Martin Leclerc, known as Maël, was born not far from Grenoble during the snowstorms of April 1976. Turning his back on Alpine skiing and ski lifts, he devoted himself from an early age to his big project: to copy all the Lucky Luke stories, sack Morris and take his place. This was not to be, but his progressive parents nevertheless encouraged him in his chosen path. It was through listening to all his father’s records that he discovered a love of the guitar, the banjo and other folk instruments.

Maël currently leads a double life, as the charismatic bearded leader of the folk-rock group HitchcockGoHome! in Paris, and as a long-haired recluse bent over his drawing board in Grenoble. An exponent – not the only one – of the famous “style tremblé”, he draws day and night to meet the exacting requirements of that menacing pair S. Ricard and F. Féjard, who know how to throw a punch. It’s a hard life…