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Jean-Marc Lofficier

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Jean-Marc Lofficier
Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier in 2011.
Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier in 2011.
Born (1954-06-22) June 22, 1954 (age 70)
Toulon, France
OccupationWriter
NationalityFrench
SpouseRandy Lofficier
Website
lofficier.com

Jean-Marc Lofficier (French: [lɔfisje]; born June 22, 1954) is a French author of books about films and television programs, as well as numerous comics and translations of a number of animation screenplays. He usually collaborates with his wife, Randy Lofficier (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., on February 3, 1953), and the reason why credits sometimes read "R. J. M. Lofficier", after the initials of both spouses.

Biography

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Jean-Marc Lofficier was born in Toulon, France, in 1954. The son of a serviceman, he moved several times during his formative years, spending "a goodly part of my childhood in Bordeaux, and my teenage years in Fontainebleau".[1] A budding writer from an early age, Lofficier also "drew my own little comic strips when I was 13, 14, and began being published in French 'zines at 16."[1] Recalling in 2005 that "writing wasn't deemed a respectable, economically sound way of making a living," he got an MBA and a law degree, then went to work in international banking.[1]

Graduating from the Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University and from ESCP Europe business school in 1978, Jean-Marc Lofficier worked for Barclays Bank in Paris for a year before being hired by Crédit Lyonnais and moving to Los Angeles, California, U.S., where he met Randy. Jean-Marc and Randy were married the following year.[1] Jean-Marc recalled in 2005 that their writing partnership developed alongside their personal relationship; "Randy always wanted to write... [so] it evolved organically in a mutually complementary working relationship.".[1]

Jean-Marc left Crédit Lyonnais in 1985 to join Starwatcher Graphics, a new company set up by French artist Mœbius and his wife Claudine, then living in Santa Monica, California. After Mœbius returned to France, and Starwatcher Graphics was disbanded in 2000, the Lofficiers started their own company, Hollywood Comics,[2] which advises and counsels comic book professionals in their dealings with Hollywood. Jean-Marc and Randy moved to Chalabre, in the south of France, in 2005.

Magazines and Hollywood

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In 1979, the Lofficiers built on Jean-Marc's earlier work for fanzines and French magazines – including Lunatique and L'Écran fantastique, for which he wrote a combination of articles, reviews and short stories – and began working as "film journalists" for a variety of "cinema/sf pro magazines."[1] Covering the Hollywood-based film industry (and particularly those aspects with a Sci-Fi or Fantasy bent), the Lofficiers wrote for a number of magazines created both for American and overseas audiences.

Their work appeared in such mainstream U.S. publications as Starlog, Cinefex, Heavy Metal and American Cinematographer, as well as more focused publications including T. E. D. Klein's The Twilight Zone Magazine. Overseas, the Lofficiers' work appeared in United Kingdom magazines including Dez Skinn's Starburst (the magazine of "Science Fantasy in Television, Cinema and Comix") and House of Hammer,[1] while in France, they continued to contribute to L'Écran fantastique.

Guides, books and novels

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The Lofficiers' magazine work, which included short stories, retrospectives and TV program guides alongside journalistic articles, led naturally to them co-authoring a number of non-fiction books about film and television programs. Their first – The Doctor Who Programme Guide, published by W. H. Allen in 1981 – arose from their work for French magazine L'Écran fantastique. The pair produced

"a series of dossiers on SF TV series for L'Ecran Fantastique: The Prisoner, Star Trek, Twilight Zone and... Doctor Who. For that [Who] dossier [Jean-Marc Lofficier] interviewed Terrance Dicks and Graham Williams. Then I sent them a courtesy copy. Terrance passed it on to Christine Donougher at W. H. Allen who saw an opportunity to publish it as a book."[1]

This title in turn led to the Lofficiers producing several novelizations and editing various anthologies of science fiction and fantasy short stories.

Animation and comics

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In 1985, Randy Lofficier completed Harry Love's Animation Writing Seminar at Hanna-Barbera, which led the Lofficiers to write a number of animation scripts for television series such as The Real Ghostbusters and Duck Tales. They also began to write numerous scripts for a variety of comic books, often in collaboration with other writers, notably Roy Thomas and Marv Wolfman, for both Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Their best-known works include a trilogy of DC Elseworlds based on German Expressionism cinema incorporating characters such as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, the Book of the Vishanti back-up feature for Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme, two stories for Clive Barker’s Hellraiser, and the Tongue*Lash series for Dark Horse Comics.

From 2000 to 2003, Jean-Marc Lofficier was editor and senior writer of a line of French comic books published by Semic Comics, redeveloping old French characters from the 1960s such as Wampus, Kabur, Phenix, Homicron, Dragut and Dick Demon into more modern versions, even gathering a number of them in the mini-series Strangers published by Image Comics in 2003.[3] This universe of characters is now gathered as Hexagon Comics. The Lofficiers also wrote "Blood Oath", a crossover between Phenix and Top Cow's Witchblade.[4][5] Starting in 2010, the Lofficiers started to reprint the "classic" stories from the 1960s and 1970s in a series of black & white trade paperbacks, as well as write new stories, mostly by relaunching the comic-book Strangers. Since that date, Jean-Marc has been editor-in-chief of Hexagon Comics.

Also for the French comic market, the Lofficiers wrote a trilogy of graphic novels based on the character of Robur created by Jules Verne. Illustrated by Gil Formosa, the first two volumes were nominated for the 2005 Jules Verne Award for Bandes Dessinees.[6] There were published in English in Heavy Metal.

Translation

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In 1985, the Lofficiers were hired by French artist Moebius to translate and arrange for the publication of his works in English. This led to a series of 30+ graphic novels published mostly by Epic Comics until 1995. During that time, the Lofficiers also translated numerous French comics for Dark Horse Comics, co-editing their comic Cheval Noir, and for Renegade Press, co-editing their comic French Ice, featuring the series Carmen Cru by French artist Jean-Marc Lelong. In 1990, in recognition of their career as writers, translators and editors, the Lofficiers were presented with the Inkpot Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comic Arts.

Pulps and science fiction

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In 2003, the Lofficiers created their own small press, Black Coat Press,[7] to translate and publish classics of French pulp literature into English, relying in part on the output of British writer/translator Brian Stableford.

In 2005, the Lofficiers started another small press, Rivière Blanche [fr],[8] to publish French science fiction novels in the nostalgic style of the long-defunct Anticipation imprint of Editions Fleuve Noir.

Lofficier's official website includes a section entitled "Illustrated History of the French Saint Novels", a guide to French-language novels based upon the character of Simon Templar (alias "The Saint"), created by Leslie Charteris.[9]

Works

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Bibliography

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Books

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Books include:

Comics (writing)

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DC Comics
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Marvel Comics
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Independent US publishers
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Hexagon Comics
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    • Kabur (Special-Zembla #158–176) (art by Luciano Bernasconi, Mike Ratera, Willy Hudic, Martin Manuel Peniche, Juan Roncagliolo Berger, Semic, 2001–2003; reprinted Hexagon Comics, 2009–10)
    • Homicron (art by Jean-Jacques Dzialowski, Fantask #1–4, Semic, 2001; trade paperback, Semic, 2003; reprinted Hexagon Comics, 2010))
    • Gallix (Special-Zembla #160) (art by Olivier Peru & Stephane Peru, Semic, 2001)
    • Drago (Special-Rodeo #171) (art by Olivier Peru & Stephane Peru, Semic, 2001)
    • Zembla (Special-Zembla #163–165) (art by Jean-Jacques Dzialowski, Semic, 2001)
    • Wampus (Fantask #3–5; Mustang #303–306; Planète Comics #14) (art by Luciano Bernasconi, Semic, 2001–02; reprinted Hexagon Comics, 2010))
    • Dragut (Kiwi #560–576) (art by Jean-Marc Lainé, Olivier & Stephane Peru, Alfredo Macall, Semic, 2001–03; reprinted Hexagon Comics, 2010))
    • Phenix (art by Frederic Grivaud, Mariano de la Torre, Juan Roncagliolo Berger, Fantask #5; Planète Comics #14; Yuma #1–8) (Semic; 2001–03); reprinted Hexagon Comics, 2011))
    • Lagrid (Special-Zembla No. 164, 176) (art by Philippe Xavier, Semic, 2002)
    • Galaor (art by Olivier & Stephane Peru, Special-Zembla #164) (Semic, 2002)
    • Brigade Temporelle (art by Timothy J. Green II, Fantask No. 5, Planète Comics #14) (Semic, 2002)
    • Starlock (Yuma #1–2) (art by Luciano Bernasconi, Semic, 2002; reprinted Hexagon Comics, 2010))
    • Bathy-09 (Yuma #3) (art by Marc Lataste, Semic 2002)
    • Tanka (Special-Zembla #167) (art by Yves Mondet, Semic, 2002; reprinted Hexagon Comics, 2010))
    • Jaleb (Special-Zembla #167) (art by Annibale Casabianca, Semic, 2002; reprinted Hexagon Comics, 2010–11))
    • Jaydee (Special-Zembla #168) (art by Danilo Grossi, Semic, 2002; reprinted Hexagon Comics, 2010))
    • Strangers (Season 1) (art by Manuel Garcia and Fernando Blanco, Planète Comics No. 14, Strangers #1–4, Image Comics #1–3, Yuma #9–10, Semic, 2002–03; Strangers #1–6, Image Comics, 2003; reprinted Wanga Comics, 2010))
    • Frank Universal (Yuma #4) (art by Jean-Jacques Dzialowski, Semic, 2003)
    • Legion Loufoque (Yuma No. 6, #10) (art by Cyril Bouquet and David Lafuente, SEMIC, 2003)
    • Dick Demon (Mustang #309–313) (art by Jean-Michel Arden, Semic, 2003)
    • King Kabur #1: Les Seigneurs Blêmes (art by Mike Ratera, Semic, 2003)
    • Witchblade: Serment de Sang/Blood Oath (art by Stephane Roux, Semic, 2004; Top Cow, 2004, ISBN 1-58240-396-1)
    • Brigade Temporelle: La Guerre du Graal (art by Timothy J. Green II) (Semic, 2005; Hexagon Comics, 2017)
    • Hexagon (Three volumes) (Hexagon Comics, 2011)
    • Hexagon Universe (five issues) (Wanga Comics, 2011)
    • Strangers (Season 2) (Wanga Comics, 2012–2014)
    • Dick Demon: Point de Chute (Hexagon Comics, 2013)
    • Strangers Universe (Wanga Comics, 2012-ongoing)
    • Kidz (Hexagon Comics, 2012)
    • Les Partisans (with Roy Thomas, art by Mario Guevara, Hexagon Comics, 2014)
    • Strangers (Season 3) (Hexagon Comics, 2014–2015)
    • Garde Républicain Spécial Noël 2014 (art by Roberto Castro, Eduardo Garcia) (Hexagon Comics, 2014)
    • Kabur: L'Etoile Rouge (art by Mike Ratera, Hexagon Comics, 2015)
    • Hexagon: La Ruche Noire (art by Jose Luis Ruiz, Hexagon Comics, 2015)
    • Bouche Rouge: L'Aube Ecarlate (with Marv Wolfman, art by Mario Guevara, Hexagon Comics, 2015)
    • Garde Républicain Spécial Noël 2015 (art by Alfredo Macall) (Hexagon Comics, 2015)
    • Strangers (Season 4) (art by various) (Hexagon Comics, 2016–2017)
    • Garde Républicain Spécial Noël 2016 (art by Eduardo Garcia) (Hexagon Comics, 2016)
    • The Time Brigade: The Grail Wars (art by Timothy J. Green II) (Hexagon Comics, 2017)
    • Strangers (Season 5) (art by various) (Hexagon Comics, 2017–18)
    • Garde Républicain Spécial Noël 2017 (art by Manuel Martin Peniche) (Hexagon Comics, 2017)
    • Garde Républicain Spécial Vacances (art by Alfredo Macall) (Hexagon Comics, 2018)
    • Tiger & The Eye (art by Jose Luis Ruiz Perez) (Hexagon Comics, 2018)
French publishers
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Comics (translations)

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Works by Moebius:[10]

  • Moebius
    • #1 – Upon A Star (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1987)
    • #2 – Arzach (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1987)
      • Legends of Arzach #1–6 (Tundra Press, 1992)
        • Visions of Arzach (Tundra, 1993)
      • Arzach (Dark Horse, 1996)
    • #3 – The Airtight Garage (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1987)
    • #4 – The Long Tomorrow (written by Dan O'Bannon) (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1987)
      • The Exotics (Dark Horse, 1997)
    • #5 – The Gardens of Aedena (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1988)
    • #6 – Pharagonesia (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1988)
      • Rock City (Dark Horse, 1996)
    • #7 – The Goddess (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1990)
    • #8 – Mississippi River (written by Jean-Michel Charlier) (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1991)
    • #0 – The Horny Goof (Dark Horse, 1990)
    • #1/2 – The Early Moebius (Graffiti, 1992)
    • #9 – Stel (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1994)
    • The Art of Moebius (edited by Byron Preiss, Marvel/Epic/Berkley Books, 1989)
    • Carnet 3 and Interview '74 in A-1 No. 4 (Atomeka, 1990)
    • Chaos (Marvel/Epic, 1991)
    • Metallic Memories (Marvel/Epic, 1992)
    • Fusion (Marvel/Epic, 1995)
    • The Man From The Ciguri in Cheval Noir #26–50 (Dark Horse, 1992–94)
      • The Man from the Ciguri (Dark Horse, 1996)
    • Moebius Comics #1–6 (Caliber Press, 1996–97)
  • Marie-Dakar in Dark Horse Presents No. 63 (Dark Horse, 1992)
  • The Incal (written by Alejandro Jodorowsky)
    • The Incal #1–3 (Marvel/Epic, 1988)
    • In the Heart of the Impregnable Meta-Bunker in A-1 No. 4 (Atomeka, 1990)
      • In the Heart of the Impregnable Meta-Bunker in Heavy Metal(1990)
    • Metabarons No. 1 – Othon the Great (Heavy Metal, 1995)
  • Blueberry (written by Jean-Michel Charlier)
    • Blueberry No. 1 – Chihuahua Pearl (incl. The $500,000 Man) (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1989)
    • Blueberry No. 2 – Ballad for a Coffin (inc. The Outlaw) (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1989)
    • Blueberry No. 3 – Angel Face (inc. Broken Nose) (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1990)
    • Blueberry No. 4 – The Ghost Tribe (inc. The Long March) (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1990)
    • Blueberry No. 5 – The End of the Trail (inc. The Last Card) (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1990)
    • Young Blueberry No. 1 – Blueberry's Secret (Catalan Communications/Comcat, 1989)
    • Young Blueberry No. 2 – A Yankee Named Blueberry (Catalan Communications/Comcat, 1990)
    • Young Blueberry No. 3 – The Blue Coats (Catalan Communications/Comcat, 1990)
    • Lt. Blueberry No. 1 – The Iron Horse (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1991)
    • Lt. Blueberry No. 2 – Steelfingers (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1991)
    • Lt. Blueberry No. 3 – General Golden Mane (inc. The Trail of the Sioux) (Marvel/Epic Comics, 1991)
    • Marshal Blueberry – The Lost Dutchman's Mine (inc. The Ghost with Golden Bullets) (Marvel/Epic, 1991)
    • Blueberry – Arizona Love in Cheval Noir #46–50 (Dark Horse, 1993)
  • The Magic Crystal #1–3 (written by Moebius; art by Marc Bati)
    • #1 – The Magic Crystal (Catalan Communications/Comcat, 1990)
    • #2 – Island of the Unicorn (Catalan Communications/Comcat, 1990)
    • #3 – Aurelys's Secret (Catalan Communications/Comcat, 1990)
  • M. Mouche in A-1 No. 3 (written by Jean-Luc Coudray, Atomeka, 1989)
  • Eyes of the Cat in Taboo No. 4 (written by Alejandro Jodorowsky, Spiderbaby, 1990)
  • The Madwoman of the Sacred-Heart in Dark Horse Presents #70–76 (Dark Horse, 1993)
    • The Madwoman of the Sacred-Heart #1-#2 (Dark Horse, 1996)

Cheval Noir (Dark Horse, 1989–94)

  • Adele Blanc-Sec by Jacques Tardi
    • #1 – Adele and the Beast in #1–5 (1989)
    • #2 – The Demon of the Eiffel Tower in #6–8 (1990)
      • (NBM, 1991)
    • #3 – The Mad Scientist in #15–18 (1990)
    • #4 – Mummies on Parade in #19–23 (1991)
    • #5 – The Secret of the Salamander (one-shot) (Dark Horse, 1992)
    • Adieu, Brindavoine in #24–27 (1992)
    • The Flower in the Rifle in No. 29 (1992)
  • Lone Sloane by Philippe Druillet
    • #1 – The Six Voyages of Lone Sloane in #1–6 (1989)
      • (NBM, 1990)
    • #2 – Delirius in #7–12 (1990)
  • Rork by Andreas
    • #1 – Fragments in #1–3, 5–7 (1989)
      • (NBM, 1990)
    • #2 – Passages in #13–17 (1990)
      • (NBM, 1991)
    • #3 – The Graveyard of Cathedrals in #19–23 (1991)
    • #4 – Starlight in #36–40 (1992)
      • (NBM, 1992)
    • #5 – Capricorn in #47–50 (1993)
  • Fred & Bob in Cheval Noir #1–3, 5–8, 10–11, 20, 22–23, 26 (1989–91)
  • Les Cites Obscures by Benoit Peeters & François Schuiten
    • Fever in Urbicand in #1–6 (1990)
      • (NBM, 1990)
    • "The Tower in #9–14 (1991)
      • (NBM, 1993)
  • Coutoo by Andreas in #8–11 (1990)
    • Coutoo (one-shot) (Dark Horse, 1991)
  • The Roach Killer in #10–14 (1991)
    • (NBM, 1992)
  • The Great Power of the Chninkel by Jean Van Hamme & Grzegorz Rosiński in #13–22 (1991)
  • Jordan in #23–26, 28 (1992)

Other:

Filmography

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Animation

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Features

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Christian Cawley, "Jean-Marc Lofficier Interview" Archived August 19, 2014, at the Wayback Machine for Kasterborous, March 13, 2005. Retrieved December 29, 2008
  2. ^ "Hollywood Comics.com". Hollywood Comics.com. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  3. ^ Starnger No More – Lofficier on Semic/Image's Strangers[permanent dead link], Newsarama, November 12, 2002
  4. ^ Witchblade Teams With Semic Heroines[permanent dead link], Newsarama, June 10, 2003
  5. ^ Frenchblade: Semic's Witchblade: Witchblade [permanent dead link], Newsarama, December 5, 2004
  6. ^ "Google Translate". Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  7. ^ "Black Coat Press.com". Black Coat Press.com. April 29, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  8. ^ "Rivière Blanche.com". Riviereblanche.com. April 26, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  9. ^ "The Saint Novels in French". Lofficier.com. June 5, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  10. ^ MOEBIUS graphic novels; Translations by R & JM Lofficier. Retrieved December 31, 2008
  11. ^ "Despair: The Movie". Despair-themovie.com. Retrieved May 25, 2014.

References

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Interviews

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