Jacques Tardi (; born 30 August 1946) is a French comic artist. He is often credited solely as Tardi. Biography Tardi was born on 30 August 1946 in Valence, Drôme. After graduating from the École nationale des beaux-arts de Lyon and the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs in Paris, he started drawing comics in 1969, at the age of 23, in the Franco-Belgian comics magazine Pilote, initially illustrating short stories written by Jean Giraud and Serge de Beketch, before creating the political fiction story Rumeur sur le Rouergue from a scenario by Pierre Christin in 1972. In the English language, many of Tardi's books are published by Fantagraphics Books, edited and translated by Fantagraphics' co-founder Kim Thompson. In 2013, Tardi was nominated as a Chevalier in France's Legion of Honour, the country's highest distinction. However, he turned down the distinction, citing that he will "remain a free man and not be held hostage by any power whatsoever." Awards 1974: Grand Prix Phénix 1975: Award for Best French Artist at the Angoulême International Comics Festival, France – Grand Prix for Black Humor 1977: Best Foreign Artist at the Prix Saint-Michel, Belgium 1982: Award for best comic by "l'Association 813" at the Festival du Polar in Reims 1985: Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême, France – Knighted in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France 1986: Adamson Award, Sweden 1990: Best German-language Comic/Comic-related Publication at the Max & Moritz Prizes, Germany 1991: Special mention at the Best Promotional Comic Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival 1994: Audience Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival – Best German-language Comic/Comic-related Publication at the Max & Moritz Prizes, Germany 1998: nominated for the Award for Best Comic Book at the Angoulême International Comics Festival 2002: Audience Award and Award for Artwork at the Angoulême International Comics Festival – nominated for the Prix de la critique and the Canal BD Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival 2003: nominated for the Audience Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival 2004: nominated for Best American Edition of Foreign Material at the Harvey Awards, U.S. 2005: nominated for Award for a Series at the Angoulême International Comics Festival 2006: nominated for the Award for Best Comic Book and the Audience Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival 2006: Special Prize for outstanding life's work at the Max & Moritz Prizes, Germany – nominated for the