Georges Bess
Encyclopedia
Georges Bess
Georges Bess (1947, France
) is a comics artist
and comic book creator
, best known for his collaborations with Alejandro Jodorowsky
.
in 1970 where he lived for a period, illustrating for publications such as the Swedish Mad magazine
sometimes under pseudonym
s. During the period 1977 to 1988, Bess productively provided artwork for the serial publication The Phantom
distributed by Scandinavia
n publishers of the popular periodical.
Upon meeting Alexandro Jodorowsky in 1986, Bess began the Franco-Belgian comics
phase of his career, and the two formed a productive partnership. Their collaboration began with the fairy tale
-themed Les jumeaux magiques (The Magical Twins) for the comics magazine
Le Journal de Mickey, published as album by Hachette
. Bess and Jodorowsky went on to publish a large body of work for publisher Les Humanoïdes Associés
for more than a decade. Initially they produced the Tibet
an series Lama Blanc, on a subject that had occupied Bess since earlier travels. Their next collaboration was a revival of the series Anibal Cinq previously drawn by Manuel Moro in the 60s, featuring an android secret agent
. Their final project was the violent outlaw series Juan Solo.
Leaving the creative partnership for the opportunity to pursue his own stories, Bess published Escondida in 1998, taking his work in new directions. In 1999 Bess joined with Milo Manara
and Claire Wendling to illustrate the second tome of Pierre Louÿs
' erotic masterpiece Aphrodite issed in three volumes.
With his wife Layla Bess he created two albums titled Leela et Krishna in 2000 with publishing house Carabas, portraying ancient India
. In 2005, he started the series Pema Ling at publisher Dupuis
, revisiting themes of Tibet, most recently the fifth volume Katouk le Tulpa in 2009.
Bess currently lives on the Balearic Islands
.
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Footnotes
Georges Bess (1947, 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...
) is a comics artist
Comics artist
A comics artist is an artist working within the comics medium on comic strips, comic books or graphic novels. The term may refer to any number of artists who contribute to produce a work in the comics form, from those who oversee all aspects of the work to those who contribute only a part.-Comic...
and comic book creator
Comic book creator
A comic book creator is someone who creates a comic book or graphic novel.The production of a comic book by one of the major comic book companies in the U.S...
, best known for his collaborations with Alejandro Jodorowsky
Alejandro Jodorowsky
Alejandro Jodorowsky Prullansky, known as Alejandro Jodorowsky, is a Chilean filmmaker, playwright, actor, author, comic book writer and spiritual guru...
.
Biography
Early in his career Bess moved to SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in 1970 where he lived for a period, illustrating for publications such as the Swedish Mad magazine
Mad (magazine)
Mad is an American humor magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952. Launched as a comic book before it became a magazine, it was widely imitated and influential, impacting not only satirical media but the entire cultural landscape of the 20th century.The last...
sometimes under pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s. During the period 1977 to 1988, Bess productively provided artwork for the serial publication The Phantom
The Phantom
The Phantom is an American adventure comic strip created by Lee Falk, also creator of Mandrake the Magician. A popular feature adapted into many media, including television, film and video games, it stars a costumed crimefighter operating from the fictional African country Bengalla.The Phantom is...
distributed by Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n publishers of the popular periodical.
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...
phase of his career, and the two formed a productive partnership. Their collaboration began with the fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
-themed Les jumeaux magiques (The Magical Twins) for the comics magazine
Franco-Belgian comics magazines
Belgium and France have a long tradition in comics. They have a common history for comics and magazines.In the early years of its history, magazines had a large place on the comics market and were often the only place where comics were published. Most of them were kids-targeted.In the 1970s,...
Le Journal de Mickey, published as album by Hachette
Hachette Filipacchi Médias
Hachette Filipacchi Médias, S.A. is a magazine publisher. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lagardère Media of France.- History :Hachette Filipacchi was founded by Louis Hachette in 1826 when he purchased the Librarie Brédif. Hachette was purchased by Matra in 1980, a firm associated with Ténot &...
. Bess and Jodorowsky went on to publish a large body of work for publisher 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...
for more than a decade. Initially they produced the Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an series Lama Blanc, on a subject that had occupied Bess since earlier travels. Their next collaboration was a revival of the series Anibal Cinq previously drawn by Manuel Moro in the 60s, featuring an android secret agent
Secret Agent
Secret Agent is a British film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, loosely based on two stories in Ashenden: Or the British Agent by W. Somerset Maugham. The film starred John Gielgud, Peter Lorre, Madeleine Carroll, and Robert Young...
. Their final project was the violent outlaw series Juan Solo.
Leaving the creative partnership for the opportunity to pursue his own stories, Bess published Escondida in 1998, taking his work in new directions. In 1999 Bess joined with Milo Manara
Milo Manara
Maurilio Manara – known professionally as Milo Manara – is an Italian comic book writer and artist, best known for his erotic approach to the medium.-Career:...
and Claire Wendling to illustrate the second tome of Pierre Louÿs
Pierre Louÿs
Pierre Louÿs was a French poet and writer, most renowned for lesbian and classical themes in some of his writings. He is known as a writer who "expressed pagan sensuality with stylistic perfection."-Life:...
' erotic masterpiece Aphrodite issed in three volumes.
With his wife Layla Bess he created two albums titled Leela et Krishna in 2000 with publishing house Carabas, portraying ancient India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. In 2005, he started the series Pema Ling at publisher 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...
, revisiting themes of Tibet, most recently the fifth volume Katouk le Tulpa in 2009.
Bess currently lives on the Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
.
Awards
- 1996: Angoulême FestivalAngoulême International Comics FestivalThe 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...
Prize for ScenarioAngoulême International Comics Festival Prize for ScenarioThis Prize for Scenario is awarded to comics authors at the Angoulême International Comics Festival.As is the customary practice in Wikipedia for listing awards such as Oscar results, the winner of the award for that year is listed first, the others listed below are the nominees.-1990s:* 1993:...
, for Juan Solo: Fils de flingue
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Sources
- Bess dossier of Norwegian Fantomet , and Swedish Fantomen
- Georges Bess albums Bedetheque
Footnotes
External links
- Georges Bess biography on Lambiek Comiclopedia
- Georges Bess biography on Dupuis
- Georges Bess biography on Scandinavian Chapter
- Georges Bess biography on Humanoïdes Associés