Many still know him from their own childhood: Lurchi, the salamander.
From the next issue, the comic figure will be drawn by someone who is not entirely unknown in the district.
Reichersbeuern / Munich
- The caricatures of his father are probably well known to every reader of the Tölzer Kurier, after all, Hans Reiser has been drawing for the local newspaper for around half a century. His son Jan Reiser has to a certain extent followed in his footsteps, and he too has made his calling, drawing, his profession. Reiser, born in Tegernsee in 1978, grew up in Gaißach, Reichersbeuern and Bad Tölz, where he also attended high school. The studied communication designer now lives and works as a freelance illustrator, caricaturist and comic artist in Munich. He illustrated, for example, a comic about Karl Valentin, “De Gschicht vom Brandner Kasper” based on Franz von Kobell and, most recently, the 2019 edition of Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel “The Little Lord”.
Jan Reiser from Reichersbeuern succeeds the late Luchi illustrator
His latest litter: From the next issue, the fire salamander Lurchi comes from Reiser's pen.
For those who do not know Lurchi: It is a comic figure that has been used for advertising purposes by the German shoe manufacturer Salamander since 1937.
Salamander children's shoes are sold under the brand name Lurchi.
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Illustrator Jan Reiser (43) is happy about the Lurchi order.
© Jan Reiser
The occasion when Reiser came to the honor is a sad one.
"I will succeed the longtime Lurchi draftsman Dietwald Doblies, who unfortunately died unexpectedly in May," writes the 43-year-old online in an Instagram post.
Since 1995, his predecessor designed 55 booklets with the black and yellow fire salamander and his companion, and gave the characters their own, somewhat more modern style.
The salamander Lurchi was also a part of Jan Reiser's childhood
After Doblie's death, the shoe manufacturer was looking for a new draftsman because the Lurchi series should continue.
"I was contacted directly by Salamander," says Reiser in an interview with the courier.
The company wanted to know whether he would like to draw Lurchi in the future.
He did.
After all, Lurchi was also part of his childhood.
“As a kid, I had a book or two,” says Reiser.
They were somewhat forgotten with increasing age, but when Reiser looked at his predecessor's Lurchi illustrations, he was very impressed.
"I liked his style."
In September Reiser was awarded the contract. Before that, he had to submit sample illustrations to assert himself against his competitors.
From issue number 166 onwards, the twelve-page booklet will be published twice a year in A5 format and will bear Reiser's signature.
Artists want to inspire Lurchi fans just as much as children who do not yet know the salamander
The first Reiser-Lurchi issue is expected to appear in February next year, as the issues will be brought onto the market with the spring / summer and autumn / winter collections.
Each booklet consists of a six-page story plus an editorial section, including puzzles and interesting facts about various animals.
“In principle, I design the entire issue,” explains Reiser, an agency from Berlin is responsible for the layout.
However, he is responsible for the content, including texts.
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This is how comic artist Jan Reiser sees himself.
© Jan Reiser
Reiser does not want to reveal what his first Lurchi story will be about yet.
"I can tell stories," says the illustrator, "even in child-friendly language".
In the run-up to the event, however, he was “a little under pressure of expectation”, which on the one hand he puts on himself - on the other hand, Lurchi is “a traditional series that really many people know,” says Reiser.
"There are fans and even Lurchi researchers, much like the Donaldists," he says.
For him it is about taking the fans with him as well as children who hold the Lurchi magazine in their hand for the first time.
Jan Reiser's career aspiration was shaped by his father
His father's work had an impact on his career aspirations. “You know that children always emulate their parents that way,” says Reiser, who always enjoyed looking over his father's shoulder at work. The fact that his own drawings were well received by many at a young age strengthened his decision. Through his father he “saw that this is a career path that one can take”. With success: In 2003 Reiser received the Upper Bavarian Prize for Young Artists.
Reiser enjoyed the design of his first Lurchi magazine and is looking forward to many more.
“I can work very freely there,” he says.
Although the characters of the Lurchi cosmos are given, he can let off steam within this universe.
Reiser: "It's a lot of fun working with the new characters."
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