Research Guru / Moderator
Posted:
Mar 22, 2008, 2:19 PM
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"Tintin," "Asterix" producer Raymond Leblanc dies
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Belgian publisher Raymond Leblanc, the producer of several animated films starring comic-book characters Tintin and Asterix, died Friday at 92, the company he founded said.
Lombard editions eulogized "the qualities of the man and of the shrewd publisher who contributed to recognition of animated books as the ninth art.
"In launching the Tintin journal and the innumerable paper heroes it gave rise to, he goes down as one of the essential figures behind the international boom in French-Belgian comic books."
For the Belvision animation studio, Leblanc produced the Lucky Luke movie Daisy Town (1971), Astérix et Cléopâtre (Asterix and Cleopatra; 1968), Tintin et le temple du soleil (Seven Crystal Balls and the Prisoners of the Sun aka Tintin and the Temple of the Sun; 1969), Tintin et le lac aux requins (Tintin and the Lake of Sharks; 1972) and Gulliver's Travels (1977). Leblanc had his own production company co-producing the 1969 and 1972 Tintin films.
He was executive producer of Astérix le Gaulois (Asterix the Gaul; 1967). In addition, he executive produced Isnogoud, a 1995 cartoon TV series based on Rene Goscinny's graphic novel.
Born in Longlier, Belgium on May 22, 1915, Leblanc was a resistance fighter during the Second World War. Shortly after the war's end, he talked Georges Remi, Tintin's artistic creator, to start a youth-oriented periodical. Herge, who had 12 Tintin books published since 1929, had trouble publishing his creations during the war.
Working with Remi, Leblanc established a fortnightly magazine in 1946. It starred Tintin and was an instant success.
At the same time, Leblanc created the Lombard publishing house, targeting readers "from seven to 77." As Tintin's success grew, so did the publishing company. In 1986, Leblanc sold Lombard to French publishing group Media-Participations.
A giant Tintin statue stands at the Brussels headquarters of Lombard editions and is classed as a national monument.
In 1954, Leblanc created advertising agency Publiart, which often used cartoon characters in its projects. That year, he opened Belvision studios, which produced hand-drawn animation for television. Belvision would become a major animation studio, producing short and full-length animated films for the big screen.
In 2003, Leblanc was named the comic-book industry's first recipient of the "Alph-Art d'Honneur" prize at the 30th annual comic book festival in Angouleme, France, the main awards ceremony and show for the industry.
Last May, he told the London Times newspaper that sales of Tintin's adventures had reached 200 million around the world.
(This post was edited by eminovitz on Mar 22, 2008, 2:54 PM)
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