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From Pérák to Muriel: A comic book legend looks back
Štěpán Mareš discusses his career, award and the new Pérák edition.
- Štěpán Mareš entered the Comic Book Hall of Fame in February, winning the Muriel Award.
- A special collector’s edition of his legendary comic book Pérák is now available.
- Mareš reflects on his 40-year career, including his collaboration with Kája Saudek.
Štěpán Mareš, inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in February after winning the Muriel Award, celebrates his legacy with a special collector’s edition of the comic book, Pérák.
The artist was recently lauded in February after winning the Muriel Award and the active comic era is long behind him. According to Mareš, winning the Muriel Award came unexpectedly.
“It started 40 years ago when I started working with Kája Saudek. Then we created a comic book together Arnal and dragon teeth and basically for that I got here Muriel. If Kája did not die, we certainly stood there together,” Mareš said.
Collaboration and inspiration
Mareš fondly recalls his work with Kája Saudek, despite its challenges. “Cooperation with Kaja was very – to say it diplomatically – gritted,” he explained.
Mareš enjoyed writing and drawing scripts for Saudek. Initially, Mareš created storyboards for Saudek to refine, but eventually, Mareš began drawing himself.
Early works and self-publishing
Before the current regime, Mareš used a Natay printer of the Czechoslovak Railways to print menus for railway cars. He released about 200 pieces and gave them to his friends.
Pérák and political satire
Is the comic book Pérák still relevant today? Yes, according to Mareš, the comic dates back to the late 80s and parodies the regime at that time. Because the current regime is increasingly similar to the former, it is certainly still relevant today.
An unfinished sequel
After the revolution, Mareš attempted a third part, titled Who will save Bilak?. However, he stopped after drawing a few boards. “It is such a municipal satire, allusions to a situation that will not be interested in anyone in three months, and in the next three months no one will know what it is. So I stopped, and I did well,” said Mareš.
Collector’s edition details
The collector’s edition includes two parts: Pérák: There was fog that day, and the ten-years-younger Pérák against Globeman, which was released only on the Internet. It also features a demonstration of the unfinished third comic, completing the collection.
Mareš hand-painted a drawing on each of the 333 pieces, which took him three days. The legend of the masked avenger is based on the Mystery Press publishing house in a limited load of 333 signed prints and for each of them the author manually created the original drawing of this superhero.
Future projects
Mareš is attracted to creating a new version of Pérák. He is considering making a duck audiobook, which he sees as a training arena for creating a pictorial book with his pictures and comics. He dreams of a text and image “superpérák.”
Influences and inspirations
Growing up on comics, Mareš recalls old scout magazines like Junák and American comics, especially the Disney type. His favorite characters were Pepk sailor, corn Oskar, and carban wimpy, as well as Quick arrows.
