Moebius Dies in March

This past March 10, Jean Giraud, Moebius, one of France’s leading comics artists, died at age 73. He was a huge influence over the European underground culture of my generation as well as decades of sci-fi and fantasy imagery that followed.

My friend Aíco, painter, sculptor and renaissance man (complete bio at bottom of page), wrote a very interesting bonsai essay comparing him to Doré in reply to an earlier post in this blog on the art of Gustave Doré. It was so dead-on I had to share.

Translating Aíco’s colorful style has proven an interesting challenge, I hope his wit and enlightenment survived the percolation through my equally colorful English. To those of you accustomed to the monosyllabic directness of anglosaxon written narrative, I compel you to read past the florid wordiness of Aíco’s Andalusian-influenced lyricism so you may find the wisdom contained within his few, but very articulate lines. (see what I did there? :P)

Enjoy.

Moebius is to comics what Doré is to illustration: after them, nothing would be the same

By Aíco Segura

Jean Giraud confessed more than once his fascination for Gustave Doré… a fascination that could be described both in form as well as in essence.

In essence because of how his work relates to the subjective, individual read intrinsic to the fantasy stories of Doré’s romanticism, which Moebius crystallized with his very distinctive balance between violence and mysticism. In form, because of the way he adopted the imbricate and richly detailed technique of chalcographic engraving (hallmark of Doré’s work) digested, however, by the vertigo of comic and hence resulting in a more luminous, synthesized and skimmed rendition.

The interconnection of influences amongst geniuses appears to follow a natural trace even when it may seem like a labyrinth to the rest of us mortals.

About Aíco

Aíco Segura, painter, sculptor, firefighter and musician is an artist original of Almería, Spain and a very good friend of mine. His flamenco playing prowess was recorded during a culinary get-together last summer and posted in this blog under the title My Friends Are Monsters. He’s recently begun to share some of his latest work online in his blog, http://aicosegura.blogspot.com/