| As of album 35 (2013) drawings by Didier Conrad and text by Jean-Yves Ferri. | |
| René Goscinny | Albert Uderzo |
Writer: René Goscinny (1926-1977) René Goscinny was born in Paris and moved after 2 years to Argentina. He spent his school time in the French school in Buenos Aires. When he was 17 his father died and he had to find a job. He became an assistant bookkeeper, definitely not what he dreamed of. In 1945 he moved to New York - USA, where he worked for 3 years for an import and export firm. After that he finally found a job in an art studio. Here he met artists like Harvey Kurtzman, Will Elder and John Severin who later founded the satirical magazine 'MAD'. Here he also met two Belgian artists: JiJé and Morris (Morris was the one who made the Lucky Luke comics). Morris asked Goscinny to be his scenario writer for Lucky Luke. Goscinny accepted this job but was also interested in drawing. He draw his own hero called Dick Dicks but had to admit he was better in writing, especially writing with humor. He went back to Europe in 1951, and at the news agency 'World Press' he met Albert Uderzo for the first time. Their cooperation resulted in several series like: Pistolet, Luc Junior, Benjamin and Benjamine, Bill Blanchart and Ompa-Pa. Ompa-Pa was published in the magazine 'Kuifje' and again Goscinny met other famous artists like Franquin, Berck, Tibet, De Moor, Attanasio, Mancherot and many more. For many of them he was their scenario writer. In 1959 Goscinny, Uderzo and Jean-Michel Charlier founded a new comic magazine: Pilote. From the beginning Pilote was a big success. After troubles with finances, finding good employees and with the distribution of the magazine Georges Dargaud the representative in France of the magazine Kuifje, took over the magazine Pilote. Until his death in 1977 Goscinny was editor-in-chief of Pilote and wrote many humorous scenarios. |
Illustrator: Albert Uderzo (1927-2020) Albert Uderzo was born in 1927 in Fismes, France. His parents immigrated from Italy to France in 1923. When Uderzo was born he had 6 fingers on each hand. 14 year later and 2 fingers less his first work was published. The famous illustrator Edmond Calvo encouraged him to continue his work, but in 1945 Uderzo was not an illustrator but an assistent-engineer instead. He found a job as an illustrator for an animated cartoon. He didn't like the job too much and soon he resigned. At 19 years old he started to work for magazines. For O.K. he made Arys Buck (also an invincible Gaul!), Prince Rollin and Belloy. After his military service he worked for France-Dimance and France-Soir (1950). One year later he started working for International Press. In this year he met Jean-Michel Charlier and René Goscinny. In most cases Uderzo draws in a (half-)caricature style. In 1952 Uderzo and Goscinny made Luc Junior and Pistolet. Also they started with Ompa-Pa but it was 1958 when it was published for the first time in the magazine kuifje. Ompa-Pa already contained lots of elements of Asterix. The way of drawing, the humor and visual jokes we all see it back in Asterix. Uderzo, Goscinny and Charlier decided to start their own magazine called Pilote. This magazine appeared for the first time on the 29th october 1959. Uderzo and Charlier made a realistic airplane comic for Pilote. Together with Goscinny, Uderzo also made another comic for Pilote. That comic was called Asterix... |
