Hector Brault

Hector Brault illustrated the top banners over reprinted British comic serials for Montréal's Le Samedi magazine. Brault was the magazine's art director. This page is from 19 Septembre 1942. Brault illustrated “Tom Brinfin et Dodolf” in 1942 as seen here on Lambiek.



An illustrated history of québécoise bande dessinée here at BDQ.

*Thanks to Michel Saint-Loup and Michel Viau for their helpful comments. Beyond the Funnies: The History of Comics in English Canada and Quebec (here) was co-authored and co-curated by comics scholars John Bell and Michel Viau.

Le Samedi (1888-1963)

Frédéric Poirier launched Le Samedi in 1888 as a humour magazine and it lasted until 1963 when it became Le Nouveau samedi. Directeur artistique was comic artist Hector Brault. Insides of Le Samedi consisted of feuilleton, roman policier and photo essays. Poirier published a similar magazine, La Revue populaire, which also carried bande dessinée by Brault. How long they were publishing comic pages is anyone's guess. Twenties? Thirties, Forties?



I have had a small collection of clippings of the comic pages for about ten years now but always figured they were reprints of European bande dessinée and British comic art. Recently I bought the issue pictured, from 19 septembre 1942, and noticing Hector Brault's signature on the comic pages looked him up to discover that he was from Québec and a cartoonist. Needless to say I was visibly chuffed to rediscover such an interesting fellow in Canadian comic history.

The cover at the top of the page is by another rather famous Canadian cartoonist, Albert Chartier, well-known for his comic strip work. Jeet Heer has an article on Chartier HERE. Did Chartier also contribute adventure serials to Poirier's popular magazines?



Poirier published one more magazine, Le Film.







Signed Bob ?

Hector Brault VII

Some more British reprints from Le Samedi 20 Octobre 1956. It's hard to tell the original source but cowboy heroes Ken Maynard and Tim McCoy were featured in other strips I'm guessing it may have been Film Fun or it's companion Kinema Comics. Another possibility is a short lived comic called Film Picture Stories which ran 30 issues in 1934-1935. Buck Jones was featured on the covers. All three were edited by Fred Cordwell and published by Amalgamated Press.

See all Hector Brault posts HERE.

Hector Brault VI

Sadly these are the last few samples I have containing Hector Brault's comic art banners to the British reprints. Some of the text for Bronco Roi des Prairies was cut off a bit during printing. The bottom page was from Le Samedi 20 novembre 1943. A review of all the posts can be seen HERE.

Hector Brault IV

Here's Bronco Prairies and Héros du Rail with banner by Hector Brault. these British reprints show the influence of Walter Booth. Coconino has a Walter Booth site under construction HERE with one quality adventure in pop-ups, Le Moteur d'Or, with a trip by Rob the Rover and Dan by ship and rail to Vancouver, B.C., Indians, canoes, snowshoes, and a dog-sled that becomes a sail-sled.

Hector Brault III

Le Loupe de l'Ouest with banner illustrated by art director Hector Brault, scanned carefully to preserve what's left of this thrilling looking adventure. Date unknown.

Hector Brault II

More great Hector Brault banners from Le Samedi 19 Septembre 1942, Le Secret du Manoir.

Hector Brault V

Another British western for Le Samedi 28 juin 1947. This page is followed by something much more modern, a Caniffian serial called L'Espion No. 11, which appeared on the same date. No signature is discernible, it may have been the job of another Québec cartoonist.

Tim McCoy

La Vengeance de "Loup-Gris" with banner by Hector Brault. This British reprint features the cowboy hero of the thirties and forties Tim McCoy. From Le Samedi, 30 Juin 1951.