Panade à Champignac
Encyclopedia
Panade à Champignac is the nineteenth album of the Spirou et Fantasio
series. The story, written and drawn by Franquin
, was serialised along with Bravo les Brothers in Spirou
, before publication as a hardcover album in 1969.
and Fantasio
, the latter stressed by the pressures of work and the aggravating presence of Gaston Lagaffe
- take a break at the estate of Champignac
. Upon arrival, they learn that the Count's life has changed dramatically since the conclusion of L'ombre du Z
, as he now spends his time taking care of Zorglub who has regressed to the mental age of 8 months. To make things worse, one of Zorglub's "zorglmen", Otto Paparapap, has not been healed, and lurks nearby, armed with the paralyzing zorglonde and obsessed with liberating his former leader...
Bravo Les Brothers, takes a small step back in time to illustrate the hectic working conditions at Dupuis
publishing house prior to Spirou and Fantasio's much needed vacation. The influence of Gaston in the pursuit of having De Mesmaeker sign contracts is a well-explored theme in Gaston albums, but in this instance, there is the added element of "Les Brothers", a circus act of performing chimpanzees that Gaston gifts Fantasio for his birthday.
series.
This was to be Franquin's final album as Spirou author as the task was passed on to Fournier
, allowing Franquin to focus on Gaston Lagaffe. However, Franquin later made a brief return as co-author for Tembo Tabou
.
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...
series. The story, written and drawn by Franquin
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...
, was serialised along with Bravo les Brothers in Spirou
Spirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...
, before publication as a hardcover album in 1969.
Story
In Babysitting in Champignac, 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...
, the latter stressed by the pressures of work and the aggravating presence of Gaston Lagaffe
Gaston Lagaffe
Gaston is a comic strip created in 1957 by the Belgian cartoonist André Franquin in the comic strip magazine, Spirou. The series focuses on the every-day life of Gaston Lagaffe, a lazy and accident-prone office junior...
- take a break at the estate of Champignac
Champignac
Champignac, or specifically Champignac-en-Cambrousse, is a fictional village frequently featured in the adventures of Spirou et Fantasio by André Franquin and the successive authors. The initial idea of Champignac is attributed to Henri Gillain...
. Upon arrival, they learn that the Count's life has changed dramatically since the conclusion of L'ombre du Z
L'ombre du Z
L'ombre du Z, written and drawn by Franquin, is the sixteenth album of the Spirou et Fantasio series, and the second part of Franquin's Zorglub diptych...
, as he now spends his time taking care of Zorglub who has regressed to the mental age of 8 months. To make things worse, one of Zorglub's "zorglmen", Otto Paparapap, has not been healed, and lurks nearby, armed with the paralyzing zorglonde and obsessed with liberating his former leader...
Bravo Les Brothers, takes a small step back in time to illustrate the hectic working conditions at 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...
publishing house prior to Spirou and Fantasio's much needed vacation. The influence of Gaston in the pursuit of having De Mesmaeker sign contracts is a well-explored theme in Gaston albums, but in this instance, there is the added element of "Les Brothers", a circus act of performing chimpanzees that Gaston gifts Fantasio for his birthday.
Background
By 1968, Franquin had long since lost interest in Spirou et Fantasio — a series he had not created — and was now more inspired by his own Gaston Lagaffe. The strain shows clearly in Panade, a fairly grotesque story where the former globe-trotting heroes are reduced to changing the diapers of a grown man. The multiple fake endings are another blatant symptom of Franquin's irritation. By contrast, the hilarious and lively Bravo les Brothers was described by Franquin himself as basically a Gaston story in disguise — it features the familiar setting and characters — as well as his own favourite. The character of the grumpy animal-training genius Noé, introduced here, was resurrected decades later by Yann for the MarsupilamiMarsupilami
Marsupilami is a fictional comic book species created by André Franquin, first published on 31 January 1952 in the magazine Spirou. Since then it appeared regularly in the popular Belgian comic book series Spirou et Fantasio until Franquin stopped working on the series in 1968 and the character...
series.
This was to be Franquin's final album as Spirou author as the task was passed on to Fournier
Jean-Claude Fournier
Jean-Claude Fournier , known simply as Fournier, is a French cartoonist best known as the comic book artist who handled Spirou et Fantasio in the years 1969-1979.-Biography:...
, allowing Franquin to focus on Gaston Lagaffe. However, Franquin later made a brief return as co-author for Tembo Tabou
Tembo Tabou
Tembo Tabou, written by Franquin and Greg, drawn by Franquin and Jean Roba, is the twentyfourth album of the Spirou et Fantasio series, and the twentieth under Franquin's authorship...
.