Pilote
Encyclopedia
Pilote was a French comics periodical
published from 1959 to 1989. Showcasing most of the major French or Belgian comics
talents of its day the magazine introduced major series such as Astérix le Gaulois
, Blueberry, Achille Talon
, and Valérian et Laureline. Major comics writers like René Goscinny
, Jean-Michel Charlier
, Greg, Pierre Christin
and Jacques Lob
were featured in the magazine, as were artists such as Jijé
, Morris
, Albert Uderzo
, Jean (Mœbius) Giraud
, Enki Bilal
, Jean-Claude Mézières
, Jacques Tardi
, Philippe Druillet
, Marcel Gotlib, Alexis
, and Annie Goetzinger.
Pilote also published several international talents such as Hugo Pratt
, Frank Bellamy
and Robert Crumb
.
Charlier and Goscinny handled most of the initial writing. Although Charlier came up with two popular series, Tanguy et Laverdure
with Albert Uderzo and Barbe-Rouge (Redbeard) with Victor Hubinon
, it was Goscinny and Uderzo’s Astérix le Gaulois which was the biggest hit and the magazine’s initial mainstay.
publishers. Dargaud expanded the magazine with several new series, including Charlier and Giraud’s Blueberry and Greg's Achille Tallon in 1963. In 1967 the popular science-fiction series Valérian et Laureline debuted and in 1968 the popular Western comedy Lucky Luke
(by Morris) was transferred to Pilote from Spirou
. Other notable appearances included series from the British comics magazine Eagle
such as Fraser l'Africain (Fraser of Africa) and Winston Churchill by Frank Bellamy.
Attempts were made in the 1970s to update the magazine with material of more interest to adults, but many artists like Druillet and Giraud felt Pilote was no longer the appropriate vehicle for their aspirations and left to found new magazines such as Métal Hurlant
(French origin of Heavy Metal
). Partly as a result, Dargaud reduced Pilote’s publication schedule from weekly to monthly in 1974, and René Goscinny was replaced as editor-in-chief. At this time, a new generation of artists also started publishing in Pilote, namely Caza
, Lauzier
, and F'Murr
. Their comics reflected the new, more adult direction.
Sales initially improved but a steady erosion took place through the 1980s as interest in the medium declined. Pilote was merged with the comics magazine Charlie Mensuel
in 1986 and continued as Pilote et Charlie until 1988, when the name was changed back to Pilote. However, declining sales prompted Dargaud to suspend publication after what became the final issue on October 1, 1989.
After 1989, there has been no regular publications of the magazine, although the name has been used for occasional over-sized specials.
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,...
published from 1959 to 1989. Showcasing most of the major French or Belgian comics
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...
talents of its day the magazine introduced major series such as Astérix le Gaulois
Asterix
Asterix or The Adventures of Asterix is a series of French comic books written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo . The series first appeared in French in the magazine Pilote on October 29, 1959...
, Blueberry, Achille Talon
Achille Talon
Achille Talon is a Franco-Belgian comics series featuring an eponymous main character, created by Greg . Starting publication in the comics magazine Pilote in 1963, the series presents the comic misadventures of an anti-hero.The name derives from "talon d'Achille", the French term for an...
, and Valérian et Laureline. Major comics writers like René Goscinny
René Goscinny
René Goscinny was a French comics editor and writer, who is best known for the comic book Astérix, which he created with illustrator Albert Uderzo, and for his work on the comic series Lucky Luke with Morris and Iznogoud with Jean Tabary.-Early life:Goscinny was born in Paris in 1926, to a family...
, Jean-Michel Charlier
Jean-Michel Charlier
Jean-Michel Charlier was a Belgian script writer best known as a writer of realistic European comics. He was a co-founder of the famed European comics magazine Pilote.-Biography:...
, Greg, Pierre Christin
Pierre Christin
- Biography :Christin was born at Saint-Mandé in 1938.After graduating from the Sorbonne, Christin pursued graduate studies in political science at SciencesPo and became a professor of French literature at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. His first comics story, Le Rhum du Punch, illustrated...
and Jacques Lob
Jacques Lob
Jacques Lob was a French comic book creator, known for several Franco-Belgian comics creations, but most famously Superdupont.-Biography:...
were featured in the magazine, as were artists such as 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...
, Morris
Morris (comics)
Maurice De Bevere , better known as Morris, was a Belgian cartoonist and the creator of Lucky Luke. His pen name is an alternate spelling of his first name.-Biography:...
, Albert Uderzo
Albert Uderzo
Albert Uderzo is a French comic book artist, and scriptwriter. He is best known for his work on the Astérix series, but also drew other comics such as Oumpah-pah, also in collaboration with René Goscinny.-Early life:...
, Jean (Mœbius) Giraud
Jean Giraud
Jean Henri Gaston Giraud is a French comics artist. Giraud has earned worldwide fame, not only under his own name but also under the pseudonym Moebius, and to a lesser extent Gir, the latter appearing mostly in the form of a boxed signature at the bottom of the artist's paintings, for instance the...
, Enki Bilal
Enki Bilal
Enes Bilal is a French comic book creator, comics artist and film director.-Biography:Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, to a Slovak mother and a Bosnian father who had been Josip Broz Tito's tailor, he moved to Paris at the age of 9. At age 14, he met René Goscinny and with his encouragement applied...
, Jean-Claude Mézières
Jean-Claude Mézières
Jean-Claude Mézières is a French comic strip artist and illustrator. Born and raised in Paris, he was introduced to drawing by his older brother and influenced by comics artists such as Hergé, Andre Franquin and Morris and later by Jijé and Jack Davis...
, Jacques Tardi
Jacques Tardi
Jacques Tardi is a French comics artist, born 30 August 1946 in Valence, Drôme. He is often credited solely as Tardi.-Biography:After graduating from the École nationale des Beaux-Arts de Lyon and the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs in Paris, he started writing comics in 1969, at the...
, Philippe Druillet
Philippe Druillet
Philippe Druillet is a French comics artist and creator, and an innovator in visual design.-Biography:Druillet was born in Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, France but spent his youth in Spain, returning to France in 1952 after the death of his father...
, Marcel Gotlib, Alexis
Alexis (comics)
Alexis was the pseudonym of Dominique Vallet, a French comics artist, best known for his work on the series Al Crane and Superdupont.-Biography:...
, and Annie Goetzinger.
Pilote also published several international talents such as Hugo Pratt
Hugo Pratt
Hugo Eugenio Pratt was an Italian comic book creator who was known for combining strong storytelling with extensive historical research on works such as Corto Maltese...
, Frank Bellamy
Frank Bellamy
Frank Bellamy was a British comics artist, best known for his work on the Eagle comic, for which he illustrated Heros the Spartan and Fraser of Africa. He reworked its flagship Dan Dare strip....
and Robert Crumb
Robert Crumb
Robert Dennis Crumb —known as Robert Crumb and R. Crumb—is an American artist, illustrator, and musician recognized for the distinctive style of his drawings and his critical, satirical, subversive view of the American mainstream.Crumb was a founder of the underground comix movement and is regarded...
.
History
Following the publication of a teaser issue number 0 on June 1, Pilote made its debut proper on October 29, 1959. The magazine was started by experienced comics writers Goscinny and Charlier, and artists Albert Uderzo and Jean Hébrard. Previously this team had worked together on several other projects, creating Le Supplément Illustré, a cartoon supplement for newspapers, and providing cartoons for Radio-Télé, a magazine published by Radio-Luxembourg. Pilote was marketed by Radio-Luxembourg, and featured editorials written by popular radio personalities of the day. The 300,000 copies of the first issue sold out in one day.Charlier and Goscinny handled most of the initial writing. Although Charlier came up with two popular series, Tanguy et Laverdure
Tanguy et Laverdure
Les Aventures de Tanguy et Laverdure is a Franco-Belgian comics series created by Jean-Michel Charlier and Albert Uderzo, about the two pilots Michel Tanguy and Ernest Laverdure, and their adventures in the French Air Force.-Publication history:...
with Albert Uderzo and Barbe-Rouge (Redbeard) with Victor Hubinon
Victor Hubinon
Victor Hubinon was a Belgian comic-book artist, best known for the series Buck Danny and Redbeard.-Biography:...
, it was Goscinny and Uderzo’s Astérix le Gaulois which was the biggest hit and the magazine’s initial mainstay.
Difficulties
Financial problems arose in 1960, but were resolved when the magazine was bought out by DargaudDargaud
Les Éditions Dargaud is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics series, headquartered in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1943 by Georges Dargaud.Initially, Dargaud published novels for women...
publishers. Dargaud expanded the magazine with several new series, including Charlier and Giraud’s Blueberry and Greg's Achille Tallon in 1963. In 1967 the popular science-fiction series Valérian et Laureline debuted and in 1968 the popular Western comedy Lucky Luke
Lucky Luke
Lucky Luke is a Belgian comics series created by Belgian cartoonist, Maurice De Bevere better known as Morris, the original artist, and was for one period written by René Goscinny...
(by Morris) was transferred to Pilote from Spirou
Spirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...
. Other notable appearances included series from the British comics magazine Eagle
Eagle (comic)
Eagle was a seminal British children's comic, first published from 1950 to 1969, and then in a relaunched format from 1982 to 1994. It was founded by Marcus Morris, an Anglican vicar from Lancashire. Morris edited a parish magazine called The Anvil, but felt that the church was not communicating...
such as Fraser l'Africain (Fraser of Africa) and Winston Churchill by Frank Bellamy.
Attempts were made in the 1970s to update the magazine with material of more interest to adults, but many artists like Druillet and Giraud felt Pilote was no longer the appropriate vehicle for their aspirations and left to found new magazines such as Métal Hurlant
Métal Hurlant
Métal Hurlant is a French comics anthology of science fiction and horror comics stories, created in December 1974 by comics artists Jean Giraud and Philippe Druillet together with journalist-writer Jean-Pierre Dionnet and financial director Bernard Farkas.The four were collectively known as "Les...
(French origin of Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal (magazine)
Heavy Metal is an American science fiction and fantasy comics magazine, known primarily for its blend of dark fantasy/science fiction and erotica. In the mid-1970s, while publisher Leonard Mogel was in Paris to jump-start the French edition of National Lampoon, he discovered the French...
). Partly as a result, Dargaud reduced Pilote’s publication schedule from weekly to monthly in 1974, and René Goscinny was replaced as editor-in-chief. At this time, a new generation of artists also started publishing in Pilote, namely Caza
Caza
Caza, the pseudonym of Philippe Cazaumayou , is a French comics artist.-Biography:At 18, Cazaumayou started a career in advertising which lasted for ten years, but in 1970 he entered the field of bandes dessinées, releasing his first album, Kris Kool...
, Lauzier
Gérard Lauzier
Gérard Lauzier was a French comics author and movie director, best known as one of the leading authors in the more adult-oriented French comics scene of the 1970s and 1980s.-Biography:...
, and F'Murr
F'Murr
F'Murr or F'Murrr whose real name is Richard Peyzaret, is a French comics creator. He is most famous for the long running series Le Génie des alpages .-Biography:...
. Their comics reflected the new, more adult direction.
Sales initially improved but a steady erosion took place through the 1980s as interest in the medium declined. Pilote was merged with the comics magazine Charlie Mensuel
Charlie Mensuel
Charlie Mensuel was a French monthly comics magazine. Its publication began in February 1969, and ceased in February 1986.-History:...
in 1986 and continued as Pilote et Charlie until 1988, when the name was changed back to Pilote. However, declining sales prompted Dargaud to suspend publication after what became the final issue on October 1, 1989.
After 1989, there has been no regular publications of the magazine, although the name has been used for occasional over-sized specials.
Main authors and series
- AlexisAlexis (comics)Alexis was the pseudonym of Dominique Vallet, a French comics artist, best known for his work on the series Al Crane and Superdupont.-Biography:...
: Timoléon et Stanislas (1969-1973), Al Crane (1976-1977) - Philippe Bertrand: Linda aime l'art (1983-1989)
- Enki BilalEnki BilalEnes Bilal is a French comic book creator, comics artist and film director.-Biography:Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, to a Slovak mother and a Bosnian father who had been Josip Broz Tito's tailor, he moved to Paris at the age of 9. At age 14, he met René Goscinny and with his encouragement applied...
: Légendes d'Aujourd'hui (1976-1982), La foire aux immortelsLa Foire aux immortelsThe Carnival of Immortals is a science fiction graphic novel from 1980 written and illustrated by the Yugoslavian born French cartoonist and storyteller Enki Bilal. It is the first part of the Nikopol Trilogy, followed up by La Femme piège in 1986 and ending with Froid Équateur in 1992...
(1980) - Michel Blanc-Dumont: Jonathan Cartland (1974-1988)
- Claire BretécherClaire BretécherClaire Bretécher is a French cartoonist, known particularly for her portrayals of women and gender issues. Her creations include the Frustrés, and the unimpressed teenager Agrippine.-Biography:...
: Cellulite (1969-1977) - CabuCabuCabu is a French comic strip artist and caricaturist.He started out studying art at the École Estienne in Paris and his drawings were first published by 1954 in a local newspaper...
: Grand Duduche (1963-1982) - CazaCazaCaza, the pseudonym of Philippe Cazaumayou , is a French comics artist.-Biography:At 18, Cazaumayou started a career in advertising which lasted for ten years, but in 1970 he entered the field of bandes dessinées, releasing his first album, Kris Kool...
: Scènes de la vie de banlieue (1975-1979) - Jean-Michel CharlierJean-Michel CharlierJean-Michel Charlier was a Belgian script writer best known as a writer of realistic European comics. He was a co-founder of the famed European comics magazine Pilote.-Biography:...
: Blueberry (1963-1973), Barbe-Rouge (1959-1969), Tanguy et LaverdureTanguy et LaverdureLes Aventures de Tanguy et Laverdure is a Franco-Belgian comics series created by Jean-Michel Charlier and Albert Uderzo, about the two pilots Michel Tanguy and Ernest Laverdure, and their adventures in the French Air Force.-Publication history:...
(1959-1970) - Pierre ChristinPierre Christin- Biography :Christin was born at Saint-Mandé in 1938.After graduating from the Sorbonne, Christin pursued graduate studies in political science at SciencesPo and became a professor of French literature at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. His first comics story, Le Rhum du Punch, illustrated...
: Valérian and Laureline (1967-1985), Légendes d'Aujourd'hui (1976-1982) - Philippe DruilletPhilippe DruilletPhilippe Druillet is a French comics artist and creator, and an innovator in visual design.-Biography:Druillet was born in Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, France but spent his youth in Spain, returning to France in 1952 after the death of his father...
: Lone SloaneLone SloaneLone Sloane is a science fiction comics character created in 1966 by the French cartoonist Philippe Druillet.-Publication history:Lone Sloane's first episode was that of Druillet's very debut, Mystère des Abîmes, published in 1966. The following stories were published on the French magazine Pilote...
(1970-1974) - F'MurrF'MurrF'Murr or F'Murrr whose real name is Richard Peyzaret, is a French comics creator. He is most famous for the long running series Le Génie des alpages .-Biography:...
: Le Génie des alpagesLe Génie des alpagesLe Génie des alpages is a comic book series by French comics creator, F'Murr. The series first appeared in Pilote on January 11, 1973. In 1976 Les Éditions Dargaud started publication of hardcover albums.-Synopsis:...
(1973-1989) - FredFred (comics)Fredéric Othon Theodore Aristidès, known by his pseudonym Fred, is a French comics artist and comic book creator in the Franco-Belgian comics tradition...
: PhilémonPhilémon (comics)Philémon is a series in the Franco-Belgian comics style created by French artist Fred and published by Dargaud. The series began serial publication in the comics magazine Pilote on July 22, 1965, before it eventually became an album series...
(1965-1986) - Jean GiraudJean GiraudJean Henri Gaston Giraud is a French comics artist. Giraud has earned worldwide fame, not only under his own name but also under the pseudonym Moebius, and to a lesser extent Gir, the latter appearing mostly in the form of a boxed signature at the bottom of the artist's paintings, for instance the...
: Blueberry (1963-1973) - Christian GodardChristian GodardChristian Godard is a French comic artist and writer of the comic series Martin Milan for Tintin magazine.He has also worked on the following series, among others:* Le vagabond des limbes* Norbert and Kari...
: Norbert et Kari (1963-1970), Vagabond des limbes (1978-1987) - René GoscinnyRené GoscinnyRené Goscinny was a French comics editor and writer, who is best known for the comic book Astérix, which he created with illustrator Albert Uderzo, and for his work on the comic series Lucky Luke with Morris and Iznogoud with Jean Tabary.-Early life:Goscinny was born in Paris in 1926, to a family...
: AsterixAsterixAsterix or The Adventures of Asterix is a series of French comic books written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo . The series first appeared in French in the magazine Pilote on October 29, 1959...
(1959-1973), Lucky LukeLucky LukeLucky Luke is a Belgian comics series created by Belgian cartoonist, Maurice De Bevere better known as Morris, the original artist, and was for one period written by René Goscinny...
(1967-1974), IznogoudIznogoudIznogoud |French]] accent) is a French comics series featuring an eponymous character, created by the comics writer René Goscinny and comics artist Jean Tabary...
(1968-1977), Petit Nicolas (1959-1965) - Marcel Gotlib: Dingodossiers (1965-1967), Rubrique-à-BracRubrique-à-BracRubrique-à-Brac is a humorous comic strip series created in 1968 by Gotlib. The title is a portmanteau of the French words rubrique and bric-à-brac. Initially published in Pilote, the series was republished as five hardbound books between 1970 and 1974 by Dargaud, and again in 2002 as one volume,...
(1968-1973) - Greg: Achille TalonAchille TalonAchille Talon is a Franco-Belgian comics series featuring an eponymous main character, created by Greg . Starting publication in the comics magazine Pilote in 1963, the series presents the comic misadventures of an anti-hero.The name derives from "talon d'Achille", the French term for an...
(1963-1981) - Victor HubinonVictor HubinonVictor Hubinon was a Belgian comic-book artist, best known for the series Buck Danny and Redbeard.-Biography:...
: Barbe-Rouge (1959-1969) - Claude Lacroix: Homme au chapeau mou (1977-1983)
- LauzierGérard LauzierGérard Lauzier was a French comics author and movie director, best known as one of the leading authors in the more adult-oriented French comics scene of the 1970s and 1980s.-Biography:...
: Tranche de Vie (1970-1978), Al Crane (1976-1977) - Jacques LobJacques LobJacques Lob was a French comic book creator, known for several Franco-Belgian comics creations, but most famously Superdupont.-Biography:...
: Submerman (1967-1970) - Nikita MandrykaNikita MandrykaNikita Mandryka is a French cartoonist of Russian origin.He started drawing in the Pilote magazine, then created L'Écho des savanes along with Claire Bretécher and Marcel Gotlib in 1973...
: Concombre masqué (1971-1981), Clopinettes (1970-1973) - Jean-Claude MézièresJean-Claude MézièresJean-Claude Mézières is a French comic strip artist and illustrator. Born and raised in Paris, he was introduced to drawing by his older brother and influenced by comics artists such as Hergé, Andre Franquin and Morris and later by Jijé and Jack Davis...
: Valérian and Laureline (1967-1985) - MorrisMorris (comics)Maurice De Bevere , better known as Morris, was a Belgian cartoonist and the creator of Lucky Luke. His pen name is an alternate spelling of his first name.-Biography:...
: Lucky Luke (1967-1974) - Antonio Hernandez Palacios: Mac Coy (1974-1989)
- Julio Ribera: Vagabond des limbesThe Vagabond of LimboThe Vagabond of Limbo is a French science-fiction comic book series written by Christian Godard and illustrated by Julio Ribera, and published by Dargaud....
(1978-1987), Dracurella (1973-1982) - Jean TabaryJean Tabary-Biography:Tabary was born in Stockholm and made his comics debut with Richard et Charlie published in the comics magazine Vaillant on November 5, 1956...
: Iznogoud (1968-1977), Valerian le vagabond (1962-1974) - François Thomas: Stan Caïman (1982-1989)
- Albert UderzoAlbert UderzoAlbert Uderzo is a French comic book artist, and scriptwriter. He is best known for his work on the Astérix series, but also drew other comics such as Oumpah-pah, also in collaboration with René Goscinny.-Early life:...
: Asterix (1959-1973), Tanguy et Laverdure (1959-1967)
External links
- La mémoire de Pilote issue descriptions on BDoubliées