Antonio COSSU

Original comic art by Belgian comic book artist Antonio Cossu.

Born in Domusnovas (Sardinia) in 1952, Antonio Cossu studied comics art at the Saint-Luc Institute in Brussels and graduated in 1977.

He is one of the very few illustrators to have been published in almost all the Belgian and French comic strip magazines: Tintin (1979), Spirou (1980-1987, Pilote (1981), Métal Hurlant (1981-1986), and Circus (1982-1988).

It’s in 1980 that Antonio Cossu joins the weekly Spirou where he will publish full length stories such as Alceister Crowley and Histoires alarmantes (Alarming Stories). In 1981 he published a story for the first time in the soon to be mythical Metal Hurlant (Heavy Metal). Most of his short stories were republished in 1984 in the album No Man’s Land by publishing house Les Humanoïdes associés and in 1998 in Timbrés rares (Positively Nuts) by publishing house Point Image.

In 1982 the magazine Circus started the prepublication of the series Le Marchand d’Idées (The Thought Merchant), a collaboration with Philippe Berthet. The four volumes of the series were published between 1982 and 1988 by Glénat.

Antonio Cossu’s drawing style is instantaneously recognizable. He kneads his characters’ features giving them the appearance of tired puppets with angular faces and haggard looks.

His solid black backgrounds and his framing create a deep chiaroscuro that lets but a fraction of light escape.

The original comic book art of Antonio Cossu was published in the Belgian and French magazines Pilote, Métal Hurlant (Heavy Metal), Le Journal Illustré, Spirou.