The Smurfs (comics)

The Smurfs
Les Schtroumpfs
Created by Peyo[1]
Publication information
Genre Action/adventure, Humor
Publication date October 23, 1958
Status Ongoing
Country of origin Belgium
Original language French
Publisher Dupuis[2]
Formats Original material for the series has been published as a strip in the Belgian comics magazine Spirou magazine, and as a set of graphic novels.
Main character(s) Smurfette
Papa Smurf
Number of books published: 30
Website: official website
Creative team
Writer(s) Peyo and Studio Peyo
Artist(s) Peyo and Studio Peyo
Creator(s) Peyo
Reprints
The series has been reprinted, at least in part, in Dutch, English, German, and Polish.

The Smurfs is a Belgian comic series, created by cartoonist Peyo (pen name of Pierre Culliford). The titular creatures were introduced as supporting characters in an already established series, Johan and Peewit in 1958, and starred in their own series from 1959. Thirty Smurf comic albums have been created, 16 of them by Peyo. Originally, the Smurf stories appeared in Spirou magazine with reprints in many different magazines, but after Peyo left the publisher Dupuis, many comics were first published in dedicated Smurf magazines, which existed in French, Dutch and German. A number of short stories and one page gags have been collected in comic books next to the regular series of 30. By 2008, Smurf comics have been translated into 25 languages, and some 25 million albums have been sold.[3] A new Smurfs comic album sold in 2009 in French alone some 140,000 copies.[4] A new Smurfs comic album was released in 2012, now making thirty total titles. Another one was issued in 2013, now making thirty-one total titles.

History

In 1952, Peyo created a series in Spirou magazine titled Johan et Pirlouit (Johan and Peewit), set in Europe during the Middle Ages. Johan serves as a brave young page to the king, and Pirlouit (pronounced Peer-loo-ee) functions as his faithful, if boastful and cheating, midget sidekick.

On October 23, 1958, Peyo introduced a new set of characters to the Johan et Pirlouit story La flûte à six trous (tr. "The Flute with Six Holes").[5] This alone caused no great excitement, as the brave duo constantly encountered strange new people and places. This time, they had the mission of recovering a magic flute, which required some sorcery by the wizard Homnibus. And in this manner, they met a tiny, blue-skinned humanoid creature in white clothing called a "Schtroumpf," followed by his numerous peers who looked just like him, with an elderly leader who wore red clothing and had a white beard called Papa Smurf. The characters proved to be a huge success, and the first independent spin-off Smurf stories appeared in Spirou in 1959, together with the first merchandising.

Albums

This is the list of the original French-language comic issues. Some of them are anthologies of several stories. A number of them were translated into English by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge, and published by Hodder & Stoughton (Random House in the USA).

Johan and Peewit appearances

  1. La flûte à six schtroumpfs (originally titled as La flûte à six trous)
  2. La guerre des sept fontaines
  3. Le pays maudit
  4. Le sortilège de Maltrochu
  5. La horde du corbeau
  6. La nuit des sorciers

Original series

  1. Les Schtroumpfs noirs (The Black Smurfs), Dupuis, 11/30/1963, ISBN 2-8001-0108-3
  2. Le Schtroumpfissime (The Smurf King, English title), Dupuis, 09/23/1965, ISBN 2-8001-0109-1
  3. La Schtroumpfette (The Smurfette), Dupuis, 03/16/1967, ISBN 2-8001-0110-5
  4. L'Œuf et les Schtroumpfs (The Smurfs and the Egg), Dupuis, 03/26/1968, 01/1967, ISBN 2-8001-3969-2
  5. Les Schtroumpfs et le Cracoucass (The Smurfs and the Howlibird, English title), Dupuis, 09/25/1969, ISBN 2-8001-0112-1
  6. Le Cosmoschtroumpf (The Astrosmurf), Dupuis, 11/05/1970, ISBN 2-8001-0113-X
  7. L'Apprenti Schtroumpf (The Smurf Apprentice), Dupuis, 11/18/1971, ISBN 2-8001-0114-8
  8. Histoires de Schtroumpfs (Stories of the Smurfs, an anthology of one-page humorous stories), Dupuis, 11/09/1972, ISBN 2-8001-0115-6
  9. Schtroumpf Vert et Vert Schtroumpf (Smurf Versus Smurf), Dupuis, 09/13/1973, ISBN 2-8001-0324-8
  10. La Soupe aux Schtroumpfs (The Smurf Soup), Dupuis, 12/06/1976, ISBN 2-8001-0510-0
  11. Les Schtroumpfs Olympiques (The Olympic Smurfs), Dupuis, 02/03/1983, ISBN 2-8001-0769-3
  12. Le Bébé Schtroumpf (The Baby Smurf), Dupuis, 11/27/1984, ISBN 2-8001-1148-8
  13. Les P'tits Schtroumpfs (The Smurflings), Dupuis, 04/01/1988, ISBN 2-8001-1569-6
  14. L'Aéroschtroumpf (The Aerosmurf), Cartoon Creation/Le Lombard, 10/17/1990, ISBN 2-87345-000-2
  15. L'Étrange Réveil du Schtroumpf Paresseux (The Strange Awakening of Lazy Smurf), Cartoon Creation/Le Lombard, 01/01/1991, ISBN 2-8036-1234-8
  16. Le Schtroumpf Financier (The Finance Smurf), Le Lombard, 01/01/1992, ISBN 2-8036-1454-5

Albums made after the death of Peyo, with help from his son Thierry Culliford (born 1956):

  1. Le Schtroumpfeur de Bijoux (The Jewel Smurfer), Le Lombard, 01/01/1994, ISBN 2-8036-1098-1
  2. Docteur Schtroumpf (Doctor Smurf), Le Lombard, 01/01/1996, ISBN 2-8036-1216-X
  3. Le Schtroumpf Sauvage (The Wild Smurf), Le Lombard, 11/01/1998, ISBN 2-8036-1351-4
  4. La Menace Schtroumpf (Attack of the Grey Smurfs), Le Lombard, 11/01/2000, ISBN 2-8036-1516-9
  5. On ne Schtroumpfe pas le Progrès (You Don't Smurf Progress), Le Lombard, 11/01/2002, ISBN 2-8036-1773-0
  6. Le Schtroumpf Reporter (The Reporter Smurf), Le Lombard, 11/01/2003, ISBN 2-8036-1900-8
  7. Les Schtroumpfs Joueurs (The Gambler Smurfs), Le Lombard, 01/01/2005, ISBN 2-8036-2005-7
  8. Salade de Schtroumpfs (Salad Smurfs), Le Lombard, 01/13/2006, ISBN 2-8036-2154-1
  9. Un Enfant chez les Schtroumpfs (A Child among the Smurfs), Le Lombard, 01/12/2007, ISBN 978-2-8036-2242-9
  10. Les Schtroumpfs et le livre qui dit tout (The Smurfs and the Book that Tells Everything), Le Lombard, 01/18/2008, ISBN 978-2-8036-2382-2
  11. Schtroumpfs les bains (Smurfs in Paradise), Le Lombard, 04/3/2009, ISBN 978-2-8036-2521-5
  12. La Grande Schtroumpfette (The Grand Smurfette), Le Lombard, 04/16/2010, ISBN 978-2-8036-2648-9
  13. Les Schtroumpfs et l'Arbre d'Or (The Smurfs and the Golden Tree), Le Lombard, 04/08/2011, ISBN 978-2-8036-2807-0
  14. Les Schtroumpfs de L'Ordre (The Law and Order of The Smurfs), Le Lombard, 03/23/2012, ISBN 978-2-8036-3052-3
  15. Les Schtroumpfs à Pilulit (Chicken-Fried Smurfs), Le Lombard, 04/19/2013, ISBN 2803632551

Look-In Magazine Strips

In the 1970s and '80s, a British children's magazine called Look-In ran an original series of one-page comic-strip tales called "Meet the Smurfs."

Marvel Comics

In 1982 Marvel Comics released a Three issue mini series featuring full length stories and one page American style comic strip tales featuring The Smurfs. Marvel Comics also published a large format comic book as well as six mini comic books with a full length story in each comic book.

Papercutz Graphic Novels

Since August 2010, Papercutz has been issuing Smurfs comics, translated by Joe Johnson. Following a special preview comic in July 2010 that contained the story "The Smurfnapper," the following graphic novels have been issued to date:

  1. The Purple Smurfs (August 31, 2010, ISBN 978-1-59707-207-6)
  2. The Smurfs and the Magic Flute (August 31, 2010, ISBN 978-1-59707-209-0)
  3. The Smurf King (November 23, 2010, ISBN 978-1-59707-225-0)
  4. The Smurfette (January 18, 2011, ISBN 978-1-59707-237-3)
  5. The Smurfs and the Egg (March 15, 2011, ISBN 978-1-59707-247-2)
  6. The Smurfs and the Howlibird (May 10, 2011, ISBN 978-1-59707-261-8)
  7. The Astrosmurf (August 2, 2011, ISBN 978-1-59707-251-9)
  8. The Smurf Apprentice (September 27, 2011, ISBN 978-1-59707-280-9)
  9. Gargamel and the Smurfs (November 22, 2011, ISBN 978-1-59707-290-8)
  10. The Return of the Smurfette (January 17, 2012, ISBN 978-1-59707-293-9)
  11. The Smurf Olympics (March 27, 2012, ISBN 978-1-59707-302-8)
  12. Smurf Versus Smurf (August 7, 2012, ISBN 978-1-59707-321-9)
  13. Smurf Soup (November 13, 2012, ISBN 978-15970-7359-2)
  14. The Baby Smurf (March 5, 2013, ISBN 978-1-59707-382-0)
  15. The Smurflings (May 14, 2013, ISBN 978-1-59707-407-0)
  16. The Aerosmurf (August 6, 2013, ISBN 978-1-59707-426-1)
  17. The Strange Awakening of Lazy Smurf (March 25, 2014, ISBN 978-1-59707-510-7)
  18. The Finance Smurf (July 1, 2014, ISBN 978-1-59707-725-5)
  19. The Jewel Smurfer (August 18, 2015, ISBN 978-1-62991-194-6)

Papercutz published "The Smurf Submarine" in Geronimo Stilton & Smurfs for Free Comic Book Day on May 7, 2011.[6]

In popular culture

In the Belgian Comic Strip Center in Brussels the permanent exhibition brings homage to the pioneers of Belgian comics, among them Peyo. In the room dedicated to his work various objects, comic book pages, sketches,... from "The Smurfs" comics can be seen. [7]

The Smurfs is among the many Belgian comics characters to jokingly have a Brussels street named after them. The Rue des Sables/ Zandstraat has a commemorative plaque with the name Rue Schtroumpfs/ Smurfstraat placed under the actual street sign.[8]

In 2003 a statue of a Smurf building a statue of Smurfette was revealed in Middelkerke. It was sculpted by Monique Mol. [9]

At the Grasmarkt in Brussels a five metres high statue of a Smurf on a toadstool can be seen. It was sculpted by Maryline Garbe and revealed at June 25, 2012. [10] [11]

Sources

Footnotes
  1. ↑ "Pierre Culliford, Smurf Creator, Dies at 64". The New York Times. 1992-12-25. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  2. ↑ Nash, Eric P. (2002-12-02). "Charles Dupuis, 84, Publisher Who Introduced the Smurfs". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  3. ↑ Lichfield, John (2008-10-23). "Smurfs celebrate their 50th birthday". The Independent. Retrieved 2008-10-23.
  4. ↑ "Bilan 2009". ACBD. December 2009. Archived from the original on January 14, 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  5. ↑ BDoubliées. "Spirou année 1958" (in French).
  6. ↑ http://www.freecomicbookday.com/comics.asp?ItemNo=JAN110010
  7. ↑ http://www.tento.be/sites/default/files/tijdschrift/pdf/OKV1992/Belgisch%20Centrum%20van%20het%20Beeldverhaal%20Brussel.pdf
  8. ↑ http://www.ebru.be/Other/Strips/bruxelles-1000-noms-de-rue-bd.html
  9. ↑ http://www.standbeelden.be/standbeeld/908
  10. ↑ http://visitbrussels.be/bitc/BE_en/monument/8656/smurf-statue.do
  11. ↑ http://www.brusselnieuws.be/nl/nieuws/smurf-store-en-reuzenbeeld-centraal-station

External links

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