Fix und Foxi is a longrunning German comic series about two anthropomorphic foxes and their adventures created by Rolf Kauka. Originally created as side characters in another magazine (Till Eulenspiegel) they soon went on to become fan favorites. Their magazine was published without interruption from 1953 to 1994 (when some Executive Meddling caused Kauka to withdraw the rights to the characters) and was subsequently relaunched multiple times in the 2000s (although none of these tries seemed to stick...).
The adventures center mostly on adolescent foxes Fix and Foxi who live with their uncle in a small town of unspecific location called Fuxholzen. Other characters of note are the chronically lazy Lupo (a fan favorite and breakout character with his own comic magazine), old maid Eusebia with her granddaughter Lupinchen, and Absent-Minded Professor Knox.
While written quite nicely the influences from Disney's comics (which were the main contenders on the German market), especially Carl Barks and his imitators, are clearly visible. Many of the earliest stories written for the characters could easily be written for those other characters as well; in later issues this got resolved with more characterization (and some necessary Flanderization of the main characters.
Lupo eventually got his own spin-off series, Lupos tolle Touren, published in his own Lupo magazine. The series features him as the only Fix und Foxi character along with the young Gadgeteer Genius Einstein in several Story Arcs.
In 2000 a TV series was broadcast featuring the characters; it was planned by the late Rolf Kauka and found it's way even into other European countries.
The Fix und Foxi series provides examples of:
- Absent-Minded Professor: Knox, so very much. Up to the point where he goes shopping for sulphuric acid for washing his hair.
- Art Evolution: Especially when the Italian comic artist Massimo Fecchi took over in the 70s.
- Anthropomorphic Shift: Compare this
◊ from their first appearance in 1953 to this◊ Fecchi drawing from 1994.
- Anthropomorphic Shift: Compare this
- Badass Driver: Eusebia. Beware if she gets her hands on Knox' sports car.
- Blind Without 'Em: Knox.
- Breakout Character: Fix and Foxi of course, originally appearing in another magazine, but also Lupo whose popularity sometimes exceeded the two main characters. Lupo even eventually got his own comic book series targeted at a slightly older audience.
- Chaste Toons: While Eusebia is Lupinchen's grandmother, Fax is Fix and Foxi's uncle.
- Cool Car: Knox's sports car.
- Cunning Like a Fox: Fix and Foxi are the smartest characters around, hands down.
- Distinguished Gentleman's Pipe: Fax.
- Drill Tank: In the second Lupos tolle Touren story, the Mofia wants to use one of these to break into the casino of Monaco.
- Expy: As things evolved by the late 1980s: Fix and Foxi = Huey, Dewey and Louie. Lupo = Donald Duck. Eusebia = Grandma Duck. Knox = Gyro Gearloose.
- Flanderization: Lupo was originally written as a Villain, then became a lovable rogue, and then became a Lazy Bum, maybe even Brilliant, but Lazy; Uncle Fax went from a responsible adult to someone fused to an Idiot Ball.
- Four-Fingered Hands
- Gadgeteer Genius: Einstein from Lupo's spin-off comic series.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: Lupo.
- Half-Dressed Cartoon Animal: Fix and Foxi don't wear shirts.
- Limited Wardrobe
- Literal-Minded: In one story, Fuxholzen's mayor wants his town to be greener. He refers to plants, but Lupo breaks out the green paint.
- Little Miss Badass: Think twice before you mess with Lupinchen.
- Mad Scientist: Professor Knox is a more or less sane version of this, except if he runs out of paper for his notes and uses his walls instead (and then the walls outside, and then the interior of the ambulance taking him away...)
- The Mafia: The first issues of Lupo's spin-off series are about him and his young friend Einstein fighting the "Mofia" (a motorcycle-riding Mafia) all around the world.
- Meaningful Name: Einstein, the young but super-smart Gadgeteer Genius, and Der Schatten (The Shadow) who only ever appears as that, both in Lupos tolle Touren.
- Never Mess with Granny: Eusebia is pretty badass for her age.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Einstein offers the Mofia to modify their Drill Tank so its engine can run on the excavated soil. At first, it looks like this trope is being Played Straight, but while Einstein is at it, he re-programs the vehicle in such a way that, instead of cracking the basement of the casino, it drills its way all the way through France into England where the gangsters are arrested.
- Nostalgia Filter: Fax sees everything through them.
- Raised by Grandparents: Lupinchen, apparently.
- Screw Politeness, I'm a Senior!: Eusebia.
- The Slacker: Lupo, unless ambition gets the better of him.
- Story Arc: Lupos tolle Touren is made up of a number of these. Just to name two, the first has him and his new sidekick Einstein chase after the Mofia kingpin Der Schatten (The Shadow) in many countries all over the world, and the second one has them (especially Lupo, that is) wreak havoc on the railroad.
- Those Two Guys: Stops and Hops, a hedgehog and a hare who sometimes appear in their own spin-off stories.
- Vague Age: Fix and Foxi. They're obviously kids, yet they're also seen driving cars, and traveling around the world. And they lived by themselves until Fax showed up in 1961.
- When Elders Attack: Eusebia, usually with an umbrella or rolling pin.
- White Gloves
The ''Fix & Foxy and Friends:
- Adaptational Dumbass: Uncle Fax is isn't as smarts as he was in comics.
- Adaptational Jerkass: Lupo is a lot more selfish then ever was in the comics
- Butt-Monkey: Uncle Fax Lupo and Papa Peppercorn
