Jean Dufaux has always told stories that bring together words and images. Initially attracted by the 7th art, he studied film production at the Institut des Arts et Diffusion in Brussels. But words remained such an important part of his life that he became a journalist, playwright and novelist, before once and for all embracing his true calling as a comic book author. Over his career, Jean Dufaux has produced a massive body of work, comprising some 200 titles and counting.
His work is original and fiercely independent of trends, holding more complexity than might be apparent at first glance: "Complainte des landes perdues" (Dargaud, "Lament of the Lost Moors" Cinebook), "Double masque" (Dargaud, "Game of Masks" Europe Comics), "Murena" (Dargaud, Europe Comics in English), "Rapaces" (Dargaud, "Raptors" Europe Comics), "Djinn" (Dargaud, Europe Comics in English), "Croisade" (Le Lombard, "Crusade" Cinebook), "Barracuda" (Dargaud, Cinebook in English), "Sortilèges" (Dargaud, "Spellbound" Europe Comics), "Loup de Pluie" (Dargaud, "Rain Wolf" Europe Comics), Dixie Road (Dargaud, Europe Comics in English), "Saga Valta" (Le Lombard, Europe Comics in English), "Conquistador" (Glénat) ...
The list goes on. This immense mosaic that rejects neither the exhilaration of the paperback novel nor the narrative ellipses of cinema aims above all to be a work of pleasure and of enchantment, in the fantastic and occult sense of the term. His wildly successful series, selling millions of copies and garnering numerous prizes and awards, have been published across Europe, Japan, and the United States.
Jean Dufaux is president of the jury for the Diagonale Prize, awarded annually in Belgium to outstanding comic book artists, and in France Jean Dufaux was named a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2009.
ELGO is someone who knows what he wants, and how to get it, through talent and hard work. He has always been drawn to the world of comics, devouring "Métal Hurlant" and the works of Moebius from a young age.
It was through animation that he would get his start as a professional, however. After graduating from the Gobelins school in Paris, he moved to Los Angeles, where his precision drawing and skill in framing made him a storyboarder in high demand. He spent four years working on projects ranging from "Titan A. E." to "Futurama" before being lured back by his first love. He returned to Europe to focus on comic books, quickly developing his style through several titles published by Carabas.
Before long his work caught the eye of legendary scriptwriter Jean Dufaux, and the two teamed up to create "Medina" (Le Lombard, Europe Comics in English). And all indications are that ELGO is just beginning.
