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French take their comics very seriously. Bande Dessinées
or BD (meaning literally Band
of Drawings or Strip)
are an accepted and lively part of French culture,
being read and enjoyed by millions, in large part due
to the variety of material available for all age groups.
The annual Angoulême
BD Festival is the Cannes of the comic world. Every
January, a celebration of comics takes over this quiet,
provincial French town for a four day festival, culminating
in the annual awards given to recognise the very best
in French and foreign comic art.
In 1974 the Angoulême
Festival Awards were originally named the Alfred
Awards (after a penguin featured in Alain Saint-Ogan's
series Zig et Puce) before the
name was changed in 1989 to the Alph'Art
Awards (after the title of Hergé's
last, and unfinished, Tintin story).
In 2007, the Angoulême Festival Awards were been
simplified. The award winners are known as the 'Essentials' and
are chosen from the 'Official Selection', a short list of books
determined by the Selection Committee from among the French-language
comic books published each year. The 2008 Official Selection
contains 58 titles, from which the Grand Jury Of The Festival
select the following:
- Fifty books compete for the six Essential
Awards.
- One of the Essential Award winners is selected as Best Comic
Book.
- One of the Essential Award winners is selected as Best Newcomer.
- Eight books compete for the Heritage Award.
Further Reading:
• The
2008 Official Selection Booklet (PDF)
• Indy
Magazine: The Twenty Best European Graphic Novels You Haven't Read
• Angouleme 2008: Bart Beaty Examines The Angouleme Nominees
• Angoulême
2007: A Report By Paul Gravett
• Angoulême
2007: Bart Beaty Handicaps Angoulême's Prizes
• Angoulême
2006: Bart Beaty's Report & Photos
• Angoulême
2005: A Reportage by Phoebe Gloeckner
• Angoulême
2005: The Once & Future Angoulême by Jim Wheelock
• Angoulême
2004: Adventures In Comics' Capital City by Jim Wheelock
• Angoulême
2004: Changes by Bill Kartalopoulos
• Angoulême
2003: Travelogue by Jason Little |
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2008
AWARD WINNERS |
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La Ou Vont Nos Peres (The
Arrival)
by Shaun Tan (Dargaud)
A man arrives in a strange country and tries to get used to the
strange life and habits of the inhabitants. He left his wife and
kids behind him so he could give them a better life. Shaun Tan,
an Australian cartoonist born in 1974, deals with the issue of
immigration in a metaphorical way and conjures up a phantasmagorical
imagery to do so. It results in a universal story for anyone can
identify to the man's existence. The readers experience through
his eyes the sometimes painful, sometimes exciting process of adaptation
to another culture.
"The author has told the essential story of the universal immigrant
using a photoreal style of period clothing and artifacts, except
that there also all his trademark alienated things. In fact the
cover is a brilliant introduction to the whole shebang. The traveler
in this book is wearing clothing that is familiar to us from old
photos and film, and everything he meets is an extraordinary alien
creation. The purpose of things cannot be deduced from their appearances
and the labels and the instructions on them are all in an alien
script. The book is a hardback of 120 pages (in contrast to the
softcover 32 page volumes of his childrens' oeuvre), with a division
of the page more often than not into twelve pictorial parts, though
there is are sequences with twenty and thirty parts each. And elsewhere
sprawling vistas across two pages. You will think yourself an arrival
at New York's Ellis Island, but wait, that is not the statue of
Liberty, and what is that odd looking longtailed beast on its shoulder?
In all of this, not a single word. At least none that you or I
could understand, being 'lost things' ourselves in front the majesty
of this masterpiece. It's a beautifully moving and human work,
and my favorite picture story book of the year."
Eddie Campbell (From Hell, Alec, Bacchus) |
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L'Elephant by Isabelle Pralong (Vertige Graphic)
With your job as a wardrobe master, your husband and kids, you
live an ordinary and happy life. Until the hospital calls to tell
you that your father is in a coma. A father you don't even know,
since he has deserted your life from the start. How do you cope
with this sudden comeback and impending death? This is what Isabelle
Pralong relates in a series of short chapters deprived of pathos
and in a graphic style one would describe as expressive. From the
initial denial to the reconciliation with the stranger and finally
with herself, everything is said with outstanding modesty and soundness
in this beautiful book. |
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Exit Wounds by Rutu
Modan (Actes Sud
BD)
Israel, 2002. United against their will by the unknown identity
of a victim in a kamikaze attack, Numi and Koby lead an investigation
to try and find a man - the lover of the victim and father of Koby.
Through their desperate search, punctuated with good and bad surprises,
Rutu Modan (b. 1966) depicts a society that has lost ist points
of references and on a more symbolical level, its fathers... This
graphic novel of minimalist style gives a humanist account of life
in the Near East through the prism of fiction.
"...the story is kept at ground level and focuses on communicating
an unfolding series of events, the art conveys mood within a scene
and a general sense of place throughout, dialog between individuals
defines their personal space, and the character work adds pathos
to past discoveries. Exit Wounds is a very assured story,
with very little muss or fuss that spills out along the way. It's
as cohesive a statement from any artist that I've seen from comics
in years."
Tom Spurgeon, The Comics Reporter - Read
the full review here. |
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Ma
Maman Est En Amérique by Jean Regnaud & Emile
Bravo (Gallimard)
Jean, an adorable little boy, relates his daily life and small
adventures with his sour-tempered teacher, his busy dad, his nanny
Yvette (the queen of iced chocolate), his neighbour Michèle
(whose parents own a kennel and his little brother (with whom he
keeps fighting)... all the small and funny things that seem to
make of him an ordinary boy. But Jean feels like a great emptiness
inside...though he tries to avoid the question: "Where is my mum?" With
sensitivity and emotion, but never lapsing into melodrama, Bravo
and Regnaud tell their story and remind us that children are not
the only ones who'd rather invent some imaginary story than cope
with reality... |
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La Marie En Platique by Pascal Rabate & David
Prudhomme (Futuropolis)
Under the same roof of a provincial house live the three generations
of a family. The father is a craftsman, the mother is a housewife
and the two kids are ordinary. It is quite different for the grandparents
on the mother's side. He hates priests whereas she comes back from
Lourdes with a plastic statue of the Virgin Mary in her luggage.
They soon quarrel fiercely and the whole family can enjoy the show...
The rest of the story, among which a miracle and a solemn communion
dinner, is both hilarious and derisory. Rabaté succeeded
in making moments that we all intimately know as boring and insignificant,
captivating and above all, funny. David Prudhomme illustrates the
story with a clarity and fluidity that never prevent daring innovations
in terms of colours and structure. |
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RG by Frederik Peeters & Pierre
Dragon (Bayou/Gallimard)
What do we know about the policemen's lives, except for the clichés
found in detective stories? This very realist account plunges the
readers into a detective's daily life and discloses his secrets:
the hideouts, the hours spent in unmarked vans, the snaps taken
with telephoto lens and the tailing... These particularly impressive
stories are inspired from a veteran of the secret police. A real-life
experience thanks to Pierre Dragon's script and the striking drawings
of Frederik Peeters who produced one of his most unexpected books. |
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Trois Ombres by Cyril Pedrosa (Shampooing/Delcourt)
Isolated from the world and the misfortunes, Joachim and his
parents live peacefully at the bottom of the hills until the shadows
of three mysterious horsemen appear and disrupt everything. Joachim's
fate is immediately turned upside down. To escape the threat of
the three shadows, he has only two alternatives left: escape or
submit. Of course his father chooses the first option and throws
himself wholeheartedly into a long and dangerous travel with an
uncertain end. A magnificent parable on the utterly painful death
of a child, this initiatory tale relies on an amazingly dynamic
graphic style. |
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Moomin by Tove Jansson (Le Petit Lézard)
Finnish artist Tove Jansson (1914-2001) was a painter and an illustrator,
but also the author of the adventures of Moomin the Troll, a character
she invented during World War 2 to bring dream and comfort to the
children. It has been read all over the worl since and is considered
to be a classic. This fantasy and humorous story was first adapted
as a comic book by Tove Jansson herself, later replaced by her
brother Lars. This perfectly edited first volume allows the readers
to jump into a lively and unpredictable world populated with strange,
though immediately familiar, creatures (Snorks, Hatifnattes, a
gluttonous Stinky who smells awfully bad...). Recommended for children
of all ages!
"In 1952, the Helsinki-born author, 37 at the time, jumped at
the rewarding contract from the Associated Newspaper Syndicate
to create, as they proposed, 'an interesting strip cartoon, and
not necessarily for children' that would use her upright, mouthless,
albino hippo-like clan 'to satirise the so-called civilised way
of life.' Jansson's dream that the money from crafting 'only six
comic strips in a week' for the London Evening News would leave
her free enough to pursue painting was soon replaced by the time-consuming
challenges of devising Moomin serials in daily episodes of two
to five panels."
Paul Gravett - Read
the full review here.
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Kiki De Montparnasse by
Catel & Bocquet (Écritures/Casterman)
In 1913, an unpolished young girl who feeds on garlic sausage
and red wine leaves her native Burgundy and settles in Paris.
Nothing about her suggested that she might achieve an artistic
career, but the young girl has the intuition of a coquette and
knows how to identify the talented painters who will make her
pretty and give her eternity. This first graphic biography of
Kiki de Montparnasse by Catel and Bocquet plunges the readers
in the libertine Paris of the 20s and relates the rise and fall
of a real star with emotion. |
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Turkey
Comix No. 16 - www.turkeycomix.com |
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2008 OFFICAL SELECTION |
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Acme Novelty Library by Chris
Ware (Delcourt)
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Adèle Blanc-Sec by Jacques Tardi (Casterman) |
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Amer Beton-Intégrale by Taiyo Matsumoto (Tonkam) |
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American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (Dargaud)
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L'Autre Fin Du Monde by Ibn Al Rabin (Atrabile)
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Baudelaire by Casanave & Tuot (Les Rêveurs) |
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Cancer In The City by Marisa Acocella Marchetto (L'Iconoclaste) |
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Capricorne by Andréas (Le Lombard) |
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Chaque Chose by Julien Néel (Gallimard/Bayou) |
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Le Chat Du Rabbin by Joann Sfar (Poisson Pilote/Dargaud) |
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Château L'Attente by Linda Medley (Çà Et Là) |
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Chroniques Birmanes by Guy Delisle (Shampooing/Delcourt) |
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Les Cités Obscures: La Théorie Du Grain De Sable by
Schuiten & Peeters (Casterman) |
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Construire Un Feu by Christophe Chabouté (Vents d'Ouest) |
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Death Note by Takeshi Obata & Tsugumi Ohba (Kana) |
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Le Dernier Mousquetaire by Jason (Carabas) |
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Djinn Djinn by Ralf König (Glénat) |
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Donjon Parade by Manu Larcent, Joann Sfar & Lewis Tronheim (Delcourt) |
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L'Éléphant by Isabelle Pralong (Vertige
Graphic) |
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En Route Pour Le New Jersey by Peter
Bagge (Rackham) |
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Épuisé by Joe
Matt (Le Seuil)
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Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan (Actes Sud BD) |
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Faire Semblant C'est Memtir by Dominique Goblet
(L'Association) |
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Le Feul by Jean-Charles Gaudin & Frédéric
Peynet (Soleil) |
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Fido Face À Son Destin by Sébastien Lumineau
(Shampooing/Delcourt) |
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Le Grand Autre by Ludovic Debeurme (Cornélius) |
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Le Gros Lot by Nikola Witko (Carabas)
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Gus by Christophe Blain (Dargaud) |
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Helter Skelter by Kyôko Okazaki (Sakka/Casterman) |
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Île Bourbon 1730 by Appollo & Lewis Trondhiem (Shampooing/Delcourt) |
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Jérôme K. Jérôme Bloche by Alain Dodier
(Dupuis Repérages) |
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Journal D'un Fantôme by Nicolas De Crécy (Futuropolis) |
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Journal D'Une Disparition by Hideo Azuma (Kana) |
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Kiki De Montparnasse by Catel & Bocquet (Écritures/Casterman) |
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Là OùVont Nos Pères by Shaun Tan (Dargaud) |
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Ma Maman by Jean Regnaud & Emile Bravo (Gallimard)
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La Marie En Platique by Pascal Rabate & David Prundhomme (Futuropolis) |
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Moi Je Et Caetera by Aude Picault (Warum) |
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Mourir Partir Revenir - Le Jeu Des Hirondelles by Zeina Abirached
(Cambourakis) |
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Par Les Chemins Noirs by David B (Futuropolis) |
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Pascal Brutal by Riad Sattouf (Fluide Glacial) |
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Petite Histoire de Colonies Françaises by Otto T & Grégory
Jarry (Flblb) |
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RG by Peeters & Dragon (Bayou/Gallimard) |
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Le Roman De Renart by Bruno Heitz (Fétiche/Gallimard) |
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La Topographie Interne Du M by Jean-Christophe Menu (Les Requins
Marteaux) |
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Trois Ombres by Cyril Pedrosa (Shampooing/Delcourt) |
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La Véritable Histoire De Futuropolis by Florence Cestac
(Dargaud) |
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La Vie Secrète Des Jeunes by Riad Sattouf (L'Association) |
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Vilebrequin by Obion & Arnaud Le Gouëfflec (Kstr/Casterman) |
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XIII by Jean Giraud & Jean Van Hamme (Dargaud) |
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2008 HERITAGE AWARD NOMINEES |
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L'Âme Du Kyudo by Hiroshi Hirata (Akata/Delcourt) |
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L'Art Attentat by Francis Masse (Le Seuil) |
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Je Ne Suis Pas N'Importe Qui by Jules Feiffer (Futuropolis) |
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Mes Problèmes Avec Les Femmes by Robert
Crumb (Cornélius) |
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Moomin by Tove Jansson (Le Petit Lézard) |
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Orfi Aux Enfers by Dino Buzzati (Actes Sud BD) |
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Spirou Et Fantasio, L'Intégrale by André Franquin
(Dupuis) |
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Un Gentil Garçon by Shinichi Abe (Cornélius) |
| To Top |
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PRIOR
YEAR WINNERS |
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2008 - La Ou Vont Nos Peres (The
Arrival) by Shaun
Tan (Dargaud)
2007 - Non Non Bâ by Shigeru Mizuki
(Cornélius)
2006 - Notes Pour Une Histoire De Guerre by Gipi (Actes Sud)
2005 - Poulet Aux Prunes by Marjane Satrapi (L'Association)
2004 - Ordinary Victories by Manu Larcenet (Dargaud)
2003 - Jimmy Corrigan by Chris Ware (Delcourt)
2002 - Isaac The Pirate by Christophe Blain (Dargaud)
2001 - L'Enquête Corse by René Pétillion (Albin Michel)
2000 - Ibicus by Pascal Rabaté (Vents d'Ouest)
1999 - Monsieur Jean: Get A Life by Charles Berbérian &
Philippe Dupuy (Humanoides)
1998 - Léon La Came: Laid, Pauvre et Malade by de Crécy
& Chomet (Casterman)
1997 - Qui A Tué L'Idiot? by Nicolas Dumintheuil (Casterman)
1996 - L'Autoroute Du Soleil by Baru (Casterman)
1995 - The Blue Notebook by André Juillard
(Casterman)
1994 - L'Histoire Du Corbac Aux Baskets by Fred (Dargaud)
1993 - Basil Et Victoria - Jack by Edith & Yann (Humanoides)
1992 - Couma Acó by Edmond Baudoin (Futuropolis)
1991 - Road To America by Hervé Baru & Jean-Marc Thévenet
(Albin Michel)
1990 - Gazoline Et La Planète Rouge by Jano (Albin Michel)
1989 - Théodore Poussin, Marie-Vérité by
Frank Le Gall & Yann (Dupuis) - tie
1989 - Gens De France by Jean Teulé (Casterman) - tie
1988 - Jonathan Cartland: Les Survivants De
L'Ombre by Harlé &
Dumont (Dargaud)
1987 - Vic Valance, Une Nuit Chez Tenessee by Jean-Pierre Autheman
(Dargaud)
1986 - Magician's Wife by Jerome Charyn & François Boucq
(Casterman)
1985 - Fever In Urbicand by François Schuten & Benoît
Peeters (Casterman)
1984 - Marcel Labrume: Recherche
Des Guerres Perdues by Micheluzzi (Casterman)
1983 - Alack Sinner, Fic Ou Privé by Münoz & Sampayo (Casterman)
1982 - Kate by Cozy (Lombard)
1981 - Silence by Comés (Casterman) - tie
1981 - Parcuellos by Carlos Gimenez (Audie) - tie
1980 - No Award
1979 - No Award
1978 - Le Spectre De Carthage by Jacques Martin (Casterman)
1977 - Légende Et Réalité De Casque
D'or by Annie Goetzinger (Glénat)
1976 - L'Empire Des Soleils Noirs by Godard & Ribera (Hachette/Dargaud) |
| To Top |
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GRAND
PRIX WINNERS |
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Each year the Angoulême BD Festival bestows the Grand
Prix de la Ville d'Angoulême on a living comics creator
- artist or scriptwriter - who has made a significant contribution
to the development of comic medium through their life's work.
The Grand Prix is awarded by the group of authors who have already
won this prestigious award: L'Académie des Grands Prix
de la Ville d'Angoulême. The name of the winner of the
Grand Prix is announced on the balcony of Angoulême City
Hall. |
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2008 -
Philippe Dupuy & Charles Berberian
2007 - José Muñoz
2006 - Lewis
Trondheim
2005 - Georges
Wolinski
2004 - Zep
2003 - Régis Loisel
2002 - 30th Anniversary Award: Joann
Sfar
2002 - François
Schuiten
2001 - Martin Veyron
2000 - Florence Cestac
1999 - Millenium Award: Albert
Uderzo
1999 - Robert Crumb
1998 - François
Boucq
1997 - Daniel Goossens
1996 - André Juillard
1995 - Philippe Vuillemin
1994 - Nikita Mandryka
1993 - 20th Anniversary Award: Maurice
'Morris' de Bevere
1993 - Gérard Lauzier
1992 - Frank Margerin
1991 - Marcel Gotlib
1990 - Max Cabanes
1989 - René Pétillon
1988 - 15th Anniversary Award: Hugo
Pratt
1988 - Philippe Druillet
1987 - Enki Bilal
1986 - Jacques Lob
1985 - Jacques Tardi
1984 - Jean-Claude Mézières
1983 - Jean-Claude Forest
1982 - 10th Anniversary Award: Claire
Brétécher
1982 - Paul Gillon
1981 - Jean 'Moebius' Giraud
1980 - Othon 'Fred' Aristides
1979 - Jacques 'Marijac' Dumas
1978 - Jean-Marc Reiser
1977 - Joseph 'Jijé' Gillain
1976 - René Pellos
1975 - Will Eisner
1974 - André Franquin |
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