Michel Régnier (5 May 1931 – 29 October 1999), best known by his pseudonym Greg, was a Belgian cartoonistLes compagnes des héros de B.D.: des femmes et des bulles Annie Pilloy - 1994 " Greg - Michel Régnier est né en mai 31 à Ixelles (Bruxelles). Attiré par le journalisme, il quitte néanmoins le ..." best known for Achille Talon, and later became editor of Tintin magazine.

Biography Regnier was born in Ixelles, Belgium in 1931. His first series, Les Aventures de Nestor et Boniface, appeared in the Belgian magazine Vers l'Avenir when he was sixteen. He moved to the comic magazine Héroic Albums, going on to work for the Franco-Belgian comics magazine Spirou in 1954. In 1955 he launched his own magazine, Paddy, but eventually discontinued it.

The series for which Greg is best known, Achille Talon, began in 1963 in Pilote magazine, also the source of comics such as Asterix.De Weyer, Geert (2005). "Greg". In België gestript, pp. 117-119. Tielt: Lannoo. This series, which he both wrote and illustrated, presents the comic misadventures of the eponymous mild-mannered polysyllabic bourgeois. In all 42 albums appeared, the first years with short gags, later with full-length (i.e. 44 pages) stories. The series was continued by Widenlocher after the death of Greg. An English translation titled Walter Melon was unsuccessful. In 1996, an animated series of 52 episodes of 26 minutes each was produced. This series was also shown in English as Walter Melon. Other series Greg provided artwork for in the early 60s were the boxing series Rock Derby and the revival of Alain Saint-Ogan's classic series Zig et Puce.

Regnier became editor-in-chief of Tintin magazine in 1966 and remained so until 1974. In this period, he moved the magazine away from the classic Ligne claire of Hergé and Edgar Pierre Jacobs, because the main authors published new stories less frequently, and because the magazine suffered from the success of new French magazines like Pilote. Greg introduced a more adult genre, with less perfect heroes and more violence. He created some of his most famous series like Bruno Brazil and Bernard Prince in this period, and introduced artists like Hermann to the magazine.

In 1975 he became literary director for the French publisher Dargaud and launched Achille Talon magazine. Having moved to Paris, he became a French citizen, and officially took a new name, Michel Greg. In the late 1970s he moved to the U.S. as a representative for Dargaud, working on several television projects and promoting European comics. He returned to France in the mid-1980s where he continued scripting comics and also wrote novels for the Hardy et Lesage collection of Fleuve Noir.

As "Greg", Regnier was one of the most prolific creators of Franco-Belgian comics, working in all genres and collaborating with many other European artists and scriptwriters. Well known for working with artist Hermann, Greg also worked with André Franquin, Eddy Paape (the science fiction series Luc Orient), Dany, Albert Uderzo and René Goscinny, and many others. It is estimated that he contributed as a writer and an artist to some 250 comic albums.

Hergé asked him to remake two of The Adventures of Tintin – The Seven Crystal Balls and Prisoners of the Sun – into a script for one long animated movie, Tintin and the Temple of the Sun. He also wrote the script for Tintin and the Lake of Sharks. Greg was asked to write two stories for the Tintin comics as well, including Le Thermozéro, but in the end Hergé, wanting to keep all creative control, did not use them.

Michel Regnier died in 1999 in Paris, France.

Bibliography Only those series for which albums have appeared are mentioned here. Furthermore, Greg has made many series in the 1950s, especially in La Libre Belgique, of which no albums have appeared. Titles are ordered by the first year in which an album appeared, not the first year the comic appeared in a magazine or newspaper.

SeriesYearsVolumesArtworkEditorRemarksChick Bill1957–196819TibetLe Lombard and DargaudMost of his work on this series is uncreditedModeste et Pompon1958–19733André FranquinLe Lombard and DargaudOther gags written by René Goscinny and Franquin etc.Spirou et Fantasio1960–19746André FranquinDupuisAdditional stories by Jidéhem and Jean RobaCorentin19631Paul CuvelierLe Lombard and DargaudFlamme d'argent1965–19682Paul CuvelierLe Lombard and DargaudZig et Puce1965–19956GregLe Lombard, Dargaud, and GlénatReprise of the classic series by Alain Saint-OganLine1966–19794Paul CuvelierLe Lombard, Dargaud, and Achille Talon1966–199642GregDargaudBernard Prince1969–199217Hermann, Dany, and Le Lombard, Dargaud, and BlancoLuc Orient1969–199418Eddy PaapeLe Lombard and DargaudBruno Brazil1969–199511William VanceLe Lombard and DargaudClifton1969–19713Jo-El Azara and TurkLe Lombard and DargaudAdditional storywriting by Bob de GrootOlivier Rameau1970–198711DanyLe Lombard and Dargaud1972–199815Hermann and RougeLe Lombard, Dargaud, and Strip ArtAlice au pays des merveilles19731Dupa, Dany, Turk and De GrootLe Lombard and DargaudAdaptation of Alice in WonderlandThe Adventures of Tintin19731Animation stillsCastermanAn adaptation of a script for an animated movie, written by GregChlorophylle1973–19742DupaLe Lombard and DargaudConstant Souci et le mystère de l'homme aux trèfles19741GregGlénatTommy Banco19741Eddy PaapeLe Lombard and DargaudLes Panthères1974–19753Edouard AidansLe Lombard and DargaudRock Derby1974–19807GregLe Lombard, Dargaud and Magic-StripLes naufragés d'Arroyoka19751Claude AuclairLe Lombard and DargaudJo Nuage et Kay McCloud19761DanyDargaudCobalt1976–19812FahrerLe Lombard and DargaudFrère Boudin1977–19782Claude MarinDargaudLes As1978–198616Studio GregDargaudThe only series officially credited to Studio GregGo West19791DeribDargaudDomino19791ChéretLe Lombard and DargaudLes Bolides d'argent19811BédésupSpaghetti19821Dino AttanasioDargaudMouminet et Alphonse19841TibetMagic-StripBabiole et Zou19851GregLe LombardCreated in 1962Le club des Peur-de-Rien1985–19862TibetLe Lombard and DargaudPapa Talon19881HachelMC ProductionsA spin-off from Achille TalonColby1991–19973Michel Blanc-DumontDargaudJohnny Congo1992–19932Eddy PaapeClaude Lefrancq

Awards 1985: Haxtur Award, Spain, Best Long Comic Strip for Spirou et Fantasio: QRN sur Bretzelburg, artist: André Franquin

Sources

Greg publications in Spirou, Belgian Tintin, French Tintin, Vaillant and Pif and Pilote BDoubliées

Footnotes

External links Greg biography on Dupuis Greg biography on Lambiek Comiclopedia