Metal Hurlant and Heavy Metal Magazines Part One – The Birth of Métal Hurlant and the revolution of Illustrated Sci-Fi Magazines.
Part one of a long series on both Metal Hurlant and Heavy Metal illustrated science fiction and fantasy magazines. Article taken from the Metal Hurlant Video.
Métal Hurlant was formed in France in 1974 by Moebius, Druillet, Dionnet, and Farkas aka Les Humanoides Associes. Two years later, National Lampoon would publish Heavy Metal magazine which more or less reprinted the comic book stories from Metal Hurlant. We take a good look at the new 290 page illustrated book “Metal Hurlant 1975 – 1984” the prime early years of the magazine featuring art by Moebius, Druillet, Caza, Claveloux, Bode, and stories by Dan O’Bannon, Dionnet, and more.
Buy the Métal Hurlant book here.
The Birth of Metal Hurlant
1975-1984 part one: Metal Hurlant is born. Originally written by Claude Ecken, translated by Mike T. Lyddon.
Please note: at times this is a rough translation from colloquial French to English.
Metal Hurlant has touched the spirit well beyond french-speaking comic strips. It has had a worldwide influence in all strata of the graphic universe from illustration to cinema to the point of contaminating other fields of popular culture such as science fiction did in its time which escaped pulp to become a major form of expression.
Ray Bradbury Speaks Of Métal Hurlant
The influence of one of the authors present in these Métal Hurlant Pages has not only changed the way of seeing the world, it has imposed a culture. In 1978, the famous science fiction author Ray Bradbury would speak at the microphone with Jean-Pierre Dionnet and Philippe Manovere. He said, “I’m waiting for the images to help me. Artist Vassarly does not inspire me, we need this new generation that I would compare to Hogarth or Goya or the Raphaelites. This is the second time in our century that an artistic revolution has started from the base and Rises to the top reversing the general trend. I think Métal Hurlant fulfills one of our fundamental needs and what was true of Science Fiction in my time: revolutionary.
The word was out. The authors of Métal Hurlant were revolutionaries. These words were said four years after the chaotic beginnings of the magazine. Like all authentic Consciousness modifiers it did not take 10 years to impose their views as designers and script writers. How was this feat achieved? They were launched instinctively without resources or a battle plan with only the chroniclers still armed with the passion and certainty of having reason against the whole world.
The Founders of Métal Hurlant Magazine
Who are the four initiators? Jean-Pierre Dionnet, the soul of the group. Philippe Druillet, the Jack of all Trades on a cosmic scale. Jean Giraud, alias Moebius, the graphic Genie, and Farkas, the captain who steers the helm of finances. Success like that of Tin Tin and Asterix will only be realized when the magazine is set up but friend Nikita Mandrika who without taking part in the adventure makes it possible and offers it the admirable Roar: the title of “Métal Hurlant,” which means “Metal Scream” or “Screaming Metal.”
Métal Hurlant 1975-1984 Book By Les Humanoides
The new face of imagination! Metal Hurlant 1975-1984 featuring the original artists Druillet, Moebius, Dionnet, Gal, Bilal, Messiers, Schuiten, Vaughn Bode is also in this. I believe Nicollet is in this as well so strangely there is no Richard Corbin, there’s no Den. As far as I can tell, the book is only available in this French Edition. What to remember from the Fantastic adventure of Metal Hurlant between 1975 and 1984. Answering such a question is a challenge that only Jean-Pierre Dionnet, its co-founder and historical editor-in-chief could relate. He made a first selection of 23 stories that to him constitute the essence of Metal Hurlant, so let’s take a look inside.
We have the editorial. Currently, Jerry Frison is the editor-in-chief of Metal Hurlant. They are active and have English publications such as certain Mobius books and so forth. They may put out an English version of Metal Hurlant because if we have the the lineup here of stories and artists and it’s very good. Once again, no Corben is kind of weird considering he was in the very first issues. We’ve got a little introduction here by Jean-Pierre Dionnet who was one of the co-founders of Les Humanoides Associates. More on this in part two.
You can watch the original Metal Hurlant video here.