'Spoon & White', artwork by Simon Léturgie.
Jean Léturgie is a French comic writer, who has created several humorous series, but is also known for developing spin-offs of popular series. He started out in 1976, doing editorial work for Les Cahiers de la Bande Dessinée and later Circus. He was also employed by the publishing house Glénat as press officer. He wrote his first short comic story for Pierre Wininger, before creating his first series, 'Percevan', with Philippe Luguy for Gomme magazine. Also for Gomme, he wrote 'Cédric le Bihan', illustrated by Marie-Christine Demeure. Shortly afterwards, Léturgie began a fruitful collaboration with Xavier Fauche. From 1982, they wrote a couple of episodes for Morris's 'Lucky Luke' series, and they created the spin-off gag series starring the stupid dog 'Ran-Tan-Plan', drawn by Morris and Michel Janvier.
Cover of the 'Lucky Luke' album 'Le Daily Star'. Cover of the 'Ratanplan' album 'Le Parrain'.
Léturgie and Fauche also adapted some of the Luke stories for the television series. Léturgie continued his work in the television field with the 'Tifous' projects, in cooperation with Yvan Delporte and André Franquin. In 1995 he worked with Conrad and Yann (Pearce) on 'Kid Lucky', another 'Lucky Luke' spin-off starring a younger version of the popular cowboy. With Pearce, Léturgie additionally created 'Cotton Kid', a western parody published by Vents d'Ouest from 1999.
Besides working as a writer, he served as editor for the comics published in Je Bouquine (1985-86), he was literary director of Les Humanoïdes Associés (1988-90), editor-in-chief of the Bande Dessinée supplement of VSD (1989) and founder of John Eigrutel Productions. Through his company, he scripted and published stories with 'Polstar' and 'Bob Steel' for artists like Franck Isard and his son, Simon Léturgie.
'Polstar' and 'Outre Tombe'.
Jean and Simon Léturgie continued to work on several comic series together, often accompanied by Yann as co-scriptwriter. These included 'Tékila' for their own label, 'Spoon & White', a comical detective series published by Dupuis and Vents d'Ouest, 'Outre Tombe', with art by Richard Di Martino, for Vents d'Ouest, 'Vioq Micmac' for Eigrutel and 'Space Cake' for Vents d'Ouest. In 2011, the team also launched 'Gastoon', the short-lived spin-off series starring Gaston Lagaffe's nephew, created by André Franquin.
In 1994-1995 Janvier and Jean Léturgie made a series of small advertising comic books for the chocolade cookie brand 'Prince de Lu'. They starred the brand's mascot, the medieval prince of Lu, in a series of realistically drawn adventures. Four titles were available: 'Le Medaillon Magique / Het Magisch Medaillon', 'L'Imposteur/ De Bedrieger', 'Le Chevalier Noir / De Zwarte Ridder' and 'Le Lubon/ De Huberlu'. The latter story starred a strange creature whom would become the prince's sidekick. All four mini comics were collectable by buying cookie boxes. They all had a flip cover in the two main Belgian languages, Dutch and French. Regardless on how one flipped the books one could read the same story in either Dutch or French.
'Cotton Kid' and 'Gastoon'.