Enki Bilal was born in 1951 in Belgrade, the capital of Yugoslavia, and moved to Paris 9 years later. At age 14 he met René Goscinny (illustrator of "Asterix") and famous French comics scripter Jean-Michel Charlier, who praised his drawings and encouraged him to try comics. His first story, the utopian "Le Bol Maudit", was published 1972 in Pilote. In 1975 he started a long-running collaboration with Pierre Christin with "La Croisière de les Oubliés". The following year the pair produced "Le Vaisseau de Pierre", followed by "La Ville qui n'Existait pas", "Les Phalanges de l'Ordre Noir", "Exterminateur 17", and "Partie de Chasse", a story examining the moral effect of Communism and its collapse. "Cœur Sanglant et Autres Faits Divers" appeared in 1988.

In 1980 Bilal began his "Nikopol Trilogy" with "La Foire aux Immortels", the first story which he both wrote and drew. It was very successful in France and Bilal was acclaimed one of the most interesting contemporary authors. The sequel, "La Femme Piège", appeared in 1986 and the series concluded in 1992 with "Froid Equateur". A new story, "Le Sommeil du Monstre", appeared in 1999.

In 1983 Bilal created designs for the film, "La Vie est un Novel", directed by French director and comics aficionado Alain Resnais. In 1989 Bilal himself directed the filming of his story "La Foire aux immortels". He has also worked on the films "Bunker Palace Hôtel" and "Tykho Moon".

Enki Bilal has illustrated many other series and book covers.

written by Andy Etris