Arkas

The rooster and the pig. Characters from the "Rooster."

The birds from the series "Flying Starts". Junior is saying, "I know only two poems. One is 'The lamb is white and round' (a Greek nursery rhyme) and the other isn't."

Arkas (Greek: Αρκάς) is a Greek comics artist that started his work in the early 1980s. His comics have a unique style, combining humor and sometimes deep philosophical questions. The structure of the stories is very simple, with each volume having individual strips which follow some general plot guidelines. Most of the times we will only see two main characters: One is the rational, sceptical and questioning figure, while the other is a rude, vulgar or just empty-headed character who has most of the funny punchlines. The stories take place in a variety of different locations/situations and the protagonists can be humans, animals or even videogame characters.

Arkas seldom appears at conventions and generally avoids publicity and appearances on television shows or interviews, as he has been quoted to believe that the artist should be known through his work, not through personal promotion. A mystery has been created around his identity and his real name still remains unknown, although the Greek newspaper Kathimerini has also mentioned it as Antonis Evdemon.^[1] According to fan rumors, he is a psychiatrist, possibly a university professor.

Arkas in Greek means Arcadian or someone from the province of Arcadia. However, the CamelCase style in which his name is written suggests that Arkas may be only his initials. Arkas has been translated into other languages and has become known outside Greece. Translations of his books can be found in English, French, German, Romanian, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Bulgarian, Polish and Serbian.

Works

Comic book titles

• O κόκκορας / The rooster – 1981
• Show business – 1983
• Ξυπνάς μέσα μου το ζώο / You bring out the animal in me – 1985
• Μετά την καταστροφή / After the destruction – 1986
• Φάε το κερασάκι / Eat the cherry – 1987
• Ο Παντελής και το λιοντάρι / Pantelis and the lion – 1987
• Αταίριαστοι έρωτες / Ιncongruous love – 1988
• Ο ισοβίτης / The lifer – 1989
• Χαμηλές πτήσεις / Flying starts – 1991
• Καστράτο / Castrato – 1995
• Πειραματόζωα / Animal testing – 1998
• Ο καλός λύκος / The big good wolf – 1998
• Η ζωή μετά / The Hereafter – 1999
• Οι συνομήλικοι / Peers
• Θηρία ενήμερα
• Το μικρό και το μεγάλο / The small and the big
• Επικίνδυνα νερά / Dangerous waters

CD albums

• Ξυπνάς μέσα μου το ζώο / You bring out the animal in me – 1997

Theatre plays

• Εχθροί Εξ Αίματος / Blood Enemies – 2007
• Βιολογικός Μετανάστης / Biological Immigrant – 2011

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arkas.

• Homepage of Arkas