Serge Clerc
A French illustrator who fused sleek futurism with rock and roll cool, defining the visual style of the 1980s Métal Hurlant generation.
Born 1957 (age 69)·French comic book artist and illustrator·Birthday: October 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
Serge Clerc arrived as a wunderkind of French comics, his clean, dynamic linework landing in the seminal magazine Métal Hurlant while he was still a teenager. Inspired by Hergé's clear line and the energy of rock album art, he developed a signature style: a world of chic secret agents, streamlined technology, and effortless style, all rendered with architectural precision. His early sci-fi work, like 'Captain Futur,' gave way to his defining creation, 'Clémentine,' a series following a modern, independent young woman that captured the aspirational mood of the 80s. Beyond comics, his influence bled into broader culture; his posters for concerts and films, particularly his iconic work for the French cinema magazine 'Studio,' became collector's items. Clerc didn't just draw the future; he designed the sleek, optimistic aesthetic of an era, making him a key visual architect of his time.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Serge was born in 1957, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Serge Was Born
The biggest hits of 1957
#1 Movie
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Best Picture
The Bridge on the River Kwai
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Serge's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1957Born
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1962Started school
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1970Became a teenager
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Could drive
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1975Could vote
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Turned 21
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1987Turned 30
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 40
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 50
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 60
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 69 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Created the influential comic series 'Clémentine', which ran for over a decade and defined a sleek, modern aesthetic.
- Became a leading artist for the legendary comics magazine Métal Hurlant shortly after its inception.
- Designed iconic poster and cover art, most notably for the French film magazine 'Studio' throughout the 1980s.
- Published his early sci-fi story 'Captain Futur' as a graphic novel with Les Humanoïdes Associés in 1979.
Did You Know?
He created his own fanzine, 'Absolutely Live', before going professional.
Clerc's style was heavily influenced by the clean lines of Hergé and the art of 1960s fashion and advertising.
He has created album cover art for French musicians and bands.
“I draw with a clear line, a love for speed, and the spirit of rock 'n' roll.”
