Z comme Zorglub
Encyclopedia
Z comme Zorglub, written and drawn by 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...

, is the fifteenth album of the Spirou et Fantasio
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...

series, and the first part of Franquin's Zorglub diptych. The story was initially serialised in Spirou
Spirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...

, before its release as a hardcover album in 1961.

Story

In Z is for Zorglub, 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...

 receives a hair dryer as a gift from a secret admirer, but its unexpected hypnotic abilities announce a new ominous presence in the Spirou universe. Zorglub, an old acquaintance of the Count of Champignac, appears from the past and offers the Count the chance to join him in seizing world domination, but it is firmly rejected. In response, Zorglub proceeds to demonstrate his powers by manipulating the township of Champignac
Champignac
Champignac, or specifically Champignac-en-Cambrousse, is a fictional village frequently featured in the adventures of Spirou et Fantasio by André Franquin and the successive authors. The initial idea of Champignac is attributed to Henri Gillain...

 to storm the Count's mansion, which nearly leads to the destruction of his laboratory. As this just barely fails, Zorglub decides to kidnap Fantasio, to "zorglhomize" him into a zorglhomme (zorglman), forcing Spirou
Spirou (character)
Spirou is the main character of the Spirou et Fantasio and Le Petit Spirou comic strips. The character was originally created by Robert Velter for the launch of Le Journal de Spirou in 1938....

 and the Count to travel to the village of Zorgland, and attempt to outwit the criminal mastermind.

Background

Along with the introduction of the new arch-enemy Zorglub, a few inventions and vehicles associated with him are seen for the first time, most impressively the Zorglumobile and the Zorglécoptère. Another first is the stunning weapon of the zorglhomme, the Zorglonde (Zorglwave or perhaps Z-ray).

Champignac town gendarme (policeman) Jérôme is seen for the first time, and is given the distinction of becoming the first zorglhomme of Champignac-en-Cambrousse.

This album was translated into English and released in 1995 by Fantasy Flight Publishing, although this is currently out of print.

External links

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