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Arzach (French: [aʁzak]) is a comic book collection of four wordless short stories by artist/author Jean 'Moebius' Giraud, which were originally published in the French sci-fi/fantasy comics magazine Métal Hurlant. The stories follow Arzach, a silent warrior who rides a pterodactyl-like creature through a strange, desolate landscape.[1] The imagery and situations in Arzach are often compared to dreams or the subconscious. These stories had an enormous impact on the French comics industry, and the Arzach character is still among Moebius' most famous creations. It can be defined as a pantomime comic, fantasy comics or an experimental comic.
| Arzach | |
|---|---|
 The opening panel of Arzach | |
| First appearance | Métal Hurlant (1975) |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Les Humanoïdes Associés |
| Formats | Original material for the series has been published as a strip in the comics anthology(s) Métal Hurlant. |
| Original language | French |
| Genre | |
| Publication date | 1975 |
| Reprints | |
| Title(s) | Heavy Metal |
| The series has been reprinted, at least in part, in English. | |
The spelling of the title, originally Arzach, was changed in each of the original short stories.
Moebius later revisited the character with a story called The Legend of Arzach. This later story contains dialogue, and it ties the Arzach stories into a previously unrelated Moebius story called The Detour.
Moebius' 2010 book Arzak: L'Arpenteur (Arzak: The Surveyor) was the first of a planned trilogy to explore the origin of the character. However, with the death of Jean Giraud in March 2012, this vision was never realised.[1]
Legacy
editArzach is credited as the inspiration for the final sequence, "Taarna", of the animated film Heavy Metal (1981).
Moebius' Arzach is a novel by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier, published by iBOOKS in August 2000. The book features a cover and inside illustrations by Moebius, and a map by J.O. Ladronn. The first half of the book is a novelisation of several Arzach stories. The second half recursively introduces John Gerard (a thinly disguised Jean Giraud) and family into the world of Arzach. A brief essay on the publishing history of Arzach concludes the book.
Arzach was one of Panzer Dragoon's major artistic influences. Jean Giraud even contributed in the creative process of Team Andromeda's game with original artwork.
Arzach inspired Hayao Miyazaki and he said in an interview that he directed Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind under Moebius' influence.[2]
Notes
edit- ^ a b Bas Schuddeboom. "Jean Giraud (Moebius, Gir)". Lambiek Comiclopedia. Archived from the original on 2021-02-12. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
- ^ "A talk between Hayao Miyazaki and Moebius". GhibliWiki (Nausicaa.net). Translated by Achille Autran. Original copyright 2004 by Point du jour and Laurent Cotillon (Ciné Live n°86, January 2005). Archived from the original on 2024-05-11. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
References
edit- Ben Becker (2005-01-25). "Critique DVD de Arzak Rhapsody" [Arzak Rhapsody DVD Review]. DVDaniime.net (in French). Archived from the original on 2006-09-05. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
External links
edit- "Legends of Arzach". Website of Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier. 2011-03-26. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2024-10-06.
- "Arzach (Character)". Comic Vine. Archived from the original on 2024-06-17. Retrieved 2024-10-06.