Meet Founding Illustrators of the Future Judge: Mœbius

Jean Giraud, also known as Gir or Mœbius, (1938–2012) legendary French illustrator whose career spanned five decades, was a comic book artist and illustrator, best known for his clear lines and surreal elements. His work includes Blueberry (1963), Arzach (1975), The Airtight Garage (1979), The World of  Edena (1983), The Incal (1990), 40 Days in désert B (2001), and Inside Mœbius (2004).

In addition to his comics, his influence on film design is rivaled by very few other artists, with the movies Abyss, Alien, Blade Runner, The Fifth Element, Tron, and Willow.

In 1975, Jean Giraud renamed himself Mœbius, inspired by the German astronomer who created the ring in the form of infinity.

In 1988, Mœbius was introduced to the Illustrators of the Future through the coordinating judge Frank Kelly Freas. He illustrated the winning story, “The Fruit Picker” by Jo Beverly, in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 4.

The following year, 1989, he, along with several other illustrator legends, was announced as one of the founding Illustrators of the Future judges.

• Edd Cartier
• Diane and Leo Dillon
• H. R. van Dongen
• Bob Eggleton
• Will Eisner
• Frank Frazetta
• Jack Kirby
• Paul Lehr
• Ron and Val Lakey Lindahn
• Mœbius
• Alex Schomburg
• William R. Warren, Jr.

Ridley Scott had earlier collaborated with Mœbius on his 1979 film, Alien, and again on his 1982 film, Blade Runner. In 2010, Scott noted regarding Mœbius’ artistic influence, “You see it everywhere, it runs through so much, you can’t get away from it.”

Mœbius was invited by George Lucas to work with him on his 1988 fantasy movie Willow. Lucas wrote in the foreword of the 1989 The Art of Mœbius art book, “In all his drawings, Mœbius demonstrates a command of many disciplines in art. He is a master draftsman, a superb artist, and more: his vision is original and strong. Since first seeing the Mœbius illustrations in Heavy Metal years ago, I have been impressed and affected by his keen and unusual sense of design, as well as the distinctive way in which he depicts the fantastic. Perhaps what strikes me most of all his work is its sheer beauty–a beauty that has always given me great pleasure.”

As well as comics and movies, Mœbius illustrated various literary classics, including The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, François Villon’s Ballades, and Dante’s Paradiso.

He even created advertising for such companies as Agnès B, Citröen, and Hermès.

While at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair, a podcast recording was done with two of Mœbius’ children, Nausicaä and Raphael Giraud, which can be listened to here:

Of special interest, Mœbius was a longtime friend with manga author and anime filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and even named his daughter Nausicaä after the character in Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.

For more information, visit moebius.fr/index.html.