Tytus, Romek i A'Tomek
Encyclopedia
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series, created by Henryk Jerzy Chmielewski (aka Papcio Chmiel) in 1957 and concluded in 2009. It centers around Romek and A'Tomek, two boy scout
Boy 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...
s, and Tytus de Zoo, a chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
with the ability of human speech. Many adventures in Tytus, Romek i A'Tomek have speculative or Science Fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
elements, some are outright parodies of the established genre. The subjects and background themes in all of the books reflect the culture and atmosphere of the time they were drawn and printed. For instance, the early books are dominated by scouting
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....
-related themes and community service. While the 90's-era books subtly point out the social, economic and cultural changes that occurred during in Poland at that time. The dialogues often feature a unique mix of youth slang, slang from the pre-WWII Poland, words from other European languages as well as Chmielewski's humorous neologisms also contain political themes and satire. After 31 volumes and around 10 special issues of the series, Henryk Jerzy Chmielewski announced in May 2009 that Tytus, Romek i A'Tomek will no longer be published.
Main characters
- Tytus de Zoo – a chimpanzeeChimpanzeeChimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
and the main hero of the series. Tytus speaks and thinks like a human being and even attends public school together with his two human friends. However, his animal heritage clearly shines through - he is presented as wanting to attain humanity, but usually falls short during the hilarious adventures. In the first story drawn by Chmielewski for the Świat Młodych (Youth's World) magazine, Romek and A’Tomek find Tytus in a rocket (which at the time was part of the communist Anti-American propaganda as Tytus told he was abused by the foreign scientist. In the book version however, Tytus came to life from a blot of ink the creator Papcio Chmiel accidentally spilled on the floor (this unusual origin fits the slightly surrealistic nature of the books). Tytus however many times mentioned (as well as visited) his "homeland" Trapezfik (which is a reference to Tytus' love for physical activity and a combination of the words "trapezeTrapezeA trapeze is a short horizontal bar hung by ropes or metal straps from a support. It is an aerial apparatus commonly found in circus performances...
" and "tumble"). - Romek – a tall, blond and slim boy scout. He often teases Tytus with ever-more creative and insulting comments and is pessimistic about Tytus's attempts to gain knowledge and attain humanity.
- A'Tomek – the leader of the trio. A short, fat boy in glasses. He is very intelligent, mature and often the most honorable and well-mannered one. A'Tomek is the leader of the group and the source of most ideas on how to approach the process of 'humanizing' Tytus. His name is alliterative, suggesting atomic energy and in fact is nicknamed "Atom" for short by others.
- Professor T’Alent – a helpful scientist and one of few recurring characters in the series beside the main trio. He designs and builds various inventions, often flying machines that help the boys during their adventures. Also, he has many lab mice, which are often seen playing in his hair. His name is alliterative, suggesting talent.
- Papcio Chmiel – the creator of the series often appeared in the books portraying himself as a fatherly figure to the boys and Tytus and is often shown to have God-like powers (he has been shown making paintings come to life or appearing out of nowhere in the middle of the story and intervening in the adventures). The name "Papcio Chmiel" literally means "Papa HopsHopsHops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
", however in this case "Chmiel" is an abbreviation of his lastname. - Szympansia – Tytus's wife (a chimpanzee as well) brought to life from a painting by Papcio Chmiel. She appeared only in four stories.
In other media
- In 1989 and 1990 two episodes of an animated series were made for Polish public broadcaster TVPTelewizja PolskaTelewizja Polska Spółka Akcyjna is Poland's public broadcasting corporation...
but they aired only once. Jerzy Chmielewski disliked this series because of very poor animation and showing character in very unsympathetic way. - A Polish band "Blenders" made a music video about Tytus, Romek and A’Tomek and used the original animated footage of the characters in it.
- In 2002 premiered an animated movie entitled Tytus, Romek i A’tomek wśród złodziei marzeń(Tytus, Romek and A’Tomek Among the Thieves of Dreams). The film features one of the most acclaimed Polish actors Marek KondratMarek KondratMarek Kondrat – Polish TV, film and theatrical actor, director.In 2007 he planned to revolutionize the Polish domestic wine market by introducing Winarium wine stores in every city with a population of over 100,000.- Awards :...
as the voice of Tytus and was directed by Leszek Gałysz. The movie wasn’t based on any of the comic books and it had an original plot. Critical response was generally negative. Many fans criticized the movie for lacking the humour and the spirit of the original material, as well dumbing downDumbing downDumbing down is a pejorative term for a perceived trend to lower the intellectual content of literature, education, news, and other aspects of culture...
the characters for the youngest children and focusing too much on the main villain Prince Saligia (who wasn't character from the oryginal stroies) pushing Romek and A'tomek to the roles of the secondary characters 1. Colonel SandersColonel SandersHarland David "Colonel" Sanders was an American fast food businessman who founded the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant chain, now re-branded as KFC...
makes a cameo in this movie as KFCKFCKFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
was one of main sponsors of the production. - A Tytus Romek i A’tomek computer game was made in 2006.
- An audio book base on the book "Wyspy nonsensu" was published in 2010.
Books
There are 31 published albums called "books" and 8 collective books entitled: "The Gold Book of Adventures", as well as "Book Zero" and "Book of the 80s" containing reprints from "Youth's World" and other newspapers, The TVP(Television Poland) Book, and a collector's release "Tytus, Romek, and A'Tomek as Warsaw insurgents of 1944, from the imagination of Papcio Chmiel drawn".- Book I - Tytus Becoming a Scout (birth and humanization of Tytus by joining the scouts)
- Book II - Tytys Gets His Driving Licence (the chief characters get a rosalie(the figment of Papcio Chmiel) driving licence, acquiring rules of the road traffic; vehicle - Rosalie the mechanic horse)
- Book III - Tytus Becoming a Cosmonaut (the chief characters hijack a rocket (a space shuttle) and travel to the outer space, getting to know alien forms of life; vehicles - two rockets and a cosmic animal - Karbulot)
- Book IV - Tytus Becoming a Soldier (the chief characters play army, as a reward for the pictures of the military they hold true military exercises; vehicles - a Rocketcar(conjunctive spelling deliberate, as in Polish version), a tank)
- Book V - A Trip to a Quarter Circle of the World (the chief characters take a trip to a quarter circle of the world getting to know such places as Sweden, England, the Arctic, Cuba, Africa, ArtekArtek (camp)Artek is a Young Pioneer camp near Gurzuf, Ukraine. It was established on June 16 1925 on the Black Sea in the town of Gurzuf located on the Crimean peninsula, near Medved Mountain, Ukraine. The camp first hosted only 80 children but then grew rapidly. In 1969 it had an area of 3.2 km²...
(USSR); vehicle - Bathtuboplane) - Book VI - Tytus Becoming an Olympian (Romek and A'Tomek decide to put Tytus up to Olympiad, for this reason they train him in various sport discipline; vehicles - Hornoplane)
- Book VII - Tytus Improves on His D from Polish Geography (the end of the school year and Tytus is about to have a retake from Polish Geography, so Romek and A'Tomek show him our country; vehicle - jetpack)
- Book VIII - Tytus Becoming an Astronomer (Operation FromborkFromborkFrombork is a town in northern Poland, on the Vistula Lagoon, in Braniewo County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. It had a population of 2,528 as of 2005....
, the chief characters help to clean one of the Copernicus cities, a magic apparatus takes them back to the past so they can meet the great astronomer in person) - Book IX - Tytus on the Wild West (Tytus jumps into a film about the wild west and becomes a cowboy, Romek and A'Tomek go to his rescue)
- Book X - Nature Conservation ( the chief characters try out a new vehicle which lands on a desert island because of a breakdown. Lack of petrol forces boys to advance through all the humankind development ages and produce it, it pollutes the island's environment; vehicles - Milloplane, and in 1991 version also Grinderoplane)
- Book XI - Monuments Conservation (stopping the ruins of a historic castle from demolish, the chief characters meet a friendly ghost who takes them back to the times of the old Poland, so they can steal the construction plans for this castle, taking part in an assault of Slygoldies on Jedzosław( Pol.- Jedz- Eng.-eat; -sław - suffix in very many Polish old-fashioned names) vehicle - Ironoplane)
- Book XII - Operation Bieszczady 40 (the chief characters set off to a trip to Bieszczady mountains in the course of scouting campaign to build a camp site; vehicle - Hummingtopoplane)
- Book XIII - Tytus on the Expedition to the Nonsense Islands (prof. T. Alent induces the boys to investigate the unknown Nonsense Islands inhabited by strange commonalty; vehicles - Slidoplane 1 and Slidoplane 2)
- Book XIV - New Teaching Methods (Romek and A'Tomek establish a school for Tytus and try to teach him the ordinary subjects, a professor's T. Alent teaching machine comes with help; vehicles - Whistleplane)
- Book XV - Tytus becoming a Geologist (Again, prof. T. Alent has the boys to accomplish a mission - doing a research in he Earth's interior; vehicle - Screwer)
- Book XVI
- Book XVII
- Book XVIII
- Book XIX
- Book XX
- Book XXI
- Book XXII
- Book XXIII
- Book XXIV
- Book XXV
- Book XXVI
- Book XXVII
- Book XXVIII
- Book XXIX
- Book XXX
- Book XXXI