Jacques Martin (comics)

Jacques Martin (25 September 1921 – 21 January 2010) was a French comics artist and comic book creator. He was one of the classic artists of "Tintin" magazine, alongside Edgar P. Jacobs and Hergé, of whom he was a longtime collaborator. He is best known for his series "Alix". He was born in Strasbourg.
Biography.
After pursuing engineering studies as a young man, Jacques Martin began in 1942 to draw his first comic stories. In 1946, following the end of the War, he travelled through Belgium in search of an editor for his work. Soon afterwards he met Georges Remi (aka Hergé) with whom he collaborated on several albums of "The Adventures of Tintin" (and more specifically on "Tintin in Tibet" and "The Red Sea Sharks") while working on his own albums. It was from Hergé that he learned of the ligne claire style and, under Hergé's guidance, began to use it in his own work. He would later be considered one of the great five of the ligne claire style, along with Hergé, Edgar P. Jacobs, Bob de Moor and Willy Vandersteen.
In 1948, he created "Alix", his most famous series, published in the magazine Tintin, whose adventures - extremely well researched - occur in Roman antiquity. This historic comic soon became one of the most popular of the genre and went on to be published in several countries worldwide.
The story "Le spectre de Carthage" won the award for best French realistic comic book at the 1978 Angoulême International Comics Festival.
Martin went on to create other characters, beginning with the contemporary journalist "Lefranc" in 1952. Much later he created others in collaboration with various partners, namely the medieval architect "Jhen" (initially entitled "Xan") in 1978, the French revolutionary officer "Arno" in 1984, the Athenian "Orion" in 1990, and the Egyptian "Keos" in 1992. In 2003, he also started a new series - "Loïs" set in the court of Louis the sun king of France.
In 1998, due to failing eyesight, Martin left the drawing of "Alix" to Rafael Morales. "Alix" continues running with great success. Martin died on 21 January 2010.