The Smurfs (comics)

The Smurfs () is a Belgian comic series, created by cartoonist Peyo (pen name of Pierre Culliford). The titular creatures were introduced as supporting characters in an already established series, "Johan and Peewit" in 1958, and starred in their own series from 1959. Thirty "Smurf" comic albums have been created, 16 of them by Peyo. Originally, the "Smurf" stories appeared in "Spirou" magazine with reprints in many different magazines, but after Peyo left the publisher Dupuis, many comics were first published in dedicated "Smurf" magazines, which existed in French, Dutch and German. A number of short stories and one page gags have been collected in comic books next to the regular series of 30. By 2008, "Smurf" comics have been translated into 25 languages, and some 25 million albums have been sold.
History.
In 1952, Peyo created a series in "Spirou" magazine titled "Johan et Pirlouit" ("Johan and Peewit"), set in Europe during the Middle Ages. Johan serves as a brave young page to the king, and Pirlouit (pronounced Peer-loo-ee) functions as his faithful, if boastful and cheating, midget sidekick.
On 23 October 1958, Peyo introduced a new set of characters to the "Johan et Pirlouit" story "La flûte à six trous" (tr. "The Flute with Six Holes"). This alone caused no great excitement, as the brave duo constantly encountered strange new people and places. This time, they had the mission of recovering a magic flute, which required some sorcery by the wizard Homnibus. And in this manner, they met a tiny, blue-skinned humanoid creature in white clothing called a "Schtroumpf," followed by his numerous peers who looked just like him, with an elderly leader who wore red clothing and had a white beard called "Grand Schtroumpf" (Papa Smurf)'. The characters proved to be a huge success, and the first independent spin-off Smurf stories appeared in "Spirou" in 1959, together with the first merchandising.
Volumes.
This is the list of the original French-language comic issues. Some of them are anthologies of several stories. A number of them were translated into English by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge, and published by Hodder & Stoughton (Random House in the USA). The late comic artist Pascal Garray contributed to seventeen editions of "The Smurf" comics between 1990 and 2017. Garray's last comic, "Les Schtroumpfs et les haricots Mauves", was released in September 2017.
Original series.
Albums made after the death of Peyo, with help from his son Thierry Culliford (born 1956):
"Les Schtroumpfs et le Village des Filles" ("The Smurfs and the Village of Girls").
Albums featuring the Smurfy Grove Smurfs from "".
"Look-In" magazine strips.
In the 1970s and '80s, the British children's magazine "Look-In" ran an original series of one-page comic-strip tales called "Meet the Smurfs."
Marvel Comics.
In 1982 Marvel Comics released a Three issue mini series featuring full length stories and one page gags featuring The Smurfs. Marvel Comics also published a large format comic book as well as six mini comic books with a full length story in each comic book.
Papercutz graphic novels.
Since August 2010, Papercutz has been issuing Smurfs comics, translated by Joe Johnson. Following a special preview comic in July 2010 that contained the story "The Smurfnapper," the following graphic novels have been issued to date:
Other special books:
Papercutz published "The Smurf Submarine" in "Geronimo Stilton & Smurfs" for Free Comic Book Day on May 7, 2011.
In popular culture.
In the Belgian Comic Strip Center in Brussels the permanent exhibition brings homage to the pioneers of Belgian comics, among them Peyo. In the room dedicated to his work various objects, comic book pages, sketches... from "The Smurfs" comics can be seen.
The Smurfs is among the many Belgian comics characters to jokingly have a Brussels street named after them. The Rue des Sables/ Zandstraat has a commemorative plaque with the name "Rue Schtroumpfs/ Smurfstraat" placed under the actual street sign.
Closed to the Smurfs studios in Genval( province of Brabant), a bronze statue of the smurfs is use as a rond circle traffic.
In 2003 a statue of a Smurf building a statue of Smurfette was revealed in Middelkerke. It was sculpted by Monique Mol.
At the Grasmarkt in Brussels a five metres high statue of a Smurf on a toadstool can be seen. It was sculpted by Maryline Garbe and revealed on June 25, 2012.