Accused of racism on social networks, a “Spirou” withdrawn from sale by its publisher

“A great humorous adventure from Spirou who does not hesitate to tackle some burning current issues…”. In September 2023, when it was released, Dupuis presented “Spirou et la Gorgone bleue”, a comic book in the “Seen by…” series, which delivers the famous hero to renowned authors, for albums unique. The publisher had no idea that it would ignite, more than a year later, a real fire on social networks, and lead to the decision, announced this Thursday, October 31 in the morning, to remove it from the sale.

Passing a little under the radar at the time of its publication, this story with ecological intentions features several black characters in caricatured features to say the least. Enough to provoke the legitimate anger of a young woman who posted a video on October 29 entitled “The most racist comic book of 2024”.

On the networks, the indignant reactions were not long in coming. “Unacceptable, uninhibited racism in 2023! Racism is a crime, shame on you,” reacts an Internet user. “The FN membership card is provided with the comic book? » quips another.

“We undoubtedly made a mistake in agreeing to publish it”

A controversy which seemed, as of Wednesday evening, to seriously embarrass the publishing house, the first defendant in this affair. It led Julie Durot, the general director of Dupuis since 2021, to quickly make her mea culpa: “We would like to apologize to all those who the album may have offended”.

“We must put this comic in context: the contract was signed more than 10 years ago, by people who are no longer in charge,” she added. Since my arrival, we have repeatedly requested changes from its designer, Dany. He is a man over 80 years old: he did not see how these drawings, which are caricatures, were shocking. We undoubtedly made a mistake in agreeing to publish it. » “We are aware that today this type of drawing is not acceptable. We are also aware of our moral duty towards our readers,” she apologized.

“A caricature style of representation inherited from another era”

Same unease among the designer, Dany, 81, a figure in Franco-Belgian comics and notably creator of “Olivier Rameau”, star of the Journal de Tintin in the 1970s. “I wanted to do like in the Spirou at the old, make caricatures. I have caricatured both whites and blacks, he pleads. I am deeply sorry if I could have hurt people: that was frankly not the intention… I sincerely apologize. »

Thursday morning, Dupuis, via a press release on social networks, decided to follow through and try to put out the fire once and for all. Recognizing that the album “is part of a caricature style of representation inherited from another era” and presenting the “most sincere apologies”, the publisher announces having “implemented the withdrawal of the work from the all points of sale. »