Comix Influx Blog: Happy 25th, X Für U!

I saw on Reprodukt’s blog that Uli Pröfroch’s excellent comics store, X Für U, is 25 years old! Badische Zeitung, the regional newspaper of Freiburg (where X Für U is based), has another interview, as does fudder.de, which has also published a history of X Für U. Very exciting!

Uli has been a massive figure in my comics education. Along with Christiane Markowitz and Kai Wilksen, Uli’s frequent and long-time collaborator (and also Bart Beaty, who introduced me to them) he showed me the extensive and byzantine ropes of Angoulême – both the town and festival – and has introduced me to so many people, and comics! I can’t really express my gratitude to all them adequately, but I can wish X Für U a happy Silver Anniversary!

With a little help from Google Translate, here’s a translation of Reprodukt’s blogpost:

25 years for X Für U, Freiburg

Our favorite comic shop outside of Berlin is now, as of June, 25 years old! Our cordial congratulations!

Since the mid-eighties, Uli Pröfrock has run, with X Für U in Freiburg, one of the most beautiful and assorted comic shops in Germany. Many participants of the German comic scene were influenced in their youth by the passion of the shopkeeper, among them Sascha Hommer and Michael Wießler.

Thomas Kunz has interviewed Uli Pröfrock for “Badische Zeitung”. In another nice interview, by Christopher Bünte for the comic blog fudder.de, Uli Pröfrock tells of his experiences of twenty-five years behind the counter: “25 Years of X for U” . fudder.de also has another article on the history of X für U.

Uli Pröfrock and Kai Wilksen, who is also often in the shop, are not only known for their professional advice. Both also translate comics for many publishers from both English and French. Recently Uli has translated “Rembetiko” and “Tamara Drewe” into German for Reprodukt, while Kai – with a few exceptions – has been responsible for all Reprodukt’s translations of French comics.

Such a great comic shop like X Für U is rare to find – so go and buy!

And from the fudder.de site, here are Uli’s top 10 comics

• George Herriman: Krazy Kat

• Will Eisner: The Spirit

• Hugo Pratt: Corto Maltese

• Carl Barks: Absolutely everything! “About the creator of Duckburg, nothing needs to be said.”

• Andre Franquin: Spirou and Fantasio

• Moebius: Jerry Cornelius / Airtight Garage

• Chris Ware: Acme Novelty Library

• Neil Gaiman: Sandman

• Garth Ennis / Steve Dillon Preacher

• Jiro Taniguchi: A Distant Neighbourhood

Photograph © Thomas Kunz, Badische Zeitung