Michel Vaillant

Michel Vaillant is a cartoon character that was created by the French- Belgian illustrator and author Jean Graton 1957.

History

The first Vaillant stories appeared in February 1957 in the Franco- Belgian comics magazine Tintin in the many adventure and crime series have been published. Tintin comics were designed for a young male readership and most - designed in the style of the Ligne claire - modeled after the series Tintin.

The Vaillant series was initially drawn by Graton in this style. From the late 1960s he went on to a loosened, more modern style. Since the 1990s, writes Graton's son Philippe scenarios. Since Jean Graton ill in the late 1990s, the drawings were made until 2009 by an artist team, the Graton initially advisory stood to the side. Age-related, the artist has now completely withdrawn. 70 Vaillant albums and several dozen short stories were published until 2007.

In April 2012 it was announced that the series in the future of the creative team Philippe Graton / Denis Lapière is looked after (scenario ) and Marc Bourgne / Benjamin Benéteau ( drawings). End of 2012 - published the 71 Vaillant album - with a new series concept. In Germany, the story was published in 2013 in the sequels ZACK magazine; albums a publication is planned.

Series Description

Vaillant takes as a driver in the family racing team and was several times Formula 1 world champion. He also competes with real racers, so this comic series for decades documented the real development of motor sport. Jean Graton had access to the tracks and was friends with many famous drivers. Often the action on the slopes into the background though. Bailouts, the investigation of crimes and the relationships of the main characters fall then in focus.

People

Michel Vaillant, as a comic figure almost ageless, starts for the Vaillant works, one of the leading car manufacturers in France. He drives all racing classes, including Formula 1, endurance races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans 12 - hour race at Sebring, rallies, motorcycle racing and motorboat races. With his wife Françoise Latour he has two sons, Patrick and Jean -Michel.

Jean -Pierre Vaillant is the older brother of Michel. He is married to Agnès de Chanzy. Their child, Jean -Michel Vaillant is Michel's godson. Jean Pierre was formerly active as a racer, and later he took over the management of the Vaillant works of his father.

Henri and Elisabeth Vaillant are the parents of Jean -Pierre and Michel. After training as a car mechanic Henri Vaillant was active as a racer, and later he founded the Vaillant works which he chaired for long.

Steve Warson is an American race car driver, he is a close friend of the Vaillant family and be heard - with interruptions - for solid driver team in the Vaillant racing team.

The leader is the head of the same name, competitive racing team. The Leader team is characterized by the use of the latest technologies and strategies. From the racers unconditional commitment and willingness to take risks is required. The leader appears for the first time in the album No. 14 " Mach 1 for Steve Warson ". After the death of his daughter Ruth Leaders takes over the leadership of the racing team.

Julie Wood is an American motorcycle driver who travels with her brother Jack " Indy " Wood for the Vaillant team. Between 1976 and 1980, the Studio Graton eight independent albums produced under the name Julie Wood.

Publishing house

After the series was published for decades in the small publisher Graton Editeur, it has been published since 2010 when large publishing house Dupuis that started with a speedy new edition of the already released albums in the same year. The publishing house Lombard since 2008 also appears a bibliophile edition of works, which is supplemented by editorial content.

Publication in Germany

Especially in France and the Benelux countries, the series with a total circulation of over 20 million albums is very popular. In Germany Michel Vaillant appeared initially from 1965 to 1972 in the magazine Micky vision or MV COMIX, where he initially was still called Michael Voss. From 1972 to 1981, the series was published with great success in the comic magazine ZACK and its offshoots. During the 1970s, the series reached its greatest popularity. 1999 and 2006 were published in installments in the "new " ZACK Vaillant albums.

Albums editions appeared in the publishers Coral, Ehapa, Carlsen and Seven Iceland. Since June 2006, Vaillant albums are regularly published stone by stone publisher in MOSAIC, which also publishes the ZACK magazine. First of all not yet published in Germany albums were released. After the existing gaps in the Album Edition were closed, published mosaic since the fall of 2010 in chronological order the correct order and improved print quality and supplemented by editorial content Vaillant those albums that appeared decades ago in the Coral -Verlag. The mosaic publisher has announced that all Michel Vaillant short stories will be published in a special edition albums.

The German-language editions of the albums are now much lower than in the 1970s. Like most comic classic from French- Belgian area also has the Vaillant series, only a relatively limited circle of readers, many of today's readers have grown up with the series and remain connected to her nostalgic. The view that today's Vaillant albums qualitatively no longer measure up to the earlier stories is widespread. Many Vaillant readers believe that the series had lost its quality, especially since the mid- 1970s. Since Philippe Graton has worked as a copywriter, the quality of the scenarios of many readers but is rated better.

TV and movies

1967, a 13 - part television series was filmed with real actors in the environment of racing events. 2003 Luc Besson produced a feature film with, inter alia, Diane Kruger, the but not met with great success. Between 1986 and 1989 an American animated series featuring the adventures of Michel Vaillant was prepared.

Vaillant albums (as of 03/ 2014)

Season 1 (1957-2007):

• Albums 01-56: Text and drawings by Jean Graton
• Albums 57-64: Text by Philippe Graton, drawing by Jean Graton
• Albums 65-66, from Album 68: Text by Philippe Graton, Drawing Studio Graton
• Album 67: Text and drawing Philippe Graton Jean Graton, Luc Besson, Gilles Malencon, Collectif

Season 2 ( from 2012):

• Text: Philippe Graton, Denis Lapière, Drawing: Marc Bourgne, Benjamin Benéteau

Will be published in the series " Palmares Inedit " in the older comic material by Jean Graton, two collections of short stories Vaillant from the 1960s and 1970s have been published so far:

• Palmares Inedit 1 - Retour à king box (46 pp., 2000) / Special - Short Stories: Return to King Field (Seven Iceland, May 2004 )
• Palmares Inedit 5 - Dossier V2001 / albums so far no German publication (p. 2004? )