A primer on French-Belgian comics

Of course. Why wouldn't they? They were created by a dude from Belgium.

By jove!

I have just re-read Franquin-era's Spirou and Fantasio. Man, the Count of Champignac really is a dick in his debut.

He kind of always remains (During Franquin's run) a self-righteous prick (with no safety precaution whatsoever).

But it's still the best run of Spirou.

I think he became less amoral in his subsequent appearances. I always have a soft spot for Mad Scientist characters anyway. Yes, Zorglub is my favorite character. He is a fun villain.

But I still don't get why Fantasio suddenly stopped hating the Count of Champignac in the second half of his debut story. At the end of the first half, he was still pretty pissed off about being use as the Count's unwilling test subject. Upon seeing him after a while, they were like old chums again. Seriously, wtf?

Zorglub is awesome.

One thing I like a lot on Franquin's run on Spirou et Fantasio is the way he used continuity in his story-telling. While most of the comics of that era preferred Status Quo Is God, in Spirou, actions always have consequences. The aftermaths of previous adventures often turned out to be important plot points in subsequent stories. It is great.

edited 16th Aug '11 5:32:51 PM by Nightwire

Please note

If you are in the US, and there is a Border's near you, it's worth checking to see if they have any of the bigger-name-in-the-US Franco-Belgian comics (i.e. Tintin or Asterix). I got 2 Tintins for $6.50 apiece today (40% off the cover price.)

They will probably be shelved in the "Childrens' Picture Books" section, God only knows why.

edited 21st Aug '11 8:05:25 PM by Madrugada

We got whole collections of Tintin and Asterix in New Zealand. Too bad they still haven't imported Spirou and Fantasio yet.

Anyoe here a Lanfeust De Troy fan?

Is that a store, or you suggesting crossing the border to Canada? ;-P

Store. Big bookstore (I think 2nd or 3rd largest bookstore chain.) Went bankrupt, having Going-out-of-business sales at over 300 locations.

Come to Quebec. Here ALL bookstores have those. Even the shittiest, most rundown library will have at least Tintin and and all the Asterix albums.

edited 26th Aug '11 3:41:40 AM by Ghilz

Still read Tintin and Lucky Luke quite a bit... my mum also fancied Asterix, but I've never quite gotten around to properly checking it out.

Anyone ever heard of Steven Sterk...? Bought an album in a distant past, but don't think it's all that well-known...

Oh, Benoît Brisefer in French. He's not unknown, as the third-in-importance Peyo series, but never got the same popularity. Still, it's Peyo !

Asterix comics are actually rather easier to find here than American comics, but Tintin and others are very hard to locate. Expensive as heck, too.

edited 23rd Oct '11 2:49:16 PM by NapoleonDeCheese

OT, but still somehow related: Parts of the recent trad 2D animated Titeuf cartoon was done in Toon City here in the Philippines.

I've opened a Chlorophylle page.

Nice.

I remember the TV Show. Half puppets, half live animals. It was something else.

edited 1st Jan '13 8:47:03 PM by Ghilz

This is awesome.

Whoa. At first, I was like WTF, but those guys seem to be trying to do something interesting. Gotta see if it's another fake trailer or if they'll go the whole way.

Edit : Nope, it's a fake trailer. Very well done anyway. And I wonder how the Dupondt fusion would look like.

edited 6th Jan '13 1:54:24 PM by purplefishman

Something that had never occured to me despite being obvious about some of the Biggest Franco Belgian comics: How the main characters often resemble themselves:

1. The usually titular character of the work is virtuous, but also bordering on bland. They don't have any vice, or really, much in terms of personality beyond being virtuous, hero-types. Generally the most competent, bordering on The Ace.
2. The main sidekick is the opposite. He indulges in right about any vice imaginable. Despite this, they are generally good guys and hero-types themselves. But often so less proactively. Their flawed nature and their vices allow them to be the source of much of the humor. They are thus often the Ensemble Dark Horse. Might have their area of expertise but generally less skilled than the hero.
3. A pet who is smarter than a mere animal. May or may not talk.

For example:

• Tintin (Bland Hero), Haddock (Flawed Sidekick that spawns lots of the humor), Snowie (Smart Pet)
• Spirou (Bland Hero), Fantasio (Flawed Humorous Sidekick), Spip (Pet)
• Johan (Bland Hero), Pewitt (Flawed Humorous Sidekick), Biquette (Pet/Sidekick)
• Asterix (Hero, though the most flawed of the examples, in that Asterix has a more defined personality (Trickster and anger-prone), but less so than his partner), Obelix (More flawed, more often the source of humor), Dogmatix (Team Pet)

... Dammit, now I can't not notice it any more!

CANNOT UNSEE.

Isn't that kind of a Power Trio, with certain elements of the Comic Trio?

edited 9th Jun '13 3:34:53 PM by Noaqiyeum