Eddy Paape Johnny Congo

Eddy Paape is one of the big names of classical Belgian comic authors. He started out working at an animation studio with Jacques Eggermont. There, he met André Franquin and Morris, who introduced him to Dupuis publishers. For this publisher, he began making some cover illustrations the Bonnes Soirées magazine, as well as assisting Jijé on his 'Emmanuel' comic.
His first big comics work was taking over the 'Valhardi' series from Jijé. Paape drew this series from 1946 to 1954 in Spirou, working with famous scenarists like Jean-Michel Charlier and Yvan Delporte. However Paape did a great job on this detective series, only a few of his stories have appeared in albums.
As an artist for Georges Troisfontaines's World Press syndicate, Eddy Paape illustrated the first episodes of the legendary 'Belles Histoires de l'Oncle Paul' series and he assisted Hubinon on 'Buck Danny' and 'Surcouf'. Along with writer Jean-Michel Charlier, Paape started his first real series, 'Marc Dacier', in 1958. At first he was still strongly influenced by Hubinon in his artwork, but along the way the acquired his own, personal style.
During his years with Spirou, Paape also worked for Record and Pilote on the side. From 1966, Eddy Paape was present at Tintin. Here, he started his most famous series, the science-fiction comic 'Luc Oriënt', along with the scenarist Greg. Other series he created for Tintin were 'Jeux de Toah' (in 1969 with André-Paul Duchâteau), 'Tommy Banco' (in 1970 with Greg) and 'Yorik des Tempêtes' (in 1971 with Duchâteau)
From 1969 to 1976, Paape was a teacher at the Sint-Lukas institute in Brussels, where the taught, among others, Andreas, the finer points of the comics profession. Among his later work are to be mentioned: 'Les Jardins de la Peur' (with Jean Dufaux and Sohier), 'Carol Détective' and 'Udolfo' (with Duchâteau) and 'Johnny Congo' (with Greg)
source: www.lambiek.net

Rijswijk febr. 2007