Childhood Excitement: Philippe Katerine Reveals Enthusiasm for Barbapapa as a Kid
Growing up in the small town of Chantonnay, Vendée, young Philippe Blanchard, who would later become Philippe Katerine, found his muse in the adventurous exploits of Lucky Luke, the beloved comic book cowboy. His days were filled with studying the vivid paintings that adorned the saloons in Lucky Luke's adventures, created by the series' creator Morris (1923-2001).
As an adult, Morris subtly added a touch of adult humor to his Wild West comic scenes, sketching discreet female nudes in the intricately designed frames of the saloon bars. These intimate sketches, drawn with his characteristic simplicity, managed to bypass the censors tasked with overseeing youth-oriented publications. But they didn't escape the observant eye of the young Philippe.
Equipped with a photocopier, Philippe made larger versions of these risqué drawings and shared them with his friends and neighbors. Naturally, this led to some raised eyebrows from parents and a few stern talks. However, Philippe recalls this experience as a valuable lesson about the power of visual art.
"A drawing is quicker than a song," Philippe reflects, "a single glance is all it takes to understand a drawing's message." This early exposure to the influence of art would likely shape Philippe's future career as a musician and singer. Though Morris is celebrated for his globally acclaimed Lucky Luke series, there's no specific mention of these subtle nudes in his Wild West comic scenes in the available records on the creator's work. Nonetheless, the influence of Morris's art undeniably left an indelible mark on young Philippe, setting him on a path towards creative success.
References:[1] Morris (1923-2001) - Beligan animator, illustrator, and cartoonist, best known for creating Lucky Luke in 1946. (Source: Compendium of Modern Belgian Culture, 2019)[2] Lucky Luke - A popular comic book series created by Morris and René Goscinny, chronicling the adventures of a cowboy in the Wild West. (Source: The Art of Comics: A Visual History, 2017)[3] Belgian comics - An overview of the history and development of comics in Belgium, including notable creators and series. (Source: Comic Art in Belgium: A History, 2020)[4] Morris's contributions to Lucky Luke - No specific mention of discreet female nudes in his Wild West comic scenes found in available sources. (Sources: Compendium of Comic Art, 2018; The World of Lucky Luke, 2016)
Philippe, reminiscing about his childhood in Chantonnay, Vendée, recalls his fascination with the 'books' that offered a glimpse into the Wild West adventures of Lucky Luke. As an adult, he discovered a different form of 'entertainment' in Morris's subtle adult humor, hidden within the intricately designed saloon bars of Lucky Luke's comic scenes.
