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Spirou (character)
Encyclopedia
Spirou is the main character of the Spirou et Fantasio
and Le Petit Spirou
comic strips. The character was originally created by Robert Velter
(Rob-Vel) for the launch of Le Journal de Spirou
in 1938.
Spirou was originally an elevator operator
and bell-boy
at the fictional Moustique Hotel. At some point he became a reporter for the eponymous magazine, though he remained dressed in his trademark red uniform.
In contrast to Tintin
, Spirou is more frequently shown doing some reporting in several of his adventures. While he and reporter colleague Fantasio
occasionally pursue stories, in most cases they simply find themselves in the centre of adventures. An honest and brave young man of indeterminate age
, he tries to fight injustice around him and help people. He is usually more level-headed than Fantasio, who always accompanies him, along with the pet squirrel Spip
, and during the period of Franquin
authorship, the Marsupilami
.
Spirou's design was changed through the years by the various writers and artists who created his adventures
but he has kept his spiky red-hair and clothes of the same colour even after ditching his hotel uniform.
A six year old version of Spirou is the star of the spin-off series Le Petit Spirou
, which is concerned with his tribulations at school and the anatomy of girls. This later series and its star are generally acknowledged to have little in common with the old one.
Spirou et Fantasio
Spirou et Fantasio is one of the most popular classic Franco-Belgian comic strips. The series, which has been running since 1938, shares many characteristics with other European humorous adventure comics like Tintin and Asterix...
and Le Petit Spirou
Le Petit Spirou
Le Petit Spirou is a popular Belgian comic strip created by Tome and Janry in 1987. The series developed from La jeunesse de Spirou , a Spirou et Fantasio album in which Tome and Janry set to imagine Spirou's youth...
comic strips. The character was originally created by Robert Velter
Robert Velter
François Robert Velter , known by his pen-name Rob-Vel, was a French cartoonist. He is best known for creating the character Spirou in 1938.-Biography:...
(Rob-Vel) for the launch of Le Journal de Spirou
Spirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...
in 1938.
Spirou was originally an elevator operator
Elevator operator
An elevator operator is a person specifically employed to operate a manually operated elevator...
and bell-boy
Bellhop
A bellhop, also bellboy or bellman, is a hotel porter, who helps patrons with their luggage while checking in or out. Bellhops often wear a uniform , like certain other page boys or doormen...
at the fictional Moustique Hotel. At some point he became a reporter for the eponymous magazine, though he remained dressed in his trademark red uniform.
In contrast to Tintin
Tintin (character)
Tintin is a fictional character in The Adventures of Tintin, the series of classic Belgian comic books written and illustrated by Hergé. Tintin is the protagonist of the series, a reporter and adventurer who travels around the world with his dog Snowy....
, Spirou is more frequently shown doing some reporting in several of his adventures. While he and reporter colleague Fantasio
Fantasio
Fantasio is a fictional character from the Spirou et Fantasio comic strip. He was introduced in 1944 by Jijé, who was then drawing Spirou's adventures. Fantasio is Spirou's best friend and co-adventurer, a graphic reporter with an uncontrolled imagination and a mop of blond hair...
occasionally pursue stories, in most cases they simply find themselves in the centre of adventures. An honest and brave young man of indeterminate age
Ageless
Ageless is an adjective describing a person or thing whose age cannot be defined, is nonexistent or does not change.It can also describe immortality, most specifically eternal youth.-Ageless people:...
, he tries to fight injustice around him and help people. He is usually more level-headed than Fantasio, who always accompanies him, along with the pet squirrel Spip
Spip
Spip may refer to*Spip, a character in the Belgian comic Spirou et Fantasio*SPIP, a free software content management system named after the comics character...
, and during the period of Franquin
André Franquin
André Franquin was an influential Belgian comics artist, whose best known comic strip creations are Gaston and Marsupilami, created while he worked on the Spirou et Fantasio comic strip from 1947 to 1969, during a period seen by many as the series' golden age.-Franquin's beginnings:Franquin was...
authorship, the Marsupilami
Marsupilami
Marsupilami is a fictional comic book species created by André Franquin, first published on 31 January 1952 in the magazine Spirou. Since then it appeared regularly in the popular Belgian comic book series Spirou et Fantasio until Franquin stopped working on the series in 1968 and the character...
.
Spirou's design was changed through the years by the various writers and artists who created his adventures
Spirou et Fantasio
Spirou et Fantasio is one of the most popular classic Franco-Belgian comic strips. The series, which has been running since 1938, shares many characteristics with other European humorous adventure comics like Tintin and Asterix...
but he has kept his spiky red-hair and clothes of the same colour even after ditching his hotel uniform.
A six year old version of Spirou is the star of the spin-off series Le Petit Spirou
Le Petit Spirou
Le Petit Spirou is a popular Belgian comic strip created by Tome and Janry in 1987. The series developed from La jeunesse de Spirou , a Spirou et Fantasio album in which Tome and Janry set to imagine Spirou's youth...
, which is concerned with his tribulations at school and the anatomy of girls. This later series and its star are generally acknowledged to have little in common with the old one.