Guy Peellaert

Guy Peellaert was a Belgian artist whose work blurred the lines between comics, fine art, and pop culture. Born on 6 April 1934 in Brussels, he initially studied painting and photography before turning to comics in the mid-1960s. He is best known for *Rock Dreams*, a book of painted portraits of rock musicians, and for creating iconic album covers for David Bowie (*Diamond Dogs*) and the Rolling Stones (*It's Only Rock 'n Roll*). His film posters for *Taxi Driver*, *Paris, Texas*, and *Short Cuts* are also celebrated. In comics, Peellaert co-created the erotic-adventure series *Jodelle* and *Pravda*, which combined pop art, surrealism, and a satirical edge. His style—glossy, airbrushed, and cinematic—was highly influential. The band Frankie Goes to Hollywood took their name from one of his paintings. Peellaert worked on 13 comic issues, with his most-credited titles including *Hara-Kiri* and *The Adventures of Jodelle*. He died on 17 November 2008 in Paris. Though he never won major comic industry awards, his visual work remains a touchstone for its fusion of high and low culture.