Next February, ‘The Major’ Will Meet His Maker — Literally
by Anton Kromoff
Welcome to the table,
I have been reading a lot of work lately created or inspired by Mœbius. So much so that I have become familiar with typing the “œ” of his name with little disruption to my normal typing speed. The “œ” in medieval and early modern Latin was used to represent the Greek diphthong οι and in a few non-Greek words, usages that continue in English and French. In French, it is also used in some non-learned words, representing then mid-front rounded vowel sounds, rather than sounding the same as é or è, those being its traditional French values in the words borrowed from or via Latin.
Language is a wild thing. Let’s talk about this Mœbius book though.
For the first time in English, Dark Horse Books presents Mœbius Library: The Major. This offering features writing and art by legendary creator Jean “Mœbius” Giraud, translation by Diana Schutz, and lettering by Adam Pruett.
The Major is a psychedelic, sequential romp created by Mœbius between 1997 and 2009, following a production principle that embraces graphic spontaneity and improvisation. The lead character of this pseudo-story, Major Grubert, evolves in a fun yet philosophical manner, echoing how other creations of Mœbius are treated in the Inside Mœbius series.
The story will see the Major on his last trip to the nebula of The Airtight Garage, where Mœbius rules as the playful Trickster of legend. What begins as a comical trip into unusually profound philosophical questions regarding the nature of existence, eventually winds up as a penetrating examination of the relationship between the author and his creation, the latter of whom must necessarily suffer at the heartless whim of his creator, despite the Major’s desire for an actual existence and true freedom beyond the confines of the comic he inhabits.
The Mœbius Library: The Major hardcover will arrive in bookstores February 6, 2024 and in comic shops February 7, 2024. The 184-page volume, measuring 8.375 x 10.875”, is available for pre-order now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and at your local comic book shop and bookstore and will retail for $39.99.
