The comic book scriptwriter, who worked in particular with Jacques Tardi, François Boucq and Enki Bilal, died this Thursday at the age of 86.
Comic book scriptwriter Pierre Christin, who had worked with many big names in the 9th art, died this Thursday at the age of 86, publisher Dargaud announced.
“He was a comic book scriptwriter – undoubtedly one of the greatest – writer, academic and professor,” recalled the publishing house in a press release.
After nearly 100 titles between the 1960s and 2020, his name remains mainly attached to the character of Valérian. A doctor of letters, the native of Saint-Mandé, near Paris, was one of those, with René Goscinny, who created the profession of comic book scriptwriter.
Screenwriter for Tardi, Boucq or Bilal
Valérian, a science fiction hero, was born from his collaboration with a childhood friend, the designer Jean-Claude Mézières. It made Pierre Christin “a pillar” of Pilote magazine, recalls Dargaud.
The screenwriter has written for comic book legends like Jacques Tardi, François Boucq and Enki Bilal. He also founded the Bordeaux journalism school (IJBA) with Robert Escarpit and wrote novels or produced plays.
The 2019 Goscinny Prize was awarded to him at the Angoulême International Comics Festival, for all of his work.
“Pierre Christin is not only considered a major screenwriter in the history of comics, both by the richness of his work which is not limited to the Valérian series, but also by his desire to address social issues”, underlined Dargaud.
“Progressive, he is one of the first to dare to highlight a female character (Laureline) as a strong heroine,” the press release continues. The publishing house praised “a great traveler, an assiduous observer of our world, a cultured, curious man who loves to debate”.
