The Purple Smurfs (Smurfs Graphic Novels Series #1)

by Peyo, Yvan Delporte

Overview

When a strange fly bites one of the Smurfs, a full-on epidemic develops in the Smurf Village! After being bit, a Smurf turns purple and his vocabulary is reduced to one single word: "gnap!" The purple Smurf runs around the Smurf Village biting other Smurfs on the tail, causing them to turn purple and act crazy too! Soon enough, there are more purple Smurfs than blue Smurfs in the village. It's up to Papa Smurf to find a cure and save the Smurf Village before all of the Smurfs lose their minds for good!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781597072076
Publisher:	Papercutz
Publication date:	08/31/2010
Series:	Smurfs Graphic Novels Series , #1
Pages:	56
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	7 - 12 Years

About the Author

Considered a legend in the comics world, Yvan Delporte was a writer often credited with helping to usher in the "Golden Age" of Franco-Belgian comics. Best known for his work on "Smurfs," Delporte also served as Editor-In-Chief for the comics magazine "Spirou," helping to create the memorable comics character "Gaston Lagaffe."

Peyo created The Smurfs in his comic strip "Johan And Peeweet". Peyo wrote over 8 extremely popular titles in Europe throughout his storied career. In 2008 the country of Belgium celebrated what would have been his 80th birthday by issuing a 5 Euro coin featuring his creation, The Smurfs.

Editorial Reviews

Smurf-reka! In anticipation of a film scheduled for release in 2011, this previously untranslated version of the cerulean gnomes' first solo collection (1963) offers three tales: A fly's contagious bite turns nearly all of the Smurfs into aggressive purple grunters (black ones in the French original—here the translator wisely keeps the color change of Hanna-Barbera's 1981 TV adaptation); one Smurf's determination to fly results in multiple crashes and calamities; another's desire to find peace and quiet away from Smurf Village runs afoul of a mosquito and other hazards. Replete with pratfalls, butt-biting and like slapstick, the neatly squared-off comic-strip–style panels look small at first glance, but coated paper and high production values make both the dialogue and the brightly colored art easy to read. Reminiscent of Asterix in tone but shorter and less sophisticated, these episodes don't show their age, and they should find a ready audience of recent Toon Book graduates. Also available: The Smurfs and the Magic Flute (ISBN: 978-1-59707-209-6; paper ISBN: 978-1-59707-208-3), a retitled reissue of their first appearance as characters in an earlier comics series. (Graphic fiction. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews