Gaston Lagaffe

Texts and drawings of Franquin

Gaston Lagaffe

History

© Marsu Productions
February 28, 1957, a young man intoduces himself to the management of Spirou magazine dressed in a blue costume with an orange node-butterfly.
March 14, he carries a green turtleneck, Jeans with a reverse side( that he will keep definitely.), above the moccasins and he smokes. Then his first name is found: Gaston (name found by Delporte). One will learn his name later. Then comes the historical dialogue with Spirou:
"Who are you?
- Gaston.
- What are you waiting for?
- I don't know..... I'm waiting...
- Who sent you?
- I was told to come...
- Who?
- Don't remember...
- What are you looking for?
-Work
- What kind of work?
- Don't know.. I've been hired...
- But are you sure that you should come here?
- Beuh..."

Presentation

Indentity card:

Name : Lagaffe

First name : Gaston

Cut : approximately 1m70

Age : 25-30 years

Job : Office clerk in charge of the mail at the Drafting department of Spirou magazine.

Description : Brown hair, large nose, always carries green turtleneck, blue jeans with a reverse side and blue rope-soled sandals.

Special marks : He's always putting his foot in it and invents a lot.

Gaston Lagaffe : Gaston was engaged to sort the letters, but he "doesn't waste his time with this stupid work"
Of course he prefers cooking, inventing (cf : Inventions of Gaston), making chemistry sleeping enjoying sport or music (cf : Music and sports of Gaston)...
He was directed successively by Fantasio then by Prunelle, but none of them were able to make it work for what he was paid.
Gaston is also in love with nature and thus adopted many different animals: a cat (as blundering fool as him), a black-headed gull (he doesn't have it all the time), Bubulle (red fish), Cheese (gray mouse), Kissifrott (hedgehog), a parrot (using by him as a horn), a lobster (with such an affectionate glance), a cow (gained in a contest), a turkey (that turn out to be used as turkey coming with chestnuts), a lion cub (rather player.) and a pigeon (That concluded an agreement with him).
Gaston is also crazy about collecting birds : bird calls for moles, chickens (cops, what!), etc...
Gaston owns a car that looks a little bit strange.

Universe of Gaston

The drafting

Fantasio : More nervous than in his adventures with Spirou, Fantasio manages Gaston when he makes his first appearance, and begins to work (It seldom arrives, though!). It is exactly like when Mr. Dupuis appeals to Mesmaeker the first time to sign the assigment. Try that to never achieve more or less because of Gaston.

Leon Prunelle : Successor of Fantasio and pipe smoker, Prunelle is the first character of comics to be sworn in textual form (Rogntudju, etc...) and either with bones or pigs. Pupil, extremely coleric, has even more difficulty than his predecessor to stand Gaston, his inventions and his animals. He, also, will not sign the assigment with Mesmaeker.

Yves Lebrac : Draughtsman at Spirou, Lebrac is generally the least irritated against Gaston. Sometimes, he even laughs at his blunders, inventions and especially of his disguises for the ball. But he doesn't always keep his cold blood...

Miss Jeanne :M'oiselle Jeanne, as calls her Gaston, works as a sub-editor for several years. Secretly in love with "hero-without-employment", she always finds "formiiiiiiidable" what does "Mr Gaaaaston!", even his worst blunders. This love seems shared. (cf: Album 12 and 13, the dream of Gaston.)

Characters of the everyday life

Longtarin : Iron worker in a shift, Longtarin has two passions: giving fines and tickets, especially to Gaston, even when he doesn't infringements. Gaston is avenged regularly, often helped by Jules and Bertrand.

Aime De Mesmaeker : (De Mesmaeker: Name of the father with Jidéhem): Businessman warned, De Mesmaeker undertook to sign the assigments with the Dupuis Editions. Their attempt always fails because of Gaston.
He is the only one able to recognize the cleverness of Gaston and to made deal with him but by marketing "Chicken Soup" and the "Cosmo-Cuckoo".

Jules-of-at-Smith-in-face : Friend of Gaston, working at the Smith's office, Jules shares many blunders or inventions with Gaston.

Bertrand Labevue : Bertrand appeared for the first time as a substitute of Gaston in the first draft of the comics. Fantasio was the first to discover his talents of blundering fool. With Gaston and Jules, they made up an infernal trio.

Freddy-the-finger-of-fairies : A proved thief, Freddy attacked several times the cash desk of the Dupuis Editions. But Gaston and his tribe were there for preventing some.

Animals and objects of Gaston

Animals

The cat (inspired of Ceasar, cat of Franquin's daughter): He follows the example of his master, a blunderer who misses many contracts.

The black-headed gull : (inspired by the gulls who hang in the ponds of Ixelles in Brussels): Black-headed gull has the annoying habit to dive on the head of the members of the drafting when she is irritated.

The cactus : True vegetable monster, the cactus was brought back by Gaston (obviously!) because he is frightened by his aunt Hortense. Pupil wanted to transfer the cactus, the cat and the gull of the drafting thanks to a bet: if they did not render a service to the Editions within one day, they would be expelled... (continuation)

The car : Fiat 509 of 1927, the jalopy of Gaston has the characteristic to go very slowly, to have often break down, and to emit doubtful fume. Gaston makes many modifications for him : use of gas or coal to serve as a substitute for the gasoline, decoration a little strange...

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