Humanoids

United States · Publishing

From its beginnings, Humanoids has embodied creative innovation, a fiercely independent spirit, and a drive to break new ground. Under the French name Les Humanoïdes Associés, the publishing house began in the turbulent period of the early 1970s in Paris, which—like San Francisco and New York—was alive with the spirit of artistic revolution. As young people were debating ideas in unprecedented ways, three young men—graphic novel artists Jean Giraud (known as Mœbius) and Philippe Druillet, along with writer Jean-Pierre Dionnet—were determined to push the limits of their art and of the medium as a whole. They joined forces to create a comics magazine like none before: Métal Hurlant (French for "Screaming Metal"). From its first issue in January 1975, Métal Hurlant showed how comics could be created and presented in groundbreaking ways. The magazine combined with its book publishing counterpart quickly achieved a reputation as a company run by creative people for the sake of creating and exploring sequential art in unprecedented ways. Humanoids has published thousands of original titles, with third-party publishers translating many of them into numerous languages. Some, such as The Incal, have achieved stellar performances worldwide and sold millions of copies. Known for creating beautiful books, Humanoids has also embraced the digital age from its inception. Its catalogs are available on platforms worldwide, including on its own iTunes apps. In 2015, it forged major audiovisual development deals with various international and Los Angeles-based partners, leading to the creation of the Humanoids production division.