Andre Franquin

André Franquin (1924–1997) was a Belgian comic artist. After attending the Académie Saint-Luc in Brussels, he began his career at the magazine Spirou. From 1946 onward, he shaped the series Spirou et Fantasio and developed numerous supporting characters. His best-known creations include Marsupilami, which first appeared in 1952, and Gaston, who made his debut in 1957. Franquin also drew for Tintin and, together with Yvan Delporte, created the satirical series Idées noires, published from 1977 in the supplement Trombone Illustré. During the 1980s, he largely withdrew from comic production, though he contributed to the revival of Marsupilami. Franquin died in Nice in 1997.