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Morris (cartoonist)

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Maurice De Bevere was a renowned Belgian comics artist and illustrator. Most people knew him by his pen name, Morris. He is best known for creating Lucky Luke, a best-selling comic series. This series follows a gunslinger in the American Wild West. Morris's work became a massive international success for over 50 years. His stories were translated into 23 different languages. He remains one of the most significant figures in European comics.

Morris's journey into art began with a simple habit. While attending a Jesuit college in Aalst, he spent class time doodling. His math teacher even told his parents he would never succeed. However, these drawings were the start of a great career. After college, he worked at the Compagnie Belge d'Actualités animation studio. There, he met other famous artists like Peyo and André Franquin. These early connections helped shape his professional path in the art world.

In 1946, Morris created the character Lucky Luke for Spirou magazine. Lucky Luke is a solitary cowboy who travels the Wild West. He helps people in need and is aided by his horse, Jolly Jumper. The first adventure, titled "Arizona 1880," was released in December 1946. Morris eventually became part of a group called La bande des quatre. This group included artists Jijé, André Franquin, and Will. They lived and worked together in a studio in Waterloo. This close friendship allowed the artists to inspire each other's work.

Travel played a major role in Morris's artistic development. In 1948, Morris, Jijé, and Franquin traveled to the United States. They wanted to see the real Wild West and meet American artists. Morris stayed in the U.S. for six years. During this time, he assisted Jack Davis and Harvey Kurtzman with Mad magazine. He also met the writer René Goscinny. Goscinny wrote all the Lucky Luke stories from 1955 until his death in 1977. This twenty-year collaboration was a vital part of the series' success.

Morris used many different influences to create his unique visual style. His early Lucky Luke drawings featured very round lines. This style was influenced by the work of Walt Disney. He also studied American films to improve his storytelling. Morris introduced cinematic techniques like close-ups and freeze-frames into his comic panels. He even based some characters on real American actors. These included Jack Palance, Gary Cooper, W.C. Fields, and William Hart. He also drew caricatures of people like singer Serge Gainsbourg.

Lucky Luke became a global phenomenon with incredible numbers. It is the best-selling European comics series ever created. More than 300 million copies have been sold worldwide. The popularity of the characters led to many different types of media. Hanna-Barbera produced 52 animated cartoons in 1983. Another 52 animated cartoons were made in the early 1990s. There were also three live-action films and several video games. These games were released for systems like the PlayStation and Game Boy Color.

Morris's legacy continues through his characters and his influence on art. In the 1990s, he created a spin-off series called Rantanplan. This series stars the "dumbest dog in the West." His importance to Belgian culture was recognized in 2005. He was ranked 79th for The Greatest Belgian in the French-speaking community. He also received prestigious awards like the Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême. His life and work helped define the golden age of Franco-Belgian comics.

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