[NSFW] Griffes D’Ange

Griffes D’Ange (1994) / Angel Claws (2013)
Les Humanoïdes Associés/Humanoids
30 x 40cm, 72 pages

Moebius not only pushed the gamuts of bandes dessinées in his prodigious creative tenure but also explored dreams and erotic expression as early as La Bandard Fou in 1974 and later for a new monthly comics magazine (A Suivre) (meaning To Be Continued). For the (A Suivre) special Hors Série (Out of Series) themed issue: Silence, On Rêve (Silence, We Dream) released in 1991, Moebius produced a short 8 page comic on the subject of dreams called Marie Dakar told through the dreams of a couple in bed. Panels from Marie Dakar would later resurface a year later in Virtual Meltdown, for example if you look at page 6 of Marie Dakar, the bottom panels grace the front and back covers of Virtual Meltdown. On page 7 of Marie Dakar you can see a clear influence in style to Moebius’ later work in 40 Days Dans Le Désert “B”.

(A Suivre) Hors Série – Silence, on Rêve front
(A Suivre) Hors Série – Silence, on Rêve back
(A Suivre) Hors Série – Silence, on Rêve inside
Silence, on Rêve – Marie Dakar, p.1
Silence, on Rêve – Marie Dakar, p.6-7

Further into Silence, On Rêve there is a 5 page section called “Rêves par la Bande” (Dreams by the Gang) featuring some of Moebius’ more wetter dreams on the erotic spectrum.

Silence, on Rêve – Rêves par la Bande, p.1
Silence, on Rêve – Rêves par la Bande, p.2-3
Silence, on Rêve – Rêves par la Bande, p.4-5

In 1992 Moebius released an erotic portfolio called Histoire d’X (History of X) of a signed & numbered limited edition of 500 that further delved into erotic themes and would later with recurring collaborator Alejandro Jodorowsky be repurposed and extended further to spawn the erotic tale Griffes D’Ange (Angel Claws). Griffes D’Ange is an erotically charged story of a young woman exploring her sexuality told through the explicit imagery of Moebius and mature language of Jodorowsky.

Angel Claws book, back
Angel Claws book, inside
Angel Claws, p.2-3
Angel Claws, p.4-5
Angel Claws, p.20-21
Angel Claws, p.30-31
Angel Claws, p.32-33
Angel Claws, p.34-35
Angel Claws, p.40-41
Angel Claws, p.54-55, p.55 has an influence on Madwoman of the Sacred Heart
Angel Claws, p.58-59
Angel Claws, p.64-65

The cover for the Griffes D’Ange limited numbered edition of 800 book features a drawing by Moebius of a lady with their semi-nude back to the viewer that upon closer inspection one will notice that the lady’s back is slightly bloodied. This cover image was inspired by an iconic fashion photograph called Mainbocher Corset captured by German photographer Horst P. Horst in Paris, 1939.

Mystere Montrouge

Mystere Montrouge / Montrouge Mystery (2001)
Stardom
23 x 31cm, 1 black & white, 12 colour plates portfolio

To coincide with an exhibition held at the Salons de l’Hôtel de Ville between the 3rd and 24th October 2001, Moebius released a special limited edition portfolio for the occasion called Mystere Montrouge (The Montrouge Mystery). Mystere Montrouge follows the journey of Stel (from The World of Edena) who is searching for Montrouge and after being guided by a fairy enters through a painting of it and arrives into the dreamscape of Désert “B” (of 40 Days Dans Le Désert “B”).

Mystere Montrouge, portfolio
Mystere Montrouge, portfolio
Mystere Montrouge, portfolio
Mystere Montrouge, plate 1
Mystere Montrouge, plate 2
Mystere Montrouge, plate 3
Mystere Montrouge, plate 4
Mystere Montrouge, plate 5
Mystere Montrouge, plate 6
Mystere Montrouge, plate 7 (2nd Edition only, released in 2002)
Mystere Montrouge, plate 8
Mystere Montrouge, plate 9
Mystere Montrouge, plate 10
Mystere Montrouge, plate 11
Mystere Montrouge, plate 12

Montrouge (a commune in southern Paris, France) was also where Moebius once had an artists studio and located in the newly restored Cultural Centre of Montrouge is a gigantic 5m high x 35m long wall covering fresco named Le Saut De L’Ange (The Angel’s Leap) that was originally drawn by Moebius but completed by a team of artists posthumously in 2012. In celebration of the life of this great artist, the Montrouge main hall is named after Moebius.