This is a collection of comics and illustrations I drew as a teenager and young adult.
© 1990-1999 Alexandre Renevey
When I was young, you could always find me with a pencil in hand, sketching wherever I could; at home, at school, in my parents' car, basically anywhere with a flat surface (or sometimes even without one). My earliest influences came from Franco-Belgian comics like Tintin, Les Schtroumpfs, Spirou, Gaston Lagaffe, Astérix & Obélix, Lucky Luke, Le Scrameustache... Their humor, adventure, and distinct art style shaped my early drawings.
Then, I discovered Japanese manga and anime, and everything changed. Suddenly, my world was filled with UFO Robot Grendizer (Goldrake/Goldorak), Kagaku Ninja-tai Gatchaman (Battle of the Planets), Captain Harlock (Albator), Space Adventure Cobra, Dragon Ball, Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai, YuYu Hakusho, Saint Seiya, and many more. These stories weren't just entertaining; they carried values like pushing beyond your limits, the power of friendship, justice, and bravery.
But what really blew my mind was the dynamism of the artwork. Unlike Franco-Belgian comics, which often had a more structured, panel-by-panel approach, manga felt alive. The action leaped off the page, with cinematic angles that put you right in the middle of the action, zooming in, tilting perspectives, sweeping from above or below like a camera in motion. It wasn't just storytelling; it was a full-blown experience. That energy, that sense of movement... it was pure inspiration, and I couldn't get enough of it!
Let's browse through my days of drawing and making comics (an era that pretty much ended the moment I first used a computer), one project at a time, from 1990 to 1999. Many of my incomplete projects didn't make the cut; I only kept the best and most substantial parts.
Back in 1990, I completed my very first full comic: Phoenix Ball Z. And yes, with a title like that, you can probably guess it was heavily inspired by Dragon Ball Z. The story follows Alex and Mathieu, two friends living their lives peacefully - until, of course, disaster strikes. Out of nowhere, three ridiculously powerful warriors descend from the sky and touch down on Earth. Their mission? To locate the three sacred Phoenix Balls, mystical artifacts that grant a wish to whoever gathers them. And what do these guys want? Ultimate power. World domination. You know, the classic villain starter pack.
Naturally, Alex and Mathieu won't let that slide. They throw themselves into battle, unleashing devastating physical strikes, explosive energy blasts that level everything around them, and even some magic attacks - because why not? One of the bad guys even has the ability to turn people into stone statues.
Tragically, Mathieu is killed in the final fight, while one of the villains, who switched sides to support the heroes, sacrifices himself to save Alex - fueling Alex's rage for the ultimate showdown against the strongest opponent. In the end, Alex emerges victorious and claims the Phoenix Balls for himself. But instead of wishing for more power, he does the right thing: reviving Mathieu and even bringing back the villain who tried to help them. With the threat gone, the world finally returns to peace... until the next overpowered bad guy shows up, probably?
To bring Phoenix Ball Z to life, I used nothing but my trusty everyday blue ink pen; the same one I used for school. Yes, my homework and my comic pages were created with the exact same tool. Priorities, right?
The story? Extremely basic. I was making it up as I went, literally drawing and storytelling at the same time. But where I did try to get creative was with the panel borders; none of them were straight, they all had unique, dynamic shapes to add some flair.
As for the artwork... well, let's just say it had personality. Proportions? Questionable. Anatomy? A work in progress. Hands? An absolute nightmare, as always. But despite all that, I was incredibly proud: this was my first complete comic, and it spanned a whopping 54 pages! Not bad for a teenager armed with just a blue pen and a lot of enthusiasm.
Fun fact: While the character Alex is obviously me, Mathieu was inspired by one of my close friends who had just left Switzerland to start a new life in Canada. In a way, this comic was my way of dedicating something to him. And yes, his name is really Mathieu in real life. We spent a lot of time together playing video games, drawing, and... dubbing Saint Seiya episodes with our own voices, mostly saying dumb things and throwing in way too many swear words.
Fun fact: The three bad guys were named Solarman, Chineseman, and Elevatorman. Yeah, it didn't make much sense, but looking back, I'm pretty sure I was inspired by the naming style of the villains in Capcom's Rockman (Mega Man) series.
Fun fact: Also, what's the deal with that walkie-talkie? It's mentioned at the beginning of the story and then never brought up again. It serves no purpose at all. Kinda like the fusion insects in Dragon Ball Daima :D
In April 2025, I took on the mission of translating Phoenix Ball Z into English—because great comics (of course!) deserve a passport. What started as a "shouldn't take long" task quickly turned into a multi-day deep dive into weird phrasing, odd jokes, and the occasional plot curveball. I kept things as true to the original as possible, but made a few tweaks where it felt right—cleaning up clunky lines and making sure the story actually makes sense—by manga standards, anyway. Check below to read or download the comic.
I put a ton of effort into drawing a sequel to Phoenix Ball Z. And when I say a ton of effort, I mean I had way too many ideas and couldn't stick to just one; so I ended up creating about a dozen different versions. The result? Around ten unfinished comics (73 pages in total), each with its own pitch, constantly evolving character designs, and wildly different takes on the story.
But a few things stayed consistent: the Phoenix Balls were no longer balls but pendants, and Chineseman, one of the original villains who switched sides near the end of the first story, was now fully on Team Good Guy, training alongside Alex and Mathieu. Here's an overview of a few of those alternate versions:
1. Artemis...? (9 pages in total)
In this version, Chineseman, the former villain who switched sides, now sports the same kind of outfit as the heroes from the first story. Guess he really committed to the whole 'good guy' thing. The next day, Mathieu brings home a girl named Artemis. Intrigued, Alex grabs a mythology book to check if she has any special powers. Because, you know, casual Greek goddess name = possible hidden abilities. Curious (and maybe a little paranoid), he decides to visit his master for answers. And then... nothing. The story just stops. Why? Because I never actually got around to drawing the next part. Yep, that's where it's been stuck ever since. Frustrating? Absolutely.
2. A New Threat! (7 pages in total)
Chineseman is out training in a field, casually obliterating massive rocks with his punches - because what else would he be doing? Suddenly, a strange guy shows up, and just like that, a fight breaks out. No introductions, no small talk, just fists flying. Well, that escalated quickly... But wait! Another mysterious guy appears mid-battle. Who are they? What do they want? Are they here for revenge? A secret mission? A rock-smashing contest? We'll never know. In this version, collecting all the Phoenix Balls doesn't just grant a wish; it triggers the appearance of the Divine Armor.
3. The Tournament (10 pages in total)
This version kicks off immediately with a martial arts tournament. Alex and Mathieu are both signed up, naturally. Mathieu steps into the ring for the first match, and... he gets hit with 253 kicks! But don't worry, he's barely scratched. He brushes it off, fights back like a pro, and eventually defeats his opponent. And then... the story just ends. No warning. No grand finale.
4. The Hunt (14 pages in total)
Legend has it that five people on Earth each wear a Phoenix pendant, granting them special powers. When all five are brought together, a Sacred Armor appears, bestowing immense power upon its wearer. Naturally, that kind of power attracts attention. The story kicks off with three villains searching for the Phoenix pendants. Before long, one of them, a formidable woman, tracks down a man wearing one. She follows him, then confronts him, wasting no time before launching into a fight. It's not much of a contest; she's far stronger than him.
Half-beaten and confused, the man demands to know why someone who already wields such power would even need a Phoenix pendant. That's when she tells him about the Sacred Armor. Shocked, he insists she's wrong; that's not how it works. But she's not in the mood for debate. With a final decisive blow, she defeats him and claims the first Phoenix pendant for herself. And then... the story just ends.
Fun fact: for this one, set in a city, I tried to focus on perspective work, pushing the production values with more characters, more backgrounds, more situations, and a deeper storyline.
In 1992, I was studying at a private school called La Chassotte in Givisiez, Switzerland. That's when I decided to draw a comic about our school life, featuring all my classmates. But let's be honest; the story mostly revolved around the girls' group, including Mona, Odile, and Anne-Kathrine. Unlike my usual 'save the world' epics, this one was all about humor. I tried to caricature ourselves, exaggerating our quirks for laughs.
A few teachers made appearances too, including the school director, who, at one point, unleashed the "Headmaster's Force", a squad of five teachers ready to kick our asses because, well... we were really loud. Oh, and at some point, we even managed to destroy our own classroom. Because why not? The whole thing ended up being 40 pages long, packed with school chaos, inside jokes, and over-the-top antics.
Fun fact: I may have been a little rude with some of my classmates while trying to caricature them... Okay, maybe more than a little. Sorry about that! I was young and thought exaggeration was the key to comedy. In hindsight... yikes.
Fun fact: At one point, I completely break the fourth wall and ask the girls straight-up what they're planning to do next in the comic, just so I can figure out what to draw next.
In April 2025, I resurrected this comic from 1992 and gave the French version a major upgrade: longer texts, better jokes, and smoother writing that makes everything flow better. The original was handwritten, but now it's all set in a clean comic font—way more professional, and I can squeeze in more dialogue without taking up more space. Win-win. Oh, and the cherry on top? I also adapted the whole thing into English, so finally, everyone can enjoy the chaos. Scroll down to read or download the comic!
In 1992, I drew Chassotte's Best 2: Le Retour ("The Return"). This time, I stuck with the idea that a great story = lots of fights. The sequel picks up right after the defeat of the Headmaster's Force from the previous comic. The school director, furious about their loss, storms into our classroom and straight-up expels all of us. But wait! Alex (that's me!) makes a counteroffer: if we can pass a special test, we should be allowed back. The director, after thinking for a moment, agrees. His test? He'll send us into the magical world of Andorra, and if we can make it out alive by reaching Brülhart Castle, we'll be reinstated as if nothing ever happened. Sounds completely fair and reasonable. Naturally, we accept.
Once teleported to Andorra, we check the map. The journey won't be easy; there's Piranha River, Monster Cave, Mystery Forest, a terrain full of mines, the Bridge of Death, and more. One by one, we tackle each obstacle, but with every challenge, some classmates are wounded, captured, or simply not good enough to keep going. As we near Brülhart Castle, our group has dwindled to just a few. And as if things weren't hard enough, our own teachers show up, doing their best to stop us. After countless struggles and sacrifices, only three girls - Mona, Odile, and Anne-Kathrine - make it to the castle. Waiting for them is the director himself, ready for battle. They fight bravely and defeat him... or so they think.
That's when he reveals his terrifying secret; he transforms into a monstrous being, far stronger than before! Even the girls, despite their best efforts, are no match for him. Just when all hope seems lost, the students who were left behind reappear. Together, the entire class concentrates their energy and launches a massive, simultaneous attack, completely obliterating the director. Victory! With that, we're all teleported back to school, where everything returns to normal. Just another day at La Chassotte, right?
At 68 pages, this is my longest comic to date, and probably one of my most over-the-top ones.
Fun fact: I completely lost the original drawings. Maybe I lent them to someone who conveniently forgot to return them. But luckily, a kind soul made a copy before they disappeared into the void. So now, all I have is a copy of a copy. Not ideal, but hey, better than nothing!
Fun fact: Brülhart (as in Brülhart Castle) was actually the real last name of our school director. In fact, everyone in the story - students and teachers alike - kept their real names.
Fun fact: For some reason, page 66 appears twice. Apparently, counting past 60 was too much of a challenge for me. Guess I should've spent less time drawing fight scenes and more time on basic math!
Fun fact: Once again, I couldn't resist breaking the fourth wall. At one point in the comic, we arrive in a small village where everyone is off doing their own thing. Meanwhile, Alex (yep, that's me) heads to the library - not to research, but to try and publish the very comic he's in, Chassotte's Best 2. Unfortunately, my publishing dreams are brutally crushed when the librarian flat-out rejects it, dismissing my masterpiece as 'too bad'.
Fun fact: Exactly like with Phoenix Ball Z 2, I started a few different versions of Chassotte's Best 3, but I couldn't settle on a single story. One thing that stayed consistent across all the versions was a new character (a new real classmate called Frédéric), but I never really got far with any of the ideas.
1994 was a huge year for me in terms of comics. I worked on a ton of different stories; none of them quite reached the finish line, but I came pretty close with a few. That year, along with some classmates, we launched a fanzine at our school called Jus de Chaussette (literally "Sock Juice", but "Sock Brew" might be a more fitting translation). It featured about 50 pages of articles, (teen) humor, and, most importantly, comics! We released six issues, and a seventh was nearly ready. However, as the school year came to a close, we ran out of time, and the fanzine didn't make it to the next year. We were probably busy with other things, like watching movies, playing video games, and, occasionally, studying.
There were four of us behind the fanzine: Jean-François Dettling mainly wrote articles. Julien Nicaud focused on illustrations and comics. (Years later, I even helped him bring his movie Jasper to life!) Tiu Vogel contributed illustrations, comics, and articles. And me: I handled illustrations, the fanzine layout, a few (geeky) articles... and even managed the printing process alongside my friend Julien, who had a professional printing machine. But, of course, my biggest contributions were the comics. Yes, plural!
Let's take a look at what I created during this time:
Fun fact: The fanzine sold so well that I don't own a physical copy of any issue, except for issue 6, the last one released! I know my old classmates Julien and Tiu still have copies, so I really need to at least digitize them.
Fun fact: The word Chaussette ("Sock") was probably a nod to the school name Chassotte, but I'm not entirely sure. It's been so long! Proof: Ayrton Senna passed away that year, Jeff Bezos founded Amazon, and Sony released the first PlayStation in Japan!
Fun fact: I used a real old-school typewriter to write the text in the comic panels, as well as for the pages of the fanzine. That, in itself, was quite a challenge!
Cool Fighters was a comic quite similar to Phoenix Ball Z, published in our fanzine, starring Alain (one of my classmates) and Alex (yep, me again). The story was simple: one day, a very powerful guy named Shiba appeared on Earth, ready to destroy everything in sight. Our two heroes tried to defeat him, but against such overwhelming power, they failed. Alex then struck a deal with Shiba: if he comes back in one month, they'll be ready to kick his ass. Let the intense training begin!
Unfortunately, the comic stopped right before the final showdown! I only managed to draw about half of it, and it was never published. It was supposed to be wrapped up in issue 7 of the fanzine.
Fun fact: I lost many original pages of this comic. Chapters 2 and 3 are completely missing from my archives, and I only managed to find two pages from the first chapter. There are 6 chapters in total.
This was a series of short, absurd panels telling the story of a guy who unintentionally (or not) hurts, tortures, or even kills his cat. It served as a quick gag strip within the fanzine. There were only seven panels in total, making it a short-lived series; but that's because, while working on Cool Fighters, I also started drawing a more ambitious comic, which you can discover in the next section below.
This comic started as a simple, one-off gag in the fanzine but quickly evolved into a full-fledged story; one where readers had to grab the next issue to find out what happened next. In many ways, it was the spiritual successor to Chassotte's Best, once again featuring real people from my school. But this time, the four main characters were none other than the actual team behind the fanzine: Julien, J.F, Tiu, and Alex (myself).
The plot? Well, trouble was brewing in our school's underground publishing scene. A rival team had launched their own fanzine, Morve de Crapaud (which roughly translates to "Toad Snot"), and to our horror, it was selling way better than our beloved Jus de Chaussette. Outraged, humiliated, and downright desperate, we brainstormed a way to win back our readers. The solution? A no-holds-barred fighting tournament: Team Jus de Chaussette vs. Team Morve de Crapaud, where we would publicly humiliate them and reclaim our throne.
Just like Cool Fighters, though, the story came to an abrupt halt right as the tournament was about to begin! I actually drew several pages of the showdown, but they were never published. It was supposed to wrap up in issue 7 of the fanzine... but, well, as I explained earlier, issue 7 never made it to print.
Fun fact: The Morve de Crapaud team was basically our opposites, almost like a reversed version of ourselves. There was a 'negative' version of Alex and a Julien with the same attitude, same outfit, just with longer hair!
In April 2025, I created an English translation of this comic—including the long-lost, unfinished third chapter that never saw the light of day! Now, 31 years later, you can finally read parts of it. To celebrate the translation, I also added halftones to the first chapter, giving it extra depth and a more polished, professional look overall. Hope you enjoy it!
Yusuké ~ Le Garçon-Chat ("The Cat Boy") was another comic I started in 1994. Unfinished, but still managing to hit over 50 pages! It follows Yusuké, a boy living alone in a tiny house somewhere deep in the mountains. At first glance, he seems normal... except for one small detail: he has a tail. Why? No clue. Weird.
One day, after taking down a massive fish for dinner, he hears a girl screaming; two shady bandits are attacking her. Like any good hero, he jumps in to help... only to realize she's more than capable of handling things herself. Not only is she strong, but she's got a fiery attitude to match. After dealing with the bad guys, the two start bickering nonstop. Then, out of nowhere, her brother shows up, just as loud and stubborn as she is. They drag Yusuké into their argument, then casually invite him to join them on a hunting trip the next day. He figures, why not?
The next morning, just as things seem normal, the sky suddenly turns pitch black. A massive thunderbolt slams into the ground, triggering a deafening explosion. When the dust settles, they spot something strange: a mysterious urn sitting in the crater. Yusuké, being the curious type, reaches out to touch it... bad idea! It bursts open, releasing four beams of light that shoot into the sky before crashing back down to earth. When the sky clears, four unknown figures emerge from the light, one of them holding an egg. Without hesitation, they send Yusuké flying hundreds of meters away. Why? Who were they? What was the deal with the egg? Well... we'll never know. Because that's where the story abruptly ends. I never got around to drawing the next part. Oops.
Fun fact: The name Yusuké was inspired by the main character of YuYu Hakusho by Yoshihiro Togashi, who is also named Yusuke. As for the tail, that was inspired by Son Goku, the main character of Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama.
Fun fact: The female character is... well, let's just say, not exactly dressed for cold weather. In fact, she's barely dressed at all! Which is pretty ironic, considering I wasn't exactly a master at drawing human anatomy.
In April-May 2025, I gave this comic a little refresh: I reworked the texts (originally handwritten), cleaned up the ink stains and small paper flaws, and most importantly, added screentones to give the drawings more depth and a more modern feel, without betraying the original spirit. I also translated the story into English so that as many people as possible could finally enjoy it, more than thirty years later. Check below to read or download the incredible story of Yusuke, the Cat Boy! (Or at least, how it was supposed to start… ahem)
Remember those interactive books where you'd read an adventure, make choices, and sometimes fail miserably along the way? Well, in 1995 and 1996, I tried to bring that concept to comics. The idea was simple: a branching story where readers could decide what happens next. The setting? Either the classic "Earth is under attack by a powerful invading force" scenario, or a more adventurous journey through a fictional world, complete with a map featuring villages, caverns, forests, mysteries, and hidden secrets. You could even learn new combat techniques if you made the right choices!
I mainly worked on two of these (unfinished, of course) interactive comics:
1. Classic "Earth is under attack by a powerful invading force" (9 pages in total)
This story was basically a remix of my first-ever finished comic, Phoenix Ball Z. Once again, a small group of ridiculously overpowered humans (or are they human?) descends upon Earth, and our hero has to take them down. In a fun little nod to my earlier work, you can even spot the hero wearing a Phoenix Ball pendant in one panel!
The interactive twist? Readers could choose whether to attack or hold back, and if they did strike, they had to decide whether to keep fighting or retreat. I even went so far as to draw the panel where he gets utterly wrecked. Unfortunately, much like my hero, this project didn't make it very far before it was defeated.
2. "More adventurous journey" (21 pages in total)
The second interactive comic I attempted was way more ambitious. This one had a proper map with multiple destinations, a currency system (rubies, because why not?), new fighting techniques to unlock, and even stats to manage; life points, power points, the whole deal.
The goal was crystal clear: our hero had to reach Bogard Castle, take down a menacing angel (the bad kind, not the halo-and-harp variety), and ultimately face off against a much bigger, much badder demon. But there was a catch: the castle gate was locked, and the only way in was to find a magical key hidden somewhere in the world I had created.
With 21 pages in total, I actually had the chance to explore different story paths, mix in both action-packed fights and quieter, more contemplative moments. It was shaping up to be something really cool... but, well, let's just say the key was never found, and the story was left on a permanent cliffhanger.
Fun fact: The main character of this story isn't named Alex for once. Nope, not this time. His name is... Axel.
La Théorie de l'Outil Magique (literally "The Magical Tool Theory") was my very last (and fully completed!) comic. In 1999, I decided to apply to a multimedia school because I wanted to learn all kinds of new things (and officially become an Interactive Media Designer). And hey, it's never too late to learn, right? Even now, I feel like I'm picking up new artistic skills every day.
To get into the school, we had to submit three works based on the theme "outil" (which translates to "tool" or "instrument"). The requirements? One written or artistic document, something visual, and something audio. So, I went all in: I wrote an essay, recorded a one-minute audio track, and, of course, drew a 13-page comic.
As for the comic itself, well, let's just say it had all the classic (basic?) hallmarks of my storytelling: a martial arts master training his son, a grand moment of inheritance, and a twist of wisdom. The father announces that the time has come for his son to receive his long-awaited legacy: a magical tool. With great anticipation, the son watches as his father reveals... an ordinary axe. He's instructed to use it to chop some logs, but instead, he channels his martial arts skills and reduces them to splinters with his bare hands. Impressed, the father smiles and delivers the true lesson: the real magical tool isn't the axe; it's him. They then have an epic father-son battle, the kid wins, and the father, rather than being upset, beams with pride.
The morale of the story revolved around this idea: true strength comes from within—not from external tools, but from your mindset, creativity, and how you channel your fear. The "outil magique" (magical tool) isn't really a magical object—it's a metaphor. The father (or "pops") is teaching his son that self-belief, imagination, and mental resilience can turn anxiety into power. Whether it's chopping wood, taking an oral exam, or facing a tough opponent, the lesson is: Don't freeze in fear—shift your perspective, and you'll unlock your potential!
I suppose my three submissions did the trick, because... I got in! I spent four years at that school and earned my diploma in 2003. Mission accomplished!
Fun fact: As for the essay, it was the first time I had ever used a computer to write a document!
Fun fact: Speaking of my first time using a computer, maybe that's why I never drew another comic after that. I got completely hooked; first learning to add color to my hand-drawn art, then diving into pixel art, eventually mastering vector graphics, and, of course, animating along the way.
In April 2025, I decided to translate this comic into English so everyone can enjoy it. Check below to read or download the amaaaazing story of The Magical Tool!
Fun fact: The drawing of the girl casting a fireball was actually published in one of our regional newspapers!
Check out some of my other similar projects:
