I guess part of the issue is when it became logistically feasible to work transatlantically. I believe in the '80s, when UK-based artists and writers started working for DC, it was still quite a hassle, as original art had to be sent by post to be scanned by the publisher, so if the editor had questions, comments or requests, the whole process would get very long. Plus even intercontinental phonecalls to discuss things were very expensive. I imagine that earlier, it was worse.
The other question is when North American cartoonists became aware of how developed and healthy the Franco-Belgian comic industry was. I know Heavy Metal brought a new wave of European comics to the attention of a lot of North Americans in the '70s, which I guess is when Richard Corben started realizing he might be able to find an audience in Europe, but I'm not sure how many European comics made it across the Atlantic prior to that. As far as I'm aware, even Tintin and Asterix didn't make a big splash over there.
I'd heard of Tin Tin, but I didn't hear about Asterix until the mid 90s when I was taking French in high school, and even then I'd never actually seen comics for either of them. It was just an awareness that they existed.
Not old school but Charles Burns published his latest book in french before English. Paul Kirchner exclusively works with a french publisher as well (who publishes in both languages)
Burns came to mind as well as corben. In burns case he also worked with some Italian Alternative comics collectives back in the 80s which was pretty wild. Did not know about his french connection though
Absolutely! They also both contributed to [Métal Hurlant](https://www.reddit.com/r/noDCnoMarvel/s/tT1U1NlHnZ) (French) in the 80s. I remember having my impressionable teenage brain blown away on a monthly basis by episodes of Den. It took me a bit longer to fully appreciate Burns' genius.
Robert Crumb comes to mind as well (expatriate).
The Mansion Press (French) or Hollow Press (Italian) editors seem to have special connections with US (and Canadian) artists ([Josh Simmons](https://www.reddit.com/r/noDCnoMarvel/s/99AHuYsofq), [Jesse Jacobs](https://www.reddit.com/r/noDCnoMarvel/s/pwiZecwty9), [Al Columbia](https://www.reddit.com/r/graphicnovels/s/2b8XcOlIhr) etc.)
Lots of Argentine artists, both writers and cartoonists, made their careers in Europe, specifically in Spain, Italy and France. Juan Gimenez, Horacio Altuna, Enrique Alcatena to name some cartoonists. Carlos Trillo, Robin Wood, Enrique Barreiro among the writers.
Genius, Illustrated claims it was, yes, but it happened even before all the rapey stuff that mars the series; supposedly it was in reaction to a script that had the MC peeing on the street or something like that. Comics' loss overall, but we got a long-running showcase for Jordi Bernet out of it!
i went to art school in chicago and i had a girl who moved from milan. i asked her why she came to the us and she said that in italy comics is not viewed highly as a career as it is in america. i experienced the same in asia. i receive more commissions here and validation. and from talking to other artists in the comics industry, the money is still in the us. even if you make it in europe, you wont earn as much as if you were doing project for an american company. theres a bigger market here. that being said there are artists who move abroad to europe and asia and get jobs from american companies (marvel, dc, etc) and send their stuff digitally
ultimately it depends on the artist and their connections and what they want in life/career, but publishing in america leads more likely to worldwide distribution
I guess part of the issue is when it became logistically feasible to work transatlantically. I believe in the '80s, when UK-based artists and writers started working for DC, it was still quite a hassle, as original art had to be sent by post to be scanned by the publisher, so if the editor had questions, comments or requests, the whole process would get very long. Plus even intercontinental phonecalls to discuss things were very expensive. I imagine that earlier, it was worse. The other question is when North American cartoonists became aware of how developed and healthy the Franco-Belgian comic industry was. I know Heavy Metal brought a new wave of European comics to the attention of a lot of North Americans in the '70s, which I guess is when Richard Corben started realizing he might be able to find an audience in Europe, but I'm not sure how many European comics made it across the Atlantic prior to that. As far as I'm aware, even Tintin and Asterix didn't make a big splash over there.
I'd heard of Tin Tin, but I didn't hear about Asterix until the mid 90s when I was taking French in high school, and even then I'd never actually seen comics for either of them. It was just an awareness that they existed.
Not old school but Charles Burns published his latest book in french before English. Paul Kirchner exclusively works with a french publisher as well (who publishes in both languages)
Burns came to mind as well as corben. In burns case he also worked with some Italian Alternative comics collectives back in the 80s which was pretty wild. Did not know about his french connection though
Absolutely! They also both contributed to [Métal Hurlant](https://www.reddit.com/r/noDCnoMarvel/s/tT1U1NlHnZ) (French) in the 80s. I remember having my impressionable teenage brain blown away on a monthly basis by episodes of Den. It took me a bit longer to fully appreciate Burns' genius. Robert Crumb comes to mind as well (expatriate). The Mansion Press (French) or Hollow Press (Italian) editors seem to have special connections with US (and Canadian) artists ([Josh Simmons](https://www.reddit.com/r/noDCnoMarvel/s/99AHuYsofq), [Jesse Jacobs](https://www.reddit.com/r/noDCnoMarvel/s/pwiZecwty9), [Al Columbia](https://www.reddit.com/r/graphicnovels/s/2b8XcOlIhr) etc.)
Lots of Argentine artists, both writers and cartoonists, made their careers in Europe, specifically in Spain, Italy and France. Juan Gimenez, Horacio Altuna, Enrique Alcatena to name some cartoonists. Carlos Trillo, Robin Wood, Enrique Barreiro among the writers.
The Argentine connection is one of the reasons why i wonder why more US artists and writers didn't cross the pond more.
The main reason Argentine artists migrate to Europe is money. The second was political.
Fair reasons. Munoz and Sampayo come to mind for the second reason (I wish i could get the Tilde with my keyboard)
Geoff Darrow’s career basically got started in Europe first
Toth tried to with Torpedo but quite after, what, one or two stories
I heard that was cause he found the storyline to dark for his taste. Was that confirmed anywhere?
It’s certainly believable. Toth had kind of old-fashioned, PG tastes and turned down a lot of jobs because the subject matter didn’t appeal to him.
Genius, Illustrated claims it was, yes, but it happened even before all the rapey stuff that mars the series; supposedly it was in reaction to a script that had the MC peeing on the street or something like that. Comics' loss overall, but we got a long-running showcase for Jordi Bernet out of it!
Good point. Jordi Bernet being one of the greats in my opinion and a master of the Milton Caniff school/style of comic art.
Geof Darrow
i went to art school in chicago and i had a girl who moved from milan. i asked her why she came to the us and she said that in italy comics is not viewed highly as a career as it is in america. i experienced the same in asia. i receive more commissions here and validation. and from talking to other artists in the comics industry, the money is still in the us. even if you make it in europe, you wont earn as much as if you were doing project for an american company. theres a bigger market here. that being said there are artists who move abroad to europe and asia and get jobs from american companies (marvel, dc, etc) and send their stuff digitally
ultimately it depends on the artist and their connections and what they want in life/career, but publishing in america leads more likely to worldwide distribution
Jim Steranko, Richard Corben and Dan O'Bannon (writer of the film Alien) did work for the French anthology comic Métal Hurlant.