Didier Conrad
Didier Conrad | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 6, 1959 Marseille, France |
| Occupation(s) | Comics artist, writer |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Known for | Illustrator of Asterix series since 2012 |
Didier Conrad (born 6 May 1959) is a French comics artist and writer, recognized since 2012 as the illustrator of the well-known Asterix series.
Early Career
Conrad was born in Marseille to Swiss parents and showed an early enthusiasm for comics, publishing a page in Journal de Spirou when he was just 14 years old. His first series, "Jason," written by Mythic, debuted in 1978. Through Spirou editor Thierry Martens, he met Yann Le Pennetier, a fellow Marseille native, with whom he formed a creative partnership despite contrasting temperaments.
Period at Spirou
Together, Conrad and Yann produced short comic stories and were assigned by editor Alain de Kuyssche to contribute marginal doodles and humorous notes in the magazine’s borders. They revitalized this feature by parodying and occasionally critiquing the main strips below, which stirred controversy but earned praise from veteran artist André Franquin, who appreciated their innovative approach.
Following this, they were commissioned to develop an action series inspired by Buck Danny. Initially named "Chuck Willys," the protagonist was swiftly killed off, leading to the series being retitled Les Innommables (the Unnamables). At first, Conrad wrote while Yann illustrated; they later exchanged roles to capitalize on their respective talents. This series broke new ground for a children's publication with its depictions of violence, sexuality, and brutality, resulting in their dismissal in 1982.
During this time, Conrad and Yann lived primarily in Marseille but often stayed at the magazine’s guest room in Brussels, where they reportedly accessed internal letters concerning themselves.
Post-Spirou Period
After leaving Spirou, Yann and Conrad sought opportunities with a new publication and joined Circus, launched by publisher Glénat. Declining further requests for marginal sketches, they revived "Bob Marone," a parody of Henri Vernes’ popular pulp series "Bob Morane." Two albums featuring a time-travel narrative involving the pursuit of a white dinosaur were released; however, Yann and Conrad parted ways before completing the second story. Conrad finished it with the assistance of his partner Sophie Commenge (using the pseudonym "Lucie").
Solo Work
Following their separation, Conrad scaled back his output and collaborated with Sophie Commenge under her real name to create a new character named Ernest Poildu. Only one album was published, with a second story partially serialized in a quarterly magazine. During the late 1980s, Conrad did not release any new albums.
Conrad’s Comeback
In 1990, Conrad returned to Dupuis, which had undergone modernization and introduced the "Aire Libre" collection offering creators greater editorial freedom. He revived Ernest Poildu through a two-part narrative titled "Le Piège Malais" ("The Malay Trap") and released a limited edition album called "Tatum: La Machine Écarlate." Subsequently, he created "Donito," centered on a boy who communicates with animals in the Caribbean. This work marked a departure from his earlier provocative themes toward a style inspired by Walt Disney.
Revival of Les Innommables
In 1994, Conrad reunited with Yann to revive their cult favorite series Les Innommables, which had ended abruptly after their dismissal from Spirou. They reworked existing albums and produced new installments, transforming the series into a unified saga featuring story arcs set in Hong Kong, Korea, and the United States. The sequence of albums was rearranged to incorporate original standalone tales into the overarching narrative.
Reunion with Yann
Coinciding with the revival of Les Innommables, a Lucky Luke spin-off titled Kid Lucky emerged, credited to writer Jean Léturgie and artist Pearce—whose artistic approach bore a strong resemblance to Conrad’s style. After producing two volumes, the series was discontinued; it later surfaced that Pearce was a pseudonym used jointly by Yann and Conrad, who wrote and illustrated the series together to distinguish this children’s project from their other endeavors. Subsequently, Léturgie and "Pearce" introduced Cotton Kid, which saw the release of five albums between 1999 and 2002.
In 1996, Conrad joined DreamWorks Animation to work on The Road to El Dorado and relocated to the United States, while continuing his comic projects including Les Innommables, Kid Lucky, Cotton Kid, as well as new Bob Marone adventures for Fluide Glacial. The Bob Marone series was now penned by Yann & Conrad but illustrated by Yoann under the pseudonym Janus. Additionally, Yann & Conrad developed the spin-off Tigresse Blanche ("White Tiger"), centered on Alix Yin Fu—a female shaolin martial artist and CCP trainee spy. Set against the backdrop of the Chinese Civil War, this prequel featured seven albums drawn by Conrad—two co-written with Yann and five with Sophie Commenge (known as Wilbur).
Asterix
In 2012, Albert Uderzo selected Conrad along with writer Jean-Yves Ferri to take over the continuation of the iconic Asterix series, originally created by Uderzo and René Goscinny in 1959. Together, Conrad and Ferri published the 35th volume, Asterix and the Picts, in October 2013, followed by the 36th installment, Asterix and the Missing Scroll, released in October 2015. Their subsequent works included the 37th album, Asterix and the Chariot Race (2017), the 38th, Asterix and the Chieftain's Daughter (2019), and the 39th volume, Asterix and the Griffin (2021).
For the release of the 40th album in 2023, titled Asterix and the White Iris, Conrad partnered with a new scriptwriter, Fabcaro.