Fix and Foxi
Encyclopedia
Fix und Foxi, created by the comic book editor Rolf Kauka
, is the most successful and best known German comic
series. The weekly magazine, taking its name from the two fox protagonists, was published for more than 40 years between 1953 and 1994. Re-christened Fix & Foxi, it was relaunched as a monthly magazine in 2000, 2005 and 2010 respectively.
. Apart from the legendary jokester
as the main character, it featured an adaptation of Münchhausen
as well as animal characters such as Reineke Fuchs (Reynard the Fox) and Isegrim Wolf (Isengrin). In issue number 6 the fox characters Fix and Foxi first appeared in a short comic story. They soon became the favorites of the readers and from issue number 29 the comic book was retitled Fix und Foxi.
Apart from Germany
, Kauka found experienced illustrators in Yugoslavia
, Italy
and Spain
. Over the years, they created more than 80 different comic characters under his supervision (for the most important ones see list below). Kauka also published series from other countries, mainly France
/Belgium
, giving them their first big break in Germany and popularizing them. Fix und Foxi was published weekly in Germany with a circulation up to 400,000 per week in the magazine's heyday. Allegedly, a total of over 750 million comic books were sold internationally. Kaukas foxes also appeared in magazine spin-offs, pocket books and albums.
In 1973, Kauka sold his publishing house and Fix und Foxi was published by others, though he retained creative control. Bauer/VPM eventually became the publisher. In 1994 the comic series was retooled by the publishers into an adolescent tabloid magazine and the publication was changed from weekly to monthly. At this point Rolf Kauka withdrew the publishing rights and stopped all publication of the series.
From 1993 to 1998 Norbert Hethke Verlag produced reprints of the first 50 comic books. From 1997 to 1999 seven comic albums of classic comics were produced by Ehapa, the erstwhile Kauka rival. In 2000 there was a short-lived revival of the comic book by Ehapa, but it was discontinued after only the third issue due to insufficient sales. In 2005 the magazine was again relaunched by Tigerpress Verlag, Hamburg, a part of the Gruner & Jahr publishing house from the Bertelsmann Group. Shortly after Tigerpress had faced bankruptcy in 2009, the magazine was once again relaunched, this time by New Ground Publishing.
In the last years of his life, Kauka began planning the Fix & Foxi TV series together with his wife, Alexandra Kauka. He also planned (in collaboration with the Ravensburger Corporation) Fix & Foxi Adventure Land in the Ravensburger Spieleland theme park. The Fix & Foxi TV series, first broadcast in Germany in February 2000, found its way into 30 countries. WesToons GmbH is currently working on a Fix & Foxi feature film in 3-D
.
brothers, Fix and Foxi, who live in Fuxholzen (Foxburg in the TV series). They are open-minded, agile and caring and, therefore, serve as role models for their young audience.
Important characters in Fuxholzen:
Other Kauka characters:
Rolf Kauka
Rolf Kauka was a comic artist, most famous for the series Fix and Foxi....
, is the most successful and best known German comic
German comics
German comics are comics written in the German language or by German speaking creators, for the comic markets in Germany, Austria and Switzerland....
series. The weekly magazine, taking its name from the two fox protagonists, was published for more than 40 years between 1953 and 1994. Re-christened Fix & Foxi, it was relaunched as a monthly magazine in 2000, 2005 and 2010 respectively.
History of the comic
In 1947, Rolf Kauka founded Kauka Publishing. In May 1953 his first comic book, Till Eulenspiegel, appeared. The characters in the comic book were loosely based on German folkloreGerman folklore
German folklore shares many characteristics with Scandinavian folklore and English folklore due to their origins in a common Germanic mythology. It reflects a similar mix of influences: a pre-Christian pantheon and other beings equivalent to those of Norse mythology; magical characters associated...
. Apart from the legendary jokester
Till Eulenspiegel
Till Eulenspiegel was an impudent trickster figure originating in Middle Low German folklore. His tales were disseminated in popular printed editions narrating a string of lightly connected episodes that outlined his picaresque career, primarily in Germany, the Low Countries and France...
as the main character, it featured an adaptation of Münchhausen
Baron Munchhausen
Karl Friedrich Hieronymus, Freiherr von Münchhausen , usually known as Baron Münchhausen in English, was a German nobleman born in Bodenwerder and a famous recounter of tall tales....
as well as animal characters such as Reineke Fuchs (Reynard the Fox) and Isegrim Wolf (Isengrin). In issue number 6 the fox characters Fix and Foxi first appeared in a short comic story. They soon became the favorites of the readers and from issue number 29 the comic book was retitled Fix und Foxi.
Apart from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Kauka found experienced illustrators in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Over the years, they created more than 80 different comic characters under his supervision (for the most important ones see list below). Kauka also published series from other countries, mainly France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
/Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, giving them their first big break in Germany and popularizing them. Fix und Foxi was published weekly in Germany with a circulation up to 400,000 per week in the magazine's heyday. Allegedly, a total of over 750 million comic books were sold internationally. Kaukas foxes also appeared in magazine spin-offs, pocket books and albums.
In 1973, Kauka sold his publishing house and Fix und Foxi was published by others, though he retained creative control. Bauer/VPM eventually became the publisher. In 1994 the comic series was retooled by the publishers into an adolescent tabloid magazine and the publication was changed from weekly to monthly. At this point Rolf Kauka withdrew the publishing rights and stopped all publication of the series.
From 1993 to 1998 Norbert Hethke Verlag produced reprints of the first 50 comic books. From 1997 to 1999 seven comic albums of classic comics were produced by Ehapa, the erstwhile Kauka rival. In 2000 there was a short-lived revival of the comic book by Ehapa, but it was discontinued after only the third issue due to insufficient sales. In 2005 the magazine was again relaunched by Tigerpress Verlag, Hamburg, a part of the Gruner & Jahr publishing house from the Bertelsmann Group. Shortly after Tigerpress had faced bankruptcy in 2009, the magazine was once again relaunched, this time by New Ground Publishing.
In the last years of his life, Kauka began planning the Fix & Foxi TV series together with his wife, Alexandra Kauka. He also planned (in collaboration with the Ravensburger Corporation) Fix & Foxi Adventure Land in the Ravensburger Spieleland theme park. The Fix & Foxi TV series, first broadcast in Germany in February 2000, found its way into 30 countries. WesToons GmbH is currently working on a Fix & Foxi feature film in 3-D
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
.
Characters
The two main characters of the comic are the twin foxFox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
brothers, Fix and Foxi, who live in Fuxholzen (Foxburg in the TV series). They are open-minded, agile and caring and, therefore, serve as role models for their young audience.
Important characters in Fuxholzen:
- Lupo (wolf) - a bit of a slacker who lives in a tower, and a gluttonous ne’er-do-well (particularly for Oma Eusebia's cakes) who is a true master at the art of enjoying life.
- Oma Eusebia (wolf) - an “old maid”, who is also somewhat of a mother-figure for the others. Expert in baking cakes, she's also expert in keeping Lupo away from them.
- Lupinchen (wolf) - Eusebia’s granddaughter, cousin to Fix, Foxi and Lupo. She's crazy about pop music, fashion, etc.
- Onkel Fax (fox) - Fix and Foxi’s bachelor uncle, with whom they live. The ex-Staff Sergeant (at least that's what he claims) is a passionate stamp collector who also dabbles in second-hand items.
- Professor Knox (ravenRavenRaven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
) - the typical absent-minded professor and ingenious inventor. - Hops (rabbitRabbitRabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
), Stops (hedgehogHedgehogA hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae and the order Erinaceomorpha. There are 17 species of hedgehog in five genera, found through parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand . There are no hedgehogs native to Australia, and no living species native to the Americas...
) and the latter's nephews Stips, Staps und Stups (hedgehogs).
Other Kauka characters:
- Pauli (moleMole (animal)Moles are small cylindrical mammals adapted to a subterranean lifestyle. They have velvety fur; tiny or invisible ears and eyes; and short, powerful limbs with large paws oriented for digging. The term is especially and most properly used for the true moles, those of the Talpidae family in the...
), Mausi (mouse), Mimi (Pauli’s girlfriend). Pauli is Kauka's second most successful and durable creation. In the early days, the mole interacted with the Fix & Foxi family, but eventually got his own "universe" from 1958 onwards, when he moved back to his parents in Maulwurfshausen. - Fridolin (catCatThe cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
), Daggi (gooseGooseThe word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
) and Pieps (mouseMouseA mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
). - Tom und Klein Biberherz - teenage cowboy and little Indian living their adventures in the Wild West, along with Tom's eldery and crotchety uncle Nicodemus.
- Diabolino - a mischievous little devil who usually sides with the little people against bullies and do-no-gooders.
- Mischa - spaceman of the future.
- Die Pichelsteiner - a Stone Age family clan.
External links
- Website of Kauka Promedia, Inc. (German)
- Wiki on Kauka's publications (German)
- This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding German Wikipedia article.