Fariboles Philip Mortimer (Blake en Mortimer)

Product information:

Philip Mortimer – The Mystery of the Great Pyramid

*The Mystery of the Great Pyramid*! This adventure holds a major place in the body of work created by Edgar P. Jacobs. And among the many depictions of Mortimer throughout this magnificent story, this particular pose—showing the professor ready for action—immediately struck me as the perfect way to pay tribute to him.

There is something particularly appealing about this version of Mortimer: his quintessentially British elegance, his imposing stature, his determined gaze, and, of course, the pistol he holds firmly in his hand. For while our professor is first and foremost a brilliant scientist, he also knows how to transform into a true adventurer when circumstances demand it!

In creating this new Blake and Mortimer figure, I sought to capture the full power and effectiveness of E.P. Jacobs’s artwork, paying close attention to his silhouette, his expression, and the small details that give the character his unique personality. It was a fascinating undertaking, given how rich Jacobs’s line work is in character and precision.

Edgar P. Jacobs
Author – Script – Art

Born in Brussels on March 30, 1904, Edgar Pierre Jacobs initially worked as an opera singer from 1917 to 1940, performing notably at the Lille Opera. At the same time, he pursued a career as an illustrator (creating artwork for advertisements, catalogs, etc.).

In 1942, Jacobs was commissioned to continue Alex Raymond’s *Flash Gordon* for the weekly magazine *Bravo*. The story arrived in black and white; Jacobs colored the pages and used his brush to modestly cover up female figures who were too scantily clad. Due to tensions between the United States and Germany, he had to create "fake" *Flash Gordon* material (five pages) to wrap up the ongoing story. Jacobs was then asked to create a new work inspired by the famous American hero; this resulted in *The U-Ray* (*Le Rayon U*), later published by RTP in 1967.

Jacobs began working with Hergé on January 1, 1944. Having gained recognition in 1943 for his coloring skills, he was entrusted with reworking seven *Tintin* albums, including *The Seven Crystal Balls* and *Prisoners of the Sun*. Then, in 1946, he created the famous *Blake and Mortimer* adventure series for the Belgian edition of *Tintin* magazine; the series continued two years later in the French edition. The first volume, titled *The Secret of the Swordfish* (*Le Secret de l'Espadon*), launched the adventures of his cult heroes Blake and Mortimer—each of whom was inspired by a real-life friend.