Hotep #2 - 'La gloire d'Alexandre'.
Rafael Moralès is a Swiss artist with a specialization in historical comics, especially about ancient Egypt. He was the main artist of Jacques Martin's classic series 'Alix' from 1996 to 2005, and subsequently created his own series 'Hotep' (2007-2009).
Alix
Rafael Moralès was born in 1969 in Montreux, Switzerland. A fan of Jacques Martin's comics since his childhood, he met the famous artist at the Sierre comic festival in 1986. Since both men lived in Lausanne, Morales became his apprentice and assistant in the following year. After small jobs like background art, lettering and coloring, his first big assignment was illustrating a book starring 'Alix' about the tomb of Tutankhamun for Éditions L'Instant Durable (1987). Moralès then illustrated the installments about Egypt and Rome for 'Les Voyages d'Orion' (1992-1993), a spin-off collection of illustrated books to Martin's comic 'Orion'. The collection was later retitled to 'Les Voyages d'Alix', to which Moralès contributed artwork for more installments about ancient Egypt in 2009 and 2014.
Alix - 'La Chute d'Icare'.
In 1996 Moralès was appointed as the new artist of 'Alix', Jacques Martin's trademark series about a young, blonde Gaul in the Roman Age. Eight years had passed since the publication of the previous album, 'Le Cheval de Troie' (1988), which Martin had drawn himself in cooperation with Jean Pleyers. Martin was by now suffering from dystrophia and had to resign from drawing himself. Moralès stepped in with the 20th album 'Ô Alexandrie' (1996), and his tenure lasted until album 24, 'Roma, Roma...' (2005). His regular assistant was Marc Henniquiau. After that, Christophe Simon became the new lead artist.
Hotep
Moralès then embarked upon a series of his own in Glénat's Vécu collection. 'Hotep' (2007-2009) was also set in ancient Egyptian city Thebes. The main character inherits the function of High Priest of Amun at Karnak, the high office of the Egyptian clergy. The young man revolts the new tax demand of Demias, the new envoy of the pharaoh. Hotep is subsequently sentenced to death, but escapes and goes on a queste to seek justice.
Rafael Morales and other artists of the "Franco-Belgian school".
From left to right: Rosinski, Will, Roba, Rafael Morales, Jacques Martin, Paul Roux, and Batem.