The daughter of the creator of Gaston Lagaffe seized the Belgian justice in emergency to prohibit any promotion and prepublication of a new album of this star character of the comic strip, after thirty years of absence.
Mand Claude Katz, lawyer for Isabelle Franquin, daughter of the late Belgian cartoonist, confirmed information from the daily to AFP on Tuesday. The evening.
The daughter and sole beneficiary of André Franquin (1924-1997) believes that “moral rights are inalienable” and that her father “always expressed during his lifetime, continuously and repeatedly, his desire that Gaston not survive him not under the pencil of another designer”, according to a press release sent by Mand Katz.
She opposes the release announced for October 2022 of a 22and album, The Return of Lagaffe (Dupuis editions), in which Gaston must relive under the features of the Quebec designer Delaf, whose real name is Marc Delafontaine.
This revival, described as “illegal” by Isabelle Franquin, was revealed ten days ago at the Angoulême festival (France) by Stéphane Beaujean, editorial director of Dupuis.
“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 Mr. Beaujean.
In the past, recalled Tuesday Mand Katz to AFP, Isabelle Franquin had already faced the Marsu Productions group, publisher of comic books inspired by the universe of Franquin, with in particular a character named “Gastoon” presented as Gaston’s nephew. But the dispute was concluded by an amicable settlement, without going through the courts, according to the lawyer.
“Urgent suspension”
In concrete terms, in this new dispute with the French group Média Participations (parent company of Dupuis), which bought the economic rights to Franquin’s characters from Marsu, an arbitration procedure has been initiated to avoid the publication of the “Retour de The mistake “.
But faced with “Dupuis’ enthusiasm” to publicize this future album – with a pre-publication of Delaf’s drawings in the Spirou’s diary scheduled “as of April 6” —, Mme Franquin also seized the judge in chambers of the French-speaking court of first instance (TPIF) in Brussels.
It requests the “urgent and provisional suspension of any pre-publication, promotion and distribution of these illustrations and comic strips pending the decision of the arbitrator”, according to the same press release.
A hearing is scheduled for “mid-May”, according to Mand Katz.
Asked by AFP to confirm this schedule, the TPIF did not respond immediately.