposes.
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