Ce cinquième tome des formidables aventures de Lapinot réjouira les amateurs de romantisme, de flambée de cheminée, de campagne anglaise, de domestiques serviables et d'amour pas trop torride.
(This fifth volume of the Spiffy Adventures of McConey will delight those who like romanticism, fireplace blaze, English countryside, obliging servants and not-too-torrid love.)
Vacances de printemps is a 1999 comic book by Lewis Trondheim and Frank Le Gall. It is the fifth album of The Spiffy Adventures of McConey series. It is a parody of Romance and it is set in Victorian Britain. Lapinot is young painter. He falls in love with Miss Nadia, but soon realizes that he has rivals: his two Childhood Friends Richardson (Richard), a soldier, and Mac Terry (Titi), the son of a butcher.
Vacances de printemps provides examples of the following tropes:
- Beta Couple: While Lapinot tries to charm Miss Nadia, his Romantic Wingman and servant Alex tries to charm Mrs Victoria, Miss Nadia's servant. Alex is more successful than Lapinot. He even marries Mrs Victoria by the end.
- Childhood Friend Romance: Lapinot and Mac Terry (and probably Richardson too) were in love with Nadia when they were children. As young adults, they fall in love with her again and they try to charm her. They are all unsuccessful.
- Childhood Marriage Promise: Nadia promised to marry Lapinot when she was five years old. She does not fulfill her promise.
- Cock Fight: Between Lapinot and Mac Terry for the love of Nadia, when they were children. As young adults, between Lapinot, Richardson and Mac Terry, again as for Miss Nadia.
- Did Not Get the Girl: Lapinot ends up alone. Miss Nadia keeps on her relationship with John, her fiancé.
- Greek Chorus: The Moon makes comments about the plot. In the daytime, the Sun stands in for her.
- The Jeeves: Lapinot's servant Alex is competent, sensible and devoted to him.
- Monochrome Past: In the Flashbacks, the characters are drawn as black figures on a grey background.
- Old-Fashioned Rowboat Date: Subverted. Lapinot proposes Nadia to have a rowboat ride with him, but it never happens because Richardson and Mac Terry make other proposals.
- Romantic Wingman: Lapinot's servant Alex gives him advice to charm Miss Nadia.
- "Shaggy Dog" Story: During 38 pages, Lapinot competes with Richardson and Mac Terry to win Miss Nadia's love. In the end, the three competitors realize that she already has a fiancé and that she is supposed to marry him within one month.
- She Is All Grown Up: Lapinot is visibly stunned by Miss Nadia's appearance when he meets her again. He asks her if she was not five years old.
- Training Montage: Parodied. There is a montage of Lapinot's training to become a social charmer.
- What Is This Thing You Call "Love"?: The young Lapinot does not know what love is and he asks his servant to explain it to him.
