1976, Belgian Comics: “Sophie en de adem van de draak”

In 1976 the 11th album was published in the "Sophie" series, entitled "Sophie en de adem van de draak" (“Sophie and the breath of the dragon”). The main story is accompanied by three short stories: “Vakantiegangsters” (“Holiday Gunners”), “Jofel Circus” (“Funny circus”) and “Bertje en z'n voetbal” (“Bertje and his football”). The series was created by Jidéhem (Jean De Mesmaeker) (drawings) sometimes assisted by Vicq (Antoine Raymond) (stories). The stories were pre-published in the Belgian comics magazine Spirou/Robbedoes.

The series features Sophie, an eleven year old dark-haired girl. She has an extensive wardrobe and unlike many comic characters Sophie almost never wears the same outfit. Other characters are Mr. Karapolie, the father of Sophie and engineer by profession. Starter a mechanic, he also tests vehicles for Spirou/Robbedoes. Pieters (French: Pipette), the best friend of Starter, is also working for Spirou/Robbedoes as a tester. Jozef (French: Joseph) is the butler of Sophie and her father, he cooks and maintains the house. Bertje (French: petit Bernard) is Sophies best friend. Zoef (French: Zoë), a black old-timer equipped with an electronic brain by its creator Mr. Buis.

More info: Avengers in Time: 1968, Belgian comics: "Sophie"

N° 11 "Sophie en de adem van de draak" ("Sophie and the breath of the dragon")

• full-colour
• never published in English
• drawings by Jidéhem (Jean De Mesmaeker)
• story by Vicq (Antoine Raymond)
• Original French title: "Sophie et le Souffle du dragon"
• pre-publication in Spirou/Robbedoes (N° 1906 - N° 1911, 1974)

Main characters

Sophie, Starter, Joe, Mitch, Gerrit and the earthmen from the future.

Starter, Sophie and the earthmen from the future

Bertha and Gerrit

Synopsis

Sophie and Starter are enjoying a drive through the Safaripark the “Beekse Bergen”. Businessman Gerrit and his wife Bertha are also visiting the park but he obviously doesn't enjoy it because he wants to be at a meeting...

Mitch and Joe

Cars

• Alfa Romeo Alfasud
• Renault Alpine A110
• Citroën DS
• Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu 1970

Alfa Romeo Alfasud

Renault Aline A110

Citroën DS and Alfa Romeo Alfasud

Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu

Vakantiegangsters

• full-colour
• never published in English
• drawings by Jidéhem (Jean De Mesmaeker)
• story by Vicq (Antoine Raymond)
• Original French title: "De vraies vacances"
• pre-publication in Spirou/Robbedoes (N° 1834, 1973)

Main characters

Sophie, Mijnheer Karapolie, Boris and his companion.

Mister Karapolie and Sophie

Synopsis

Somewhere on a rocky coastal road, a cash transport truck is cut off by a sports car. The couriers do not worry, they are confident that when it comes to a robbery those bandits can not pass through the armor of the truck...

Boris and his companion

Cars

• Berliet Armoured Truck
• Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe 1959
• The Flying Egg
• Citroën Ami 6
• Citroën DS
• Peugeot J7

Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe 1959 and Berliet Armoured Truck

The Flying Egg

Citroën Ami 6

Citroën DS and Peugeot J7

Jofel Circus

• full-colour
• never published in English
• drawings by Jidéhem (Jean De Mesmaeker)
• story by Vicq (Antoine Raymond)
• Original French title: "Drôle de cirque"
• pre-publication in Spirou/Robbedoes (N° 1928, 1975)

Main characters

Sophie, Zwarte Adelaar (Black Eagle), Marco and his companion.

Black Eagle, Clown and Sophie

Synopsis

The money from the circus was stolen. Sophie together with the Indians from the circus led by Black Eagle chase the thieves...

Marco and his companion

Cars

• Volvo 240
• Volkswagen 181
• Citroën Ami 6
• Peugeot 104

Volvo 240

Volkswagen 181

Citroën Ami 6

Peugeot 104

Bertje en z'n voetbal

• full-colour
• never published in English
• drawings by Jidéhem (Jean De Mesmaeker)
• story by Vicq (Antoine Raymond)
• Original French title: "Le Ballon du petit Bernard"
• pre-publication in Spirou/Robbedoes (N° 1883, 1974)

Main characters

Sophie, Bertje, Mijnheer Grijpstuiver, Zoef.

Sophie and Bertje

Synopsis

Bertje is pretending to be playing a football match. He hits the ball very hard and it ends up in the garden of Mr. Grijpstuiver, the greediest man in the city...

Mr. Grijpstuiver

Cars

• Citroën GS
• Zoef
• Unidentified American car
• Simca 1100

Citroën GS

Zoef

Unidentified American car

Zoef and Simca 1100

1968, Belgian comics: “Sophie”

In 1968 the first two "Sophie" albums, "Het ei van Karapolie" (Original title: "L'Œuf de Karamazout") and "De bel der stilte" (Original title: "La Bulle du silence", are published by Dupuis. The series was created by Jidéhem (Jean De Mesmaeker) (drawings) sometimes assisted by Vicq (Antoine Raymond) (stories). The stories were pre-published in the Belgian comics magazine Spirou/Robbedoes.

The series features Sophie, an eleven year old dark-haired girl, created by her father Mr. Karapolie (French: Karamazout) after the famous English saying where girls are made of: “Sugar and spice and everything nice”. She wears her long hair in two pigtails and she has an extensive wardrobe. Unlike many comic characters Sophie almost never wears the same outfit. Other characters are Mr. Karapolie, the father of Sophie and electrical engineer by profession. Starter a mechanic, he also tests vehicles for Spirou/Robbedoes. Pieters (French: Pipette), the best friend of Starter, is also working for Spirou/Robbedoes as a tester. Jozef (French: Joseph) is the butler of Sophie and her father, he cooks and maintains the house. Bertje (French: petit Bernard) is Sophies best friend. Zoef (French: Zoë), a black old-timer equipped with an electronic brain by its creator Mr. Buis.

In 1957 Jidéhem was given the car section of Spirou/Robbedoes so he created Starter. Starter was also the main character of Jidéhems first own comic series with two short stories, "La révolte des autos" (1959) and "Histoire de l'automobile" (1960) in Spirou/Robbedoes. The first full story "Starter contre les casseurs" was published in Spirou/Robbedoes in 1961. This was followed by "La maison d'en face" published in Spirou/Robbedoes in 1963.

Jidéhem wanted to introduce a female main character in Spirou/Robbedoes, his first sketches of a sexy 17- to 18-year-old girl were not accepted by publisher Dupuis. Dupuis was convinced that a female protagonist would not appeal to the Spirou/Robbedoes readers. Jidéhem did get permission to draw a little girl to play as a secondary role in his stories. He called the girl Sophie Karapolie (French: Sophie Karamazoet). Her first name he borrowed from the French actress Sophie Desmarets. The original French name Karamazout is referring to The Brothers Karamazov by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Jidéhems own newborn daughter was also named Sophie. Sophie would initially play only in one story, "Het ei van Karapolie" (Original title: "L'Œuf de Karamazout") (1964), but the character became far more popular than Starter.

Cover No 1 "Het ei van Karapolie"

No 1 "Het ei van Karapolie"

• full-colour
• never published in English
• story and drawings by Jidéhem (Jean De Mesmaeker)
• Original French title: "L'Œuf de Karamazout"
• pre-publication in Spirou/Robbedoes no 1345 – 1365 (1964)
• contains the short story “De Jan-allemachtig” (story by Vicq (Antoine Raymond)) (Original French title: “La Pelle mécanique”) (pre-publication in Spirou/Robbedoes no 1476 (1966))

Synopsis "Het ei van Karapolie" ("L'Œuf de Karamazout")

On a quiet day Starter and Pieters (Pipette) are on a trip in Zoef (Zoë), passing at the car junkyard they are almost hit by a red Fiat. At the junk yard they find the beaten owner. After gaining consciousness he tells Starter and Pieters the thugs were looking for a little girl. It turns out that the little girl, called Sophie, was hiding in a closet. The thugs wanted to kidnap Sophie to blackmail her father, Mr. Karapolie, to force him to hand over his latest invention...

Main characters in this story are Sophie, Starter, Pieters (Pipette), Mr. Karapolie (Mr. Karamazout), Zoef (Zoë), Jozef (Joseph) and Zjuul.

Sophie, Mr. Karapolie and Jozef

Sophie, Starter and Pieters

Starter and Pieters

Zjuul

Cars:

• Zoef (Zoë) probably based on the Guust Flater (Gaston Lagaffe) car a Fiat 509
• Fiat 1800/2100
• Citroën DS (4x)
• Citroën 2CV
• Citroën probably B12
• Alfa Romeo 2600 Berlina
• Renault 4
• Renault 8
• Truck Berliet type ?
• Renault Goélette
• Peugeot 403
• Peugeot 404

Zoef and Fiat 1800/2100

Citroën DS

Alfa Romeo 2600 Berlina

Truck Berliet type ?

Citroën DS, Citroën B12 (?) and Citroën 2CV

Peugeot 403 and Zoef

Peugeot 404

Renault 4, Renault 8, Citroën B12 (?) and Citroën DS

Zoef and Renault Goélette

Synopsis “De Jan-allemachtig” (“La Pelle mécanique”) 

Sophie and Bertje (petit Bernard ) are on holiday at the seaside. Sophie proudly displays the latest invention of her father, a mini-excavator that radio can be controlled. Suddenly a number of banknotes arrive, carried by the wind. All the ten dollar bills have the same number...

Bertje and Sophie

Doris and Fred

Main characters in this story are Sophie, Bertje (petit Bernard), Doris and Fred.

Cover No 2 "De bel der stilte"

No 2 "De bel der stilte"

• full-colour
• never published in English
• story by Vicq (Antoine Raymond) and drawings by Jidéhem (Jean De Mesmaeker)
• Original French title: "La Bulle du silence"
• pre-publication in Spirou/Robbedoes no 1433 – 1458 (1965)
• contains the short story “De toverput” (story by Vicq (Antoine Raymond)) (Original French title: “Le Puits magique”) (pre-publication in Spirou/Robbedoes no 1444 (1965))

Synopsis "De bel der stilte" ("La Bulle du silence") 

Starter and Pieters (Pipette) visit the Karapolie (Karamazout) family. Sophie is playing with her new toy the "super jokari", and Sophie's father is happy to present his newest invention, a bubble that can silence all sound within a certain radius...

Main characters in this story are Sophie, Starter, Pieters (Pipette), Mr. Karapolie (Mr. Karamazout), Jozef (Joseph), John Minzwijnoff, Bob, the captain of the Giganticus and head of police

Bob

Captain, Sophie, Pieters and Starter

Mr. Karapolie, Jozef, John Minzwijnoff, Starter and Pieters

Pieters, Starter and Mr. Karapolie

Sophie

Sophie and the head of police

Cars:

• Ferrari type ?
• Peugeot 204
• Willys Jeep
• Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud
• Austin Mini
• Renault 4
• Citroën Traction Avant
• Ford Fairlane 500 Sports Coupe
• Citroën DS
• Peugeot 403
• Renault Dauphine
• Citroën H
• Truck Daf type ?

Citroën DS

Citroën Traction Avant and Ford Fairlane 500 Sports Coupe

Ferrari type ? and Peugeot 204

Peugeot 403

Renault 4

Renault Dauphine, Citroën H and Truck Daf (type ?)

Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and Austin Mini

Willys Jeep

Synopsis “De toverput” (“Le Puits magique”)

At Christmas time Sophie walks through the snowy streets. She sees happy people but suddenly she hears a cry, its Harrie (Bertje, petit Bernard). She tries to comfort him and asks why he is so sad. He tells her he lost his coin. Sophie gives him one of her own coins...

Main characters in this story are Sophie, Bertje (here called Harrie), Pieters (Pipette), Mr. Grijpstuiver and Hein.

Hein and Sophie

Pieters and Sophie

Sophie and Bertje (here Harrie)

Sophie and Mr. Grijpstuiver

Cars:

• Austin Mini
• Citroën DS

Austin Mini

Citroën DS