{"id":87,"date":"2012-03-10T17:34:00","date_gmt":"2012-03-10T17:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/johnpicacio.com\/onthefront\/2012\/03\/10\/rip-jean-giraud-moebius\/"},"modified":"2014-12-14T18:44:26","modified_gmt":"2014-12-14T18:44:26","slug":"rip-jean-giraud-moebius","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/johnpicacio.com\/onthefront\/2012\/03\/10\/rip-jean-giraud-moebius\/","title":{"rendered":"RIP Jean Giraud \/ Moebius"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p> $\"\"$ <\/a>I\u2019m trying to do my cover work today, and Jean Giraud\u2019s passing<\/a> colors my thoughts. Actually, truth be told \u2014 his death doesn\u2019t dominate as much as his life and work do, on a day like this.\n

Back then, I could barely even call myself a professional illustrator. I think I\u2019d done only two cover gigs at that point in my career \u2014 both for the now-defunct Mojo Press, owned by Ben Ostrander and edited by Rick Klaw. We were at San Diego Comic Con. Mojo Press had a booth there. I was signing books at the booth, along with Mike Moorcock and other creators. Amongst Mojo\u2019s first new published offerings was a book called THE BLUEBERRY SAGA: CONFEDERATE GOLD, which collected Moebius\u2019 amazing Lieutenant Blueberry strip work.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t remember exactly when Moebius came to the booth. But when he did, it seemed like a giant wave of fanumanity (note to self: trademark this word) simultaneously lined up, as far as the eye could see, in front of Mojo\u2019s booth. The people. Just. Kept. Coming. Moebius shook hands with everyone behind the booth, and said hello \u2014 a perfect gentleman in good spirits. He was offered a chair. There was a stack of BLUEBERRY books waiting for him. He sat down, and pulled out his pen. <\/p>\n

I stood up, parked myself behind his right shoulder, and didn\u2019t move a muscle for about 25 minutes. During that time, he gracefully and graciously greeted every fan in line. He signed every new book handed to him. He did a drawing in every book for every fan. And as far as I can remember, every single drawing was completely unique.<\/p>\n

Each took maybe 30 seconds to do. It was like a projection beam was blasting a dream from the middle of his forehead onto the page. He was merely tracing what the dreambeam was showing him. I\u2019m not even sure his penpoint lifted off the paper for some of those sketches. Some seemed like just one continuous mark \u2014 a sinuous line that might define a cowboy hero, an alien explorer, or an entire world. <\/p>\n

Mesmerizing is not a big enough word. <\/p>\n

To be that great, and to be that good<\/span> to people \u2014 that\u2019s<\/span> the benchmark. It was a great thing to see at the beginning of a career. And very humbling. Still is.<\/p>\n

Thank you, Jean Giraud.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"