Thursday, 21 May 2026

1974, Belgian Comics: Yoko Tsuno - Aventures électroniques

In 1974, “Aventures électroniques”, the fourth album in the Yoko Tsuno comic series, was published. The album brings together six short stories that had previously appeared in the magazine Spirou / Robbedoes, including the first three stories created by artist Roger Leloup in collaboration with writer Maurice Tillieux. The series centres on Yoko Tsuno, a Japanese woman who is an electrical engineer, pilot, and expert in karate, aikido, and kendo, as well as a skilled archer. Supporting characters include her two friends, Vic Video and Pol Pitron.

The Yoko Tsuno series originated in 1968, when Roger Leloup produced an initial sketch of a Japanese woman named Yoko for a story in Jacky et Célestin, a comic by Peyo (Pierre Culliford) and Will (Willy Maltaite). Leloup borrowed the name "Yoko" from the Japanese–French actress Yoko Tani. However, the original story was never completed. Leloup subsequently reworked the concept into a new comic series, replacing Jacky and Célestin with the characters Vic and Pol. Yoko Tsuno was first published on 24 September 1970 in Spirou / Robbedoes) no. 1693, with the short story “Hold-up en hi-fi”. Between 1972 and 2024, thirty-one albums in the Yoko Tsuno series were published.

Aventures électroniques
- full colour
- publisher: Dupuis
- Danish title: Eksplosiv højspænding (Forlaget Carlsen A/S, 1999)
- Dutch title: Avonturen met elektronika (Dupuis, 1974)
- German title: Unter Hochspannung (Carlsen Verlag, 1983)
- Spanish title: Aventuras electrónicas (Editorial Juventud, 1993)
- Swedish title: Elektroniska äventyr (Cobolt Förlag, 2018)
- never published in English
- drawings by Roger Leloup
- stories by Roger Leloup and Maurice Tillieux

Dutch Cover

1. Hold-up en hi-fi (Leloup / Tillieux)
Main characters:  Yoko Tsuno, Superintendent Lebrun, Joop and his bank robbers.
Vehicles: NSU 1200, Mercedes-Benz LP 608, Citroën ID/DS, Honda PC50, Renault 4, Citroën Dyane, Ford (Taunus) 15M (P6).
Pre-publication: Spirou / Robbedoes n° 1693 (24 September 1970)
Synopsis: Yoko goes to the bank to transfer a cheque to Japan. At that very moment, the bank is robbed, while the police are lured away next door by a supposedly collapsed supermarket...

Yoko Tsuno on her Honda PC50 and NSU 1200
Superintendent Lebrun
Joop and his bank robbers
Mercedes-Benz LP 608 and Citroën ID/DS
Citroën Dyane, Ford (Taunus) 15M (P6) and Renault 4

2. L'Ange de Noël (Leloup / Tillieux)
Main characters: Yoko Tsuno, Mr. Hoserpower, Annick, Annick’s parents
Vehicles: Simca 1100, Honda PC50, Citroën Dyane, Peugeot 404.
Pre-publication: Spirou / Robbedoes n° 1706 (24 December 1970)
Synopsis: Yoko happens to meet Annick, a little girl dressed as an angel. While helping the wealthy industrialist Mr Hoserpower, she secures a job contract with him for Annick’s father…

Yoko Tsuno on her Honda PC50 and Citroën Dyane
Yoko Tsuno, Annick and Peugeot 404
Mr. Hoserpower and Yoko Tsuno
Annick and her parents
Simca 1100

3. La Belle et la bête (Leloup / Tillieux)
Main characters: Yoko Tsuno, Jean Lemoine, Superintendent Lebrun.
Vehicles: Honda PC50, Citroën Dyane, BMW 02 Series, Volkswagen Beetle.
Pre-publication: Spirou / Robbedoes n° 1709 (14 January 1971)
Synopsis: Yoko finds herself confronting Jean Lemoine, a mad scientist who uses a "force multiplier" to carry out his crimes while disguised as a monkey…

Yoko Tsuno on her Honda PC50 and Citroën Dyane
Yoko Tsuno and Jean Lemoine
Yoko Tsuno, Jean Lemoine and Superintendent Lebrun
Yoko Tsuno, Citroën Dyane and BMW 02 Series
Volkswagen Beetle and Yoko Tsuno

4. Cap 351 (Leloup)
Main characters: Yoko Tsuno, Herbert, rocket technicians.
Vehicles: Faun Z 912/21, Volkswagen Transporter T1, Bell (Agusta) 206A JetRanger, Mercedes-Benz W114/W115
Pre-publication: Spirou / Robbedoes n° 1715 (25 February 1971)
Synopsis: Terrorists seize control of a rocket in order to carry out an attack on a negotiation conference...
References: James Bond

Yoko Tsuno and rocket technicians
Yoko Tsuno and Herbert
James Bond reference
Volkswagen Transporter T1 and Faun Z 912/21
Bell (Agusta) 206A JetRanger
Yoko Tsuno and Mercedes-Benz W114/W115

5. Du miel pour Yoko (Leloup)
Main characters: Yoko Tsuno, Pol Pitron, director of the atomic research centre and his daughter, Karensky, Superintendent Lebrun.
Vehicles: Honda PF50 Amigo, Honda CB125, Ford Mustang, BMW 02 Series, Honda CB500 Four.
Pre-publication: Spirou / Robbedoes n° 1747 (7 October 1971)
Synopsis: Yoko exposes a researcher who uses bees to smuggle microfilm out of his laboratory…

Yoko Tsuno on her Honda PF50 Amigo and Pol Pitron on his Honda CB125
Yoko Tsuno and the director of the atomic research centre and his daughter
Yoko Tsuno, director of the atomic research centre and Karensky
Yoko Tsuno and Superintendent Lebrun
Ford Mustang
BMW 02 Series and Ford Mustang
Honda CB500 Four and Pol Pitron

6. L'Araignée qui volait (Leloup)
Main characters: Yoko Tsuno, Pol Pitron, Mr. Dubois, gangsters.
Vehicles: Honda CB500 Four, Citroën Dyane, Citroën GS, Renault 16,  Mercedes-Benz LP 1418.
Pre-publication: Spirou / Robbedoes n° 1860 - n° 1864 (6 December 1973 - 3 January 1974)
Synopsis: One night, Pol discovers a mechanical spider robbing a jewellery shop. With Yoko’s help, he uncovers the culprits: they have been holding the robot’s designer, Mr Dubois, captive. As the gangsters attempt to flee, using Yoko as a hostage, Mr Dubois turns the spider against them and brings them to a halt...

Pol Pitron on his Honda CB500 Four and Yoko Tsuno
Yoko Tsuno and Mr. Dubois
Gangsters and Yoko Tsuno
Pol Pitron and Citroën Dyane
Citroën GS
Renault 16 and Pol Pitron
Citroën GS and Mercedes-Benz LP 1418

Tuesday, 19 May 2026

1973, Car Spotting: Parking Olympic swimming pool Wezenberg, Antwerp, Belgium

First row parked vertically, front to back
Ford Taunus GXL Coupé (TC), Toyota Celica (A20 / A30), Volvo Amazon, Austin / Morris Mini, Ford Escort (Mk I), Volkswagen 1200 / 1300 (Type 1, Beetle), unidentified yellow car.

Parked horizontally, front to back

First row, left to right
Renault 12, Opel Record C Coupé or Opel Commodore A Coupé, unidentified white car.

Second row, left to right
Citroën Dyane, Saab 96, Volkswagen 1200 / 1300 (Type 1, Beetle), Volkswagen 1200 / 1300 (Type 1, Beetle), Citroën 2CV, unidentified car.

Third row, left to right
Opel Rekord D, Ford Escort (Mk I), Ranger II, Fiat 127, Volvo Amazon, Renault 4, Peugeot 504, Ford Capri (Mk I), 

Parked in front of the Children's Hospital Louise-Marie, left to right
Renault 4 Van, Renault 4, Volkswagen 1600 TL, Citroën 2CV.

Parked in the Karel Oomsstraat, front to back
Renault 6, Fiat 850 Familiare, unidentified red car, Peugeot 504 Familiale, Ford Escort (Mk I), unidentified van, Peugeot 504, unidentified brown car, Peugeot 204 or 304, Peugeot 504, the rest is unidentifiable.

Sunday, 17 May 2026

1972, Television: My Wife Next Door

On 19 September 1972, the first episode of the British sitcom "My Wife Next Door" was broadcast on BBC1. The series was created by Brian Clemens and Richard Waring, with Waring also writing all the episodes. The leading roles were played by Hannah Gordon and John Alderton, and the music was composed by Dennis Wilson. A total of 13 episodes were aired between 19 September 1972 and 12 December 1972.

John Alderton as George Bassett
Hannah Gordon as Suzy Bassett
Tim Barrett as Henry

Synopsis
After their divorce, George (John Alderton) and Suzy Basset (Hannah Gordon) set out to make a fresh start. Each moves independently to the countryside, only to discover that they are now neighbours... 

Paddy Frost as Liz
Diana King as Suzy's Mother
Hannah Gordon as Suzy Bassett and John Alderton as George Bassett

Main Cast

  • John Alderton as George Bassett
  • Hannah Gordon as Suzy Bassett
  • Tim Barrett as Henry
  • Paddy Frost as Liz
  • Diana King as Suzy's Mother
  • Bridget Armstrong as Marge
  • Brenda Cowling as Mrs. Sweeting
  • Harvey Ashby as Harry Marchant
  • Neil McCarthy as Roland Warner
  • John Quayle as Peter
  • Norman Bird as Mr. Sweeting
  • Michael Graham Cox as Dennis
  • William Franklyn as Willie
  • Terence Edmond as Mike
  • Edwin Apps as Mr. Mitchell
  • John Baskcomb as Uncle Jim
  • Margaret Nolan as Myra
  • Mollie Sugden as George's Mother
Hannah Gordon as Suzy Bassett
John Alderton as George Bassett

Awards
The series won a BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy in 1973.


Opening and Closing Credits Episode 1

Friday, 15 May 2026

1971, Film: Bof... Anatomie d'un livreur

On 17 March 1971, the French comedy film "Bof... Anatomie d'un livreur" premiered. The film, starring Marie Dubois, Julian Negulesco and Paul Crauchet, was written and directed by Claude Faraldo, with music composed by Jean Guérin.

"Bof... Anatomie d'un livreur" poster

Synopsis
A delivery man (Julian Negulesco) decides to stop working, as he finds his job utterly tedious. Before long, he marries Germaine (Marie Dubois), a window dresser, and together they do nothing at all. The young man’s father (Paul Crauchet) come to live with them…

Marie Dubois as Germaine
Julian Negulesco as The delivery man
Paul Crauchet as The father and Julian Negulesco as The delivery man
Marie Mergey as Denise
Armand Abplanalp as The big boss
Jocelyne Beauchêne as The woman who picks up the delivery man
Mamadou Diop as Boubou

Main Cast

  • Marie Dubois as Germaine
  • Paul Crauchet as The father
  • Marie-Hélène Breillat as Nana
  • Julian Negulesco as The delivery man
  • Mamadou Diop as Boubou
  • Michel Fortin as The wine merchant
  • Armand Abplanalp as The big boss
  • Jocelyne Beauchêne as The woman who picks up the delivery man
  • Paul Bisciglia as The foreman
  • Annick Fougery as The wine merchant's wife
  • Michel Garland as The flirt
  • Lara Lane as The nymphomane customer
  • Aude Loring as The secretary 
  • Marie Mergey as Denise
Marie-Hélène Breillat as Nana
Lara Lane as The nymphomane customer
Marie-Hélène Breillat as Nana and Marie Dubois as Germaine
Aude Loring as The secretary and Julian Negulesco as The delivery man
Annick Fougery as The wine merchant's wife, Michel Fortin as The wine merchant and
Julian Negulesco as The delivery man
Julian Negulesco as The delivery man and Marie Dubois as Germaine