Gotlib (born Marcel Gotlieb; 14 July 1934) is a French comics artist/writer and publisher. Through his own work and the magazines he co-founded, L' Écho des Savanes and Fluide Glacial, he was a key figure in the switch in French-language comics from their children's entertainment roots to an adult tone and readership. His series include La Rubrique-à-Brac, Gai-Luron, Superdupont, and Hamster Jovial.
Marcel Gotlieb was born on 14 July 1934 in Paris to Jewish parents. His father, Ervin, of Romanian origin, was a house painter and his mother, Regine, a seamstress of Hungarian descent. In 1942 his father was deported and died at Buchenwald after their building's concierge obligingly helped policemen to find him, a scene which made a strong impression on young Marcel. His mother sent him to hide for the rest of the war on a farm, where he was poorly treated.
At 17, he left school to work for a pharmaceutical agency while taking art classes in the evening. This led to a job as a letterer at Opera Mundi, a French publisher which translated and published US strips. After his 28-month military service, Gotlib settled as a freelance letterer and illustrator. His first comics were accepted by Vaillant, a magazine for children later renamed Pif-Gadget. His one long-running series at Vaillant started as Nanar, Jujube et Piette, which was renamed Nanar et Jujube then Gai-Luron for the supporting character who had by then taken centre stage. Gai-Luron is a dog heavily influenced by Tex Avery's Droopy, who almost never laughs or displays any emotions and is incorrigibly somnolent.
[1st verse:]
Dearie, dearie, linger nigh
Hear me, hear me, hear me sigh
Since you told me that you love me
I've been feeling so fine
Some sweet something 'round my heart
Has been thumping from the start
I just feel like I've been bathing
In an ocean of wine
[Refrain:]
Cuddle up, my bunch of joy
Cuddle up and hold me, fold me
Come and build a nest on my lovin' breast
Nestle to your Venus
Nothing can come between us
Cuddle up, my bunch of joy
Cuddle up, caress me, press me
Oh, my darling beau
I want to show I love you so
And if you want to know just how I love you, dear
Come and cuddle up now
[2nd verse:]
Peachy, peachy, turtle dove
Teach me, teach me how to love
Tell me that you're glad you found me
Oh, my loveable boy
Meet me, greet me with a kiss
Sweety, treat me to some bliss
Throw your great big arms around me
Till I holler for joy