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What exactly is a ‘header’? It’s usually a black and white drawing in the form of a horizontal strip featured in the top margin of Spirou magazine, the famous Belgian comic weekly by “those who know how to say no.” The role of the top of the page was to make the magazine more alive, and thereby, to stimulate and amuse the readers. Its creation is credited to the duo of Yann and Conrad.
The top of the page certainly did exist before Yann & Conrad came along, but according to Yann, it was usually so bland, that together with Conrad he lobbied the magazine’s editor for change. The latter took them at their word and gave them a column. The new concept was unveiled by Yann & Conrad in issue number 2225, in 1980. Yann & Conrad’s top of the page infused a wholesome freshness into the venerable weekly, in danger of going the way of the dinosaurs as it celebrated turning 40. The events took the profession by storm, with everyone expressing strong opinions.
Yann le Pennetier debuted in 1974 in Spirou magazine, was dismissed three times by Dupuis publishing and has since enjoyed a rich career with over twenty series under his belt. Didier Conrad debuted in 1973 with a two‐page “carte blanche” for Spirou magazine. He partnered with Yann to illustrate Jason, a fantasy story by Mythic. Together, Conrad and Yann became the brat pack duo of the world of comics when, at the beginning of the 1980s, they published rebellious cartoons in Spirou as well as Les Innommables, a controversial satire of more traditional series, and a parody entitled Bob Marone.
