The character of Gaston Lagaffe will return after 30 years of absence and the disappearance of its creator Franquin, announced Dupuis editions.
The Belgian comic book publisher, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, has entrusted the series to Quebecer Delaf (Marc Delafontaine of his real name).
The Return of Lagaffean album in the classic 48-page format, should be released on October 19, with a print run commensurate with the notoriety of this gentle idealistic, lazy and inventive antihero: 1.2 million copies.
“It’s risk taking. Even if it means relaunching the series, we said to ourselves that there was no point in doing it small arm. Because he is one of the most emblematic characters of Franco-Belgian comics, ”explained to AFP the editorial director of Dupuis, Stéphane Beaujean.
“Few expected him to return. But, for him, it was time: if we hadn’t done it, he didn’t have many years of notoriety left in front of him, because most comic book heroes who don’t find a sequel just disappear. just,” he added.
Legendary characters such as Asterix, Lucky Luke or even more recently Corto Maltese, relaunched by Casterman editions in 2021, experienced a rebirth after the death of their creator.
In the case of Lagaffe, the choice of Delaf was imposed after the publication in 2017 of a tribute to André Franquin, The Gaffe Gallerywhere the board drawn by the Quebecer had struck readers with the mimicry of the work of the Belgian designer (1924-1997).
“This Delaf tribute perfectly imitated Franquin, everyone said so. It is therefore the return of Gaston in his canonical character, as close as possible to the original version”, underlined Mr. Beaujean.