From the Journal de Spirou summer issue, Yoann & Vehlmann take Spirou & Fantasio on a little trip (colors by Laurence Croix):
Like the summer strip a couple of years ago, this is part of a magazine contest, in this case to identify the common country among three strips by different creators.
Yoann’s style is getting better and better! But, Spirou is ALLWAYS with the costume. It’s funny! In each Y & V album, there is allways an excuse for the poor boy to wear the bellhop uniform. (I think Fantasio kinda enjoys it…).
Yep! I think Dupuis obligated Yoann et Vehlmann to make Spirou wear that costume (in Dutch called ‘Robbedoespakje’: ‘Spirou suit’), but they (and Spirou) don’t like it. Fantasio certainly does: he says ‘Red looks good on you!” to Spirou in album 52. Spip seems to like Spirou’s suit too, he compliments Spirou with in in album 54. Fantasio always has been a sucker for uniforms: In album 7 (Le dictateur et le champignon) he seems to like the green Zantas uniforms they have to wear, which is exaggerated in album 50…
I don’t think Yoann & Vehlmann have anything against Spirou usually being in uniform. In fact, Vehlmann has said it was his idea to bet him back in bellhop duds, and that he enjoys the running joke of Spirou’s irritation with it.
Of course, they did probably discuss it with editorial, and they are very aware of the need to adhere to some of the traditions of the series and appeal to more conservative readers. Notably, in their one-shot, where they could create a version of the series entirely to their liking, they did not use it (unlike e.g. Tarrin & Yann).
There are some in-depth interviews with Yoann & Vehlmann in French that I’ve long been thinking of translating. It’s just a matter of finding the time.
If you need some encouraging in order to find the time to translate those interviews, here’s my vote. I think that sleeping, and having a life in general, are overrated.
No, seriously.
Who needs sleep and food? Let’s read Spirou ’till we die!
~about that uniform thing… Vehlmann likes tourturing the main character. YEY! Since red uniforms to mutations. Yet, not worse than Morvan and Munuera’s n.50, I love the style and everything about them, exept the album 50… I mean… that ending changed Spirou forever. no uniform tough! (No offense to anyone, just my opinion.)
Inês Santos Saraiva liked this on Facebook.
Baka Heo Thi liked this on Facebook.
Virginie Richard liked this on Facebook.
Kales Sofakinder liked this on Facebook.
Rolf Jansen liked this on Facebook.
Ria van Kampen liked this on Facebook.
Ingi Jensson liked this on Facebook.
Gerben Valkema liked this on Facebook.
Kalle Id liked this on Facebook.
Stephen Mindykowski liked this on Facebook.
Davor Pavelic liked this on Facebook.
Lélia Gzouli liked this on Facebook.
Louis Roussel liked this on Facebook.
Helge Kvingedal liked this on Facebook.
More Gallert liked this on Facebook.
Merja Lindroos liked this on Facebook.
Timo Selkälä liked this on Facebook.
Simon Elenbaas liked this on Facebook.
What about the waste created by all those food packings?
It appears to be largely recyclable…
Haha I laughed so hard. X)
María Remersaro García liked this on Facebook.