Martial Durand, who published under his first name, attended the School of Applied Arts in Paris and started making humorous illustrations for magazines like Le Hérisson, Ici Paris and Marius in 1946. His first comics were published in Jeunes Gars ('Dynamit', 'Riton'), O.K. ('Corail et Tupopzeu', 'Youmbo'), Zorro ('Les Quatre Mousquetaires', 'Arthur et Goupillon'), Le Petit Canard and several magazines of the Fleurus publishing group, such as Coeurs Vaillants and Fripounet et Marisette.