Jean Graton, the creator of "Michel Vaillant", died at 97 years old

Jean Graton, creator of comic book hero Michel Vaillant, died at the age of 97 on January 21, 2021 -

Michel Vaillant, one of the most famous Franco-Belgian comic book heroes, with more than 70 adventures to his credit and a new series in the process of being published.

His father Jean Graton died Thursday, announces a family statement, taken up by La Libre Belgique: "He passed away peacefully in Brussels at the age of 97, surrounded by his family".

Created in 1957 in

,

remains his flagship work, drawn in the studio and scripted from 1994 by his son Philippe Graton.

But Jean Graton is also the designer of the

and

well as an illustrator for

or

in

.

The last monster of Franco-Belgian comics

"He was the first to understand that to tell, you had to be inspired by reality, pays tribute to his editor Dupuis on his site.

Jean Graton attended races almost all over the world, befriending the drivers, team managers and circuit directors, accumulating thousands of photos and documents which give his work the cachet of authenticity.

This and his innate sense of movement and storytelling have made

an exemplary series that is respected by all motorsport lovers.

"

“Among Michel Vaillant's readers, several have become F1 drivers or journalists, among the greatest.

Even designers, because Jean Graton has created more than two hundred models of Vaillante, and a real automotive style, adds the press release.

Commander of Arts and Letters, Knight of the Order of Leopold, Jean Graton was the last sacred monster of the golden age of Franco-Belgian comics.

His friends and colleagues were called Goscinny, Uderzo, Charlier, Peyo, Roba, Franquin… ”

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