| René Follet | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 April 1931 Brussels, Belgium |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Area(s) | artist |
| Pseudonym(s) | Ref |
| Notable works | Les Zingari Yvan Zourine Steve Severin Terreur |
| Awards | full list |
René Follet (born 10 April 1931), sometimes known by the pen name Ref, is a Belgian illustrator, comics writer and artist.
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René Follet was born in Brussels in 1931.[1] His first publication appeared when he was 14, illustrating a promotional issue of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island for Aiglon, a chocolate factory. In 1949, he started working for the two main Belgian comics magazines of that time, Tintin and Spirou. For both, he collaborated on the series of 4 page historical stories which functioned as a starting point for many young artists like Jean Graton and Hermann Huppen. He also provided numerous illustrations for both magazines, as well as books for Casterman publishing.[1]
In his long cartooning career, spanning over 50 years, Follet never had a long-running or particularly successful series, but his many shorter series and one-shots have earned him the acclaim of many of his peers.[2] He has worked for the Dutch magazine Eppo, and for the major publishing houses in Belgium and France, including Dupuis, Le Lombard, and Glénat. He has also worked as the main penciller for artists Mitacq and William Vance, and has made a long promotional comic for Citroën.[1] At the beginning of his career, he was asked by Edgar Pierre Jacobs to help him draw Blake and Mortimer, but Follet refused because Jacobs didn't want Follet's name to included in the credits.[2]
As an illustrator he works in pencil, acrylic, and other materials, and as a cartoonist is considered a master of the realistic and picturesque drawing style, or as he has been dubbed, "the 'most famous unknown' great master of the 9th art".[1][3]
His major influences are Jijé, whose series Valhardi he continued for two albums, and the Dutch comics artist Hans G. Kresse (known for his American Indian series 'Les Peaux-Rouges' published by Casterman).[2]
| Series | Years | Volumes | Writer | Editor | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruno Brazil | 1973–1977 | 5 | Greg | Magic-Strip | William Vance drew the comics, Follet provided the page lay-out |
| Ivan Zourine | 1979 | 2 | Jacques Stoquart | Magic-Strip | |
| Steve Severin | 1981–2003 | 9 | Jacques Stoquart and Yvan Delporte | Glénat | 3 in French - 6 additional in Dutch |
| L'Iliade | 1982 | 1 | Jacques Stoquart | Glénat | Adapted from the Ilias by Homer |
| Jacques Le Gall | 1984–1985 | 2 | Jean-Michel Charlier | Dupuis | A collaboration with MiTacq |
| Valhardi | 1984–1986 | 2 | Jacques Stoquart and André-Paul Duchâteau | Dupuis | Continuation of the series after Jijé and Eddy Paape |
| Alain Brisant | 1985 | 1 | Maurice Tillieux | Dupuis | |
| Edmund Bell | 1987–1990 | 4 | Jacques Stoquart and Martin Lodewijk | Cl. Lefrancq | Based on the stories by John Flanders (Jean Ray) |
| Daddy | 1991-92 | 2 | Loup Durand | Cl. Lefrancq | |
| Bob Morane | 1991–2000 | 3 | Henri Vernes | Nautilus and Claude Lefrancq | Follet drew one story in 2000, and made the cover art for two others (drawn by Gerald Forton) |
| Harricana | 1992 | 1 | Jean-Claude de la Royère | Claude Lefrancq | Drawn by Denis Mérezette, Follet did the page lay-out |
| Marshall Blueberry | 1994 | 1 | Jean Giraud | Alpen | Drawn by William Vance, Follet did the page lay-out |
| Ikar | 1995–1997 | 2 | Pierre Makyo | Glénat | |
| Les autos de l'aventure | 1996–1998 | 2 | De la Royère | Citroën | Promotional comics |
| Till Eulenspiegel | 2000 | 1 | Janssens | Spirou | number 3228 |
| Terreur | 2002–2004 | 2 | André-Paul Duchâteau | Le Lombard | Fictional biography of Madame Tussaud |
| Les zingari | 2004–2005 | 2 | Yvan Delporte | Hibou | |
| Shelena | 2005 | 1 | Jéromine Pasteur | Casterman | |
| L'étoile du soldat | 2007 | 1 | Christophe De Ponfilly | Casterman | Announced (28 August 2007)[4] |
| L'affaire Dominici | 2010 | 1 | Pascal Bresson | Glénat |
According to Follet, illustrations are too short in comics; so he also illustrates novels or history books :
He has also worked:
"le plus 'célèbre méconnu' des grands maîtres du 9e art."