The Resume

(January 3, 1924-January 5, 1997)
Born in Etterbeek, Belgium
Creator of Gaston LaGaffe (1957–1996) and Marsupilami (1987–1989)
Producer of Spirou et Fantasio (1946–1967)
Died in Saint-Laurent-du-Var (Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region of the French Riviera) of a heart attack

Why he might be annoying:

In the early 1960s, he suffered a period of depression that would ultimately move Gaston out of pure slapstick humor.
While he named the titular character of Isabelle – a mystical Spirou comic adventure – for his one child, he was not its creator proper.
In the late 1970s, he suffered a nervous breakdown that eventually inspired ‘Idees noires’ (Franquin’s Last Laugh, or literally ‘dark thoughts’).
To his horror, the Marsupilami that was part of Disney’s Raw Toonage bloc in the early 1990s – and its own series shortly after – bore almost zero similarities to his original works.
An asteroid discovered by a French astronomer would be named for Marsupilami before the one that was named for him (see below).

Why he might not be annoying:

Herge – to whom he drew justifiable comparisons – said of him, ‘Compared to him, I’m but a poor draftsman.’
Especially in the 90s, most artists, never mind a foreign one, would have been scared stiff to think about crossing the Disney behemoth. (Don’t argue for 10 grand or so.)
The asteroid that would be named in his memory was discovered by another French astronomer (this one an amateur).
In three decades’ time, a Quebecois cartoonist would resurrect the Gaston comic in his style (or ‘d’apres Franquin’).
His one marriage lasted more than 45 years, to his death two days after his 73rd birthday.

Credit: Cool It All Right?

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• An Asteroid was Named in My Honor (Ranked: 293985)
• Cartoonists
• Cool It All Right?'s Profiles [Series 16]
• I Died in 1997 (Ranked: 73)
• Look at Me, My Picture Is Art
• Profiles 56751-57000 (Ranked: 56931)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying