Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: Comics, entertainment, moebius

The Massive Moebius Book That Might Just Be…

Published Tue, 28 Jul 2015 14:00:28 -0500

Years ago, storyboard artist for Harry Potter, Avengers and Mission Impossible films Sylvain Despretz told Jonathan Ellis about a project regarding his mentor and legendary comics creator, Moebius.

"A few years ago, I started a project: I taped hundreds of hours of conversations with him about Drawing, over a long period of time… I've started transcribing these tapes, and I have also taken many photographs of Moebius at work… I plan on publishing, someday, a comprehensive book on Moebius, in which he will describe in his own words everything that I've learned from him about drawing, art, and his views as an artist."

Well now it is happening. Or it might be. And there is a group trying to make it so.

From 1993 until 2000, Sylvain Despretz , in his frequent capacity as assistant to Jean "Mœbius" Giraud and with the complicity of the late master artist, recorded dozens of hours of conversations and advice about drawing.

Mœbius was well aware that only an illustrator could collect the minutia of his teachings for posterity, and kindly gave of himself in order to leave behind a testament to all artists, photographers, film makers and fans. These interviews are unique in that they make no attempt to be palatable to a casual audience: they speak to all professionals of the graphic field. Mœbius had agreed that Sylvain should have carte-blanche in seeing this project through, not only with the editorial selections of the text, but also in his keeping an all-access approach to samples of artwork, including art that he drew as a child and a young professional.

Along with these lengthy interviews and lessons, Mœbius allowed Sylvain to photograph every step of the making of a painting, as well as pages of graphic novels.

This would make a treasure of a book indeed, now that the master has left us… So, what's the rub?
Mœbius is gone. Now, a heap of legal hurdles has to be lifted for the way to be cleared for Sylvain to give this project the breathing room it deserves… Printing it will be the easy part.

Come show your support!

Is it just legal hurdles? Translated, another post reads,

Unfortunately, the publishers héxagonaux contacted so far have been cautious, regretting a market that is not conducive to this kind of initiative. A Petition demonstrating the public enthusiasm for this buried treasure might be able to get them to change their opinion.

Might we suggest that an English version could help the market a little? Just a little… and I know of people who would happily pony up for such a book.

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