Gil Jourdan
Encyclopedia
Gil Jourdan is a Belgian
detective
comic strip
created by Maurice Tillieux
. It is considered a great combination of mystery, adventure and humour, and a masterpiece of European comics.
, was among the casualties, but returned in Spirou magazine as Gil Jourdan, though without the glasses.
Jourdan made his first appearance in a rather original manner: in issue 962 of Spirou, the bungling police Inspector Crouton takes wisecracking burglar Libellule out of prison in order to proceed to a reconstruction of a theft for which he has been arrested. Libellule is then snatched from right under Crouton's nose by a young man named Gil Jourdan. Jourdan is a private investigator
in need of a big break and he thinks that Libellule's burglary skills could be useful in exposing a gang of popaïne
[sic] smugglers.
Once the smugglers' ring had been captured, the trio of Jourdan, Libellule and Crouton would proceed to handle other cases which sometimes took them from France
to South America
and the Middle East
, Libellule and Crouton providing the comic relief which contrasted with Jourdan's earnest nature. Looking on was Queue-de-Cerise, Jourdan's secretary
who sometimes also helped out in the investigations.
are based in spotlessly clean homes and locations, Jourdan's world is made up of dusty offices, littered streets, wet docks and mud-splattered farms. Fast and furious car chases also added to its popularity.
First appearing in Spirou magazine, Jourdan's adventures were then published in book form and even as omnibus editions which included short stories and other Tillieux detectives like Bob Slide (an FBI man in the 1930s), Felix (the original Jourdan) and Marc Jaguar (another detective).
In later years the drawing was entrusted to the artist Gos while Tillieux stuck to the writing. Tillieux' death in a car accident in 1978 brought an end to the series, though a number of short stories by other artists were drawn and published in homage to him and Jourdan some ten years later.
, Turk
, Éric Maltaite and Tillieux's former assistant Stephen Desberg
. The stories also featured some of the crooks from the Tillieux period returning and seeking revenge. Tillieux had been notable for not using the same enemy twice. The cover was drawn by François Walthéry
.
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...
detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
created by Maurice Tillieux
Maurice Tillieux
Maurice Tillieux was a Belgian writer and comic artist. He is regarded by many as a major figure of post-war Belgian comics.-Early life:...
. It is considered a great combination of mystery, adventure and humour, and a masterpiece of European comics.
Origin and Premise
In 1956 the Belgian comic Héroïc Albums ceased publication. Felix, the adventures of a young bespectacled detective written and drawn by Maurice TillieuxMaurice Tillieux
Maurice Tillieux was a Belgian writer and comic artist. He is regarded by many as a major figure of post-war Belgian comics.-Early life:...
, was among the casualties, but returned in Spirou magazine as Gil Jourdan, though without the glasses.
Jourdan made his first appearance in a rather original manner: in issue 962 of Spirou, the bungling police Inspector Crouton takes wisecracking burglar Libellule out of prison in order to proceed to a reconstruction of a theft for which he has been arrested. Libellule is then snatched from right under Crouton's nose by a young man named Gil Jourdan. Jourdan is a private investigator
Private investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
in need of a big break and he thinks that Libellule's burglary skills could be useful in exposing a gang of popaïne
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
[sic] smugglers.
Once the smugglers' ring had been captured, the trio of Jourdan, Libellule and Crouton would proceed to handle other cases which sometimes took them from 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...
to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Libellule and Crouton providing the comic relief which contrasted with Jourdan's earnest nature. Looking on was Queue-de-Cerise, Jourdan's secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
who sometimes also helped out in the investigations.
Main characters
 |
Gil Jourdan is a Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... -based detective. A Bachelor of Law ("I started very early"), he is young, earnest, shrewd and cool-headed. No mystery can stand up to him and he has quite a merit in solving them given the people he has to work with. From the start Jourdan was hardly the sort of hero who was out for Justice in itself. His main motivation was earning money and exposing a gang of drugs smugglers was really a means of obtaining a big break from which he profited in many ways. |
 |
Andre Papignolles alias Libellule (French for "Dragonfly") is a former burglar who becomes Jourdan's right-hand. Jourdan finds his know-how in the field of thievery very useful. Libellule is full of good humour, but he tends to be the only one who laughs at his puns and jokes. |
 |
Inspector Jules Annibal Crouton is Jourdan's police contact. In the course of their first encounters he was the subject of several humiliating experiences, courtesy of Jourdan and Libellule. He did not bear a grudge however and accompanied them on most of their subsequent cases, even recommending them to clients. Jourdan would even refer to him as "eccentric not stupid", after Crouton had saved his life. |
 |
Queue-de-Cerise (French for "Cherry Stem") is Jourdan's secretary and often helps out in the actual cases. Like her boss she is of a serious nature and has little patience for Libellule's humour. She speaks nine languages. Her favourite means of transport is a motorbike. |
 |
The Renault Dauphine Renault Dauphine Renault Dauphine is a rear-engined economy car manufactured by Renault in one body style — a three-box, four-door sedan — as the successor to the Renault 4CV, with over two million examples marketed worldwide during its production from 1956-1967.... was Jourdan's choice of vehicle in his early adventures. If he has a lucky streak that has got him out of many a dangerous situation, the same cannot be said for his cars which have often been the resultant victims. Later, as his agency became more successful, he obtained a Renault R17 Renault 15/17 The Renault 15 and Renault 17 are two variations of the same coupé designed and built by French automaker Renault between 1971 and 1980. The R17 was sold as R177 in Italy, respecting a superstition.... . |
Publication and Legacy
Gil Jourdan is considered one of the masterpieces of European comics. The appeal lay not only in the intricate investigations, humour and adventure but also the atmosphere of the places where Jourdan would go to. Whereas previous series like TintinThe Adventures of Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin is a series of classic comic books created by Belgian artist , who wrote under the pen name of Hergé...
are based in spotlessly clean homes and locations, Jourdan's world is made up of dusty offices, littered streets, wet docks and mud-splattered farms. Fast and furious car chases also added to its popularity.
First appearing in Spirou magazine, Jourdan's adventures were then published in book form and even as omnibus editions which included short stories and other Tillieux detectives like Bob Slide (an FBI man in the 1930s), Felix (the original Jourdan) and Marc Jaguar (another detective).
In later years the drawing was entrusted to the artist Gos while Tillieux stuck to the writing. Tillieux' death in a car accident in 1978 brought an end to the series, though a number of short stories by other artists were drawn and published in homage to him and Jourdan some ten years later.
Stories
To date two of Jourdan's adventures have been published in English. Below is a list of the French titles, their year of publication, an English translation of the titles and a brief description. They are listed in order of publication.By Tillieux
| French Title | Date of Publication | English Translation | Writer | Artist |
|---|
Post-Tillieux
The series ended in 1978 following Tillieux's death. Ten years later Soleils Editions published the comic book L'Hommage à Gil Jourdan - Les enquêtes de leurs amis ("Homage to Gil Jourdan - Their Friends' Cases") with the approval of Tillieux's family. It featured Jourdan and his colleagues in adventures written and drawn by other writers and artists, including several leading ones such as Pierre SeronPierre Seron
Pierre Seron is a Belgian comic book artist born in Chênée on 9 February 1942.-Biography:He spent the first few years of his life in Liège then followed the work transfers of his father, an engineer, to Montreal, Canada, Libourne, France, the Bordeaux region, Givet in the Ardennes region and then...
, Turk
Philippe Liégeois
Philippe Liégeois is a Belgian comic book artist, born on 8 July 1947. He is best known by his penname Turk. He is the co-author of numerous comic books, including Colonel Clifton, Léonard and Robin Dubois...
, Éric Maltaite and Tillieux's former assistant Stephen Desberg
Stephen Desberg
Stephen Desberg is a Belgian writer of comics. In 2010, he was the 10th bestselling author of comics in France, with 412,000 copies of all his comics together sold that year.-Biography:...
. The stories also featured some of the crooks from the Tillieux period returning and seeking revenge. Tillieux had been notable for not using the same enemy twice. The cover was drawn by François Walthéry
François Walthéry
François Walthéry is a Belgian comics artist, best known for his series featuring an adventurous flight attendant, Natacha.-Biography:...
.
| French Title | Date of Publication | English Translation | Writer | Artist |
|---|