Jean-Charles Kraehn

Jean-Charles Kraehn was born on June 27th, 1955, in Saint-Malo in northwestern France. While he was studying at the Estienne school of art, it was his meeting with Patrice Pellerin, who was living at the house of the famous illustrator Pierre Joubert at the time, which was to be the deciding factor in his career choice. As though he had had some kind of revelation, he began drawing furiously, working on all the bases of academic drawing: anatomy, perspective, composition, etc.

Having earned his BTS technical diploma, he then decided to give this profession a go. As well as various illustration work (French scouts, Hachette, etc.), he made a quick appearance in advertising, and worked six months as a storyboard artist in a Parisian agency. However, comic books remained his main objective.

His first creation was a historical album for the Oise (France) Crédit Agricole: 2000 ans d’histoire de l’Oise, published by ID Program. This was followed by his participation in a collective album, still for the same agency, 2000 ans d’histoire de la Bretagne, in which several future comic book greats can be found, such as Juillard, Rouge, Lidwine, Arnoux, and Rollin, among others.

Thanks to Patrice Pellerin, he met the great Jean-Michel Charlier, who suggested he take over the artwork for the series Jacques Legall. But the living legend was too busy and sadly never provided a script. With his partner Patrice Pellerin (writing the script for the first three volumes), Jean-Charles Kraehn then created a series set in the Middle Ages, Les aigles décapitées.

Then followed, alone or in collaboration, a vast number of volumes for various series, including notably the long-running Tramp, together with artist Patrick Jusseaume (Dargaud 1993, Europe Comics in English 2017). The pair has now completed its 11th volume of the maritime saga.