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''Spirou'' (french: Le Journal de Spirou) is a weekly Franco-Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company since April 21, 1938. It's an anthology magazine with new features appearing regularly, containing a mix of short humor strips and serialized features, of which the most popular series would be collected as albums by Dupuis afterwards.


History


Creation

With the success of the weekly magazine ''
Le Journal de Mickey ''Le Journal de Mickey'' is a French weekly comics magazine established in 1934, featuring Disney comics from France and around the world. The magazine is currently published by Unique Heritage Media. It is centered on the adventures of Mickey M ...
'' in France, and the popularity of the weekly ''
Adventures of Tintin ''The Adventures of Tintin'' (french: Les Aventures de Tintin ) is a series of 24 bande dessinée#Formats, ''bande dessinée'' albums created by Belgians, Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, who wrote under the pen name Hergé. The series was one ...
'' in ''
Le Petit Vingtième ''Le Petit Vingtième'' (, ''The Little Twentieth'') was the weekly youth supplement to the Belgium, Belgian newspaper ''Le Vingtième Siècle'' ("The Twentieth Century") from 1928 to 1940. The comics series ''The Adventures of Tintin'' first app ...
'', many new comic magazines or youth magazines with comics appeared in France and Belgium in the second half of the 1930s. In 1936, the experienced publisher
Jean Dupuis Jean Dupuis (7 December 1829, Saint-Just-la-Pendue, France – 28 November 1912, Monaco) was a French trader and explorer. In Vietnamese royal records, he was referred as ''Đồ Phổ Nghĩa''. Biography Dupuis was educated at Tarare (Rhône dep ...
put his sons Paul and the 19-year-old Charles in charge of a new magazine aimed at the juvenile market. First appearing 21 April 1938, it was a large format magazine, available only in
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
and only in
Wallonia Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—alo ...
. It was an eight-page weekly comics magazine composed of a mixture of short stories and gags, serial comics and short articles. It introduced two new comics, the eponymous '' Spirou'' drawn by the young Frenchman
Rob-Vel François Robert Velter (; 9 February 1909 – 27 April 1991), known by his pen-name Rob-Vel (), was a French cartoonist. He is best known for creating the character '' Spirou'' in 1938. Biography Like ''Spirou'', Velter began his career as ...
, and ''Les Aventures de Tif'' (later to become ''
Tif et Tondu Tag Image File Format, abbreviated TIFF or TIF, is an image file format for storing raster graphics images, popular among graphic artists, the publishing industry, and photographers. TIFF is widely supported by scanning, faxing, word processin ...
'') written and drawn by Fernand Dineur, and printed American comics such as ''
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
'', '' Red Ryder'' and ''
Brick Bradford ''Brick Bradford'' is a science fiction comic strip created by writer William Ritt, a journalist based in Cleveland, and artist Clarence Gray. It was first distributed on August 21, 1933 by Central Press Association, a subsidiary of King Features ...
''. On 27 October 1938 the
Flemish Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
edition named ''Robbedoes'' appeared as well.


Second World War

''Spirou'' and ''Robbedoes'' soon became very popular and the magazine doubled its pages from 8 to 16. After the invasion of the Germans, the magazine gradually had to stop publishing American comics. They were at first continued by local artists and later replaced with new series. When Rob-Vel no longer had the possibility to send his pages from France to Belgium on a regular basis either, his series was continued by Joseph Gillain, a young artist who had previously worked for ''
Petits Belges ''Zonneland'' is a Belgian Dutch-language youth magazine published by Averbode since 1920. A French version called ''Petits Belges'' also started in the same year. It changed its name to ''Tremplin'' in 1960. History and profile ''Zonneland'' was ...
'' and used the pen name
Jijé Joseph Gillain (), better known by his pen name Jijé (; 13 January 1914 – 19 June 1980), was a Belgian comics artist, best known for being a seminal artist on the ''Spirou et Fantasio'' strip (and for having introduced the Fantasio character) a ...
. Together with Dineur and
Sirius Sirius is the list of brightest stars, brightest star in the night sky. Its name is derived from the Ancient Greek language, Greek word , or , meaning 'glowing' or 'scorching'. The star is designated α Canis Majoris, Latinisation ...
(pen name of Max Mayeu), they filled the magazine with a number of new series and increased the popularity of it even further. Near the end of the war, due to paper shortages, publication had to be stopped anyway, with only a few irregular almanacs to keep the bond with the readers intact and to provide work for the personnel to prevent them being deported to Germany.


The golden years

The period 1945–1960 has been described by critics as the golden age of ''Spirou'' magazine and of Belgian comics in general, partly incited by the 1946 appearance of the successful competitor ''
Tintin Tintin or Tin Tin may refer to: ''The Adventures of Tintin'' * ''The Adventures of Tintin'', a comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé ** Tintin (character), a fictional character in the series ** ''The Adventures of Tintin'' (film), 2011, ...
'' magazine. ''Spirou'' resumed publication only weeks after Belgium was liberated, but now on a much smaller format. Jijé was the main author, providing pages from multiple series each week. Some American comics reappeared as well. Jijé started out a studio, where he schooled three talented apprentices,
Will Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...
, André Franquin and Morris; known as the "Bande à quatre", "Gang of four", they began laying the foundation for the
Marcinelle school The term "Marcinelle school" (french: École de Marcinelle) or "Charleroi school" (''École de Charleroi'') refers to a group of Belgian cartoonists formed by Joseph Gillain (known as Jijé) following World War II. The first generation, known as ...
that marked the magazine for decades. In 1946 and 1947, the team was joined by some of the main contributors to ''Spirou'' for the next decades, including
Victor Hubinon Victor Hubinon (26 April 1924 – 8 January 1979) was a Belgian comic-book artist, best known for the series ''Buck Danny'' and ''Redbeard''. Biography Victor Hubinon was born in Angleur, Belgium, in 1924.De Weyer, Geert (2005). "Victor Hubino ...
,
Jean-Michel Charlier Jean-Michel Charlier (; 30 October 1924 – 10 July 1989) was a Belgian comics writer. He was a co-founder of the famed Franco-Belgian comics magazine ''Pilote''. Life Charlier was born in Liège, Belgium, in 1924.De Weyer, Geert (2005). ...
and Eddy Paape. After a few years, these artists started their now classic series like '' Buck Danny'' by Hubinon and Charlier and '' Lucky Luke'' by Morris, while Franquin took over ''Spirou'' from Jijé. Gradually, the American comics and reprints were replaced by new,
European European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...
productions, and by the 50s, nearly all the content was made especially for the magazine. Charles Dupuis remained editor-in-chief of the magazine until 1955 when he appointed Yvan Delporte to that position, so he could himself focus on his increasing interest in the publication of the magazine's series' albums. The golden ages culminated in the 1950s with the introduction of more authors and series like Peyo (''
Johan and Peewit ''Johan and Peewit'' (french: Johan et Pirlouit, ) is a Belgian comics series created by Peyo. Since its initial appearance in 1947 it has been published in 13 albums that appeared before the death of Peyo in 1992. Thereafter, a team of comic bo ...
'' in 1952, ''
The Smurfs ''The Smurfs'' (french: Les Schtroumpfs; nl, De Smurfen) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was first created and in ...
'' in 1958), René Follet,
Marcel Remacle Marcel may refer to: People * Marcel (given name), people with the given name Marcel * Marcel (footballer, born August 1981), Marcel Silva Andrade, Brazilian midfielder * Marcel (footballer, born November 1981), Marcel Augusto Ortolan, Brazilian s ...
, Jean Roba (with '' Boule et Bill''),
Maurice Tillieux Maurice Tillieux (7 August 1921 – 2 February 1978) was a Belgians, Belgian writer and comic artist. He is regarded by many as a major figure of post-World War II, war Belgian comics. Early life Maurice Tillieux was born in Huy in 1921. At f ...
(with ''
Gil Jourdan Gil Jourdan is a Belgian detective comic strip created by Maurice Tillieux. It is a combination of mystery, adventure and humour. Origin and premise In 1956 the Belgian comic magazine '' Héroïc Albums'' ceased publication. ''Felix'', the adve ...
'') and Mitacq. In 1954, Jijé created the realistic western comic ''
Jerry Spring ''Jerry Spring'' is a Franco-Belgian comics, Franco-Belgian Western (genre), Western comics series created by the Belgium, Belgian comic book creator, comics creator Jijé. Originally published in ''Spirou (magazine), Spirou'' magazine, the serie ...
'', and in 1957 Franquin introduced the anti-hero ''
Gaston Lagaffe ''Gaston'' is a Belgian gag-a-day comic strip created in 1957 by the Belgian cartoonist André Franquin in the Franco-Belgian comics magazine '' Spirou''. The series focuses on the everyday life of Gaston Lagaffe (whose surname means "the blund ...
''. The authors of the magazine, many of them pupils of Jijé, were grouped stylistically in the Marcinelle school, the counterpart of ligne claire exhibited by the artists grouped around Hergé in ''
Tintin Tintin or Tin Tin may refer to: ''The Adventures of Tintin'' * ''The Adventures of Tintin'', a comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé ** Tintin (character), a fictional character in the series ** ''The Adventures of Tintin'' (film), 2011, ...
'' magazine (the main competitor for ''Spirou''). By 1960, the magazine had achieved a fixed structure and had grown to 52 pages, mainly filled with new, European (mainly Belgian) comics, coupled with some text pages (interaction with the readers) and adverts. Most of the comics were long-running series which were regularly published as albums of 44 or 64 pages, generating a constant source of revenue for the artists and the publisher. In the next decades, the sales of albums would become the main focus, reducing the importance of the magazine which became more of a breeding ground for new talent and series.


Rejuvenation in the 1960s and 1970s

In the early 1960s, the main changes were the strong editorial work of Delporte, who kept the magazine vibrant despite the more or less fixed series, with numerous supplements, games, and experimental layouts. The magazine demonstrated the pleasure that had gone in creating it, and maintained a strong reader base despite the growing competition from more adolescent and adult French magazines like '' Pilote''. Some of the main authors (Jijé, Franquin, Will, and Hubinon) temporarily started working for other magazines, with Morris the only major name who definitely left the magazine. Their replacements, like Berck, had trouble filling the void. Around 1959–1960, the first ''mini-récits'' (lit. mini-stories) appeared. This was an experiment in which the middle pages of the magazines could be removed, which the reader (armed with a pair of scissors, a stapler and some patience) could fold into a small comics magazine of its own. Several artists were allowed to hone their skills inside these mini-récits before moving on to larger pages, and until the 1970s, more than 500 mini-récits were produced, series that debuted in this format include ''
The Smurfs ''The Smurfs'' (french: Les Schtroumpfs; nl, De Smurfen) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was first created and in ...
'' by Peyo, ''
Bobo Bobo may refer to: Animals and plants * Bobo (gorilla) a popular gorilla at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle from 1953 to 1968 * Bobo, Vietnamese name for Job's tears, a plant of south-east Asia Entertainment, arts and media * ''Bobo'' (maga ...
'' by
Rosy Rosy is a given name or nickname and, more rarely, a surname. It may refer to: __NOTOC__ People Given name * Rosy Afsari (1946?–2007), actress in the Bangladeshi film industry * Rosy Akbar, Fijian politician who assumed office in 2014 * Rosy Ar ...
and Deliège, '' Flagada'' by Degotte among many others. Only in the early 1970s a number of new success series and authors appeared . The main contributor for the next decades was Raoul Cauvin, a lithographer who worked as a cameraman for the Dupuis animation studios and wrote stories for series like '' Musti''. He became the main story writer for Dupuis, with major series like '' Sammy'' with Berck, '' Les Tuniques Bleues'' with
Lambil Lambil (born 14 May 1936) is a Belgian comic-book artist, best known for the series ''Les Tuniques Bleues'', which has been published in English as "The Blue Tunics" and "The Bluecoats". Biography Willy Lambillotte was born in Tamines, Belgium ...
, and later '' Cédric'' with Laudec and '' Agent 212'' with
Daniel Kox Daniel Kox (born 4 February 1952, Ottignies) is a Belgian cartoonist and comics artist, best known for his comics series ''Agent 212''. Biography Early in his career, Kox worked as an assistant for Dino Attanasio. In 1970 began publishing ''Vlad ...
, among many others. Other important new authors were François Walthery with '' Natacha'' and
Roger Leloup Roger Leloup (; born 17 November 1933) is a Belgian comic strip artist, novelist, and a former collaborator of Hergé, who would rely upon him to create detailed, realistic drawings and elaborate decoration for ''The Adventures of Tintin''.
with ''
Yoko Tsuno ''Yoko Tsuno'' is a comics album series created by the Belgian writer Roger Leloup published by Dupuis in '' Spirou'' magazine since its debut in 1970. Through thirty volumes, the series tell the adventures of Yoko Tsuno, a female electrical eng ...
'', together with ''
Isabelle Isabel is a female name of Spanish origin. Isabelle is a name that is similar, but it is of French origin. It originates as the medieval Spanish form of '' Elisabeth'' (ultimately Hebrew ''Elisheva''), Arising in the 12th century, it became popul ...
'' by Will evidence of the new wave of adventurous female-oriented comics of the decade. A commercial failure but artistic success came along in 1977, when Delporte created the more adult supplement '' Le Trombone Illustré'', which appeared inside ''Spirou'' for thirty weeks, and showcased new artists like
Didier Comès Didier Comès (11 December 1942 – 7 March 2013) was a Belgian comics artist, best known for his graphic novels published in the magazine ''(À Suivre)''. Biography Didier Comès was born as Dieter Hermann Comès in Sourbrodt in 1942.De ...
, Enki Bilal, Claire Bretécher,
F'murr Richard Peyzaret (March 31, 1946 – April 10, 2018), better known by his pen name F'Murrr or F'Murr, was a French cartoonist and comic book writer. He was most famous for the long-running series ''Le Génie des alpages'' (''The Genius of the Mount ...
,
Grzegorz Rosinski Grzegorz (german: Falkenstein) is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Chełmża, within Toruń County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland. It lies approximately north-east of Chełmża and north of Toruń ...
, and
Frédéric Jannin Frédéric and Frédérick are the French versions of the common male given name Frederick. They may refer to: In artistry: * Frédéric Back, Canadian award-winning animator * Frédéric Bartholdi, French sculptor * Frédéric Bazille, Impressio ...
, next to more established authors like
René Hausman René Hausman (21 February 1936 – 28 April 2016) was a Belgian comic-book writer and artist, best known for his dark fairytales and watercolour drawings. Biography René Hausman was born in Verviers, Belgium in 1936.De Weyer, Geert (2005). ...
, Peyo, Roba, Marcel Gotlieb, and Franquin, who started his third major series, ''
Idées Noires ''Franquin's Last Laugh'' (french: Idées noires: Dark thoughts) is a collection of black comedy comic strips drawn by André Franquin, written by Franquin and Yvan Delporte. The one-page stories first appeared frequently in 1977, in the brief ru ...
''.


Since 1980

The early 1980s had ''Spirou'' and ''Robbedoes'' searching for a new, appealing identity, with new formulas, more adult comics like ''
XIII XIII may refer to: * 13 (number) or XIII in Roman numerals * 13th century in Roman numerals * ''XIII'' (comics), a Belgian comic book series by Jean Van Hamme and William Vance ** ''XIII'' (2003 video game), a 2003 video game based on the comic b ...
'' by
William Vance William van Cutsem (8 September 1935 – 14 May 2018), better known by his pen name William Vance, was a Belgian comics artist known for his distinctive realistic style and work in Franco-Belgian comics. Biography William van Cutsem was born i ...
and Jean Van Hamme or ''
Jeremiah Jeremiah, Modern:   , Tiberian: ; el, Ἰερεμίας, Ieremíās; meaning " Yah shall raise" (c. 650 – c. 570 BC), also called Jeremias or the "weeping prophet", was one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish ...
'' by Hermann. Most artists of the first generation were no longer active, and the productivity of many artists of the second generation slowed down as well. New talents were Tome and
Janry Jean-Richard Geurts, perhaps better known under his pseudonym Janry (born 2 October 1957), is a Belgian comics artist. With Tome he created ''Le Petit Spirou'' and made several ''Spirou et Fantasio'' albums. Early life Born in Jadotville (now L ...
, the new team for the ''Spirou et Fantasio'' comic,
Bruno Gazzotti Bruno Gazzotti (born 16 September 1970) is a Belgian comic book artist. He has drawn several popular comic book series, such as ''Soda'' and ''Seuls''. Childhood Gazzotti's Italian grandfather had been a miner, and his father lived in Belgium ...
(''
Soda Soda or SODA may refer to: Chemistry * Some chemical compounds containing sodium ** Sodium carbonate, washing soda or soda ash ** Sodium bicarbonate, baking soda ** Sodium hydroxide, caustic soda ** Sodium oxide, an alkali metal oxide * Sod ...
''),
François Gilson François Gilson (; born 16 November 1965) is a Belgian comics author. Signing his work simply as Gilson, he is best known for ''Mélusine (comics), Mélusine''. Biography François Gilson was born in 1965 in Arolsen, West Germany, where his fa ...
('' Mélusine''), Bercovici, Zidrou,
André Geerts André Geerts (18 December 1955 – 27 July 2010) was a Belgian comics creator best known for his series ''Jojo''. Biography André Geerts was born in Brussels in 1955. He studied at the Institut Saint-Luc art school in Brussels. He started work ...
,
Bernard Hislaire Bernard Hislaire (born 11 January 1957) is a Belgian comic book creator. He is also known as Sylaire and as Yslaire, his current artist name. Biography Bernard Hislaire was born in 1957 in Brussels, Belgium.De Weyer, Geert (2005). "Hislaire". In ...
, Midam ('' Kid Paddle''),
Frank Pé Frank Pé, often signing solely as Frank (15 July 1956) is a Belgian comic book artist, best known for ''Broussaille'' and ''Zoo''. Biography Frank Pé was born in Ixelles in 1956.De Weyer, Geert (2005). "Frank". In België gestript, pp. 112-113 ...
,
Marc Hardy Marc or MARC may refer to: People * Marc (given name), people with the first name * Marc (surname), people with the family name Acronyms * MARC standards, a data format used for library cataloging, * MARC Train, a regional commuter rail system of ...
and
Luc Cromheecke Luc Cromheecke (born 2 August 1961), is a Belgium, Belgian comics artist best known for the comic series ''Tom Carbon'', ''Taco Zip'', ''Roboboy'' and ''Plunk''. Biography Luc Cromheecke was born in Antwerp in 1961.De Weyer, Geert (2005). "Luc Cr ...
. ''Robbedoes'' had a severe reduction in the number of readers, and was first reduced to 32 pages (with ''Spirou'' growing to 68), before it finally disappeared in 2005.


Collections

From the very start, ''Spirou'' and ''Robbedoes'' published collections of 10 to 13 consecutive magazines in hardcover format - originally quarterly, but more frequently with the increased page number of the magazine. This series still continues for ''Spirou'' with 371 volumes as of September 2022.


''Spirou'' and ''Tintin'' rivalry

Since the 1940s, ''Spirou'' was in constant competition with ''
Tintin Tintin or Tin Tin may refer to: ''The Adventures of Tintin'' * ''The Adventures of Tintin'', a comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé ** Tintin (character), a fictional character in the series ** ''The Adventures of Tintin'' (film), 2011, ...
'' magazine . If one artist was published by one of the magazines, he would not be published by the other one. This was a gentleman's agreement between the two publishers, Raymond Leblanc of Le Lombard and Charles Dupuis of Dupuis. One notable exception was André Franquin, who in 1955, after a dispute with its editor, moved from the more popular ''Spirou'' to ''Tintin''. The dispute was quickly settled, but Franquin had signed an agreement with ''Tintin'' for five years. He created ''
Modeste et Pompon ''Modeste and Pompon'' (''Modeste et Pompon'') is a Belgian comic series consisting mainly of humorous one-page short stories about a temperamental young man and his girlfriend. Created by André Franquin, it was first published in ''Tintin'' ma ...
'' for ''Tintin'' while pursuing work for ''Spirou''. He quit ''Tintin'' at the end of his contract. Some artists moved from ''Spirou'' to ''Tintin'' like Eddy Paape and Liliane & Fred Funcken, while some went from ''Tintin'' to ''Spirou'' like Raymond Macherot and Berck.


Main authors and series

*
Aymond Aymond (foaled 1927 in Ontario) was a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1930 King's Plate. Bred by Whitby, Ontario's James Heffering, he was out of the mare, Ablaze, and sired by Roselyon, a son of the 1911 Epsom Derb ...
: ''Lady S.'' (2004–) * Bédu: ''Psy'' (1992–2019) *
Benn Benn is a surname and given name. It may refer to: Surname * A. W. Benn (1843–1915), British rationalist/humanist writer * Aluf Benn (born 1965), Israeli journalist, author and editor-in-chief of the Israeli national daily newspaper ''Haaretz'' ...
: ''Mic Mac Adam'' (1978–1987) * Berck: '' Sammy'' (1970–1994) * Bercovici: '' Les Femmes en Blanc'' (1981–) * Blesteau: ''Toupet'' (1987–2004), ''Wofi'' (1976–1987) * Bom: ''Broussaille'' (1983–1989, 2000) * Raoul Cauvin: '' Les Tuniques Bleues'' (1968–), ''Sammy'' (1970–2009), '' Cédric'' (1986–), '' Agent 212'' (1975–) etc. *
Jean-Michel Charlier Jean-Michel Charlier (; 30 October 1924 – 10 July 1989) was a Belgian comics writer. He was a co-founder of the famed Franco-Belgian comics magazine ''Pilote''. Life Charlier was born in Liège, Belgium, in 1924.De Weyer, Geert (2005). ...
: '' Buck Danny'' (1947–1978) *
Clarke Clarke is a surname which means "clerk". The surname is of English and Irish origin and comes from the Latin . Variants include Clerk and Clark. Clarke is also uncommonly chosen as a given name. Irish surname origin Clarke is a popular surname i ...
: '' Mélusine'' (1992–) *
Stéphane Colman Stéphane is a male French given name an equivalent of Stephen/Steven. Notable people with this given name include: *Stéphane Adam (born 1969), French footballer *Stéphane Agbre Dasse (born 1989), Burkinabé football player *Stéphane Allagnon, ...
: '' Billy the Cat'' (1981–1999) *
Didier Conrad Didier Conrad (born 6 May 1959) is a French comics artist and writer. Since 2012, he has been the artist of the popular ''Asterix'' series. Biography Beginnings Didier Conrad was born in Marseille of parents originally from Switzerland. He dev ...
: ''Les innomables'' (1980–1982), ''Donito'' (1991–1996) * Darasse: ''Tamara'' (2001–), ''Gang Mazda'' (1987–1996) *
Lucien De Gieter Lucien is a male given name. It is the French form of Luciano or Latin ''Lucianus'', patronymic of Lucius. Lucien, Saint Lucien, or Saint-Lucien may also refer to: People Given name * Lucien of Beauvais, Christian saint *Lucien, a band member ...
: ''
Papyrus Papyrus ( ) is a material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient times as a writing surface. It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant, '' Cyperus papyrus'', a wetland sedge. ''Papyrus'' (plural: ''papyri'') can also refer to a ...
'' (1974–) *
Arthur De Pins Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more wi ...
: '' Zombillénium'' (2009–) *
Charles Degotte Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...
: ''Flagada'' (1961–1988), ''Motards'' (1984–1993) *
Delaf Delaf (the pen name of Marc Delafontaine, born October 9, 1973, in Sherbrooke, Quebec), is a '' Québécois'' comics creator and illustrator, notable for his work in ''The Bellybuttons'' (''Les Nombrils''), a comics feature that he co-created wit ...
: ''
The Bellybuttons ''The Bellybuttons'' (french: Les Nombrils, ) is a Canadian comics series written by Maryse Dubuc (credited as "Dubuc") and illustrated by her husband, Marc "Delaf" Delafontaine. Dubuc and Delafontaine are based in Sherbrooke, Quebec. History A ...
'' (2005–2020) *
Paul Deliège Paul Deliège (21 January 1931 – 7 July 2005) was a Belgian artist and writer of comics. He is most famous for his series ''Bobo''. Biography Deliège was born in Olne. He started in the daily ''Le Soir'' with ''Père Bricole et Félicie ...
: ''
Bobo Bobo may refer to: Animals and plants * Bobo (gorilla) a popular gorilla at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle from 1953 to 1968 * Bobo, Vietnamese name for Job's tears, a plant of south-east Asia Entertainment, arts and media * ''Bobo'' (maga ...
'' (1961–1996), ''Les Krostons'' (1968–1983) * Yvan Delporte: ''
Isabelle Isabel is a female name of Spanish origin. Isabelle is a name that is similar, but it is of French origin. It originates as the medieval Spanish form of '' Elisabeth'' (ultimately Hebrew ''Elisheva''), Arising in the 12th century, it became popul ...
'' (1969–1994), ''
The Smurfs ''The Smurfs'' (french: Les Schtroumpfs; nl, De Smurfen) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was first created and in ...
'' (1962–1972) *
Stephen Desberg Stephen Desberg (born 10 September 1954 in Brussels) is a Belgian writer of comics. In 2010, he was the 10th bestselling author of comics in France, with 412,000 copies of all his comics together sold that year. Biography Stephen Desberg was bor ...
: ''
Tif et Tondu Tag Image File Format, abbreviated TIFF or TIF, is an image file format for storing raster graphics images, popular among graphic artists, the publishing industry, and photographers. TIFF is widely supported by scanning, faxing, word processin ...
'' (1977–1989), ''Billy the Cat'' (1982–2004), ''421'' (1980–1992), ''Mic Mac Adam'' (1978–1987) *
Daniel Desorgher Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength"), ...
: ''Jimmy Tousseul'' (1988–2000) * Jacques Devos: ''
Génial Olivier Génial Olivier (''Brilliant Olivier'') is a humorous Belgian comic series about a child prodigy. Written and drawn by Jacques Devos, it first appeared in '' Spirou'' magazine in 1963 and lasted a quarter of a century, ending with Devos' retirem ...
'' (1963–1988) * Fernand Dineur: ''Tif et Tondu'' (1938–1951) *
Alain Dodier Alain may refer to: People * Alain (given name), common given name, including list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Alain (surname) * "Alain", a pseudonym for cartoonist Daniel Brustlein * Alain, a standard author abbreviation u ...
: ''Jérôme K. Jérôme Bloche'' (1982–) * Dubuc: ''The Bellybuttons'' (2005–2020) * Serge Ernst: ''Les Zappeurs'' (1991–2011) * Benoît Feroumont: ''Le Royaume'' (2008–) * René Follet: Various series (1949–2016) *
Gérald Forton Gérald Forton (10 April 1931 – 16 December 2021) was a Belgian-born French comic book artist. He was the grandson of , creator of ''Les Pieds Nickelés''. Life and career In 1950, Forton wrote his first short stories in Caméra 34. In 1951, h ...
: ''Kim Devil'' (1953–1956), '' Les Belles Histoires de l'oncle Paul'' (1952–1964) *
Jean-Claude Fournier Jean-Claude Fournier (; born 21 May 1943, Paris), 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 In 1965, Fournier approached André Franqu ...
: '' Spirou et Fantasio'' (1969–1979), ''Bizu'' (1967–1994), ''Crannibales'' (1995–2005, 2011) *
Francis Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Francis (surname) Places * Rural M ...
: ''Marc Lebut'' (1966–1983) * Frank: ''Broussaille'' (1978–1989, 2000–2002), ''L'elan'' (1981–1987) * André Franquin: ''Spirou et Fantasio'' (1946–1969), ''
Gaston Lagaffe ''Gaston'' is a Belgian gag-a-day comic strip created in 1957 by the Belgian cartoonist André Franquin in the Franco-Belgian comics magazine '' Spirou''. The series focuses on the everyday life of Gaston Lagaffe (whose surname means "the blund ...
'' (1957–1991) *
Bruno Gazzotti Bruno Gazzotti (born 16 September 1970) is a Belgian comic book artist. He has drawn several popular comic book series, such as ''Soda'' and ''Seuls''. Childhood Gazzotti's Italian grandfather had been a miner, and his father lived in Belgium ...
: ''
Soda Soda or SODA may refer to: Chemistry * Some chemical compounds containing sodium ** Sodium carbonate, washing soda or soda ash ** Sodium bicarbonate, baking soda ** Sodium hydroxide, caustic soda ** Sodium oxide, an alkali metal oxide * Sod ...
'' (1990–2005), ''Seuls'' (2006–) *
André Geerts André Geerts (18 December 1955 – 27 July 2010) was a Belgian comics creator best known for his series ''Jojo''. Biography André Geerts was born in Brussels in 1955. He studied at the Institut Saint-Luc art school in Brussels. He started work ...
: ''
Jojo Jojo, JoJo or Jo Jo is a given name, surname, nickname or stage name used by several people and fictional characters, including: People with the given name, nickname or stage name Musicians *JoJo (singer) (born 1990), American R&B singer, songwri ...
'' (1983–2010) *
François Gilson François Gilson (; born 16 November 1965) is a Belgian comics author. Signing his work simply as Gilson, he is best known for ''Mélusine (comics), Mélusine''. Biography François Gilson was born in 1965 in Arolsen, West Germany, where his fa ...
: ''Mélusine'' (1992–2012), ''Garage Isidore'' (1991–2012) * Godard: ''Toupet'' (1965–1966, 1987–2004) *
Gos GOS may refer to: Science and technology * gOS (operating system), a Linux distribution * Gadolinium oxysulfide, an inorganic compound * Galactooligosaccharide, carbohydrates found in milk * Geographical Operations System, mapping and database ...
: ''
Scrameustache The Scrameustache is a fictional character in a science-fiction Franco-Belgian comics series of the same name. He was created by the Belgian artist Gos. Gos has written and drawn all the Scrameustache's adventures since 1972. Since the mid-1980s ...
'' (1972–2002) * René Goscinny: '' Lucky Luke'' (1955–1967, 1978) *
Marc Hardy Marc or MARC may refer to: People * Marc (given name), people with the first name * Marc (surname), people with the family name Acronyms * MARC standards, a data format used for library cataloging, * MARC Train, a regional commuter rail system of ...
: ''
Pierre Tombal Pierre Tombal is a Belgian gag comic strip, drawn by Marc Hardy and written by Raoul Cauvin, about a gravedigger and the dead people at his cemetery. The series has been in syndication since 1983 and is published in the Belgian magazine Spirou b ...
'' (1983–) *
René Hausman René Hausman (21 February 1936 – 28 April 2016) was a Belgian comic-book writer and artist, best known for his dark fairytales and watercolour drawings. Biography René Hausman was born in Verviers, Belgium in 1936.De Weyer, Geert (2005). ...
: ''Bestiaire'' (1959–1967), ''Laïyna'' (1985–1987) *
Bernard Hislaire Bernard Hislaire (born 11 January 1957) is a Belgian comic book creator. He is also known as Sylaire and as Yslaire, his current artist name. Biography Bernard Hislaire was born in 1957 in Brussels, Belgium.De Weyer, Geert (2005). "Hislaire". In ...
: ''Bidouille et Violette'' (1978–1985, 2011) *
Victor Hubinon Victor Hubinon (26 April 1924 – 8 January 1979) was a Belgian comic-book artist, best known for the series ''Buck Danny'' and ''Redbeard''. Biography Victor Hubinon was born in Angleur, Belgium, in 1924.De Weyer, Geert (2005). "Victor Hubino ...
: ''Buck Danny'' (1947–1979) *
Gerrit De Jager Gerrit de Jager (born 1954, Amsterdam) is a Dutch cartoonist, creator of series such as ', ', ' and '. His career started in the early 1980s with Wim Stevenhagen under the pseudonym ''Prutspruts'' ("fiddle-fiddle"), which later changed to ''P ...
: ''Aristote et ses potes'' (1985–1994) *
Frédéric Jannin Frédéric and Frédérick are the French versions of the common male given name Frederick. They may refer to: In artistry: * Frédéric Back, Canadian award-winning animator * Frédéric Bartholdi, French sculptor * Frédéric Bazille, Impressio ...
: ''Germain et nous...'' (1977–1992) *
Janry Jean-Richard Geurts, perhaps better known under his pseudonym Janry (born 2 October 1957), is a Belgian comics artist. With Tome he created ''Le Petit Spirou'' and made several ''Spirou et Fantasio'' albums. Early life Born in Jadotville (now L ...
, ''Spirou et Fantasio'' (1981–1998), ''
Le Petit Spirou ''Le Petit Spirou'' ( nl, De Kleine Robbe, link=no; ''"Young Spirou"'') is a popular Belgian comic strip created by Tome and Janry in 1987. The series developed from ''La jeunesse de Spirou'' (1987), a ''Spirou & Fantasio'' album in which Tome ...
'' (1987–), ''Passe–moi l’ciel'' (1990–) *
Jidéhem Jean De Mesmaeker (21 December 1935 – 30 April 2017) known by the pseudonym Jidéhem ("JDM"), was a Belgian comics artist in the Marcinelle school tradition. He was best known for his series featuring a cute, playful and adventurous young girl, ...
: ''Gaston Lagaffe'' (1957–1969), ''
Sophie Sophie is a version of the female given name Sophia, meaning "wise". People with the name Born in the Middle Ages * Sophie, Countess of Bar (c. 1004 or 1018–1093), sovereign Countess of Bar and lady of Mousson * Sophie of Thuringia, Duchess o ...
'' (1965–1994), '' Starter'' (1957–1978) *
Jijé Joseph Gillain (), better known by his pen name Jijé (; 13 January 1914 – 19 June 1980), was a Belgian comics artist, best known for being a seminal artist on the ''Spirou et Fantasio'' strip (and for having introduced the Fantasio character) a ...
: ''Spirou et Fantasio'' (1940–1951), ''
Jerry Spring ''Jerry Spring'' is a Franco-Belgian comics, Franco-Belgian Western (genre), Western comics series created by the Belgium, Belgian comic book creator, comics creator Jijé. Originally published in ''Spirou (magazine), Spirou'' magazine, the serie ...
'' (1954–1977), ''Jean Valhardi'' (1941–1965) *
Joan Joan may refer to: People and fictional characters * Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters *:Joan of Arc, a French military heroine * Joan (surname) Weather events *Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multip ...
: ''Joue avec La Petite Lucie'' (1994–) *
Octave Joly In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
: ''Les Belles Histoires de l'oncle Paul'' (1951–1982) * Daniël Kox: '' Agent 212'' (1975–) *
Lambil Lambil (born 14 May 1936) is a Belgian comic-book artist, best known for the series ''Les Tuniques Bleues'', which has been published in English as "The Blue Tunics" and "The Bluecoats". Biography Willy Lambillotte was born in Tamines, Belgium ...
: '' Les Tuniques Bleues'' (1972–), ''Pauvre Lampil'' (1974–2006), ''Sandy'' (1959–1974) *
Denis Lapière Denis may refer to: People * Saint Denis of Paris, 3rd-century Christian martyr and first bishop of Paris * Denis the Areopagite, Biblical figure * Denis, son of Ampud (died 1236), baron in the Kingdom of Hungary * Denis the Carthusian (1402–14 ...
: ''Ludo'' (1997–2009), ''Oscar'' (2000–2008) * Laudec: '' Cédric'' (1986–) *
Frank Le Gall Frank Le Gall (born 23 September 1959 in Rouen), is a French author of comics. He was first published as a comic author at the age of 16 in '' Pistil''. He then went on to work for '' Spirou'', creating "Valry Bonpain," a comic series following a ...
: ''
Théodore Poussin ''Théodore Poussin'' is a Franco-Belgian comics book series created by the French writer Frank Le Gall Frank Le Gall (born 23 September 1959 in Rouen), is a French author of comics. He was first published as a comic author at the age of 16 in ...
'' (1984–1988, 1997–2004) * Libon: ''Animal Lecteur'' (2006–2018) * Pic Le Lièvre: ''Pic et Zou'' (1998–) *
Roger Leloup Roger Leloup (; born 17 November 1933) is a Belgian comic strip artist, novelist, and a former collaborator of Hergé, who would rely upon him to create detailed, realistic drawings and elaborate decoration for ''The Adventures of Tintin''.
: ''
Yoko Tsuno ''Yoko Tsuno'' is a comics album series created by the Belgian writer Roger Leloup published by Dupuis in '' Spirou'' magazine since its debut in 1970. Through thirty volumes, the series tell the adventures of Yoko Tsuno, a female electrical eng ...
'' (1970–) * Raymond Macherot: ''
Sibylline Sibylline is a Belgian comics series by Raymond Macherot and his second best-known work after ''Chlorophylle''. Just like the latter, it is a fantasy comic about anthropomorphic animals in a forest setting. However, here the protagonist is a fem ...
'' (1965–1990) *
Malik Malik, Mallik, Melik, Malka, Malek, Maleek, Malick, Mallick, or Melekh ( phn, 𐤌𐤋𐤊; ar, ملك; he, מֶלֶךְ) is the Semitic term translating to "king", recorded in East Semitic and Arabic, and as mlk in Northwest Semitic duri ...
: '' Cupidon'' (1988–2011), ''Archie Cash'' (1971–1987) * Maltaite: ''421'' (1980–1992) *
Mazel Mazel is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Eugène Mazel (1828–1890), French amateur botanist * Ilya Mazel (aka Ruvim Mazel, 1890–1967), Soviet painter * Isaak Mazel (1911–1945), Soviet chess master * Judy Mazel (1943–20 ...
: ''Jungles perdues'' (1975–1987, 2008), ''Les mousquetaires'' (1969–1992) * Midam: '' Kid Paddle'' (1993–), ''Game Over'', (2003–) * Mitacq: '' La Patrouille des Castors'' (1954–1993) * Morris: ''Lucky Luke'' (1946–1967, 1978–1985) * Eddy Paape: ''Marc Dacier'' (1958–1967), ''Jean Valhardi'' (1946–1953) * Peyo: ''
Johan and Peewit ''Johan and Peewit'' (french: Johan et Pirlouit, ) is a Belgian comics series created by Peyo. Since its initial appearance in 1947 it has been published in 13 albums that appeared before the death of Peyo in 1992. Thereafter, a team of comic bo ...
'' (1952–1977), ''
The Smurfs ''The Smurfs'' (french: Les Schtroumpfs; nl, De Smurfen) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was first created and in ...
'' (1959–1988), '' Benoît Brisefer'' (1960–1978) *
Arthur Piroton Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more wi ...
: ''
Jess Long Jess is a unisex given name, often a short form (hypocorism) of Jessica, Jesse, Jessie, etc., and a surname. It may refer to: Given name * Jess Atkinson (born 1961), American football player * Jess Cain (1926–2008), American radio host * Jes ...
'' (1969–1995), '' Michel et Thierry'' (1962–1968) *
Marcel Remacle Marcel may refer to: People * Marcel (given name), people with the given name Marcel * Marcel (footballer, born August 1981), Marcel Silva Andrade, Brazilian midfielder * Marcel (footballer, born November 1981), Marcel Augusto Ortolan, Brazilian s ...
: '' Vieux Nick'' (1958–1990) * Jean Roba: '' Boule et Bill'' (1959–2006) * Maurice Rosy: ''Bobo'' (1961–1973), ''Tif et Tondu'' (1955–1968), ''Attila'' (1967–1973) * Sergio Salma: ''Animal Lecteur'' (2006–2018) * Savoia: ''Marzi'' (2004–) *
Pierre Seron Pierre Seron (9 February 1942 – 24 May 2017) was a Belgian comic book artist. Biography He spent the first few years of his life in Liège then followed the work transfers of his father, an engineer, to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Libourne, F ...
: '' Les Petits Hommes'' (1967–2004) *
Sirius Sirius is the list of brightest stars, brightest star in the night sky. Its name is derived from the Ancient Greek language, Greek word , or , meaning 'glowing' or 'scorching'. The star is designated α Canis Majoris, Latinisation ...
: '' Timour'' (1953–1997), ''L'épervier bleu'' (1942–1951, 1973–1977) *
Sowa The SoWa Art & Design District (South of Washington) in the South End of Boston, Massachusetts, USA, is a community of artist studios, contemporary art galleries, boutiques, design showrooms, and restaurants. Once an area of neglected warehouses ...
: ''Marzi'' (2004–) * Stuf: ''Passe–moi l’ciel'' (1990–2015) *
Fabrice Tarrin Fabrice is a French masculine given name from the Roman name ''Fabricius'', which is itself derived from the Latin ''faber'' meaning blacksmith or craftsman. Notable people with the name include: * Fabrice Balanche (born 1969), French geographer * ...
: '' Violine'' (2001–2005), ''Maki'' (2008–2011) *
Maurice Tillieux Maurice Tillieux (7 August 1921 – 2 February 1978) was a Belgians, Belgian writer and comic artist. He is regarded by many as a major figure of post-World War II, war Belgian comics. Early life Maurice Tillieux was born in Huy in 1921. At f ...
: ''
Gil Jourdan Gil Jourdan is a Belgian detective comic strip created by Maurice Tillieux. It is a combination of mystery, adventure and humour. Origin and premise In 1956 the Belgian comic magazine '' Héroïc Albums'' ceased publication. ''Felix'', the adve ...
'' (1956–1978), ''César'' (1957–1973), ''Marc Lebut'' (1966–1982) * Tome: ''Spirou et Fantasio'' (1981–1998), ''Le Petit Spirou'' (1987–2019), ''Soda'' (1985–2014) *
Lewis Trondheim Lewis Trondheim (born Laurent Chabosy, , on 11 December 1964), is a French cartoonist and one of the founders (in 1990) of the independent publisher L'Association. Both his silent comic ''La Mouche'' and Kaput and Zösky have been made into animat ...
: ''Ralph Azham'' (2010–2019), ''Zizi chauve–souris'' (2011–), ''L'Atelier Mastodonte'' (2011–2018) * Jean Van Hamme: ''Lady S.'' (2004–), ''
XIII XIII may refer to: * 13 (number) or XIII in Roman numerals * 13th century in Roman numerals * ''XIII'' (comics), a Belgian comic book series by Jean Van Hamme and William Vance ** ''XIII'' (2003 video game), a 2003 video game based on the comic b ...
'' (1984–1986) * Fabien Vehlmann: ''Spirou et Fantasio'' (2006–), ''Seuls'' (2006–) *
François Walthéry François Walthéry (born 17 January 1946 in Argenteau near Liège) is a Belgian comics artist, best known for his series featuring an adventurous flight attendant, '' Natacha''. Biography Walthéry began his career in 1962 during studies a ...
: '' Natacha'' (1970–2007) *
Marc Wasterlain Marc or MARC may refer to: People * Marc (given name), people with the first name * Marc (surname), people with the family name Acronyms * MARC standards, a data format used for library cataloging, * MARC Train, a regional commuter rail system of ...
: '' Docteur Poche'' (1976–1997, 2011), ''
Jeannette Pointu Jeannette Pointu is a Belgian comic book series created by Marc Wasterlain, starring the eponymous character. Comic books # ''Le Fils de l'Inca'', # ''Quatre x quatre'', # ''Le Dragon vert'', # ''Yeren'', # ''Reportages'', # ''Le Secret at ...
'' (1982–2005) * Weyland: ''Aria'' (2002–2015) *
Will Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...
: ''Tif et Tondu'' (1949–1990), ''Isabelle'' (1969–1994) * Yann: ''Les innomables'' (1980–1982), ''Spirou et Fantasio'' (2006–) *
Yoann Yoann Chivard (born 8 October 1971 in Alençon, Orne), better known under the artist name ''Yoann'' is a French comics artist. In January 2009, it was announced that Yoann and the comics writer Fabien Vehlmann would take over the responsibility f ...
: ''Spirou et Fantasio'' (2006–) * Zidrou: ''Tamara'' (2001–), ''Crannibales'' (1995–2005)


Format

The target audience is between 9 and 16 years, although the magazine appeals to many adults as well. Over the years, ''Spirou'' has undergone a few format changes and gradually became thicker, eventually averaging 68 pages. It was distributed in most French and Dutch speaking countries, and for some years, editions in other languages appeared as well (notably in Spain and Portugal). A few pages, apart from the comics and the advertising, are always put aside for text contents and interaction with the readers (games, letters, jokes, etc.). Often a general theme is used to give the magazine some unity instead of being just a collection of unrelated comics, and this also gets reflected in the layout. Along with ''
Tintin Tintin or Tin Tin may refer to: ''The Adventures of Tintin'' * ''The Adventures of Tintin'', a comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé ** Tintin (character), a fictional character in the series ** ''The Adventures of Tintin'' (film), 2011, ...
'' magazine (founded in 1946), it was considered the home of the Franco-Belgian comics school until the seventies, when its importance declined. Still in publication, Spirou sells some 100,000 copies every week (as of 2009). ''Robbedoes'' was eventually shelved in September 2005, after more than 3500 weekly publications.


Title

*On 21 April 1938, the magazine was created under the name ''Le journal de Spirou''. *On 1 May 1947, it was renamed ''Spirou''. *On 5 October 1988, it was renamed ''Spirou Magaziiiine'' *On 12 January 1994, it was once again named ''Spirou''. *On 25 January 2006, it became ''Spirou HeBDo''. *On 16 April 2008, it again became ''Spirou''.


Notes


Notes


Sources


Dossier and issue index of ''Spirou''
BDoubliées


External links


Spirou official magazine site

Dupuis official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spirou (Magazine) 1938 establishments in Belgium Comics magazines published in Belgium Children's magazines published in Belgium Weekly magazines published in Belgium Dupuis titles Bandes dessinées French-language magazines Magazines established in 1938 Spirou et Fantasio 1938 comics debuts