Added to the collection today with another copy of Le Voleur de Schtroumpfs which was a minicomic that came with an issue of Spirou from 1959. If you want, you can read my blog on the first ever cameo appearance of the Smurfs and their first full appearance when they entered our lives.
This features the first appearance of Gargamel, who I guess qualifies as the main antagonist of the Smurfs especially if you’re someone who grew up on the original cartoon.
What I’ve always said I appreciate about Peyo’s art is his storytelling. Like a lot of the better Disney comics these could be wordless and you’d get the story and I’ve always been a sucker for cartoonist giving us an effective silhouette to look at.
In return Azrael… well Azrael is a cat thus often times will take some unspoken pleasure in Gargamel’s worst or embarrassing moments.
As you can see we also get the first appearance of Azrael, Gargamel’s cat. Gargamel is almost irredeemable and more than just kind of a bad stereotype even beyond being a dick to the Smurfs – he often wants to eat them or turn them into gold (which is quite the variance of utility within these little blue people) – but he does love his cat and there are stories that show him very much going against his other norms and desires to protect Azrael.
