Vasco #3 - 'La Byzantine' (1984).
The French comic artist Gilles Chaillet is best remembered for his historical series 'Vasco' (1979-2015), which follows the political and economic trials and tribulations in 14th-century Italy. He also wrote and occasionally drew various comics set in ancient Rome, such as 'La Dernière Prophétie' (2002-2012), 'Diocletien' (2011) and 'Les Boucliers de Mars' (2011-2013). Storylines closer to our lifetime were found in series like 'Tombelaine' (2001-2006) and 'Intox' (2003-2008). Throughout his career, Chaillet was additionally the longtime artist of 'Lefranc' (1976-1996) for Jacques Martin, and has worked as a colorist and ghost artist on many classic comic series through Studios Dargaud. He was additionally notable for drawing the 'Astérix' spin-off 'Les Aventures d'Idéfix' (scripts by Guy Vidal, 1972-1974), starring Obelix' dog Dogmatix.
Early life
Gilles Raymond Maurice Chaillet was born in 1946 in Paris. He inherited his love for architecture from his father, who worked in this profession, despite not having the proper academic degree for it. Chaillet was also interested in history, particularly the Roman Age and the Renaissance. He grew up reading Tintin magazine, where he particularly loved the 'Alix' series by Jacques Martin.
Studios Dargaud
In 1965, nineteen-year old Gilles Chaillet was hired by Éditions Dargaud as a temporary replacement in its art department, but instead he stayed with the publishing company for the next twelve years. At Studios Dargaud, he did the coloring for the pages of Albert Uderzo's 'Tanguy et Laverdure', Michel Greg's 'Achille Talon', William Vance's 'Bob Morane' and Jean Giraud's 'Blueberry' pages. He also provided the lay-outs for Dargaud magazines like Bonjour Bonheur, Chez Nous and Les Grandes Classiques du Roman Film, as well as the books 'Maudits Rois Fainéants' (1973) and 'Z'Heureux Rois Z'Henri' (1974), which were related to TV shows by the French comedians Roger Pierre and Jean-Marc Thibault. In 1966, Chaillet drew a couple of gags for Tintin magazine, while he also made some illustrations for Le Journal du Dimanche.
Idéfix - 'L'Orage' (1972).
Ghost artist
As an anonymous studio artist, Gilles Chaillet managed to adapt into a variety of styles. Between 1972 and 1974, he was involved with merchandising revolving around René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo's 'Astérix' franchise. As a ghost artist, he drew 14 spin-off comic booklets with Idéfix the dog, based on stories by Guy Vidal ('Les Aventures d'Idéfix', 1972-1974). In addition, Chaillet made some commercial designs of Astérix and Obélix characters for a series of mustard jar labels, as well as the German film poster of the 1976 film 'The Twelve Tasks of Asterix'.
In 1974, Chaillet redrew the final four pages of the 'Barbe-Rouge' album 'Le Vaisseau de l'Enfer', when series writer Jean-Michel Charlier was not satisfied with the work of regular artist Victor Hubinon, who was already in ill health at the time. The album marked Hubinon' final contribution to the series, and he passed away in 1979.
Lefranc - 'L'Arme absolue' (1982).
Work for Jacques Martin
Until the mid-1970s, most of Chaillet's work had been coloring jobs, illustrations and commercial art, but few actual comics. This changed in 1976, when Dargaud informed him that Jacques Martin was looking for a new assistant to help him with his classic detective series 'Lefranc'. Since he was awed by this legendary creator's work, Chaillet initially couldn't believe it that he was asked, but he effectively became his Jacques Martin's co-worker. Until 1996, he drew nine albums of the 'Lefranc' series. At first, Chaillet worked from scripts and sketches by Martin himself, who also did correction work on Chaillet's finished work. In the end, he gained more independency on the art duties, and even had his own assistant for the background art, Thierry Lebreton. For the coloring, he received help from his wife, Chantal Defachelle. She remained his regular colorist for this own series.
Still for Jacques Martin, Chaillet illustrated the installments about ancient Rome in the educational book series 'Les Voyages d'Orion' (1993-1995). However, by then, Chaillet already had a successful solo career, and his collaboration with Jacques Martin's team came to an end in 1996. In the post-Chaillet period, the 'Lefranc' series had many new artists, who often worked on new installments in alternation. The first was Christophe Simon, with whom Chaillet had also collaborated, followed by Francis Carin, André Taymans, Erwin Drèze, Régric, Alain Maury and Christophe Alvès.
Vasco #10 - 'Les Chiens de Bâhrâm Ghör' (1991). Dutch-language version.
Vasco
In 1979, Chaillet felt confident enough to create his own comic series, 'Vasco', which was serialized in Tintin and then published in book format by Dargaud. The character of Vasco had originated from an early story by Chaillet, which had remained unfinished: 'La Légion des Damnés'. The 'Vasco' series was set in Italy during the 14th century and followed the adventures of a young banker. Vasco gets caught up in several conflicts between bankers and investors, to which his rich uncle Tolomeï often asks to find a diplomatic solution. Vasco often works together with the Dutch baron Hans Peter Van Loo, which is a good thing since Vasco's own brother Lorenzo has become his rival. The series provided a vivid and historically accurate portrayal of all the political and economical scheming which took place in the Italian city-states during the 1300s. The books also featured guest appearances and cameos of famous historical characters such as Pope Clement VI, Bertrand du Guesclin, various Italian doges and English, Spanish and French kings. Another artistic highlight was the way Chaillet drew specific locations, since Vasco travels all throughout Europe and Asia for business purposes.
Chaillet received assistance for the background art from Thierry Lebreton (album 6-8), Jean-Pierre Joblin (album 10-14) and Christophe Ansar (album 15-20). From the 22th album on ('La Dame Noire', 2007), Chaillet left the art duties to Frédéric Toublanc, while he concentrated on the scripts. Upon his death in 2011, Gilles Chaillet had left several scripts, which were first drawn by Toublanc, and then from 2013 on by Dominique Rousseau. Between 2016 and 2019, Gilles Chaillet's wife Chantal and Luc Révillon wrote three new installments of the series, after which it came to an end. Révillon was not new to the series: in 1998, he had written the 16th album for Chaillet.
'Vasco' #16 - 'Mémoires de Voyages' (1998). Dutch-language version.
Work with Didier Convard
In 2000, Chaillet participated in the artwork of the first book in Didier Convard's crime thriller series 'Le Triangle Secret', along with Pierre Wachs, Christian Gine and Denis Falque. Chaillet collaborated with Convard again for the historical diptych 'Vinci' (Glénat, 2008-2009), an esoteric thriller around a Leonardo Da Vinci painting.
Tombelaine
During the 2000s, Chaillet became a productive scriptwriter for other people in the comic industry. His first project was 'Tombelaine' (2001-2006), a series drawn by Bernard Capo and set at the turn of the 19th century into the 20th. It revolved around the family domain of Tombelaine, which is inherited by Quentin Fortune. Despite his name, Fortune is not in luck, because he is called into military service to travel to China, where he gets involved in the Boxer Uprising (1900). The series follows his adventures in the Chinese Empire which is threatened by Republican forces within the country and European colonial interests.
Vinci #1 - 'L'Ange Brisé' (2008).
Intox
Chaillet additionally wrote the scripts for 'Intox' (Glénat, 2003-2008), a detective thriller about manipulation in and by the media. The series was illustrated by Olivier Mangin. The plot is set in Guatemala, where protagonist Pablo saves various people from dying in an earthquake. He becomes a national hero, which motivates a French TV owner, Maurin-Villiers, to create a prime time TV show around Pablo. Yet the new-born media star is unaware of the darker and hidden plans of the TV executives and French minister of Internal Affairs, regarding his TV show.
La Dernière Prophétie #3 - 'Sous le Signe de Ba'al' (2004).
Rome-themed comics
During the final years of his life, Chaillet created various comic books set in Ancient Rome. His first step in this direction was 'La Dernière Prophétie' (2002-2012), which inaugurated the La Loge Noire collection of the publishing house Glénat. Written and drawn by Chaillet himself, the plot was set during the final stages before the Fall of the Roman Empire, during the reign of Theodosius I. Flavien, a victim of warfare, descends into Hell where he discovers the existence of seven prophecies of which the final one will tell the destiny of humanity.
Chaillet returned to Ancient Rome with 'Diocletien' (Cognito, 2011) a one-shot comic book, scripted by him and drawn by Christophe Ansar. In 2004, Chaillet additionally created an extensive atlas with detailed maps and drawings about ancient Rome for Glénat, called 'Dans la Rome des Césars'. His final Rome-related comic book series was 'Les Boucliers de Mars' (Glénat, 2011-2013), drawn by Christian Gine, which followed the political intrigues at Emperor Trajan's court. Chaillet envisioned a trilogy set during different eras of Ancient Rome, but his death seemed to put a halt to the project after the first book. At the insistence of his widow, the series was eventually completed with two extra volumes.
Recognition
During the International Comics and Cartooning Exhibition in Rome in 2005, Gilles Chaillet received a Yellow Kid Award for his entire body of work.
Death
In 2011, Gilles Chaillet passed away in the small community of Ermont just north of Paris. He was 65 years old.
Part of Chaillet's map of ancient Rome (2004).