Papyrus (comics)
Encyclopedia
Papyrus is a Belgian comic book
series, written and illustrated by Lucien de Gieter. The story takes place in Ancient Egypt
. It was first published in 1974 in the Spirou
magazine in the form of episodes.
An animated series was created in 1998 that was two seasons long (52 episodes) and shown on TFOU TV
in France
and in Quebec
on Radio-Canada. In 2000 a video game was made for Game Boy
. The game was developed by Dupuis
and published by Ubisoft
.
Regular antagonists include:
has been publishing Papyrus in English. Four albums have been released so far:
Franco-Belgian comics
Franco-Belgian comics are comics that are created in Belgium and France. These countries have a long tradition in comics and comic books, where they are known as BDs, an abbreviation of bande dessinée in French and stripverhalen in Dutch...
series, written and illustrated by Lucien de Gieter. The story takes place in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
. It was first published in 1974 in the Spirou
Spirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...
magazine in the form of episodes.
An animated series was created in 1998 that was two seasons long (52 episodes) and shown on TFOU TV
TFOU TV
TF! Jeunesse is a French children's television program. It launched on September 1, 1997, replacing Club Dorothée. The program was renamed TFOU in 2007....
in 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...
and in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
on Radio-Canada. In 2000 a video game was made for Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
. The game was developed by Dupuis
Dupuis
Éditions Dupuis S.A. is a Belgian publisher of comic books and magazines.Based in Marcinelle near Charleroi, Dupuis was founded in 1922 by Jean Dupuis, and is mostly famous for its comic albums and magazines. It is originally a French language publisher, but publishes many editions both in French...
and published by Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
.
Characters
The two main characters are:- Papyrus: originally a young fisherman, is the hero of the comic, friend of the daughter of the PharaohPharaohPharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
, and possessor of a magic sword which was given to him by the daughter of the god SobekSobekSobek , and in Greek, Suchos was the deification of crocodiles, as crocodiles were deeply feared in the nation so dependent on the Nile River...
; in exchange, he must protect the princess Théti-Chéri from all danger. - Théti-Chéri: daughter of the pharaoh Merenptah, grand priestess of IsisIsisIsis or in original more likely Aset is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic...
, sacred dancer, and heiress to the throne of the Two Kingdoms.
Regular antagonists include:
- Phoetus: a small mummy.
- Pouin: a black dwarf.
Albums
Thirty albums have been published so far:- La Momie engloutie (ISBN 2-8001-2721-X, ISBN 2-8001-0598-4 et ISBN 2-8001-2714-7)
- Le Maître des trois portes
- Le Colosse sans visage
- Le Tombeau de Pharaon
- L'Égyptien blanc
- Les Quatre Doigts du Dieu Lune
- La Vengeance des Ramsès (ISBN 2-8001-2727-9); English translation: The Rameses Revenge (ISBN 978-1905460359). The four colossi of the Temple of Rameses rise against bands of plunderers.
- La Métamorphose d'Imhotep (ISBN 2-8001-2728-7); English translation: Imhotep's Transformation (ISBN 978-1905460502): Papyrus must find an antidote for the poisoned Pharaoh while a friend plays the role of the ruler.
- Les Larmes du géant (ISBN 2-8001-2729-5): A HittiteHittitesThe Hittites were a Bronze Age people of Anatolia.They established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c...
princess arrives at court as a second wife for the Pharaoh, bringing with her the secret of iron. In the temple of Amonhotep III, plotters want to seize power for themselves and build invincible weapons, so they capture the Hittite princess as well as Théti. - La Pyramide noire (ISBN 2-8001-2730-9): Papyrus takes an enchanted Théti to a mage who may be able to heal her.
- Le Pharaon maudit(ISBN 2-8001-2731-7): Théti and Papyrus fight against plunderers, six girls who call themselves Daughters of Akhenaton.
- L'Obélisque: Amenope, the royal architect, and his assistant Imhotep, despite obstacles but with the help of Papyrus and Théti cut, transport, and erect an obeliskObeliskAn obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
at ThebesThebes, EgyptThebes is the Greek name for a city in Ancient Egypt located about 800 km south of the Mediterranean, on the east bank of the river Nile within the modern city of Luxor. The Theban Necropolis is situated nearby on the west bank of the Nile.-History:...
. - Le Labyrinthe: Papyrus is named ambassador of Egypt by the King of MinosMinosIn Greek mythology, Minos was a king of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa. Every year he made King Aegeus pick seven men and seven women to go to Daedalus' creation, the labyrinth, to be eaten by The Minotaur. After his death, Minos became a judge of the dead in Hades. The Minoan civilization of Crete...
. - L'Île Cyclope (ISBN 2-8001-2734-1): Théti goes to rejoin Papyrus in CreteCreteCrete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
with the mummy of the son of Minos. Papyrus sets off again, finally finding and rescuing the princess on a fantastic island. - L'Enfant hiéroglyphe: Imhotep, the successor of Amenope, is saved from a fire by Papyrus. The parchment that established the plans of Amenope for the new temple were saved. But the workers strike, and Imhotep is accused of sacrilege. Théti and Papyrus discover those responsible for the strike.
- Le Seigneur des crocodiles (ISBN 2-8001-2736-8): Captured by Libyan nomads, Papyrus and Théti escape into the desert where they meet a blind mage who asks Papyrus to give him his eyes.
- Toutânkhamon, le Pharaon assassiné (ISBN 2-8001-2737-6): Papyrus meets Ankhesenpaaton, the wife of Tutankhamen. He helps in the assassination of the Pharaoh and the intrigues that happen afterwards.
- L'Œil de Rê (ISBN 2-8001-2194-7): During the feast of Opet, Amenmes, one of the sons of Rameses II disputes the throne of the Pharaoh Merenptah.
- Les Momies maléfiques (ISBN 2-8001-2739-2): In the chambers of the temple of Montouhotep, ten bodies of archers of Seqenenre Taa II, dead in combat, are mummified in haste. Meanwhile, Théti's expedition enters the desert but forgets to render homage to SethSethSeth , in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, is the third listed son of Adam and Eve and brother of Cain and Abel, who are the only other of their children mentioned by name...
. - La Colère du grand sphinx (ISBN 2-8001-2445-8 et ISBN 2-8001-2740-6): While searching for Théti, Papyrus angers the Great Sphinx.
- Le Talisman de la grande pyramide (ISBN 2-8001-2591-8): Wanting to discover the origin of the screams heard at the foot of the Great Pyramid each night, Papyrus angers the god AnubisAnubisAnubis is the Greek name for a jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in ancient Egyptian religion. In the ancient Egyptian language, Anubis is known as Inpu . According to the Akkadian transcription in the Amarna letters, Anubis' name was vocalized as Anapa...
. - La Prisonnière de Sekhmet (ISBN 2-8001-2765-1): The goddess SekhmetSekhmetIn Egyptian mythology, Sekhmet , was originally the warrior goddess as well as goddess of healing for Upper Egypt. She is depicted as a lioness, the fiercest hunter known to the Egyptians. It was said that her breath created the desert...
is upset: the ancient Great Priest of her temple has conceived a diabolical plan. The princess Théti, solely capable of calming this divinity, has disappeared. - Le Cheval de Troie (ISBN 2-8001-2940-9): Papyrus and Théti arrive in Troy, ruined and occupied by thieves searching in vain for the treasure of King Priam.
- La main pourpre (ISBN 2-8001-3095-4): Papyrus and Théti find the "purple hand" in Tyre, along with victims of the leaders of the city.
- Le Pharaon fou (ISBN 2-8001-3229-9): After having escaped from the soldiers of Tyre, Papyrus and Théti find that Pouin has become the king of Dor. After having convinced him to return to Egypt, Papyrus meets curious character named Moses who is leaving Egypt with his tribe.
- Le Masque d'Horus (ISBN 2-8001-3354-6): The queen sends Papyrus on a secret mission: to find Théti's younger brother, who was taken by the priests of the temple of Kom Ombo.
- La Fureur des Dieux (ISBN 2-8001-2721-X): Rameses II the younger hunts a bull in the company of his father, Sethi I.
- Les Enfants d'Isis: Papyrus and Théti embrace under the regard of the gods, while Seth swears to avenge himself.
- L'Île de la reine morte
- L'Oracle
- L'Or de Pharaon
English Translations
Since November 2007, Cinebook LtdCinebook Ltd
Cinebook Ltd is a British publishing company that publishes comic books and graphic novels. It describes itself as "the 9th art publisher," the 9th art being comics in continental Europe, especially France, Italy and Greece....
has been publishing Papyrus in English. Four albums have been released so far:
- The Rameses Revenge, nov. 2007, ISBN 9781905460359
- Imhotep's Transformation, Apr. 2008, ISBN 9781905460502
- Tutankhamun, Apr. 2009, ISBN 9781905460847
- The Evil Mummies, Apr. 2010, ISBN 9781849180276