Firmin Aristophane Boulon (published as Aristophane, the French name of Aristophanes) was a Guadeloupe-born cartoonist. A graduate of the French schools École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts and the European School of Visual Arts, he began work "preoccupied with evil and frailty as viewed through the lives of demons and mythological creatures."[1]

Aristophane
BornFirmin Aristophane Boulon
(1967-01-08)January 8, 1967
Baillif, Guadeloupe
DiedMay 11, 2004(2004-05-11) (aged 37)
Dissay, France
Area(s)Cartoonist, Writer, Artist
Notable works
Les sœurs Zabîme,Conte Démoniaque

His first work to receive attention was his 300-page graphic novel Conté Demoniaque ("Demonic Tale"): an epic set in hell inspired by Dante's Inferno, Paradise Lost, the philosophy of Max Stirner and the artist Gustave Doré.[2] 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.[3][4]

Sometime during 1998 Aristophane suffered a domestic accident that left him severely burned on the face and hands,[4] he was hospitalised in Nantes.[5] 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.[4][6] His last published work during his lifetime was the story "La Sentinelle" ("The Sentinel") in Ego Comme X no. 6 in 1999.[7]

His 1996 graphic novel, Les sœurs Zabîme, is about children in Guadeloupe and considered a "small masterpiece."[1] It was his final completed major work.

In school he had been told, "In painting, everything has been explored. The future belongs to comics."[8][6][9]

Works

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  • Short works and Faune in Lapin no. 2, 4-5, 8-9 and 11 (1992-1996)[10]
  • Logorrhée ("Logorrhea", 1993)[11]
  • Le vieux Samson ("Old Samson") in le Cheval sans Tête no. 3-5 (1993)[9]
  • 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)[10]
  • "Le mauvaise odeur" ("The bad smell") in Bananas no. 3 (1995)[9]
  • Faune, ou l'histoire d'un immorale (1995)[11]
  • "Monde virtuel" in Avoir 20 ans en l'an 2000 (1995)[12]
  • Conte Démoniaque ("Demonic Tale", 1996)[11]
  • Les sœurs Zabîme ("The Zabime sisters", 1996)[11]
  • Short works and Shri-Ganesha ("The seven ghosts") in Jade no. 1, 4, 9, 11-13 and 15 (1995-1998)[10]
  • Short works and Les sœurs Zabîme in Ego Comme X no. 1-6 (1994-1999)[10]
  • The Zabîme Sisters (translated by Matt Madden 2010)

References

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  1. ^ a b Madden, Matt (2010). "Afterword by Matt Maddenn". The Zabîme Sisters. New York City: First Second. p. 85. ISBN 9781596436381.
  2. ^ "Aristophane - le site de Thierry Groensteen". 1993. Archived from the original on 2016-06-19. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  3. ^ "Conte Demoniaque: The End of Times by Fabrice Neaud | The Hooded Utilitarian". 2010-10-12. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  4. ^ a b c "firmin aristophane, ou l'intégrité | Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l'image". www.citebd.org (in French). Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  5. ^ "firmin | Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l'image". www.citebd.org (in French). Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  6. ^ a b Gravett, Paul (1998). "Autarcic Comix Festival 1997 | PAUL GRAVETT". www.paulgravett.com. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  7. ^ "BulleDair.com : ego comme x, ego comme x n°6, Aristophane, Blanchin Matthieu, Del Pino Laure, Kovacs Kati, Leprévost Thierry, Deschatrette David, Maurel Pierre, Morvandiau, Néhou Loïc, Parrondo José, Poincelet Frédéric, Scrima David, Sterckeman Michaël, Tanitoc, Vanoli Vincent, Serra Frédéric, ego comme x". www.bulledair.com. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  8. ^ "Aristophane" Boulon, Firmin (1996). "Critix n°2 | Bananas Comix" (in French). Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  9. ^ a b c https://thecribsheet-isabelinho.blogspot.com/2009/02/aristophanes-les-soeurs-zabime-coda_10.html
  10. ^ a b c d "BulleDair.com : Auteur, Aristophane". www.bulledair.com. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  11. ^ a b c d "BulleDair.com : Auteur, Aristophane". www.bulledair.com. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  12. ^ "BulleDair.com : Auteur, Aristophane". www.bulledair.com. Retrieved 2024-01-26.