Jean Cézard

Jean Cézard (born 23 March 1924 in Membrey, Haute-Saône, France; died 8 April 1977) was a French cartoonist and comic artist best known for his long-running strip *Arthur le fantôme justicier*, about a ghost who fights for justice. Active from the late 1940s, Cézard worked across realism and cartooning, developing a precise, rounded line that gave his characters a distinctive, well-modelled look. His most famous creations include the mischievous Kiwi, the gloomy Rigolus and cheerful Tristus, and the pirate Surplouf. Despite his considerable skill—his nuanced art was widely admired—Cézard never achieved the same fame as some of his contemporaries, perhaps due to limited promotional support. He contributed to *Pif Gadget* and other French titles, and his work later appeared in German series such as *Bastei-Comic*. Cézard’s legacy rests on his clean, expressive storytelling and a gallery of memorable characters that remain beloved in European comics.