I’ve been translating the comics series The Secret History for Archaia since around 2006. I’ve always liked its blend of history and action, and I suppose that over the years it became a favorite because it felt like an underdog, overlooked in favor of Archaia’s more popular French series, The Killer and Okko. Former history professor turned comics scribe Jean-Pierre Pécau worked with a number of artists over its run, including Leo Pilipovic and Goran Sudzuka, but after a stint at the beginning, the series seems to have settled on Igor Kordey, perhaps best known in the US for his time on the Grant Morrison X-Men run.
All this to say I’m delighted to see The Secret History nominated in the category of Favorite European Comic Book for The Eagle Awards, a British-based fan awards program whose legacy stretches back to the middle 1970s. 2011 winners were announced in late May at the MCM Expo in London. Heck, I didn’t even know The Secret History was distributed in the UK! It lost to Blacksad, another book I briefly worked on, and was surrounded by worthy competitors: Sky Doll, Requiem: Vampire Knight, and, The Scorpion.
I’m also happy to announce that Archaia has taken on two Pécau titles set in the Secret History universe. I can’t reveal the names of these spin-off series yet, but it seems only fitting, since Archaia has also released the Cyclops series by Killer writer Matz (and Luc Jacamon, before it switches to another artist). Currently, I’m working on Book 18 of The Secret History, which in France is up to a whopping 21 volumes. Go buy the latest book! Keep it alive in the States!