'Pat'Apouf' (Almanach du Pélerin, 1949).
Gervy was a French illustrator and comic artist, best remembered for his long-running detective adventure comic 'Pat'Apouf' (1938-1973). Several of his other comics from the same era were shorter-lived and have faded into obscurity.
Early life and career
Yves Desdemaines-Hugon was born in 1908 in Blaye, Gironde, France. Among his graphic influences was George McManus. From 1926 on, he started making humorous illustrations, covers and advertisements for several magazines, such as Le Combat Périgourdin, Ric et Rac, L'Ouest-Éclair and Gringoire. Around 1930, he first used his pseudonym "Gervy", a contraction of his first name and his wife's first name, Germaine. Two years later, he was present at the Société Anonyme du Petit Écho de la Mode, later renamed to Editions Montsouris. He made illustrations and some comics for periodicals like Guignol (short stories), Lisette ('Klik, Le Petit Lutin') and Pierrot ('Plouck le Moussaillon', 'Clin-Foc', 'Roudoudou'). In 1936, Éditions Gordinne published his first comic book, 'Le Trésor de l'Île aux Mouettes'. That same year, he started making comics for Bonne Presse, like 'Le Totem du Vieux Cerf', 'Prodigieux Exploits de Paulo' and 'Jean et Paul', published in the periodical Bayard.
'Miette Et Son Ami Totoche' (Bernadette, 1951).
Pat'Apouf
On 6 March 1938, Gervy launched a new comic series in Le Pèlerin, a magazine published by Bonne Presse (later retitled Bayard Presse): 'Pat'Apouf'. The series came about at the request of Père Guichardan, a Roman Catholic priest who was also chief editor of Le Pèlerin, who wanted to attract more young readers by printing an adventure comic in its pages. Pat'Apouf is a detective/police inspector, whose name is a pun on the French pejorative term "patapouf" for a "fat person". The series quickly caught on.
In September 1939, when the United Kingdom and Germany declared war on each other, France was still neutral, but mobilized many citizens in case of a potential invasion. Gervy was one of them, but kept sending his weekly comic pages to Le Pèlerin while being stationed in Moselle. He even carried his ink bottles with him, since the cold weather might otherwise freeze the fluid. Gervy already suspected that a new world war was only a matter of time. On 12 November 1939, a new 'Pat'Apouf' narrative took af, in which the Germans invaded France and our hero is sent off to arrest German spies. As the threat of a potential real-life German invasion wore off, Norway, The Netherlands, Belgium and France were surprised when Hitler invaded their countries after all in June 1940. Le Pèlerin was instantly cancelled. Gervy kept his character alive by featuring him as a theatrical stage character. In November of that year, Pat'Apouf returned in Le Foyer. Gervy teamed him up with Pat'Apouf's old study buddy Marcel Frache. Together they had adventures that stayed as far away from politics as possible.
In September 1944, the Allied Forces liberated France. A month later, on 29 October 1944, Pat'Apouf's adventures in Le Foyer were discontinued. When Le Pèlerin returned to the market, Pat'Apouf made his comeback in their pages. At this occasion, he received a redesign, inspired by the outfit of Jiggs, protagonist from George McManus' 'Bringing Up Father'. In 1956, he received a young sidekick, his adoptive son Jacky. From January 1946 on, 'Pat'Apouf' was also published in comic books, published by Maison De La Bonne Presse and, from 1969 on by Bayard Presse.
Gervy kept drawing 'Pat'Apouf' for an almost uninterrupted staggering 45 years. In the late 1960s, some stories were scripted by a writer under the pseudonym Troc. Gervy concluded his input on 3 June 1973. Afterwards, 'Pat'Apouf''s adventures were continued by Jean Ache, who enriched the series with new cast members: Jacky's dog Goliath (1978), neighbor Alice Patacaisse, commissioner Boldu (1978) and the nosy journalist Amilcar Amidon (1984).
In 1985, Ache died, but Michel Conversin finished the final 'Pat'Apouf' story he left behind and continued the series until 1988, after which he was succeeded by Guy Vidal, under the pseudonym Gulcis, and Philippe Callens, under the pseudonym Ballofet. The final 'Pat'apouf' story was published in 1990.
'Pat'Apouf' (Le Pélerin, 1959).
Other comics in the 1930s and 1940s
Gervy did not feel overworked by his immense production, and additionally created 'Joe Typhon' and 'Pacifique' for Le Pélerin and was present in the magazines of Averbode, Petit Belges, Tremplin and Zonneland. He took on new comics, like 'Klik, Wisky et Boule', 'Ritou', and 'Les Inventions du Professeur Pouic'.
Comic strip by Gervy, 1951.
Post-World War II comics
After World War II, Gervy was present at the publishing company Éditions Pierre Fanlac, for whom he created the pantomime comic 'Monsieur Pluche' in L'Essor. In the magazine Goupil, he drew the title comic 'Les Aventures de Goupil', but also series like 'Ralingue et Pamplemousse', 'L'Affaire Brand', 'Johnny le Justicier' and a comic about a young girl and her monkey friend, 'Miette et Son Ami Totoche'. At publishing house Gordinne, he released an album of the investigative journalist 'Bobby Reporter' in comic book format. 'Bobby Reporter' was later also serialized in the magazine Wrill.
Recognition
In 1959, Gervy received the Grand Cross of the Order of Gregorius the Great, at the recommendation of cardinal Maurice Feltin. Feltin was motivated by his love for Gervy's comic 'Pat'Apouf'.
Final years and death
In 1998, Gervy died in Périgueux, at age 89. In 2005, reprints of 'Pat'Apouf' were published by Éditions du Triomphe.
'Bobby Reporter' (Wrill).