Sylvain et Sylvette
Encyclopedia
Sylvain et Sylvette is a French comics series created in 1941 by Maurice Cuvillier. The most popular and successful series relating the adventures of Sylvain and Sylvette were drawn by Jean-Louis PeschJean-Louis Pesch
Jean Louis Pesch, from his real name Jean-Louis Poisson, is a French author of comics series, including Sylvain et Sylvette.-Biography:...
and are currently published by Dargaud
Dargaud
Les Éditions Dargaud is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics series, headquartered in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1943 by Georges Dargaud.Initially, Dargaud published novels for women...
. This is the only series still unfinished and published.
Publication history
The first series dedicated to the comics characters Sylvain and Sylvette was created by Maurice Cuvillier in 1941 for the magazine Coeurs Vaillants, and later published in the magazine Fripounet et Marisette. From 1956, Jean-Louis Pesch and Claude DuboisClaude Dubois
Claude André Dubois is a Canadian singer-songwriter.Dubois was an early star of the francophone musical Starmania...
took over the series and drew and wrote albums on their own and separately, but still in the same series, published by Fleurus
Fleurus
Fleurus is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Fleurus had a total population of 22,221. The total area is which gives a population density of 375 inhabitants per km²...
from 1953. Cuvillier stopped drawing in 1958, and a new series was launched in 1967, with the same authors and publisher. In 1973, an alternative series called "Seribis" was created, grouping Jean-Louis Pesch's albums and published in the casual size for comics, so that the former series stopped and from 1978, Dubois and Pesch published albums in distinct series. In 1986, Fleurus stopped publishing these adventures. While Dubois gave up, Pesch's series went on being published thanks to Le Lombard
Le Lombard
Le Lombard or Lombard Editions is a Belgian comic book publisher established in 1946 when the Tintin magazine was launched. In 1986 the company was acquired by Média-Participations.-Titles:Lombard's more famous series include:*Clifton...
from 1990, then by Dargaud from 2001. All the albums of the former series "Seribis" were republished by Le Lombard and Dargaud.
Evolution of the series
At the beginning of the series, as drawn and written by Maurice Cuvillier, the story is a call to go back to nature and a traditional way of life influenced by the catholicismCatholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
and the attachement to land. In the first series, Sylvain and Sylvette has less animals than in the current series. At that time, their pets comprised only Gris – Gris, Cui – Cui, Moustachu, Panpan, Barbichette, Mignonnet, Raton, Poulette, and all of them play active roles. As for the "compères", they are all very dangerous and mean and are the archetypes of the villains, so that the series was designed as largely dualistic and moralistic. The themes of justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
and punishment
Punishment
Punishment is the authoritative imposition of something negative or unpleasant on a person or animal in response to behavior deemed wrong by an individual or group....
are very present in the spirit of the Cuvillier's albums, and Sylvain and Sylvette don't hesitate to severely retaliate against their pets when they joke or do a mistake.
Gradually, these characters evolved under the influence of Claude Dubois and above all Jean-Louis Pesch who turned the comperes into comic protagonists and added some characters. But the theme of nature is still very present in the recent albums who praise the beauty and the harmony of the country
Country
A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously...
. Jean-Louis Pesch focused much more than Cuvillier on the life in the forest and the necessary protection of nature. The graphic style of the series also evolved a lot, and while Jean-Louis Pesch had a style similar to that of Cuvillier and Dubois, his drawings became more original and individual.
Synopsis
This is the synopsis of the series currently published by Dargaud and designed by Jean-Louis PeschSylvain et Sylvette, are the main characters of the comics series. Orphans, they live alone and autonomously in a house that they call their "cottage", in the middle of the forest. They live with several animals referred in the series as their "friends" and have a very simple way of life, wearing clogs and eating with picking and fishing. Sometimes they pass to Laville (literally "Thetown" in french), a small village near their house, when they need a doctor or a veterinary for example. However, four starving animals, the "comperes", who live in a cavern not far from the cottage, seek to catch their animals or to steal their food. The atmosphere of the series is largely humoristic and the so-called villains' attempt to catch animals always fails. In some albums, Sylvain and Sylvette live more adventurous situations than the usual fight against the Comperes, particularly when Tartalo, a scientist, intervenes in the story.
Characters
Here are the characters present in the series drawned by Jean-Louis Pesch and published in the casual format for comics. The characters are described as they appear in this series only.
Main characters
- Sylvain: rather optimistic and resourceful to avoid the Comperes' traps and attacks.
- Sylvette: courageous and pessimistic, she takes care of cooking, washing and cleaning.
Sylvain and Sylvette's pets
- Cui-cui, small red birdBirdBirds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
, very vigilant, he watch over the cottage and warm in case of danger. - Gris-gris, the donkeyDonkeyThe donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
who pulls the owners' carriage, often complain about this charge. - Barbichette, the manny-goatGoatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
, is the most relentless enemy of Compere Renard. - Mignonnet, a lambDomestic sheepSheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...
, very naive and weak, he is a frequent target for Renard and Loup. - Poulette, a henChickenThe chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
and another target for the Comperes. - Coin-coin, a duckDuckDuck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
also threaten by the Comperes' appetite. - Sidonie, wild 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....
cured by the owners, and also targeted by the Comperes. - Raton, a ratRatRats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
joker and mischievous. - Cloé, a turtleTurtleTurtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
who claims not to be afraid of the Comperes. - Alfred, a spoted watchdogDogThe domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
. - Panpan, a comic rabbitRabbitRabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
. - Moustachu, a red-haired 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...
. - Olga, a crowCrowCrows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
.
The "compères"
In the french series, these four animals are called "les compères" ("the mates" or "the partners" in french), and each of them are called either by their zoological name with capital letters, which suggests it is their real name (for example, the fox is called "Renard" or "Compere Renard").- Renard (foxFoxFox 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...
), his specialities are spying the cottage and finding ideas. - Loup(wolf), rather wary of Renard's ideas, he doesn't hesitate to scold him each time they fail.
- Ours (bearBearBears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
), very stupid and thoughless but very strong, he can sometimes be helpful in the Comperes' attempts. - Sanglier (boarBoarWild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
), inactive compere, he contends himself with eating potatoes and laughing at other mates' failures.
Others characters
- Bastien, bear who used to work for a circusCircusA circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
, he decided to retire. Compere Ours' cousin, he is a reader of "l'Ours libre" magazine. - Léocadie, former circus bear and Bastien's wife, very wary of the Compere, especially Renard
- Basile, Bastien and Leocadie's son, likes following Renard especially when he is suited by Barbichette, believing it is a race.
- Croa-croa, a 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...
who tammers, and occasional ally of the Comperes, he provides them with informations. - Hurluberlu, a owlOwlOwls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
who lives in the forest and sleeps during the day, but occasionally helps Sylvain and Sylvette. - Tartalo, a scientistScientistA scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
who seeks refuge either in a castel or in a mill not far from the cottage to develop uncredible inventions.
Albums
These album were first published by Fleurus 1973-1986 in the series called "Seribis".Then the series was entirely republished by Le Lombard
Le Lombard
Le Lombard or Lombard Editions is a Belgian comic book publisher established in 1946 when the Tintin magazine was launched. In 1986 the company was acquired by Média-Participations.-Titles:Lombard's more famous series include:*Clifton...
from 1990 to 2001 and by Dargaud
Dargaud
Les Éditions Dargaud is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics series, headquartered in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1943 by Georges Dargaud.Initially, Dargaud published novels for women...
after 2001. Only the first publication is mentioned. All these albums were drawn by Jean-Louis Pesch, unless indicated.
By Jean-Louis Pesch
- 1. La ferme abandonnée
- 2. La chasse au canard
- 3. Le lance-pierre
- 4. Le banquet des compères
- 5. La partie de luge
- 6. La chaumière en péril
- 7. Le voleur envolé
- 8. Drôle de corrida
- 9 Du poisson au menu
- 10 La lettre des compères
- 11. La clef perdue
- 12. Le bonhomme de neige
- 13. Le mot de passe
- 14. La grande épreuve
- 15. La forêt en danger
- 16 En avant la musique
- 17. Sauve qui peut
- 18. Le défi des compères
- 19. L'escapade de Cloé
- 20. Le mystère de Castelbobêche
- 21. Le sauvetage de Sidonie
- 22. L'embuscade
- 23. Le génie de la forêt
- 24. Des pas dans la neige
- 25. La malle à malices
- 26. Fromages à emporter
- 27. L'arbre qui parle
- 28. Premier de cordée
- 29. Un nouveau petit Chaperon Rouge
- 30. Renard fait bande à part
- 31. Pauvre compère Renard
- 32. La nouvelle Sidonie
- 33. Le dragon volant
- 34. Le bonjour d'Alfred
- 35. Une lettre pour Nestor Bedondaine
- 36. La mystérieuse invention
- 37. La grotte de Patatrac
- 38. En piste, les compères!
- 39. Vas-y, Basile!
- 40. La vengeance de Barbichette
- 41 La machine infernale
- 42. Magie dans la forêt
Other authors
- 43. Le plein de gags (one-strips stories, written by Pesh and Belom and illustrated by Pesch)
- 44. Silence, on tourne ! (written by Pesch, illustrated and coloured by Berik)
- 45. Cascade de gags (one-strips stories, written by Pesh and Belom and illustrated by Pesch)
- 46. La croisière des compères (by Berik)
- 48. Bouquet de gags ! (one-strips stories, written by Pesh and Belom and illustrated by Pesch)
- 49. Pluie d'étoiles (written by Pesch, illustrated by berik, and coloured by Berik and Veronique Bergese)
- 50. Guirlandes de gags ! (one-strips stories, written by Pesh and Belom and illustrated by Pesch)
- 51. Le petit gorille (by Berik, coloured by Veronique Bergese)
- 52. Le trésor du pirate (by Jean-Louis Pesch)
- 53. Tranches de gags ! (one-strip stories, by Berik)
- 54. La ruée vers l'eau (by Berik)
Other publications
They were several series relating the adventures of Sylvain and Sylvette, all finished. They consist of albums published in the Italian size (29х23 cm) comprising 20 pages, unless indicated. The illustrations are separatly by Maurice Cuvillier, Claude Dubois, Pierre Chéry and Jean-Louis Pesch. The artist is also the writer, unless indicated. The albums drawn by Cuvillier have been republished by Editions du Triomphe since 1998.- Les aventures de Sylvain et Sylvette (albums Fleurette) is the first series, published by Fleurus in the collection Serie Fleurette. 84 volumes were published between 1953 and 1967.
- Sylvain et Sylvette (collection Fleurette nouvelle série) consists of 97 volumes published in the collection Fleurette from 1967 to 1979 and drawn separately by Jean-Louis Pesh and Claude Dubois.
- Sylvain et Sylvette (Fleurette troisième série) consists of 30 volumes published from 1978 to 1986, drawn by Claude Dubois and written by Robert Guénin.
- Sylvain et Sylvette (albums pour les tous petits) comprises small-sized albums (18х19 cm) for children of more than three years, all drawn by Pesh and published by Dargaud jeunesse between 1993 and 1996.
- Les nouvelles aventures de Sylvain et Sylvette consists of 10 volumes of normal size drawn between 1957 and 1965 by Pierre Chery and Jean-Louis Pesch.
- Le grenier de Sylvain et Sylvette are the very first adventures of Sylvain and Sylvette drawn by Cuvillier from 1941 to 1948 and previously unpublished in albums. Published by Le Triomphe since 1998.