Meeting Zep

Introduced and interviewed by Wadham Lecturer in French, Michaël Abecassis, Zep answered audience questions at first verbally, and then in drawing. (Please note that the presentation is in French).

This event was organised by the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages at the University of Oxford in collaboration with Cinéma et culture française à Oxford and the Swiss Embassy in the UK.

Zep is the pseudonym of Philippe Chappuis, a comic scrip creator from Switzerland, known for his series Titeuf, a popular character in French-speaking countries, and Tchô!, the associated Franco-Belgian magazine.

Chappuis' pseudonym derives from the first comic book magazine that he created at age twelve, named 'Zep' in honour of Led Zeppelin. His career began with jokes published in Spirou magazine in 1987, and the character 'Victor' which started appearing in 1988.

At first struggling to find publication, the series Titeuf was initially published in the fanzine Sauve qui peut ("Escape those who can") before it was noticed by Glénat executive Jean-Claude Camano. Zep joined Glénat in 1992, and first Titeuf book Dieu, le sexe et les bretelles (God, Sex And Suspenders) appeared in 1993. The following books have gradually won over a huge readership, outselling traditional French favourites such as Astérix and Lucky Luke. Today more than 20 million copies of Titeuf books have been sold worldwide and translated into 15 languages, including Chinese, Italian and German. In the UK, Titeuf appeared under the name Tootuff in The Dandy.

• View Zep's blog in Le Monde
• Zep on Twitter