Druillet was born in
Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, France but spent his youth in
Spain, returning to France in 1952 after the death of his father. A
science fiction and
comics fan, Philippe worked as a
photographer after graduating from high school, drawing only for his own pleasure.
His first book appeared in 1966, entitled
Le Mystère des abîmes (
The Mystery of the Abyss). It introduced his recurring hero
Lone Sloane and played on science-fiction themes partially inspired by his favourite writers,
H. P. Lovecraft and
A.E. van Vogt. Later Druillet created book covers for republications of Lovecraft's work, as well as numerous movie posters.
After becoming a regular contributor to the
comics magazine Pilote in 1970, Druillet's
Lone Sloane saga grew steadily more flamboyant, as he pursued innovations including bold page designs and
computer-generated images. His backdrops of gigantic structures inspired by
Art Nouveau,
Indian temples and
Gothic cathedrals earned him the nickname of "space architect". Six tales about Sloane's exploits were collected in
Les six voyages de Lone Sloane in 1972, hailed by many as his masterpiece, and Sloane was again the hero of the graphic novel
Délirius (1973), written by
Jacques Lob. In 1973, Druillet also produced the
Moorcock's Elric-inspired
Yragaël for
Pilote, and
Vuzz for the magazine
Phénix
In 1975 Druillet joined
Jean-Pierre Dionnet, Bernard Farkas and
Moebius to form the publishing house
Les Humanoïdes Associés, and the magazine
Métal Hurlant. This was to be a vehicle for his finest stories, and showcased a steadily evolution in his graphical skills. His series
Lone Sloane and
Vuzz continued, and other stories of this period include
La Nuit, and
Nosferatu. In 1980 Druillet produced
Salammbô, a comic-book trilogy based upon
Flaubert's proto-
heroic fantasy novel
Salammbô.
Outside his work as a cartoonist and illustrator, Druillet has also been active in
architecture, rock opera, painting, sculpture and
Digital Art. He worked as a designer on the film,
Sorcerer directed by
William Friedkin in 1976. He collaborated on
Rolf Liebermann's Wagner Space Opera in the
Opera de Paris in the late 70s to early 80s, and founded the Space Art Création in 1984. More recently he made
Les Rois Maudits 2005 remake's artwork and designed large parts of the background.
rss feed