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 insideSilence, on Rêve – Marie Dakar, p.1Silence, 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.1Silence, on Rêve – Rêves par la Bande, p.2-3Silence, 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, backAngel Claws book, insideAngel Claws, p.2-3Angel Claws, p.4-5Angel Claws, p.20-21Angel Claws, p.30-31Angel Claws, p.32-33Angel Claws, p.34-35Angel Claws, p.40-41Angel Claws, p.54-55, p.55 has an influence on Madwoman of the Sacred HeartAngel Claws, p.58-59Angel 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.
40 Days Dans Le Désert “B” / 40 Days In The Desert “B” (1999) Stardom/Moebius Production 24 x 16cm, 72 pages
40 Days Dans Le Désert “B” (40 Days In The Desert “B”) is a wordless, dreamlike masterpiece told in 70 beautiful drawings. The story revolves around a shamanic figure (also known as the Techno-Boudha) seated alone in the middle of a featureless desert landscape who whilst sitting in deep meditation is visited by many supernatural visions and soon the protagonist (and reader) are taken on a surreal transformative journey. The “40 days” in the title of this work is an allusion to the number of days and nights that the Abrahamic prophet Jesus (or Isa) is said to have spent fasting in the desert wilderness whilst resisting temptation.
40 Days Dans Le Désert “B” front covers, French 1st Edition (1999,top-left), 2nd Ed (2001,top-right), 3rd Ed (2008,bottom-left) & Japanese Ed (2009,bottom-right)40 Days Dans Le Désert “B” back covers40 Days Dans Le Désert “B” book spines
Moebius executes a tour de force in glorious highly detailed draughtsmanship on every millimetre of every page of 40 Days Dans Le Désert “B” with his medium of choice the Rotring Rapidograph technical drawing pen. Employing full hatching/crosshatching & stippling throughout whilst utilising different pen thinnesses (0.35mm, 0.18mm, 0.13mm) to channel decades of artistic expression into each carefully crafted drawing to create a sense of depth and movement within each line. The final spellbinding result for the viewer after reading from end to end is a truly inspiring epiphany to behold.
40 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, dedication to wife Isabelle40 Jours Dans Le Désert “B”, ou la Stratégie de la Démence (or the Strategy of Dementia)40 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.140 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.1140 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.1740 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.2040 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.3040 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.3240 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.4140 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.5140 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.5440 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.5540 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.5840 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.6040 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.6140 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.6240 Days Dans Le Désert “B”, p.64
In 2010 to coincide with the Moebius Transe Forme exhibition at Fondation Cartier in Paris, France held between 2010 to 2011 that would sadly be Moebius’ last exhibition, a DVD was released called Métamoebius which features 2 documentary films directed by Damian Pettigrew, the first Métamoebius (2010) and an earlier documentary Mister Gir & Mike S. Blueberry (1999). Of particular mention within the documentary Mister Gir & Mike S. Blueberry is a rare glimpse of Moebius drawing the final pages of 40 Days Dans Le Désert “B”!
Métamoebius DVDMister Gir & Mike S. Blueberry (1999), 40 Days Dans Le Désert “B” original sketchbookMister Gir & Mike S. Blueberry (1999), 40 Days Dans Le Désert “B” original sketchbookMister Gir & Mike S. Blueberry (1999), 40 Days Dans Le Désert “B” original sketchbookMister Gir & Mike S. Blueberry (1999), 40 Days Dans Le Désert “B” original sketchbookMister Gir & Mike S. Blueberry (1999), 40 Days Dans Le Désert “B” original sketchbookMister Gir & Mike S. Blueberry (1999), 40 Days Dans Le Désert “B” original sketchbook
In the CTN animation eXpo 2010 – An evening with Moebius interview hosted by Animation Director John Musker, Moebius recalls his memories of 40 Days Dans Le Désert “B” (at 1:35:30) and shares some wonderful insights behind it’s creative process:
“…And this is different, it’s a series of drawings I did in 1999. I was doing Blueberry and after a day working on Blueberry I wanted to rest a little doing that. Instead of watching TV, I used to spend my time drawing…You know, I had a book with me and I was carrying that book everywhere, to the dentist or waiting for the bus… I used to do those drawings without pencil and mainly with my Rotring, total improvisation you know because it is an accumulation of lines and details.”
