Željko Pahek (born 1954 in

Županja Županja (, , ) is a town in eastern Slavonia, Croatia, located 254 km east of Zagreb. It is administratively part of the Vukovar-Syrmia County. It is inhabited by 12,090 people (2011). Županja lies on the Sava river opposite Bosnia and He ...

, then in

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

, now in

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

) is an internationally published

comic-book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and written narrative, ...

and

graphic novel A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...

creator, scriptwriter, painter, illustrator and caricaturist. Since 1980s he is known for black humored comic series, as well as cover illustrations for masterpieces of

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

and

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

literature. He lives in

Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

Biography

Pahek lives in Belgrade since 1978. He is one of the key founders of Beogradski krug 2, an important Yugoslav artistic group, together with Bojan M. Đukić (main founder), Vladimir Vesović,

Zdravko Zupan Zdravko Zupan ( sr-cyr, Здравко Зупан; 7 February 1950 – 9 October 2015) was a Yugoslav comic book creator and historian. He is best known for comics such as " Tom & Jerry", "Zuzuko", "Munja", "Mickey Mouse", "Goofy" and " Ellswort ...

, Askanio Popović,

R. M. Guera R. or r. may refer to: * ''Reign'', the period of time during which an Emperor, king, queen, etc., is ruler * '' Rex'', abbreviated as R., the Latin word meaning King * ''Regina'', abbreviated as R., the Latin word meaning Queen * or , abbreviate ...

, Dragan Savić, Dušan Reljić, Dragan Bosnić and others. Since 1979 Pahek is publishing comics and illustrations in cultural journals and comic magazines in Yugoslavia, such as: ''Student, Vidici,

Politikin Zabavnik ''Politikin Zabavnik'' (Serbian Cyrillic: Политикин Забавник) is a popular magazine in Serbia, published by Politika Newspapers and Magazines. The first issue came out on 28 February 1939. In the beginning it was printed in the ...

, YU Strip, Stripoteka, Spunk novosti, Naš Strip, Strip mania''...; and since 1986 in foreign magazines such as: ''Schwermetall'' (Germany), ''Fluide Glacial'' (France), ''L'Eternauta'' (Italy), ''Zone 84'' (Spain), ''Tintin'' (Belgium), ''Eleftherotipia'' (Greece) and '' Heavy Metal Magazine'' (USA). His works are in "Heavy Metal Special Editions" for 15th, 20th and 35th anniversaries of the publication. His comic "Die schwarze narbam" ("Black Scars"), dedicated to the destruction of the Berlin Wall, was published in thirteen languages (international collection "Durch bruch", aka "Breakthrough", 1990). He is notable for black humoured comic series "Astro-idjani" and "The Legion Of The Waterproof" and for numerous caricatures in magazines, republished in a collection ''Depilacija Mozga'' ("Removal of the Brain"). From 1982, wide Yugoslav audience knows Pahek also as a cover artist for science fiction and fantasy books from the writers such as

Robert Heinlein Robert Anson Heinlein ( ; July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific acc ...

, Philip K. Dick,

Arthur C. Clarke Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (16 December 191719 March 2008) was an English science fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, and television series host. Clarke co-wrote the screenplay for the 1968 film '' 2001: A ...

Douglas Adams Douglas Noel Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author, humorist, and screenwriter, best known as the creator of ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Originally a 1978 BBC radio comedy, ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the ...

Terry Pratchett Sir Terence David John Pratchett (28 April 1948 – 12 March 2015) was an English author, humorist, and Satire, satirist, best known for the ''Discworld'' series of 41 comic fantasy novels published between 1983 and 2015, and for the Apocalyp ...

Tim Powers Timothy Thomas Powers (born February 29, 1952) is an American science fiction and fantasy fiction, fantasy author. His first major novel was ''The Drawing of the Dark'' (1979), but the novel that earned him wide praise was ''The Anubis Gates'' ...

and

Slobodan Škerović Slobodan Škerović (born 27 September 1954 in Belgrade) is a Serbian author, painter and philosopher, and a member of the international neo-avantgarde Signalism movement. Biography Škerović studied painting at the Faculty of Applied Arts in ...

. He has also written scripts for D. Bosnić and D. Savić, and worked as a colorist for Hermann Huppen's acclaimed comics series —

Jeremiah Jeremiah ( – ), also called Jeremias, was one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish tradition, Jeremiah authored the Book of Jeremiah, book that bears his name, the Books of Kings, and the Book of Lamentations, with t ...

and

The Towers of Bois-Maury ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

Critical reception

"In artists like Đorđe Milović, Željko Pahek and Zoran Tucić we have contemporary draughtsman of truly international calibre." –

Paul Gravett Paul Gravett is a London-based journalist, curator, writer, and broadcaster who has worked in comics publishing since 1981. He is the founder of ''Escape (magazine), Escape'' magazine, and for many years wrote a monthly article on comics appear ...

Works (a choice)

Comics, graphic novels and caricatures

;As the main creator * ''Astro-iđani'', Yugoslavia /Serbia/, 1981–1983. * ''Once upon a time in the future'', United States, 1991. * ''Depilacija Mozga'', Yugoslavia /Serbia/, 1997. * ''Badi kukavica i druge priče'', Yugoslavia /Serbia/, 2001. * ''Moby Dick'' 1–2, France, 2005. * ''1300 kadrova'', Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2014. * ''Error Data (Chronicles by a Burnt Out Robot)'', England, 2016. * ''La Légion des imperméables'', France, 2016.
La Légion des Imperméables
' sur la Bédéthèque (original title: "Legija nepromočivih"; int. title: "The Legion Of The Waterproof") ;Anthologies and collections * ''Durch Bruch'', Germany, 1990. (also translated as: ''Breakthrough, Après le mur, Falomlás, Der var engang en mur, Murros: Rautaesirippu repeää''...) * ''15 Years of Heavy Metal: The World's Foremost Illustrated Fantasy Magazine'', USA, 1992. * ''Signed by War — Getekend door de oorlog'' ("Potpisano ratom"), Netherlands, 1994. * ''20 Years of Heavy Metal'', USA, 1997. * ''Heavy Metal Magazine: 35th anniversary issue'', USA, 2012. * ''Balkan Comics Connections: Comics from the ex-YU Countries'', United Kingdom, 2013. * ''Odbrana utopije'', Serbia, 2014. * ''Sarajevski atentat'', Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2016. ;As the colorist *

, by

Hermann Huppen Hermann Huppen (born 17 July 1938) is a Belgian comic book creator. He is better known under his pen-name Hermann. He is most famous for his post-apocalyptic comic ''Jeremiah'' which was made into a television series. Biography Hermann was bor ...

, by Hermann Huppen

Notes

Literature

* * Ivkov, Slobodan.br>''60 godina domaćeg stripa u Srbiji (1935—1995)''
leksikon-katalog, Galerija „Likovni susret“, Subotica, 1995. E-edition: Projekat Rastko * Tamburić Živojin, Zdravko Zupan,

Zoran Stefanović Zoran Stefanović (, sr-cyr, Зоран Стефановић, born 21 November 1969 in Loznica) is a Serbian author, publisher and cultural activist, best known as the founder of several cultural networks, including Project Rastko. His works w ...

. '' The Comics We Loved: Selection of 20th Century Comics and Creators from the Region of Former Yugoslavia'' (a critical lexicon), "Omnibus", Beograd, 2011. * Tucakov, Anica. ''Strip u Srbiji 1975-1995'', Zadužbina „Andrejević“, Beograd, 2000.

External links

Pahek, a bio
Modesty Comics, London
Pahek - Robeo and Ruliette
Short story, 10 pages {{DEFAULTSORT:Pahek, Zeljko 1954 births Living people People from Županja Serbian comics artists Serbian comics writers 20th-century Serbian painters 21st-century Serbian painters 20th-century Serbian illustrators 21st-century Serbian illustrators Humorists Serbian graphic novelists Serbian magazine illustrators Serbian caricaturists Croatian comics artists Croatian comics writers 20th-century Croatian painters 21st-century Croatian painters 20th-century Croatian illustrators 21st-century Croatian illustrators Croatian magazine illustrators Croatian caricaturists Fantasy artists Science fiction artists Serbian fantasy artists Serbian science fiction artists Comics colorists