Blu (Monica's Gang)

Blu
Monica's Gang character

Blu in his current visual
First appearance July 18, 1959 (comic strip)
Voiced by Odair Batista
Maurício de Sousa
Information
Family Franklin (owner)

Blu (Bidu) is a character in the Brazilian comic strip Monica's Gang, created in 1959. He was the first character created by Maurício de Sousa, along with his owner Franklin (Franjinha).[1] The character appears in the logo and is the mascot of Mauricio de Sousa Produções, the company founded by Sousa to release his works.

Blu is the only character who appears in two different kinds of stories. In one, he is a normal dog, owned by Franklin, who fears taking baths (but is invariably forced to take them by Franklin), does anything in exchange for a bone, and plays around with the other dogs from the neighborhood. In the other type of stories, he is a director-actor of his own stories, is highly personified (walking with two feet behind the sets, and walking like a normal dog when acting), and is famous for the strips in which he talks to objects, especially the rock called Mrs. Stone.

History

Cover of the first edition of Blu comic, published in 1960

Mauricio says he based both Blu and Franklin on himself and Cuíca, the dog he had when he was a child.[2] His first appearance was in 1959 in the comic strip "Bidu e Franjinha" published in the newspaper Folha da Manhã.[3] His first stories had as protagonist the kid Franklin (the Blu's owner) and his friends Bucky, Jeremiah, Manezinho and Hummer. In 1960 through a partnership with the publisher Editora Outubro, Mauricio de Sousa collaborated making stories of his characters to children's magazine Zás Trás, while in the same year he created an own magazine for Blu and Franklin, titled Bidu by the publisher Editora Continental.[4] But his comic was canceled in the same year with only 8 issues.

In 1961 he and Franklin became a support characters of the strips when the character Jimmy Five has become the protagonist,[5] however stories with him and Franklin remain being published for many years. In 1963 when Mauricio founded his own studio, the project was originally called as "Bidulândia Serviços de Empresa" (now known as "Mauricio de Sousa Produções") in tribute to the character.[6] In the 70s and 80s the Blu and Franklin stories they were becoming less frequent, Franklin went on to act with Monica, Jimmy Five, Smudge and Maggy, while Blu went on to starring in stories alone.

Since the 1960s Blu doesn't have his own printed comics again, but when he completed 40 years of existence, a special print was released for him, and titled "Bidu – Especial 40 Anos" (Blu – 40 Years Special).[7]

Related characters

References

  1. "Turma da Mônica » Bidu". Turma da Mônica.
  2. "Turma da Mônica » PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS (1).". Turma da Mônica.
  3. "Turma da Mônica » Bidu Primeiro e Único.". Turma da Mônica.
  4. "PLANETA GIBI BLOG: Todos os gibis da turma: pré-história". planetagibi.net.
  5. asvieira. "De Angelis Ark: Turma da Mônica: As primeiras aparições". deangelisark.com.
  6. "Meu nome, minha marca". Pequenas Empresas e Grandes Negócios.
  7. http://www.maniadegibi.com/loja/images/Um%20tema%20so%2023.jpg
  8. de Sousa, Mauricio (2005). "Presentes". Almanacão da Turma da Mônica (in Portuguese) (22 ed.). São Paulo: Editora Globo. pp. 153–161.
  9. de Sousa, Mauricio (2004). "SubMarina". Almanacão da Turma da Mônica (in Portuguese). São Paulo: Editora Globo.
  10. Blu presenting...Mister B
  11. "Turma do Mauricio". Superinteressante (in Portuguese). Editora Abril. February 2004. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  12. de Sousa, Mauricio (2003). "Zé Esquecido no Parque". Revista Parque da Mônica (in Portuguese). São Paulo: Editora Globo. pp. 4–17.

External links

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