Ralf König was born on August 8, 1960, in Soest/Westphalia. After school he completed an apprenticeship as a carpenter. From 1981 to 1986 he studied at the State Academy of Fine Arts in Düsseldorf with a focus on free art. In the eighties he became known to a growing audience as a humorous chronicler of the gay movement with "SchwulComix". His breakthrough was in 1987 with the bestsellers "Kondom des Grauens" ("The Killer Condom") and "Der bewegte Mann" ("Maybe... Maybe Not"), both of which were made into films shortly afterwards. His books have been translated into 13 languages so far. With a total circulation of almost seven million copies he is today the world's most popular author of explicitly gay stories. The decision to become politically and artistically involved in the field of religious criticism only emerged in recent years. In February 2006, at the peak of the "Muhammad cartoons crisis" triggered by militant Muslims, König spontaneously published a series of cartoons critical of Islam that left nothing to be desired in terms of directness. He then explained his motives to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung as follows: "If the West does not counter this and defend its democratic values without ifs and buts and excuses, freedom of the press and freedom of expression will soon be history". Ralf König was awarded the Max-und-Moritz-Preis ("Special Jury Prize") at the International Comic Salon in Erlangen in June 2006 for his "artistic statement in the dispute around the Muhammad cartoons".
 

English publications (selection):

• The Killer Condom (1991, reprint 2009)
• Maybe... Maybe Not (1998)
• Maybe... Maybe Not Again! (1999)
• Bull's Balls (2002)
• Roy und Al as Roy & Al (2006)
• Down to the Bone (2011)

German publications (selection):

• Kondom des Grauens, 1987
• Der bewegte Mann, 1987
• Beach Boys, 1989
• Prall aus dem Leben, 1989
• Bis auf die Knochen, Edition Kunst der Comics (Fortsetzung zu Kondom des Grauens), 1990
• Zitronenröllchen, 1990
• Deutsche Tuntenpost, 1991
• Bullenklöten!,1992
• Shakespeare mit Nase, Eichborn (Wandkalender 1997)
• Safere Zeiten/Macho Comix, MännerschwarmSkript (Sammelbannd), 1997
• Jago, 1998
• Wie die Karnickel, Achterbahn (verfilmt 2002)
• Suck my Duck!, MännerschwarmSkript
• Dschinn Dschinn 1: Der Zauber des Schabbar, 2005
• Trojanische Hengste, 2006
• Dschinn Dschinn 2: Schleierzwang im Sündenpfuhl, 2007
• Prototyp, 2008
• Schillerlöckchen, 2009
• Archetyp, 2009
• Antityp, 2010 (Rowohlt)
• Der Dicke König, 2011 (Ehapa Comic Collection)
• Elftausend Jungfrauen, 2012
• Götterspeise, 2012
• Konrad und Paul: Raumstation Sehnsucht, 2013
• Barry Hoden: Im Weltall hort dich keiner grunzen, 2014
• Pornstory, 2015
• Herbst in der Hose, 2017
• Santa Claus Junior, 2017

Prizes and awards:

• 1988: Joop Klepzeiker Prijs, Amsterdam
• 1990: "Bester deutscher Comic-Zeichner", Grenoble
• 1992: Max-und-Moritz-Preis "Bester deutscher Comic-Zeichner", Erlangen
• 1992: "Bester internationaler Comic-Zeichner", Barcelona
• 1995: Bundesfilmpreis
• 1995: Goldene Leinwand mit Sternchen
• 2002: Goldener RIK, Cologne
• 2004: Zivilcourage-Preis des Berliner CSD, Berlin
• 2005: Prix Alph’Art "Bestes Szenario"
• 2005: Premio miglior storia lunga für Bullenklöten!, Lucca
• 2006: Max-und-Moritz-Preis "Spezialpreis der Jury", Erlangen
• 2009: Sondermann – Bester nationaler Comic
• 2009: Gache Wurzn für Zivilcourage des bayrischen Bundes für Geistesfreiheit
• 2010: Rosa Courage Preis der Stadt Osnabrück, "for advocacy of lesbian and gay rights."
• 2010: Max-und-Moritz-Preis – Bester Comic-Strip

Website:

http://www.ralf-koenig.com/