Franco-Belgian publishing houses
Encyclopedia
Belgium
and France
have a long tradition in comics
. They have a common history for comics (see Franco-Belgian comics
) and publishing houses.
The first publishing houses were established in the 1930s and 1940s, especially in Belgium, with Casterman
, Dargaud, Dupuis
and Le Lombard
as the most famous ones.
From the 1970s and the "adult" turn of the comics, new publishing houses rose, especially in France
, like Les Humanoïdes Associés
, Glénat
and Delcourt
.
In the 1990s, several new small independent publishers emerged, such as l'Association
, Amok, Fréon. While some of these new publishers have gained a popular success and succeeded to impose a new look on the comics (their authors often moving to bigger companies), others have kept a more intransigent approach. Nevertheless, the success of these new publishers has forced the old ones to react and to propose new editorial lines with more alternative content.
During the last decades, the mythical publishers have been strongly restructured. While keeping their brand names, most of them have been bought, included or gathered in larger conglomerates, such as Média-Participations
.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
have a long tradition in comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
. They have a common history for comics (see Franco-Belgian comics
Franco-Belgian comics
Franco-Belgian comics are comics that are created in Belgium and France. These countries have a long tradition in comics and comic books, where they are known as BDs, an abbreviation of bande dessinée in French and stripverhalen in Dutch...
) and publishing houses.
The first publishing houses were established in the 1930s and 1940s, especially in Belgium, with Casterman
Casterman
Casterman is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics, specializing in comic books and children's literature. The company is based in Tournai, Belgium.Founded in 1780, Casterman was originally a printing company and publishing house...
, Dargaud, Dupuis
Dupuis
Éditions Dupuis S.A. is a Belgian publisher of comic books and magazines.Based in Marcinelle near Charleroi, Dupuis was founded in 1922 by Jean Dupuis, and is mostly famous for its comic albums and magazines. It is originally a French language publisher, but publishes many editions both in French...
and Le Lombard
Le Lombard
Le Lombard or Lombard Editions is a Belgian comic book publisher established in 1946 when the Tintin magazine was launched. In 1986 the company was acquired by Média-Participations.-Titles:Lombard's more famous series include:*Clifton...
as the most famous ones.
From the 1970s and the "adult" turn of the comics, new publishing houses rose, especially in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, like Les Humanoïdes Associés
Les Humanoïdes Associés
Les Humanoïdes Associés is a French publishing house specialising in comics and graphic novels. Founded in December 1974 by Mœbius, Jean-Pierre Dionnet, Philippe Druillet and Bernard Farkas in order to publish Métal Hurlant, it quickly expanded to include a variety of science fiction work...
, Glénat
Glénat (publisher)
Glénat Editions SA is a French publisher with its head office in Grenoble. The company publishes many things, including comic books and manga in France, Benelux, and Spain; it was founded by Jacques Glénat. The Spanish subsidiary has its head office in Barcelona. The Benelux subsidiary, Glénat...
and Delcourt
Delcourt
-People:* Frédéric Delcourt, French backstroke swimmer* Marie Delcourt, Belgian philologist* Tom Delcourt, English Legend-Companies:* Delcourt , French publishing house, specializes in comics and manga....
.
In the 1990s, several new small independent publishers emerged, such as l'Association
L'Association
L'Association is a French publishing house which publishes comic books. It was founded in May 1990 by Jean-Christophe Menu, Lewis Trondheim, David B., Mattt Konture, Patrice Killoffer, Stanislas, and Mokeït, who left soon thereafter...
, Amok, Fréon. While some of these new publishers have gained a popular success and succeeded to impose a new look on the comics (their authors often moving to bigger companies), others have kept a more intransigent approach. Nevertheless, the success of these new publishers has forced the old ones to react and to propose new editorial lines with more alternative content.
During the last decades, the mythical publishers have been strongly restructured. While keeping their brand names, most of them have been bought, included or gathered in larger conglomerates, such as Média-Participations
Média-Participations
Média-Participations is a French media concern, controlled by a Belgian holding concern, specialized in Franco-Belgian comics. It has some forty publishers in its portfolio, including Dupuis, Dargaud, Le Lombard and Fleurus.-History:...
.
Non exhaustive list of Franco-Belgian publishers
- 12 bis12 bis12 bis is a French publisher. The company publishes predominantly bande dessinée comic books and manga in France. It was founded in 2008 by Dominique Burdot, formerly of Glénat....
- Actes Sud - http://www.actes-sud.fr/bd/
- Albin-MichelÉditions Albin MichelÉditions Albin Michel is a French publisher. It was founded in 1911 by Albin Michel.-External links:*...
- http://www.albin-michel.fr/ - AnkamaAnkama GamesAnkama Games is a French company, focused on the design of Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games . The company was founded by Anthony Roux, Camille Chafer, and Emmanuel "Manu" Darras....
- http://www.ankama-editions.com/ - L'AssociationL'AssociationL'Association is a French publishing house which publishes comic books. It was founded in May 1990 by Jean-Christophe Menu, Lewis Trondheim, David B., Mattt Konture, Patrice Killoffer, Stanislas, and Mokeït, who left soon thereafter...
- http://www.lassociation.fr/ - Carabas - http://www.editions-carabas.com/
- CastermanCastermanCasterman is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics, specializing in comic books and children's literature. The company is based in Tournai, Belgium.Founded in 1780, Casterman was originally a printing company and publishing house...
- http://www.casterman.com/ - Clair de LuneClair de Lune"Clair de Lune" is French for "moonlight". It may refer to:Music:* Clair de lune ", third movement of Suite bergamasque by Claude Debussy, a piano depiction of a Paul Verlaine poem* Clair de lune , from Op...
- http://editionsclairdelune.free.fr/ - DargaudDargaudLes Éditions Dargaud is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics series, headquartered in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1943 by Georges Dargaud.Initially, Dargaud published novels for women...
- http://www.dargaud.com/ - DelcourtDelcourt (publisher)Delcourt is a French publishing house that specializes in comics and manga.It was founded in 1986 through the fusion of the magazines Charlie Mensuel and Pilote...
- http://www.editions-delcourt.fr/ - DupuisDupuisÉditions Dupuis S.A. is a Belgian publisher of comic books and magazines.Based in Marcinelle near Charleroi, Dupuis was founded in 1922 by Jean Dupuis, and is mostly famous for its comic albums and magazines. It is originally a French language publisher, but publishes many editions both in French...
- http://www.dupuis.com/ - Ego comme XEgo comme XEgo comme x is the name of a French comics publishing house created in Angoulême in 1994.- Company history :Ego comme x started by publishing a magazine in 1993 created by a few authors and after a few years started to publish other works....
- http://www.ego-comme-x.com/ - Erasme
- Fluide GlacialFluide GlacialFluide Glacial is a monthly French comics magazine and a publishing house founded on April 1, 1975 by Marcel Gotlib and Jacques Diament. During its years of publication it has featured the work of French and international authors and graphic artists such as Jacques Lob, Édika, Claire Bretécher,...
- http://www.fluideglacial.com/ - FrémokFrémok (publisher)Frémok is a Franco-Belgian comics publishing house, which is a "major" actor in the independent comics scene that emerged during the 1990s in these countries...
and its predecessors Amok and Fréon - http://www.fremok.org/ - Futuropolis - http://www.futuropolis.fr/
- GlénatGlénat (publisher)Glénat Editions SA is a French publisher with its head office in Grenoble. The company publishes many things, including comic books and manga in France, Benelux, and Spain; it was founded by Jacques Glénat. The Spanish subsidiary has its head office in Barcelona. The Benelux subsidiary, Glénat...
- http://www.glenat.com/ - Les Humanoïdes AssociésLes Humanoïdes AssociésLes Humanoïdes Associés is a French publishing house specialising in comics and graphic novels. Founded in December 1974 by Mœbius, Jean-Pierre Dionnet, Philippe Druillet and Bernard Farkas in order to publish Métal Hurlant, it quickly expanded to include a variety of science fiction work...
- http://www.humano.com/ - Joker Éditions - http://www.editions-joker.com/
- Lefrancq
- Le LombardLe LombardLe Lombard or Lombard Editions is a Belgian comic book publisher established in 1946 when the Tintin magazine was launched. In 1986 the company was acquired by Média-Participations.-Titles:Lombard's more famous series include:*Clifton...
- http://www.lelombard.com/ - LugEditions LugEditions Lug was a French comic book publisher created in 1950 by writer/editor Marcel Navarro and businessman Auguste Vistel.-History:When it started, Editions Lug only reprinted old French and Italian comics in digest-sized magazines....
- Mosquito - http://www.editionsmosquito.com/
- Les Requins-Marteaux - http://www.lesrequinsmarteaux.org/
- SemicSemic ComicsSemic Comics is one of the leading comic book publishers in France, also known as Semic S.A. Along with French comics, formerly the company published the official translations of products produced by DC Comics and Marvel Comics but now, Marvel and DC are published by Panini.Today, Semic Publishes...
- http://www.bdsemic.fr/ - SoleilSoleil ProductionsSoleil Productions is a French publisher of both original and imported comic books.-Partnerships and collaborations:In 2004, Soleil and Delcourt created a joint venture called "DelSol", a partnership distribution society for France, Belgium and other Francophone countries.In 2008, Marvel Comics is...
- http://www.soleilprod.com/ - Standaard UitgeverijStandaard UitgeverijStandaard Uitgeverij is a Belgian publisher, and the leading publisher in the Dutch language market of Flanders.-History:In 1919, the Standaard group was created, mainly consisting of a chain of bookshops , a newspaper and a publishing house, the Standaard Uitgeverij...
- Vents d'Ouest - http://www.ventsdouest.com/
See also
- French Manga publishers
- Most important BD Series