Quatre aventures de Spirou et Fantasio
Encyclopedia
Quatre aventures de Spirou et Fantasio, written and drawn by Franquin
, is a collection of four stories from serial publication between 1948-50 in Spirou
, namely Spirou et les plans du robot, Spirou sur le ring, Spirou fait du cheval, and Spirou chez les Pygmées. Together they were released as the first official series Spirou et Fantasio
hardcover album in 1950.
and Fantasio
have a hunch they need to protect the world from criminals getting their hands on mad Professor Samovar's blueprints for a robot with doomsday potential. This is the sequel to Radar le robot from 1947.
In Spirou in the Ring, Poildur, a neighbour bully, challenges Spirou to a boxing match, who nobly accepts and asks Fantasio to coach him. An entire Brussels
working class community turns out for the big event, and an epic boxing match of courage against cheating tactics is played out. On this occasion, Spirou's weight is revealed to be 40.8 kg.
In Spirou Rides a Horse, Fantasio attempts to mix it up with the upper class by playing the equestrian dandy gentleman, and Spirou reluctantly joins him to go horseback riding. Fantasio is given a very noble steed named Artaban, while Spirou's horse, Plumeau, is ridiculously unhorselike.
In Spirou meets the Pygmies, a leopard escaped from the zoo assaults Spirou and Spip during a forest picnic trip, but they manage to become friendly. Unable to adopt and keep it in the apartment, Spirou and Fantasio must take it home to an African island, leading to adventures with pygmy tribes and arms-dealing villains.
whose characters he had suddenly inherited, shows the first steps in developing his personal interpretation the characters and maturing storytelling skills, illustrated by comparing the very early first two stories with the two latter.
Another apparent influence is that of Franquin's boarding mate at the time, Morris
whose Lucky Luke
character Jolly Jumper
's insane cousin appears to have a starring role as Plumeau in Spirou fait du cheval. The facial likeness of Morris is also lampooned in Spirou sur le ring as Spirou's little do-good friend called P'tit Maurice.
' subsidiary Euro Books in 2007, under the title "The Robot Blueprints and Four Other Stories".
André Franquin
André Franquin was an influential Belgian comics artist, whose best known comic strip creations are Gaston and Marsupilami, created while he worked on the Spirou et Fantasio comic strip from 1947 to 1969, during a period seen by many as the series' golden age.-Franquin's beginnings:Franquin was...
, is a collection of four stories from serial publication between 1948-50 in Spirou
Spirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...
, namely Spirou et les plans du robot, Spirou sur le ring, Spirou fait du cheval, and Spirou chez les Pygmées. Together they were released as the first official series Spirou et Fantasio
Spirou et Fantasio
Spirou et Fantasio is one of the most popular classic Franco-Belgian comic strips. The series, which has been running since 1938, shares many characteristics with other European humorous adventure comics like Tintin and Asterix...
hardcover album in 1950.
Story
In The Robot Drawings, SpirouSpirou (character)
Spirou is the main character of the Spirou et Fantasio and Le Petit Spirou comic strips. The character was originally created by Robert Velter for the launch of Le Journal de Spirou in 1938....
and Fantasio
Fantasio
Fantasio is a fictional character from the Spirou et Fantasio comic strip. He was introduced in 1944 by Jijé, who was then drawing Spirou's adventures. Fantasio is Spirou's best friend and co-adventurer, a graphic reporter with an uncontrolled imagination and a mop of blond hair...
have a hunch they need to protect the world from criminals getting their hands on mad Professor Samovar's blueprints for a robot with doomsday potential. This is the sequel to Radar le robot from 1947.
In Spirou in the Ring, Poildur, a neighbour bully, challenges Spirou to a boxing match, who nobly accepts and asks Fantasio to coach him. An entire Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
working class community turns out for the big event, and an epic boxing match of courage against cheating tactics is played out. On this occasion, Spirou's weight is revealed to be 40.8 kg.
In Spirou Rides a Horse, Fantasio attempts to mix it up with the upper class by playing the equestrian dandy gentleman, and Spirou reluctantly joins him to go horseback riding. Fantasio is given a very noble steed named Artaban, while Spirou's horse, Plumeau, is ridiculously unhorselike.
In Spirou meets the Pygmies, a leopard escaped from the zoo assaults Spirou and Spip during a forest picnic trip, but they manage to become friendly. Unable to adopt and keep it in the apartment, Spirou and Fantasio must take it home to an African island, leading to adventures with pygmy tribes and arms-dealing villains.
Background
Franquin's drawing style of this period, while it closely resembles the style of JijéJijé
Jijé was a Belgian comics artist, best known for being a seminal artist on the Spirou et Fantasio strip and the creator of one of the first major European western strips, Jerry Spring.-Biography:Born Joseph Gillain in Gedinne, Namur, he completed various art studies Jijé (13 January 1914 – 20...
whose characters he had suddenly inherited, shows the first steps in developing his personal interpretation the characters and maturing storytelling skills, illustrated by comparing the very early first two stories with the two latter.
Another apparent influence is that of Franquin's boarding mate at the time, Morris
Morris
-People:* Morris , a common family name * Morris , Belgian cartoonist, creator of Lucky Luke* Morris, one of the 14 Tribes of Galway, Ireland-Places:In Canada*Morris, Manitoba...
whose Lucky Luke
Lucky Luke
Lucky Luke is a Belgian comics series created by Belgian cartoonist, Maurice De Bevere better known as Morris, the original artist, and was for one period written by René Goscinny...
character Jolly Jumper
Jolly Jumper
Jolly Jumper is a horse character in the Franco-Belgian comics series Lucky Luke, created by Belgian artist Morris. Described as "the smartest horse in the world" and able to perform tasks such as chess-playing and tightrope walking, Jolly Jumper accompanies his master in their travels across the...
's insane cousin appears to have a starring role as Plumeau in Spirou fait du cheval. The facial likeness of Morris is also lampooned in Spirou sur le ring as Spirou's little do-good friend called P'tit Maurice.
English translation
This book was translated to English in India by EgmontEgmont Publishing
The Egmont Group is a media corporation founded and rooted in Copenhagen, Denmark. The business area of Egmont has traditionally been magazine publishing but has over the years evolved to comprise media generally....
' subsidiary Euro Books in 2007, under the title "The Robot Blueprints and Four Other Stories".