David B.

Pierre-François "David" Beauchard, known professionally as David B., was born on 9 February 1959 in France. He is best known as a co-founder of the influential French comics publisher L'Association, which helped reshape the European comics landscape in the 1990s. David B. is celebrated for his deeply personal and visually striking graphic novels, particularly *Die heilige Krankheit* (published in English as *Epileptic*), a memoir about his brother's epilepsy and its impact on his family. His style is characterized by dense, ink-heavy linework, surreal imagery, and a dreamlike quality that blends autobiography with historical and fantastical elements.

He has worked as an artist, colorist, inker, letterer, and writer across a range of titles, including *Babel*, *Alix*, *Die besten Feinde*, and *Alex*. His collaborations include work with fellow French cartoonists and writers, though his most notable co-creations often stem from his solo projects. Later in his career, he continued to explore historical and literary themes, contributing to series like *Zbirka Ambasada Strip*. David B. has received several major awards, including the Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for Best Album for *Epileptic* in 2001. His legacy endures as a key figure in the autobiographical and avant-garde comics movement, influencing a generation of European and international cartoonists.