Z comme Zorglub

Graphicnovelbox| title= Spirou et Fantasio #15 Z comme Zorglub Z is for Zorglub
englishtitle=
foreigntitle=


caption=Cover of the Belgian edition
publisher=Dupuis
date=1961
series="Spirou et Fantasio"
origlanguage=French
origpublication="Le Journal de Spirou"
origissues= #1096 - #1136
origdate= 1959-1960
origisbn= 2-8001-0017-6
transtitle=Z is for Zorglub
transpublisher=Fantasy Flight Publishing
transdate=1995
transseriestitle=Spirou & Fantasio
transisbn= 0-3163-5852-5
translator= Kim Thompson
writers=Franquin with Greg
artists=Franquin with Jidéhem
colorists=
previssue= "Le prisonnier du Bouddha", 1960
nextissue= "L'ombre du Z", 1962

"Z comme Zorglub", written and drawn by Franquin, is the fifteenth album of the "Spirou et Fantasio" series, and the first part of Franquin's Zorglub diptych. The story was initially serialised in "Spirou", before its release as a hardcover album in 1961.

tory

In "Z is for Zorglub", Fantasio 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 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 and the Count to travel to the village of Zorgland, and attempt to outwit the criminal mastermind.

Background

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

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.

References

* [http://bdoubliees.com/journalspirou/auteurs2/franquin.htm Franquin publications in "Spirou"] BDoubliées fr_icon

External links

* [http://www.spirou.com/spirou/albums.shtml Spirou official site album index] fr_icon
* [http://www.franquin.com/spirou_fantasio/albums_spirou.php Franquin site album index] fr_icon