56 - Schwartz

Schwartz OLIVIER SCHWARTZ AN ADVENTURE OF SPIROU AND FANTASIO The Verdigris Bellboy (Vol. 5), Dupuis 2009 Original page No. 24, previously published in the Spirou magazine No. 3699, March 4, 2009. Signed. India ink and blue pencil on paper 32.6 × 42.4 cm (12.83 × 16.69 in.) This is an exceptional panel for several reasons. Its very large first panel invites the eye to a close inspection, as it is brimming with detail. But above all, it exudes a paradoxical atmosphere. We are reading a humorous comic strip that nonetheless depicts the horror of war. The entire scene is structured around four vertical panels: the train station, the train, the platform, and the area where several vehicles are parked. This scene foreshadows Spirou’s disappointment when he is unmasked by the Nazi colonel in the final panel. Also worth noting is the remarkable inking, with solid black areas on the car and the locomotive that enhance the spectacular nature of the panel. “I wanted to introduce a touch of humor into this massacre. Just like in Brassens’ song, on the right, the stationmaster discovers the scene to his surprise while eating breakfast, while above, his wife’s lover flees half-naked across the roof.” O.S.