Raoul Thomen was influenced by Charlie Chaplin, like many comic artists of his time. The first Chaplin-inspired comics appeared in England, and it was Thomen who introduced them in France. Raoul Thomen was born in Antwerp, Belgium, and settled in France in 1898. His early work appeared in La Plume from 1899, followed by contributions to L'Illustré National, La Jeunesse Moderne, La Vie de Garnison, L'Épatant, Almanach National, Pêle-Mêle, Lili, Midinette and Boum!.
