La Patrouille des Castors
Encyclopedia
La Patrouille des Castors (The Beaver Patrol) is a Belgian comics
series drawn by Mitacq
and written by Jean-Michel Charlier
. 30 albums were published by Dupuis
, all relating the adventures of a Scout patrol
.
, although one of them, Lapin (rabbit) fast disappeared quickly after the team decided five main characters was a more suitable number for the series. The artist, Michel Tacq, had himself been a Scout during a large part of his life. He first thought about creating a series with Scouts as main characters, but he needed a script to fulfill the series, which was provided in 1954 by Charlier, already a very active scriptwriter. The publication in Spirou lasted from this year until 1979 but it knew a long interruption between the beginning of 1967 and April 1971, and the following publications were rarer than in the past, because Charlier was then very busy with the several other series whom he was the scenarist. Charlier was then replaced by Marc Wasterlain who wrote the scripts for two albums, and then, MiTacq took over as writer. Several albums only mentioned Mitacq as writer and artist, whereas in reality he was assisted either by Charlier, Wasterlain or his friend Jacques Stoquart.
, but have to face with some enigmas in each region they visit. Each character has a very distinct profile, which makes it possible for the patrol to have all the qualities needed in difficult situations.
As the series goes on, the graphic style evolves and the protagonists get older. They replaced their blue shirt (designed for 12 to 17 years-old boys) by a red shirt (made for Pioneers, 15 to 17 years-old scouts), according to the 1964 reforme applied for Belgian Scouts
. If the Spirou Magazine is Belgian, as well as the two creators of the series, its audience was mostly French. However, the Beavers left fast their native country to fly in other continents. The Beavers travelled in various countries but also in several grounds, as they went through adventures taking place underground, on the sea and even underwater.
These series was parodied by the author himself on a scenario of Yvan Delporte
with the series La Patrouille des Zoms.
and specific qualities:
All of these albums were collected in the collection Tout MiTacq, consisting of 14 volumes published between 1989 and 1996 by Dupuis.
Belgian comics
Belgian comics are a distinct subgroup in the comics history, and played a major role in the development of European comics, alongside France with whom they share a long common history...
series drawn by Mitacq
Mitacq
Michel Tacq, or Mitacq, is an author of Belgian comics. He was involved in Scouting for most of his life.-Biography:...
and written by Jean-Michel Charlier
Jean-Michel Charlier
Jean-Michel Charlier was a Belgian script writer best known as a writer of realistic European comics. He was a co-founder of the famed European comics magazine Pilote.-Biography:...
. 30 albums were published by Dupuis
Dupuis
Éditions Dupuis S.A. is a Belgian publisher of comic books and magazines.Based in Marcinelle near Charleroi, Dupuis was founded in 1922 by Jean Dupuis, and is mostly famous for its comic albums and magazines. It is originally a French language publisher, but publishes many editions both in French...
, all relating the adventures of a Scout patrol
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
.
History
This series, which was first published in Le Journal de Spirou on November 25, 1954, relates the fictional adventures of a Scout patrol. In the first album, the patrol consisted of six ScoutsBoy Scout
A Scout is a boy or a girl, usually 11 to 18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split this age group into a junior and a senior section...
, although one of them, Lapin (rabbit) fast disappeared quickly after the team decided five main characters was a more suitable number for the series. The artist, Michel Tacq, had himself been a Scout during a large part of his life. He first thought about creating a series with Scouts as main characters, but he needed a script to fulfill the series, which was provided in 1954 by Charlier, already a very active scriptwriter. The publication in Spirou lasted from this year until 1979 but it knew a long interruption between the beginning of 1967 and April 1971, and the following publications were rarer than in the past, because Charlier was then very busy with the several other series whom he was the scenarist. Charlier was then replaced by Marc Wasterlain who wrote the scripts for two albums, and then, MiTacq took over as writer. Several albums only mentioned Mitacq as writer and artist, whereas in reality he was assisted either by Charlier, Wasterlain or his friend Jacques Stoquart.
Style
The Beaver Patrol is a group of scouts who are taken in adventurous situations provided most of the time by their Scout camp during the holidays in foreign countries. As all Scouts, they make good and charitable actionsScout Law
Since the publication of Scouting for Boys in 1908, all Scouts and Guides around the world have taken a Scout Promise or oath to live up to ideals of the movement, and subscribed to a Scout Law...
, but have to face with some enigmas in each region they visit. Each character has a very distinct profile, which makes it possible for the patrol to have all the qualities needed in difficult situations.
As the series goes on, the graphic style evolves and the protagonists get older. They replaced their blue shirt (designed for 12 to 17 years-old boys) by a red shirt (made for Pioneers, 15 to 17 years-old scouts), according to the 1964 reforme applied for Belgian Scouts
Scouting in Belgium
The Scouting and Guiding movement in Belgium consists of 15 to 20 separate organizations serving about 160,000 members. Nearly all organizations are grouped by languages and confessions. The Crown Scout rank is the highest a Boy Scout can achieve.- History:...
. If the Spirou Magazine is Belgian, as well as the two creators of the series, its audience was mostly French. However, the Beavers left fast their native country to fly in other continents. The Beavers travelled in various countries but also in several grounds, as they went through adventures taking place underground, on the sea and even underwater.
These series was parodied by the author himself on a scenario of Yvan Delporte
Yvan Delporte
Yvan Delporte was a Belgian comics writer, and was editor-in-chief of Spirou magazine between 1955 and 1968 during a period considered by many the golden age of Franco-Belgian comics...
with the series La Patrouille des Zoms.
Characters
The patrol is a built like an example of Scout troop, with each member having a totemTotem
A totem is a stipulated ancestor of a group of people, such as a family, clan, group, lineage, or tribe.Totems support larger groups than the individual person. In kinship and descent, if the apical ancestor of a clan is nonhuman, it is called a totem...
and specific qualities:
- Poulain (foalFoalA foal is an equine, particularly a horse, that is one year old or younger. More specific terms are colt for a male foal and filly for a female foal, but these terms are used until the horse is age three or four. When the foal is nursing from its dam , it may also be called a suckling...
) : the Patrol leaderScout LeaderA Scout Leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit.-Roles:...
, courageous but prudent and reasonable. He is 15 at the beginning of the series, he is the perfect hero without any fault, he makes the appropriate decisions in case of difficulties. - Chat (catCatThe cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
) : the patrol second, Poulain's double, as reasonable but more discrete at the beginning of the series, then has a profile a bit more different and varied. - Faucon (hawkHawkThe term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
): the intellectual, very resourceful in ideas, he is 15, wears glasses and intervenes to solve enigmas thanks to his huge knowledge, and provides cultural or scientific references when needed. His father Mr. Bridoison, is a famous physician and chemist. - Tapir (tapirTapirA Tapir is a large browsing mammal, similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile snout. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia. There are four species of Tapirs: the Brazilian Tapir, the Malayan Tapir, Baird's Tapir and the Mountain...
): a lively 14-year-old boy and MiTacq's favorite character, he provides the series with the gags and the humour. He is very greedy, fat and often moans. Eating is a real obsession, so that he is the Scout in charge of the food and the meals in the patrol. His father, Mr. Lebedon, is a grocer. - Mouche (flyFlyTrue flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
): the youngest member of the patrol (13 years old), introverted and physically and psychologically weak.
Albums
All published by Dupuis:- 1955 Le mystère de Gros-Bois
- 1957 Le disparu de Ker-Aven
- 1958 L'inconnu de la villa mystère
- 1959 Sur la piste de Mowgli
- 1960 Le trophée de Rochecombe
- 1961 Le secret des monts tabou
- 1961 Le hameau englouti
- 1962 Le traitre sans visage
- 1963 Le signe indien
- 1964 Les loups écarlates
- 1965 Menace en Camargue
- 1965 La couronne cachée
- 1966 Le chaudron du diable
- 1967 L'autobus hanté
- 1969 Le fantôme
- 1972 Le pays de la mort
- 1973 Les démons de la nuit
- 1974 Vingt milliards sous la terre
- 1977 El demonio
- 1979 Passeport pour le néant
- 1980 Prisonniers du large
- 1983 L'envers du décor
- 1984 Souvenirs d'Elcasino
- 1984 L'empreinte
- 1986 L'île du crabe
- 1987 Blocus
- 1989 Le calvaire du mort pendu
- 1990 Torrents sur Mésin
- 1993 La pierre de foudre
All of these albums were collected in the collection Tout MiTacq, consisting of 14 volumes published between 1989 and 1996 by Dupuis.