| Jo-El Azara | |
|---|---|
 Loeckx in 2015 | |
| Born | Joseph Franz Hedwig Loeckx 4 May 1937 Drogenbos, Belgium |
| Died | 7 February 2023 (aged 85) |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Area(s) | Artist |
| Pseudonym(s) | Jo-El, Ernest |
Notable works | Taka Takata |
Joseph Franz Hedwig Loeckx (4 May 1937 – 7 February 2023) was a Belgian comic book artist. He worked under the pseudonym of Jo-El Azara. Important series he worked on include Clifton and Taka Takata.
Loeckx was born in Drogenbos, Flemish Brabant, near Brussels, Belgium, on 4 May 1937.
Loeckx is sometimes referred to as Joseph-R. Loeckx in error. During his working life, first he used the penname of Jo-El, subsequently Ernest, and thereafter worked as Jo-El Azara, under which name he has drawn most of his comics.[citation needed]
A long career of working with the great names in Belgian and French comics, including Hergé, Macherot, and Uderzo,[citation needed] he was active in publishing his own Taka-Takata albums under his Azéko label.
Loeckx lived in the south of France, close to the Pyrenees. His lifelong partner, Josette Baujot, died on 13 August 2009.[1] He died on 7 February 2023, at the age of 85.[2]
