VALERIAN
foreword by
(Ambassador of the shadows, 1982)
Foreword for the unsucessfull
english edition
of 4 translated Valerian albums.
Since FAMOUS
FUNNIES first appeared on U.S. newsstands in the middle '30's the
comic book as a publication has served as a vehicle for an unique form
of graphic literature which we have been calling 'sequential art'. Today
these 'comics' have reached a level of technology and audience
encompassment that is allowing its writers and artists to contribute to
an output no longer imprisoned in the narrow world of « junk
reading ».
Working
in an international arena the practitioners of this art form are, as
never before, enjoying (or struggling) with a greater
professional status in the cultural community. They are producing work
of increasing sophistication and they are pushing the boundaries of its
potential with almost nuclear force.
As
in the case of all artistic development, the core of such explosions
shift. But for the moment the scene of greatest ferment is in France.
Recently,
in a conversation with a colleague (Harvey Kurtzman) we explored the
phenomenon of the 'comic' scene in France. We could agree that France,
for the last ten years, has been the spearhead of the thrust. But the
reasons for this were not so easily discerned and, I might add, are not
easy (for Americans) to evaluate. You see, for almost 80 years, the
United States was the fountainhead of the flow of comics that spread
over the globe. From Mutt & Jeff to Mickey Mouse and Buck Rogers, and
from Terry and the Pirates to Superman, it seemed that the
prime source of direction came from North America. To get an overview,
therefore, one has to regard the scene from atop this mighty monument.
Not so easy to do.
Climate
is one overriding factor in change and growth. In France, beginning with
the seventies, two conditions served as incubators for a kind of genetic
change in the direction of comic books. One was France's long history of
intellectual ferment and the other was its liberal accreditation of
comic book artists.
So
as the radiation from the « underground comic » explosion in
the States spread to Europe, it germinated a whole body of new talent in
the receptive gel of French culture.
Starting
with the evolution of the magazine PILOTE and the immense success of
ASTERIX throughout the world, and continuing with the 'break-out' of
artists such as Moebius and Druillet for Heavy Metal, and of Gotlib and
others into independent ventures, a whole new thrust developed which
impacted on the world scene. Just as the Spanish comic book artists had
an enormous influence on the craft, the French pushed the intellectual
level to new heights. It is from here, I firmly believe,
that the new direction is proceeding. This is the orientation of future
comic book art. We can see its influence in the American scene today.
It
is always difficult (if not downright foolhardy) for a practitioner to
attemptto name the « best » or the « most
important » of his contemporaries. It is a lot more realistic (and
safer) to admire ability. I therefore point with admiration to one of
the French comic book teams in the vanguard of this exciting scene — a
team which is clearly in possession of the qualities that are
influencing this movement.
The
work of Jean-Claude Mezieres and Pierre Christin embodies a wonderful
barance of intellect and craft that combines a kind of « completeness ».
They produce a comic page that is structurally whole. Mezieres'
architecture has the « feel » of Windsor McCay with its
towering knowledge of perspective and the solidity of construction. His
futuristic scenes in Valerian for example have a believability equal
to the realism of his people that live there. He imbues his people with
a kind of grace and orchestrates their activity with great intelligence.
As a comic book team, Christin and Mezieres work with what I regard as
the best combination of qualities... intelligence and discipline and
imagination.
I commend
their efforts to you.
