Firmin Aristophane Boulon (or simply Aristophane; 1967–2004) was a

Guadeloupe Guadeloupe is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre Island, Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Guadeloupe, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galant ...

-born cartoonist.

Career

A graduate of the French schools

École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts École or Ecole may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine The Seine ( , ) is a river in nor ...

and the École européenne supérieure de l’image, Aristophane began work "preoccupied with evil and frailty as viewed through the lives of demons and mythological creatures." His first work to receive attention was his 300-page

graphic novel A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...

''Conté Demoniaque'' ("Demonic Tale"): an epic set in hell inspired by Dante's ''Inferno'', ''

Paradise Lost ''Paradise Lost'' is an Epic poetry, epic poem in blank verse by the English poet John Milton (1608–1674). The poem concerns the Bible, biblical story of the fall of man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their ex ...

'', the philosophy of

Max Stirner Johann Kaspar Schmidt (; 25 October 1806 – 26 June 1856), known professionally as Max Stirner (; ), was a German post-Hegelian philosopher, dealing mainly with the Hegelian notion of social alienation and self-consciousness. Stirner is oft ...

and the artist

Gustave Doré Paul Gustave Louis Christophe Doré ( , , ; 6January 1832 – 23January 1883) was a French printmaker, illustrator, painter, comics artist, caricaturist, and sculptor. He is best known for his prolific output of wood-engravings illustrati ...

. 50 of its pages were exhibited in the "Angels and Demons" during the 1994 Angoulême comics festival in the Centre National de la Bande Dessinée et de l’Image. Sometime during 1998, Aristophane suffered a domestic accident that left him severely burned on the face and hands and was hospitalised in

Nantes Nantes (, ; ; or ; ) is a city in the Loire-Atlantique department of France on the Loire, from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. The city is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, sixth largest in France, with a pop ...

. Following this accident he burned all the original art of his breakthrough work Conté Demoniaque and Faune, which he considered blasphemous after converting to

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

. His last published work during his lifetime was the story "La Sentinelle" ("The Sentinel") in '' Ego Comme X'' no. 6 in 1999. His 1996 graphic novel, ''Les sœurs Zabîme'', is about children in Guadeloupe and considered a "small masterpiece." It was his final completed major work. In school, he had been told, "In painting, everything has been explored. The future belongs to comics."https://thecribsheet-isabelinho.blogspot.com/2009/02/aristophanes-les-soeurs-zabime-coda_10.html

Works

*Short works and ''Faune'' in '' Lapin'' no. 2, 4-5, 8-9 and 11 (1992-1996) *''Logorrhée'' ("Logorrhea", 1993) *''Le vieux Samson'' ("Old Samson") in ''le Cheval sans Tête'' no. 3-5 (1993) *''Tu Rêves Lili'' ("You Dream Lili"), children's book written by Christiane Renauld (1993) *Short works and ''Les sept fantômes'' ("The seven ghosts") in ''Le Lézard'' no. 8-12 (1993-1996) *"Le mauvaise odeur" ("The bad smell") in ''Bananas'' no. 3 (1995) *''Faune, ou l'histoire d'un immorale'' (1995) *"Monde virtuel" in ''Avoir 20 ans en l'an 2000'' (1995) *''Conte Démoniaque'' ("Demonic Tale", 1996) *''Les sœurs Zabîme'' ("The Zabime sisters", 1996) *Short works and ''Shri-Ganesha'' ("The seven ghosts") in ''Jade'' no. 1, 4, 9, 11-13 and 15 (1995-1998) *Short works and ''Les sœurs Zabîme'' in '' Ego Comme X'' no. 1-6 (1994-1999) *''The Zabîme Sisters'' (translated by

Matt Madden Matt Madden (born 1968 in New York City) is an American comic book writer and artist. He is best known for original alternative comics, for his coloring work in traditional comics, and for the experimental work '' 99 Ways to Tell a Story: Exercise ...

2010)

References

1967 births 2004 deaths Guadeloupean cartoonists 20th-century French novelists 20th-century French male writers {{Guadeloupe-bio-stub