HERMANN

HERMANN ◊ JEREMIAH Three motorcycles... or four (T.17), Dupuis 1994 Original cover. Spine shows some tape residue and light Indian ink stains. India ink and colored inks on paper 25.4 × 36.3 cm (10 × 14.29 in.) In 1977, Hermann took advantage of the launch of Super As, a weekly magazine created by the German group Spinger Verlag, to strike out on his own, freeing himself from both his publisher, Le Lombard, and his mentor, Greg. He published Jeremiah, a futuristic tale describing a world "after the bomb", influenced by Barjavel's Ravage. The earth has become a merciless jungle where man is clearly a wolf to man. The first episodes can be described as "apocalyptic westerns", so much so that the influence of his Comanche series is still present. He developed an aesthetic that George Miller, director of Mad Max, which hit the screens two years later, must have appreciated very much. Over time, this hard-boiled western has become a truly autonomous universe, often dark and, as here, "blood-red". This is because the "biped" - as Hermann calls man, the human being - most often inspires nothing but contemptible revulsion. This is what he expresses here with this portrait of an unlikely couple in an album where bikers play a central role. This is one of Hermann's favorite albums. Hermann's art lies in the quality of his composition, in this case, a central one that divides the image in two and slightly low-angle, a trademark of the Belgian artist. The two characters stare out of the frame at a threat that could emerge at any minute, creating an oppressive climax. Hermann is a master of atmosphere.