Jean-Marc Lofficier

Jean-Marc Lofficier (; born June 22, 1954) is a French author of books about films and television programs, as well as numerous comics and translations of a number of animation screenplays. He usually collaborates with his wife, Randy Lofficier (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., on February 3, 1953); credits sometimes read "R. J. M. Lofficier", their combined initials.

Biography Jean-Marc Lofficier was born in Toulon, France, in 1954. The son of a serviceman, he moved several times during his formative years, spending "a goodly part of my childhood in Bordeaux, and my teenage years in Fontainebleau". A budding writer from an early age, Lofficier also "drew my own little comic strips when I was 13, 14, and began being published in French 'zines at 16." which advises and counsels comic book professionals in their dealings with Hollywood. Jean-Marc and Randy moved to Chalabre, in the south of France, in 2005.

Magazines and Hollywood In 1979, the Lofficiers built on Jean-Marc's earlier work for fanzines and French magazines – including Lunatique and L'Écran fantastique, for which he wrote a combination of articles, reviews and short stories – and began working as "film journalists" for a variety of "cinema/sf pro magazines." the Book of the Vishanti back-up feature for Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme, two stories for Clive Barker’s Hellraiser, and the Tongue*Lash series for Dark Horse Comics.

From 2000 to 2003, Jean-Marc Lofficier was editor and senior writer of a line of French comic books published by Semic Comics, redeveloping old French characters from the 1960s such as Wampus, Kabur, Phenix, Homicron, Dragut and Dick Demon into more modern versions, even gathering a number of them in the mini-series Strangers published by Image Comics in 2003. This universe of characters is now gathered as Hexagon Comics. The Lofficiers also wrote "Blood Oath", a crossover between Phenix and Top Cow's Witchblade. Starting in 2010, the Lofficiers started to reprint the "classic" stories from the 1960s and 1970s in a series of black & white trade paperbacks, as well as write new stories, mostly by relaunching the comic-book Strangers. Since that date, Jean-Marc has been editor-in-chief of Hexagon Comics.

Also for the French comic market, the Lofficiers wrote a trilogy of graphic novels based on the character of Robur created by Jules Verne. Illustrated by Gil Formosa, the first two volumes were nominated for the 2005 Jules Verne Award for Bandes Dessinees. They were published in English in Heavy Metal.

Translation In 1985, the Lofficiers were hired by French artist Mœbius to translate and arrange for the publication of his works in English. This led to a series of 30+ graphic novels published mostly by Epic Comics until 1995. During that time, the Lofficiers also translated numerous French comics for Dark Horse Comics, co-editing their comic Cheval Noir, and for Renegade Press, co-editing their comic French Ice, featuring the series Carmen Cru by French artist Jean-Marc Lelong. In 1990, in recognition of their career as writers, translators and editors, the Lofficiers were presented with the Inkpot Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comic Arts.

Pulps and science fiction

In 2003, the Lofficiers created their own small press, Black Coat Press, to translate and publish classics of French pulp literature into English, relying in part on the output of British writer/translator Brian Stableford.

In 2005, the Lofficiers started another small press, , to publish French science fiction novels in the nostalgic style of the long-defunct Anticipation imprint of Editions Fleuve Noir.

Lofficier's official website includes a section entitled "Illustrated History of the French Saint Novels", a guide to French-language novels based upon the character of Simon Templar (alias "The Saint"), created by Leslie Charteris.

Works