''Le faiseur d'or'', written and drawn by Fournier, is the twentieth album of the ''

Spirou et Fantasio ''Spirou & Fantasio'' (french: Spirou et Fantasio, wa, Spirou eyet Fantasio) is one of the most popular classic Franco-Belgian comics. The series, which has been running since 1938, shares many characteristics with other European comics, European ...

'' series, and the first to follow the ''Spirou'' retirement of

André Franquin André Franquin (; 3 January 1924 – 5 January 1997) was an influential Belgian comics artist, whose best-known creations are '' Gaston'' and ''Marsupilami''. He also produced the ''Spirou et Fantasio'' comic strip from 1946 to 1968, a period s ...

. The story was initially serialised in '' Spirou'' magazine, before publication grouped with ''Un Noël clandestin'' and ''Le champignon nippon'' in a hardcover album in 1970.

Synopsis

In ''The Gold Maker'', The Count of Champignac reveals on television that he knows the location of a coveted book revealing the secrets of ancient alchemist

Nicolas Flamel Nicolas Flamel (; 1330 – 22 March 1418) was a French scribe and manuscript-seller. After his death, Flamel developed a reputation as an alchemist believed to have created and discovered the philosopher's stone and to have thereby achieved im ...

, which Spirou fears may tempt many a criminal. Upon visiting Champignac they find his friend Zorglub unconscious, and the Count abducted. When Zorglub comes to, he suspects having recognized Zantafio as one of the kidnappers. ''The Clandestine Christmas'' is the story of a small, very wealthy boy Henri who prefers to spend Christmas with his unlikely friend, the much older, unwealthy Jean Babtiste. The two move outdoors to find someone to share the affluence of cake they have, and by chance join Spirou and Fantasio in celebrating a special Christmas. in ''The Japanese Mushroom'', Spirou and Fantasio travel to Japan, and are introduced to the Count's Japanese counterpart, Itoh Kata, and a new arch-villainous syndicate of global crime, "The Triangle". The story ends as a teaser for the following album, '' Du glucose pour Noémie''.

Background

is credited with the

Marsupilami ''Marsupilami'' is a comic book character and fictional animal species created by André Franquin. Its first appearance was in the 31 January 1952 issue of the Franco-Belgian comics magazine '' Spirou''. Since then it appeared regularly in th ...

artwork in ''Le faiseur d'or'', which was to be the final appearance of the creature in the ''Spirou'' adventures. Franquin had created the Marsupilami back in the 1950s and held the rights to the character. When Fournier took over the strip, Franquin agreed to a final appearance of the Marsupilami, but he has remained absent from the ''Spirou and Fantasio'' world until 2016.Franquin's official site
(in French) by Marsu Productions, who currently own the rights to the Marsupilami

References

Fournier publications in ''Spirou''
BDoubliées

External links

Spirou official site album index
Spirou et Fantasio albums Works originally published in Spirou (magazine) Literature first published in serial form 1970 books 1970 in comics Comics set in Japan Christmas graphic novels Fiction about alchemy Japan in non-Japanese culture {{FrancoBelgian-comics-stub