| Research Abstract |
The developpement of French comics is very different from Japanese comics. The origine of these two comics might be that of the United States before the World War II. In America, the comics began to exist at the end of the 19 th century. The immigrants from europe, especcially the german speaking people began to draw the comics, and the famous one was entitled "Katzenjammer Kids". And in the 1920's and the 30's, many new types of comics appeared, for exemple, the Flash Gordon by Alex Raymond and Dick Tracy by Chester Gould. This period is called "the golden age" of American comics, because many heros were born, and they still have been famous even in the 21 st centry, like Spiderman and Batman.
In France, these american comics were already imported before the World War II. When the war began, the famous american comic "Flash Gordon" did not arrive because of the German attack, the belgium comic writer, Edgar Jacob drawed the pictures in place of Alex Raymond. Later the belgium writer be
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came very famous with his own works like "the Yellow Mark".
The authentic european comic was made by Herge in Belgium, entitled "Tintin" in 1929. The boy in culotte travels all over the world with his dog Milou (also called "Snowy" in Japan).. These adventures of Tintin and Milou are typical frencch-belgium comic, because of their political and social meaning. For example, in the "Blue Lotus", Tintin goes to Sanghai just before the World War II, when the chinese city was devided by the Japanese army and other european countries. The boss of the japanese group dealing with opium was Mitsuhirato, and he planned the Manchurian Incident. In this way, the adventure of Tintin is not only a fiction for amusement, but it is very critical to the real historical problem.
After the World War II, two big comic magazines were active and many writers succeeded. In 1959, very impotant comic magazine was born by Rene Gossiny, called "Pilote". In 1968, the student power exploided in France and the comics changed much. Because new comic generation liked comics for adult people. In the 70's and 80's, many young writers appeared and there is no limit to the contents of French comics. Satire, violence and love, they are the themes very prefered.
Since then, french comics don't do the auto-censure and each writer has his own style. For example, the italian comic painter, Liberatore is famous for his Ranxerox, with very violent and beautiful dessin. Enki Bilal is also famous, drawing cold winter in socialist countries before the fall of Berlin wall. The girls painted by Pichard or Crepax are very beautiful and sexy. The space opera of Philippe Druillet is extraordinary like the rock music "Bohemian Rhapsody" by the Queen.
The french comics become more and more different from japanese comics, because of their artistic expresssions. Comics in Europe are not only the media of amusement but also Art, which they call so the "nineth Art", after the pictures and the cinemas. But since 2000, many japanese comics begin to invade in France and the competition in comic market is furious now. Less
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