Charlie Hebdo cartoonist Luz to quit after 20 years

“I will no longer be at Charlie Hebdo, but I will always remain Charlie.” Rénald Luzier, or to use the pen name he is better known by, Luz, announced his departure with these words in an interview he gave to Libération newspaper. Luz, who has been on the Charlie Hebdo team for 20 years, survived the attack because he was late to the meeting on the day that coincided with his birthday. Luz also drew the cover of the first issue after the attack, and the cover featuring the Prophet Muhammad also attracted criticism.

Luz said that the mourning, suffering and anger caused by the terrorist attack had worn him down, and explained his decision to leave Charlie Hebdo in the following words to Libération:

“It was very good to draw the first cover after the attack. After that, there formed a collective will to continue swiftly. I needed time, but in the name of solidarity I continued, to not let anyone down. But after a while, it became too much to bear. There were too few people to do the work. I was doing 3 out of 4 covers. Every new issue is torture, because they are no longer with us. During sleepless nights, to ask oneself what Charb, Cabu, Honoré or Tignous would draw, is exhausting… my decision to leave is also based on this anxiety: the fear of not being good enough.”