L'ombre du Z
L'ombre du Z, written and drawn by Franquin, is the sixteenth album of the Spirou et Fantasio series, and the second part of Franquin's Zorglub diptych. The story was initially serialised in Spirou magazine, before its release as a hardcover album in 1962.
| Spirou et Fantasio #16 L'ombre du Z | |
|---|---|
 Cover of the Belgian edition | |
| Date | 1962 |
| Series | Spirou et Fantasio |
| Publisher | Dupuis |
| Creative team | |
| Writers | Franquin with Greg |
| Artists | Franquin with Jidéhem |
| Original publication | |
| Published in | Spirou magazine |
| Issues |
|
| Date of publication | 1960 |
| Language | French |
| ISBN | 2-8001-0018-4 |
| Translation | |
| Publisher | Spirou and Fantasio # 16 Shadow of Z |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Z comme Zorglub, 1961 |
| Followed by | Spirou et les hommes-bulles, 1964 |
Story
As The Shadow of Z, begins, Spirou, Fantasio and the Count of Champignac return from Zorgland, to find the population of Champignac have been paralyzed by a "zorglman" they left behind sedated, the abducted policeman Jérôme, who awoke and went on a stunning spree. After the ordeal of pacifying the rogue zorglman and restoring the people of Champignac to normal, time passes until Zorglub's sinister schemes again become evident. Without remorse (despite the conscience-burdened act during the conclusion of Z comme Zorglub) Zorglub continues to work for world domination from Palombia, with increased ambition, and allied with Fantasio's evil nemesis cousin Zantafio.
Background
In no small part, this album joins Franquin's body of work that comments on the advertising industry.
There is a stylistic change can be seen over the course of these two albums. Over the years of the production of this essentially, one very long story, the dynamic, "realistic" style undergoes a metamorphosis towards the flexible, comic style Franquin was to develop over his final period.