Le nid des Marsupilamis, written and drawn by Franquin, is the twelfth album of the "Spirou et Fantasio" series. The title story, and another, "La foire aux gangsters", were serialised in "Spirou" magazine before the release in a hardcover album in 1960.
Story.
In "The Nest of the Marsupilamis", Seccotine invites Spirou and Fantasio to a screening of her new documentary film, revealing what she has been doing since last seen in Palombia (in "Le dictateur et le champignon"). The film follows a Marsupilami in the wild, as he discovers and courts a mate, and they form a family in need of care and protection.
In "The Gangsters' Fair", Spirou and Fantasio are unexpectedly assaulted by a small martial arts-expert, Soto Kiki, who wants to train them in judo in order to act as bodyguards for the European visit of oil tycoon John P. Nut, a man with gangster enemies. All changes as the gangsters attempt to assassinate Soto Kiki, and kidnap the millionaire's infant son.
Background.
Since the stories of this album were produced some time apart, the protagonists abruptly shift from driving their "Turbotraction:Turbot-Rhino I" in the first story, and the "Turbot 2" in the second.
Gaston Lagaffe features in his third Spirou adventure cameo in "La foire aux gangsters". The version of this album differs slightly from the one serialised in "Spirou", in that a final half-page has been removed.
In the original comic, issue 1045 published in late April 1958, Soto Kiki places a bomb in a rival gangster's car which explodes, killing his enemy. But Soto Kiki is nearby gloating and is subsequently arrested by the police who were also watching the property. Franquin concludes with a moral: "Gangster? Don't tell me about it. It's the worse job ever!"
The book version replaced this unpleasant scene with a simple drawing of Gaston being released from prison, having been arrested with gangsters whom he assumed were friends of Spirou.
Franquin created "Le nid des Marsupilamis" - which features extensive parenting sequences - while his wife Liliane expected their first child.
In 1987, Marsu Productions launched a new series of the Marsupilami with "La Queue du Marsupilami" ("The Marsupilami's Tail"). Set in the Palombian jungle, this series features the further adventures of the Marsupilami, his mate and their family.
References.
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Footnotes
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