51 - Schwartz

Schwartz OLIVIER SCHWARTZ AN ADVENTURE OF SPIROU AND FANTASIO The Master of the Black Hosts (Vol. 11), Dupuis 2017 Original illustration for the back cover of the deluxe edition of the album. Signed. India ink and gouache on paper 33.2 × 45 cm (13.07 × 17.72 in.) Here are our two heroes in a very precarious situation. Spirou, Fantasio, and Spip watch as their attackers rush toward them, forming a circular group movement, accentuated by the narrowing vertical walls on either side. The wildcat and the leopard women seem frozen in place, yet at the same time ready to pounce on their prey. The lapping of the water conveys the distress of our two protagonists, who appear to be positioned at the center of a target the spears are aiming to hit. The bright light in the background contrasts with the backlighting in the foreground, creating a sense of depth. Olivier Schwartz also plays with warm colors; the red of Spirou’s costume catches the eye, while the brown outlines the contours of this menacing whirlwind. Only the soft green of the banana tree seems to bring a touch of calm to this spectacular, tension-filled scene. “I wanted a bit of heroic fantasy mixed with Marvel Comics. Here, the lioness reminds me of Zabu, Ka-zar’s companion—a character who appears in the X-Men and is always accompanied by a saber-toothed tiger. My lioness doesn’t have one, but she’s still very impressive.” O.S.