Жан-Марк Лофсье: Французский писатель и издатель

French writer

Jean Marc Lofficier (lɔfisje; 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), and the reason why credits sometimes read "R. J. M. Lofficier", after the initials of both spouses.

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.

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." 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. There were published in English in Heavy Metal.

In 1985, the Lofficiers were hired by French artist Moebius 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.

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, Rivière Blanche (éditeur), 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.