''Tora Torapa'', written and drawn by
Fournier, is the twenty-third 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 author's fourth, following 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 its publication as a hardcover album in 1973.
Story
In ''Tora Torapa'',
Spirou, Fantasio, The
Count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
, Itoh Kata and
Zorglub
Zorglub is a fictional character in the Belgian comic strip ''Spirou et Fantasio'', created by Greg and André Franquin, and first appeared in the serialised story ''Z comme Zorglub'' in '' Spirou'' magazine in 1959, later published in the diptyc ...
are all gathered at Champignac, when ''The Triangle'' appears again, this time to kidnap the scientist with a dubious past, Zorglub. The heroes manage to shoot a tracking device into their abducted friend, and eventually trace the movements of the kidnappers to the island of Tora Torapa, in the past the location of an old base used by the Zorglub network. There, Triangle number one ''Papa Pop'' (cf.
Papa Doc), actually one of Spirou's arch-enemies
Zantafio in disguise, is waiting with evil plans for world domination, but which he needs Zorglub to set into effect.
Background
In this album,
Ororéa is introduced.
Trivia
Papa Pop's henchman Mac Ravash bears strong resemblance to comics writer and ''
Spirou'' magazine editor
Yvan Delporte
Yvan Delporte (24 June 1928 – 5 March 2007) 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. He is credited with seve ...
.
The album features
cameos of two other famous characters in
Franco-Belgian comics (also featured in the ''Spirou'' magazine); at the airport, airline hostess
Natacha is seen leading the boy
Benoît Brisefer
''Benoît Brisefer'' (French language, French for "Benedict Ironbreaker", published as "Benny Breakiron" in English, Dutch language, Dutch: ''Steven Sterk'') is a Franco-Belgian comics, Belgian comic strip created in 1960 by Peyo (best known for ...
.
References
Fournier publications in ''Spirou''BDoubliées
Footnotes
External links
Spirou official site album index
Spirou et Fantasio albums
Works originally published in Spirou (magazine)
Literature first published in serial form
1973 books
1973 in comics
Comics set in Oceania
{{FrancoBelgian-comics-stub