Lambil
Encyclopedia
Lambil is a Belgian
comic-book artist, best known for the series Les Tuniques Bleues
, which has been published in English as "The Blue Tunics" and "The Bluecoats".
, Belgium in 1936. He studied at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts
in Brussels
and first presented his drawings at the publisher Dupuis
, known for the magazine Spirou
, when he was 16. He was accepted as a letterer, and got to know the major artists of the magazine of the time like Jijé
and André Franquin
.
In 1959, he published his first comic, Sandy, about an Australia
n teenager and his kangaroo
Hoppy. The story was written by Henri Gillain, the brother of Jijé, and was the start of more than 20 stories in the same series, which only had a moderate success and did not get published in albums until much later. Lambil even parodied his own series in the irregular funny animal
comic Hobby and Koala, about a kangaroo and a koala
, and as Panty et son kangarou (see below).
When in 1972 Louis Salvérius, the artist of Les Tuniques Bleues
("The Blue Coats"), unexpectedly died, a successor was sought amongst the Dupuis artists. Lambil was asked to continue the series in collaboration with writer Raoul Cauvin
. Whereas Sandy was drawn in a realistic style, Les Tuniques Bleues
was comical and humorous, even though it is set during the American Civil War
and is rather graphic in its portrayal of battle and its aftermath. Due to the rapid success of Les Tuniques Bleues
(which has become a major best-selling series), Lambil had to drop Sandy.
As of 2009, Lambil has made more than 40 albums of Les Tuniques Bleues, which have sold over 15 million copies.
His only other major contribution was Pauvre Lampil ("Poor Lampil"), a series of short humoristic semi-autobiographic stories, satirizing the hard life of a comics artist and his writing partner — caricatures of Lambil and Cauvin themselves — as they argue about almost everything, from work to life in general. The strip is also a domestic one in the style of Blondie
with the ever-depressed Lampil having to put up with everything life throws at him, which is not helped by the more cheery dispositions of his wife and their son Joel. The strip also features caricatures of other comics artists like André Franquin
and Jean-Claude Fournier
. In his early appearances, Lampil's comic strip is described as Panty et son kangourou ("Panty and his Kangaroo") which only has a moderate success, but latter ones had him and Cauvin actually working on Les Tuniques Bleues.
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...
comic-book artist, best known for the series Les Tuniques Bleues
Les Tuniques Bleues
Les Tuniques Bleues is a Belgian series of bandes dessinées , first featured in Spirou and later published by Dupuis. Created by Louis Salverius, the series was taken up by artist Willy Lambillotte and writer Raoul Cauvin. It follows two United States cavalrymen through a series of battles and...
, which has been published in English as "The Blue Tunics" and "The Bluecoats".
Biography
Willy Lambillotte was born in TaminesSambreville
Sambreville is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur. On January 1, 2006 Sambreville had a total population of 26,949. The total area is 34.20 km² which gives a population density of 788 inhabitants per km².-Villages and towns:...
, Belgium in 1936. He studied at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts
Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts
The Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels is an art school, founded in 1711.The faculty and alumni of ARBA include some of the most famous names in Belgian painting, sculpture, and architecture: James Ensor, Rene Magritte, and Paul Delvaux...
in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and first presented his drawings at the 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...
, known for the magazine Spirou
Spirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...
, when he was 16. He was accepted as a letterer, and got to know the major artists of the magazine of the time like Jijé
Jijé
Jijé was a Belgian comics artist, best known for being a seminal artist on the Spirou et Fantasio strip and the creator of one of the first major European western strips, Jerry Spring.-Biography:Born Joseph Gillain in Gedinne, Namur, he completed various art studies Jijé (13 January 1914 – 20...
and André Franquin
André Franquin
André Franquin was an influential Belgian comics artist, whose best known comic strip creations are Gaston and Marsupilami, created while he worked on the Spirou et Fantasio comic strip from 1947 to 1969, during a period seen by many as the series' golden age.-Franquin's beginnings:Franquin was...
.
In 1959, he published his first comic, Sandy, about an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n teenager and his kangaroo
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
Hoppy. The story was written by Henri Gillain, the brother of Jijé, and was the start of more than 20 stories in the same series, which only had a moderate success and did not get published in albums until much later. Lambil even parodied his own series in the irregular funny animal
Funny animal
Funny animal is a cartooning term for the genre of comics and animated cartoons in which the main characters are humanoid or talking animals, with anthropomorphic personality traits. The characters themselves may also be called funny animals...
comic Hobby and Koala, about a kangaroo and a koala
Koala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
, and as Panty et son kangarou (see below).
When in 1972 Louis Salvérius, the artist of Les Tuniques Bleues
Les Tuniques Bleues
Les Tuniques Bleues is a Belgian series of bandes dessinées , first featured in Spirou and later published by Dupuis. Created by Louis Salverius, the series was taken up by artist Willy Lambillotte and writer Raoul Cauvin. It follows two United States cavalrymen through a series of battles and...
("The Blue Coats"), unexpectedly died, a successor was sought amongst the Dupuis artists. Lambil was asked to continue the series in collaboration with writer Raoul Cauvin
Raoul Cauvin
Raoul Cauvin is a Belgian comics author and one of the most popular in the humorist field.-Biography:Raoul Cauvin was born in Antoing, Belgium in 1938. He studied lithography at the Institut Saint-Luc in Tournai, but upon leaving school found that there no jobs available for lithographers...
. Whereas Sandy was drawn in a realistic style, Les Tuniques Bleues
Les Tuniques Bleues
Les Tuniques Bleues is a Belgian series of bandes dessinées , first featured in Spirou and later published by Dupuis. Created by Louis Salverius, the series was taken up by artist Willy Lambillotte and writer Raoul Cauvin. It follows two United States cavalrymen through a series of battles and...
was comical and humorous, even though it is set during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and is rather graphic in its portrayal of battle and its aftermath. Due to the rapid success of Les Tuniques Bleues
Les Tuniques Bleues
Les Tuniques Bleues is a Belgian series of bandes dessinées , first featured in Spirou and later published by Dupuis. Created by Louis Salverius, the series was taken up by artist Willy Lambillotte and writer Raoul Cauvin. It follows two United States cavalrymen through a series of battles and...
(which has become a major best-selling series), Lambil had to drop Sandy.
As of 2009, Lambil has made more than 40 albums of Les Tuniques Bleues, which have sold over 15 million copies.
His only other major contribution was Pauvre Lampil ("Poor Lampil"), a series of short humoristic semi-autobiographic stories, satirizing the hard life of a comics artist and his writing partner — caricatures of Lambil and Cauvin themselves — as they argue about almost everything, from work to life in general. The strip is also a domestic one in the style of Blondie
Blondie (comic strip)
Blondie is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Chic Young. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, the strip has been published in newspapers since September 8, 1930...
with the ever-depressed Lampil having to put up with everything life throws at him, which is not helped by the more cheery dispositions of his wife and their son Joel. The strip also features caricatures of other comics artists like André Franquin
André Franquin
André Franquin was an influential Belgian comics artist, whose best known comic strip creations are Gaston and Marsupilami, created while he worked on the Spirou et Fantasio comic strip from 1947 to 1969, during a period seen by many as the series' golden age.-Franquin's beginnings:Franquin was...
and Jean-Claude Fournier
Jean-Claude Fournier
Jean-Claude Fournier , known simply as Fournier, is a French cartoonist best known as the comic book artist who handled Spirou et Fantasio in the years 1969-1979.-Biography:...
. In his early appearances, Lampil's comic strip is described as Panty et son kangourou ("Panty and his Kangaroo") which only has a moderate success, but latter ones had him and Cauvin actually working on Les Tuniques Bleues.
Awards
- 2004: Prix Géant de la BD by the Chambre Belge des Experts en Bande Dessinée
- 2006: Grand Prix Saint-MichelPrix Saint-MichelThe Prix Saint-Michel is a series of comic awards presented by the city of Brussels, with a focus on Franco-Belgian comics. They were first awarded in 1971, and are the second oldest comics award in Europe still presented, behind the Adamson Awards...
, BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Source
- Béra, Michel; Denni, Michel; and Mellot, Philippe (2002): "Trésors de la Bande Dessinée 2003-2004". ParisParisParis 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...
, Les éditions de l'amateur. ISBN 2-85917-357-9