In the shadow of heritage comics such as Tintin or Blake & Mortimer, Spirou & Fantasio is worth much more than its reputation as a children's series. The proof by 4 of his best albums all published by Dupuis.
Why is this series considered a children's series when Tintin has become an intellectual reference? One possible hypothesis is its creative process. It is not the work of a single person but several creative teams have succeeded one another over the years. This collective work is frowned upon by some critics because we cannot identify an author. However, this is its strength. Spirou evolves according to the artistic choices of the different authors who succeed each other. This series also does not hesitate to appropriate inventions from other series to integrate them. There are indeed similarities with Tintin such as the castle and the Count of Mushroom, a whimsical inventor close to Sunflower. This permeability makes it its constant topicality.
Spirou et les hommes bulles, 1964
This volume is the sequel to the equally magnificent Lair of the Moray Eel. One wonders if the creation is partly improvised over the monthly magazine publication. The script and drawings are by Roba and Franquin. The sets are made by Roba. We are in the classic of the clear line. The reader feels like an archaeologist but the story and the drawing have not aged. This is not necessarily the best-known album of this drawing giant who created the Marsupilami and Lagaffe. Franquin is a humanist who in this volume never makes fun of his characters. The alcoholic of the village is not despised but he is always right before the others. We do not laugh but we smile non-stop while admiring the drawing. By taking the time to look at each box, we realize that Franquin is constantly trying to be original. We do not fall like the others here. Franquin always has a dynamic trait while being flamboyant compared to Hergé. He manages the feat of integrating a lot of text while keeping a dynamic reading because there are two stories in a volume. Several narrative threads intersect in a more complex narrative than one might think.
Other unmissable volumes of Franquin: The thieves of the Marsupilami, Z as Zorglub, The dictator and the mushroom…
La machine qui rêve, 1998
This comic is the last volume of a successful duo, Tome & Janry, which placed Spirou at the top of sales and creativity between 1984 and 1998. This volume is totally separate. We seem to read the gift of a publisher who gives the keys of the Spirou house. Tome and Janry are free to write and draw whatever they want. This can be seen in the drawing. We recognize Janry's style but metamorphosed by this new freedom. The shapes of the characters are much more realistic and each page has a black frame to show that the story will not be funny. It feels like being in a Melville movie with little dialogue but more action. This freedom can also be read. The Dreaming Machine is a thriller. This story is gripping to the last box. As if the authors were addressing adults who grew up with their stories. In filigram, it is also a story about the creation of characters by reflecting on the names of heroes. Is Spirou his real name or a nickname?
Other volumes of Tome and Janry unmissable: In New York, In Moscow, The Valley of the Banished…
Panic in the Atlantic, 2010
Given the success of the series, Dupuis has diversified the range for a long time. First there were special editions then the Petit Spirou, a comedy series on the childhood of Spirou by Tome and Janry, more recently Spirou by … and Zorglub, on the enemy of Spirou and Fantasio. Spirou of… is the most interesting series and sometimes even manages to surpass the main series. The principle is to entrust a great deal of freedom to a creative tandem (scriptwriter and artist) for one or two volumes.
In Panique en Atlantique it is Lewis Trondheim, screenwriter and major artist for 20 years and Fabrice Parme with drawings who seize the universe of Spirou and Fantasio. This duo is also the author of the very good comedy series Venezia. The drawing of Parma has a very cartoon rendering from its past in the cartoon The pirate family. You never get bored in a very funny and dynamic story. We smile at each box thanks to Fantasio who is a ridiculous man to woman, fearful as soon as trouble arrives. Wealthy tourists are caricatured with obvious pleasure.
Other unmissable volumes in this series: Emile Bravo, Le journal d'un ingénu, Yann & Olivier Schwartz, La Femme-léopard…
In the Claws of the Viper, 2013
This comic is directed by Fabien Vehlmann, for the scenario and Yoann for the drawings. This story is the typical example of the actualization of a great series. Franquin's clear line seems soiled by baroque features and darker colors. The story is very much focused on the daily work of the duo of journalists. From the beginning, Vehlmann addressed the reader through his characters. It makes a link with current events through a denunciation of transnational corporations and the complaint brought against our journalists by conservative family associations. The screenwriter has the intelligence not to parody but to make fun of current events. This story is also a moving tribute from a fan of the clear line – a reference to a little-known character of the classical age of Franco-Belgian, Gil Saint-André and Yoann even copies a page of Tintin's The Secret of the Unicorn. Try to find the gold edition because it includes a very complete notebook that shows the work of Fred Blanchard, designator of this volume. Franquin remains a constant reference for him. This bonus shows the very divided work of a comic book blockbuster.
These few examples show the particularity of this series. Reading or creating a Spirou is a bit like an exercise in style: how to make Mon Spirou? If it is done well, everyone shakes up the frames, appropriates the scripted and visual universe by modernizing the heroes.
