René Goscinny

René Goscinny (; ; 14 August 1926 – 5 November 1977) was a French comic editor and writer, who created the '' Astérix'' comic book series with illustrator Albert Uderzo. Born in France to a Jewish family from Poland, he spent his childhood in Argentina where he attended French schools and later lived in the United States for a short period of time. There he met Belgian cartoonist Morris. After his return to France, they collaborated for more than 20 years on the comic series '' Lucky Luke'' (in what was considered the series' golden age).

He wrote '' Iznogoud'' with Jean Tabary. Goscinny also wrote a series of children's books known as ''Le Petit Nicolas'' (''Little Nicolas'') illustrated by Jean-Jacques Sempé.

Early life

Goscinny was born in Paris in 1926, to Jewish immigrants from Poland. His parents were Stanisław Simkha Gościnny, a chemical engineer from Warsaw, and Anna (Hanna) Bereśniak-Gościnna from Chodorków (modern-day ), a small village near Kyiv in Ukraine. Goscinny's maternal grandfather, Abraham Lazare Berezniak, founded a printing company. Claude, Goscinny's older brother, was six years older, born on 10 December 1920.

Stanisław and Anna had met in Paris and married in 1919. When René was two, the Gościnnys moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, because his father had been hired as a chemical engineer there. René had a happy childhood in Buenos Aires and studied in French-language schools there. He was often the "class clown", probably to compensate for a natural shyness. He started drawing very early on, inspired by the illustrated stories which he enjoyed reading.

In December 1943, the year after Goscinny graduated from lycée or high school, his father died of a cerebral hemorrhage (stroke). The youth had to go to work. The next year, he got his first job as an assistant accountant in a tyre recovery factory. After being laid off the following year, Goscinny became a junior illustrator in an advertising agency.

Goscinny, along with his mother, emigrated from Argentina and immigrated to New York, United States in 1945 to join her brother, Boris. To avoid service in the United States Armed Forces he travelled to France to join the French Army in 1946. He served at Aubagne in the 141st Alpine Infantry Battalion. Promoted to senior corporal, he became the appointed artist of the regiment and drew illustrations and posters for the army.

First works

The following year, Goscinny worked on an illustrated version of the Balzac novella '' The Girl with the Golden Eyes''. In April of that year he returned to New York.

There he went through the most difficult period of his life. For a while, Goscinny was jobless, alone, and living in poverty. By 1948, though, he had begun working in a small studio, where he became friends with future '' MAD Magazine'' contributors Will Elder, Jack Davis, and Harvey Kurtzman. Goscinny became art director at Kunen Publishers, where he wrote four books for children.

Around this time he met two Belgian comic artists, Joseph Gillain, better known as Jijé, and Maurice de Bevere, also known as Morris. Morris lived in the US for six years, having already started his cartoon series '' Lucky Luke.'' (He and Goscinny collaborated on this, with Goscinny writing it from 1955 until his death in 1977, a period described as its golden age).

Georges Troisfontaines, chief of the World Press agency, convinced Goscinny to return to France in 1951 in order to work for his agency as the head of the Paris office. There he met Albert Uderzo, with whom he started a longtime collaboration. They started out with some work for '' Bonnes Soirées'', a women's magazine for which Goscinny wrote ''Sylvie''. Goscinny and Uderzo also launched the series ''Jehan Pistolet'' and ''Luc Junior,'' in the magazine ''La Libre Junior''.

In 1955, Goscinny, together with Uderzo, Jean-Michel Charlier, and Jean Hébrad, founded the syndicate Edipress/Edifrance. The syndicate launched publications such as ''Clairon'' for the factory union and ''Pistolin'' for a chocolate company. Goscinny and Uderzo cooperated on the series ''Bill Blanchart'' in ''Jeannot'', ''Pistolet'' in ''Pistolin,'' and ''Benjamin et Benjamine'' in the magazine of the same name. Under the pseudonym Agostini, Goscinny wrote ''Le Petit Nicolas'' for Jean-Jacques Sempé in '' Le Moustique.'' It was later published in '' Sud-Ouest'' and '' Pilote'' magazines.

In 1956, Goscinny began a collaboration with '' Tintin'' magazine. He wrote some short stories for Jo Angenot and Albert Weinberg, and worked on ''Signor Spaghetti'' with Dino Attanasio, ''Monsieur Tric'' with Bob de Moor, '' Prudence Petitpas'' with Maurice Maréchal, ''Globul le Martien'' and ''Alphonse'' with Tibet, ''Strapontin'' with Berck and '' Modeste et Pompon'' with André Franquin. An early creation with Uderzo, '' Oumpah-pah'', was also adapted for serial publication in ''Tintin'' from 1958 to 1962. In addition, Goscinny appeared in the magazines '' Paris-Flirt'' (''Lili Manequin'' with Will) and '' Vaillant'' (''Boniface et Anatole'' with Jordom, ''Pipsi'' with Godard).

''Pilote'' and ''Astérix'' (1959)

In 1959, the Édifrance/Édipresse syndicate started the Franco-Belgian comics magazine '' Pilote''. Goscinny became one of the most productive writers for the magazine. In the magazine's first issue, he launched '' Astérix'', with Uderzo. The series was an instant hit and remains popular worldwide. Goscinny also restarted the series ''Le Petit Nicolas'' and ''Jehan Pistolet'', now called ''Jehan Soupolet''. Goscinny also began ''Jacquot le Mousse'' and ''Tromblon et Bottaclou'' with Godard.

The magazine was bought by Georges Dargaud in 1960, and Goscinny became editor-in-chief. He also began new series like ''Les Divagations de Monsieur Sait-Tout'' (with Martial), ''La Potachologie Illustrée'' (with Cabu), ''Les Dingodossiers'' (with Gotlib) and ''La Forêt de Chênebeau'' (with Mic Delinx). With Tabary, he launched ''Calife Haroun El Poussah'' in ''Record'', a series that was later continued in ''Pilote'' as '' Iznogoud''. With Raymond Macherot he created ''Pantoufle'' for '' Spirou''.

Family

Goscinny married Gilberte Pollaro-Millo in 1967. In 1968, their daughter Anne Goscinny was born. She also became an author.

Anne Goscinny, the daughter of René Goscinny, co-wrote the screenplay for '' Little Nicholas: Happy As Can Be'', 2022 animation film with Michel Fessler and Massoubre.

Death

Goscinny died at 51, in Paris of a heart attack on 5 November 1977, during a routine stress test at his doctor's office. He was buried in the Jewish Cemetery in Nice

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