Frank Margerin
Encyclopedia
Frank Margerin is a French author and illustrator of comics
.
, where he mets Denis Sire. He joined Denis's band, Los Crados, as a drummer
. The band would later become Dennis' Twist.
In 1975, as he was looking for work in publishing or illustrating, Frank Margerin met Jean-Pierre Dionnet, who ordered his first comic strip, a 4-pages parodical
science fiction
story named Simone et Léon, for the Métal Hurlant
magazine. He later drew and wrote several other stories for the magazine. His first album, Frank Margerin présente, which gathered his first works for Métal Hurlant, was published in 1978.
These first stories often have elements of science fiction, to fit with the other strips of Métal Hurlant. After Simone et Léon, he also wrote and drew several works for Rigolo, a short-lived magazine. He won his first prize in 1980 at the festival of Lucca
.
His most famous character, Lucien, was created in 1979. Lucien is a rocker
from Malakoff
with a huge pompadour
that forms a cone
in front of his face. Lucien first appeared as a friend of Ricky, another rocker, but he eventually became the center of the stories. With Ricky's and later Lucien's stories, Frank Margerin comically described the life of suburban French rock
ers of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Bananes métalliques, one of Lucien's albums, was a commercial success in 1982 with over 100 000 books sold. His other characters included Albert and Mauricette, created in 1982, and Skoup and Max Flash, two journalists created in collaboration with Phil Casoar in 1984.
In 1989, Les Humanoïdes Associés
handed him the direction of a series of collective albums with the common title Frank Margerin présente... He also created Y'a plus de jeunesse for Albin Michel
and worked on an animated television series, Manu, which was first aired on Antenne 2
in 1990. Manu was afterwards adapted in three comic books albums, with the collaboration of Altheau.
In 1992, Margerin received the Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême
at the Angoulême International Comics Festival
. He therefore became president of the jury of the festival the next year, which was the twentieth edition of the festival.
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...
.
Biography
After high school, Frank Margerin went to a school of applied artApplied art
Applied art is the application of design and aesthetics to objects of function and everyday use. Whereas fine arts serve as intellectual stimulation to the viewer or academic sensibilities, the applied arts incorporate design and creative ideals to objects of utility, such as a cup, magazine or...
, where he mets Denis Sire. He joined Denis's band, Los Crados, as a drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
. The band would later become Dennis' Twist.
In 1975, as he was looking for work in publishing or illustrating, Frank Margerin met Jean-Pierre Dionnet, who ordered his first comic strip, a 4-pages parodical
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
story named Simone et Léon, for the Métal Hurlant
Métal Hurlant
Métal Hurlant is a French comics anthology of science fiction and horror comics stories, created in December 1974 by comics artists Jean Giraud and Philippe Druillet together with journalist-writer Jean-Pierre Dionnet and financial director Bernard Farkas.The four were collectively known as "Les...
magazine. He later drew and wrote several other stories for the magazine. His first album, Frank Margerin présente, which gathered his first works for Métal Hurlant, was published in 1978.
These first stories often have elements of science fiction, to fit with the other strips of Métal Hurlant. After Simone et Léon, he also wrote and drew several works for Rigolo, a short-lived magazine. He won his first prize in 1980 at the festival of Lucca
Lucca
Lucca is a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plainnear the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...
.
His most famous character, Lucien, was created in 1979. Lucien is a rocker
Rocker (subculture)
Rockers, leather boys or ton-up boys are a biker subculture that originated in the United Kingdom during the 1950s. It was mainly centered around British cafe racer motorcycles and rock and roll music....
from Malakoff
Malakoff
Malakoff is a suburban commune in the Hauts-de-Seine department southwest of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of the city.-History:The commune of Malakoff was created on 8 November 1883 by detaching its territory from the commune of Vanves...
with a huge pompadour
Pompadour (hairstyle)
Pompadour is a tall style of men's haircut which takes its name from Madame de Pompadour.There are Latin variants of the hair style more associated with European and Argentine tango fashion trends and occasionally with late 20th century musical genres such as rockabilly and country.The pompadour...
that forms a cone
Cone (geometry)
A cone is an n-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a base to a point called the apex or vertex. Formally, it is the solid figure formed by the locus of all straight line segments that join the apex to the base...
in front of his face. Lucien first appeared as a friend of Ricky, another rocker, but he eventually became the center of the stories. With Ricky's and later Lucien's stories, Frank Margerin comically described the life of suburban French rock
French rock
French rock is a form of rock music produced in France, primarily in the French language.In the 1970s, France saw the arrival of Alan Stivell's Breton folk-rock as well as a wave of progressive rock bands like Ange, Shylock, Magma, Eskaton, Atoll and Pulsar. French punk rock also appeared,...
ers of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Bananes métalliques, one of Lucien's albums, was a commercial success in 1982 with over 100 000 books sold. His other characters included Albert and Mauricette, created in 1982, and Skoup and Max Flash, two journalists created in collaboration with Phil Casoar in 1984.
In 1989, 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...
handed him the direction of a series of collective albums with the common title Frank Margerin présente... He also created Y'a plus de jeunesse for Albin Michel
Éditions Albin Michel
Éditions Albin Michel is a French publisher. It was founded in 1911 by Albin Michel.-External links:*...
and worked on an animated television series, Manu, which was first aired on Antenne 2
France 2
France 2 is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô...
in 1990. Manu was afterwards adapted in three comic books albums, with the collaboration of Altheau.
In 1992, Margerin received the Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême
Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême
Every year, the Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême is awarded during the Angoulême International Comics Festival to an author for his body of work and/or for his achievement in the evolution of comics....
at the Angoulême International Comics Festival
Angoulême International Comics Festival
The Angoulême International Comics Festival is the largest comics festival in Europe. It has occurred every year since 1974 in Angoulême, France, in the month of January.The four-day festival is notable for awarding several prestigious prizes in cartooning...
. He therefore became president of the jury of the festival the next year, which was the twentieth edition of the festival.