1975, Belgian Comics: Alain Chevalier, Les Pirates de la route

In 1975, the fourth album in the Alain Chevalier comic series, "Les Pirates de la route", was published by Rossel. The series, featuring racing driver Alain Chevalier, debuted in 1973. It was written by André-Paul Duchâteau and illustrated by Christian Denayer, and was originally serialised in Le Soir Jeunesse.

Dutch Cover

Les Pirates de la route
- full colour
- publisher: Rossel
- Dutch title: Alain Chevalier, De wegpiraten (Rossel, 1975)
- pre-published in Le Soir Jeunesse
- never published in English
- drawings by Christian Denayer
- story by André-Paul Duchâteau

Alain Chevalier

Tina

Alain Chevalier and Steak

The principal characters in this album are Alain Chevalier, Tina, Steak, Dorazim, Nicole, Sven, Howard, Lucius Millo (also known as Paul Stern and Vidal), Tony Calvo, Aurelia Goldschmidt, Bayeux, Commissioner Arbellet, and others.

Commissioner Arbellet and Alain Chevalier

Tony Calvo and Aurelia Goldschmidt

Dorazim and Nicole

Synopsis
Following a motor race, Alain Chevalier and his girlfriend, Tina, are driving back to Paris when they witness a blind man being struck by a blue Citroën DS. While Tina stays behind to assist the injured man, Alain sets off in pursuit of the fleeing DS...

Sven and Howard

Dorazim and Lucius Millo

Vehicles

• Citroën DS
• Opel GT
• Renault R8
• Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow
• Dodge Challenger (1973/1974)
• Oldsmobile 442 (1974)
• Buick Century Colonnade Coupé (1973)
• Buggy (type?)
• Hotchkiss 686
• Pontiac LeMans (1968)
• Peugeot 504
• Chevrolet Corvette

Citroën DS

Opel GT

Opel GT and Renault R8

Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow

Dodge Challenger (1973/1974)

Oldsmobile 442 (1974)

Buick Century Colonnade Coupé (1973)

Buggy

Hotchkiss 686

Pontiac LeMans (1968)

Peugeot 504

Chevrolet Corvette

1973, Belgian Comics: Mr Magellan, L’Île des colosses

In 1973, the album "L’Île des colosses" ("The Island of the Colossi"), was released in the comic series Mr Magellan. The series was created in 1969 by cartoonist Henri Ghion, known as Géri, with scripts by Jean Van Hamme (1969-1970) and André-Paul Duchâteau (1971-1979). It was serialised in the weekly magazine Tintin/Kuifje from 1969 to 1979, and later published as 8 albums by Éditions du Lombard in Belguim and Dargaud in France.

Mr Magellan is an agent of the International Testing Organisation (I.T.O.). He drives a white Rolls-Royce Phantom V equipped with rockets that enable the car to fly. He smokes cigars and makes use of a wide range of ingenious gadgets. In his investigations, Magellan is assisted by Capella, a red-haired expert in Eastern martial arts.

"L’Île des colosses"
- full colour
- publisher: Éditions du Lombard
- Dutch title: "De wandelende beelden"
- never published in English
- drawings by Géri (Henri Ghion)
- story by André-Paul Duchâteau

"De wandelende beelden" Cover

The main characters in this story are Mr Magellan, Capella, Professor Wolfgang Aloysius, Shamboy, and Myra Von Mars.

Mr Magellan

Capella and Mr Magellan

Myra Von Mars

Synopsis
Mr Magellan and Capella are expected, on a stormy and ill-omened night, to attend a meeting with Professor Wolfgang Aloysius. Capella has a strange premonition, which soon proves to be well-founded. The Professor is abducted, and his servant, Shamboy, is shot with a bronze arrow taken from a statue of Diana that mysteriously disappears...

Professor Wolfgang Aloysius

Shamboy

Trivia

• Reference to Lot’s wife from the biblical story. When Sodom was destroyed, Lot, his wife, and their children were given the chance to escape. The condition was: leave the evil behind, go, and do not look back. Lot’s wife ignored this warning and was turned into a pillar of salt.
• A reference to the Moai, the large stone statues located on Easter Island.
• A reference to the Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.

Reference to Lot’s wife

Reference to the Moai

Reference to Aristotle Onassis

Vehicles

• Rolls-Royce Phantom V
• unidentified yellow flying / submarine car
• Honda Dax (Honda ST-series)
• Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander

Rolls-Royce Phantom V

unidentified yellow flying / submarine car

Honda Dax (Honda ST-series)

Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander