Hermann Huppen

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Hermann Huppen (born July 17, 1938) is a Belgian comic book artist. He is better known under his pen-name Hermann. He is most famous for his post-apocalyptic comic Jeremiah which was made into a television series.

William, original cover of the 7th issue of the Les Tours de Bois-Maury series

[edit] Biography

Hermann is born in 1938 in Bévercé near Liège.^[1] After having studied for a furniture maker and working as interior architect, Hermann made his debut as comic book artist in 1964 in Spirou magazine with a four page story. Greg notices his talent and asks him to work for his studio. In 1966, he began illustrating the Bernard Prince series written by Greg, published in the comic magazine Tintin periodical. In 1969, also collaborating with Greg, he began the western series Comanche. This appeared at the same time as other western series such as Blueberry.

Hermann began writing his own stories in 1977, beginning the post-apocalyptic Jeremiah series, which continues today. In the same period, he also made three albums of Nick, inspired by Little Nemo in Slumberland, for Spirou magazine.^[1] In 1983 he began a new series, Les Tours de Bois-Maury, which is set in the Middle Ages and is less focused on action his other works.

Hermann has also created many non-series graphic novels sometimes together with his son Yves H.. One of them, Liens de Sang, wit ha story by Jean Van Hamme, was later filmed as The Wedding Party by Dominique Deruddere.^[2]

Hermann is characterized by a realistic style and stories that are both sombre and angry, with a sense of disillusion with regards to the human character in general, and current society more specifically.^[1]

[edit] Selected bibliography

Bernard Prince, written by Greg
Comanche, written by Greg
Jeremiah
Nick
Les Tours de Bois-Maury, partly written by himself and partly by his son Yves H.
Sarajevo Tango the first book he made in direct color.

[edit] Awards

1973: Prix Saint-Michel, Belgium
1980: Prix Saint-Michel
1992: Best Long Comic Strip at the Haxtur Awards, Spain

- nominated for Best Drawing at the Haxtur Awards

1999: nominated for Best Drawing and Best Cover at the Haxtur Awards
2001: Best Drawing at the Haxtur Awards

- nominated for Best Short Comic Strip and Best Script at the Haxtur Awards

2002: Grand Prix Saint-Michel

- nominated for Best Short Comic Strip and Best Drawing at the Haxtur Awards

2003: nominated for the Audience Award and the Artwork Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival, France
2005: nominated for the Audience Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival
2006: nominated for Best Comic (French language) at the Prix Saint-Michel