In admiration of Moebius.

Jean Giraud, better known as Moebius, died yesterday, aged 73. This reminded me of my admiration of his work. He worked in a popular medium (comics and movies), in a popular genre (science fiction and western), but managed to infuse his art with beauty, clever humour and intellectual depth. I work in a popular medium as well (video games) but I’m far less comfortable with it. I keep fighting what I cannot accept to be the nature of my medium. While Moebius simply became a Master of his.

I’m especially fond of the Incal series, and World of Edena. Perhaps as a tribute, I will increase the science fiction aspect in Bientôt l’été. Not to copy Moebius’ style, but to learn from his comfort with working within a popular genre. Both Jean Giraud and Marguerite Duras are French, so that should work out, shouldn’t it?

It’s kind of titillating to think of this combination of high literature and pulp entertainment. Duras in space. Why not? Less holodeck, more space station. Maybe you travel through space in the beginning of the game, or you awaken from cryogenic sleep. Then you boot up the holodeck for a morning scroll by the seaside. Maybe the café table where you meet another player is not virtual. Maybe it’s a kind if space station phone booth. I was already planning to depict the other player as a holoprojection.

I like the idea of combining sci-fi style technical language of futuristic computer interfaces with the dry and subtle phrasing of Duras’ amorous prose. Maybe the machines can start sounding poetic or romantic at some point.

My aim with this project has always been to make the beauty of Duras’ art more easily accessible. Maybe science fiction offers a way to do this.

PS: Interestingly, the music teacher in Moderato Cantabile, the novel at the basis of Bientôt l’été, is called Giraud.