CBR: Nantier Talks Smurfs, Rick Geary And More

[CBR News]

NBM publisher Terry Nentier spoke with CBR News about the company's upcoming plans involving The Smurfs and Disney Fairies, Rick Geary and Nicolas de Crecy, classic comic reprints and much, much more.


Full article here.

[monkeyafterdark]

Any chance in seeing this printed with black smurfs instead of purple ones?
Just remembering the impact of the black smurfs with their red eyes, gnawing and biting all that approached them...
The child in me still has nightmares about them.

[Pil]

The black smurfs being changed to purple smurfs is a rather offensive change IMO I understand the underlying concern, but by doing this, they are implying that the original black color was actually a racist remark, rather than just another color than blue, to tell them apart. Besides, what's next? The Purple Pirate? The Purple Death?

[AdamYJ]

Well, that sounds Smurfy.

[dupont2005]

I would be surprised if this was the first time a European children's property made a racially insensitive move either before or during it's preparation for the American market. For that reason I'll not get too upset over it, but I do agree it would be better off unedited. I'm just glad the Smurfs are being translated. When I first read the thread title I expected to open it up and read that some watered down modern American kids version was being made. I have only read King Smurf but it is so far above and beyond what you would expect if all you had to go by was the cartoon.

[mgs]

I have no idea what any of you are talking about in regards to black and other colored Smurfs, as i only know them as the blue ones.

But I liked the comic (the recent Papercutz one) but I was also secretly wondering what it would've been like as a Vertigo or more adult title. For example, Gargamel(sp) actually capturing and killing a Smurf or two and them being a bit more impish or something.

It crossed my mind, but if they really were written just for kid's entertainment, then I see that that could never happen, nor would I want it to. I don't like to disrupt the natural flow of things.

[dupersuper]

I admit: I bought the $1 book.

[dupont2005]

I have no idea what any of you are talking about in regards to black and other colored Smurfs, as i only know them as the blue ones.

But I liked the comic (the recent Papercutz one) but I was also secretly wondering what it would've been like as a Vertigo or more adult title. For example, Gargamel(sp) actually capturing and killing a Smurf or two and them being a bit more impish or something.

It crossed my mind, but if they really were written just for kid's entertainment, then I see that that could never happen, nor would I want it to. I don't like to disrupt the natural flow of things.

The Purple Smurf story has evil purple Smurfs. The original one had black Smurfs. I don't know about the Papercutz comic, but the Smurfs was a long running Euro comic by an epic comic book creator by the name of Peyo. They are for kids but they are smart, well written, masterfully illustrated, and extremely entertaining. Along the lines of Bone I would say. This is of course based on a single Smurfs graphic novel by Peyo I have read.

[Syzlak]

I've purchased various things from NBM in the past. Whatever their offering it always had the mark of quality but beyond that I never gave much thought to the publisher. This piece is a great spotlight on NBM, their approach and the material they have to offer. I would like to see more pieces like this spotlighting smaller yet significant publishers.

[Sijo]

The Purple Smurf story has evil purple Smurfs. The original one had black Smurfs.

To be completely correct, the Black Smurfs were the regular Smurfs after being infected with a disease, not a separate tribe. So accusing the story of being racist is absurd.

[Jukka Laine of Finland]

Why is the spectacled smurf (sorry, I don't know their names in English) in the cover of "The Magic Flute"? At the time there were only Papa Smurf and the rest of them were all alike.

It is the same case with "The Black Smurfs".

I read them all before the cartoon show began, and the comics are wayyy superior to the TV show. The early episodes were based on the comics, anyway.

The Smurfs appeared in only four Johan and Peewit albums by Peyo, and they weren't the main characters at all in them.

[dupont2005]

To be completely correct, the Black Smurfs were the regular Smurfs after being infected with a disease, not a separate tribe. So accusing the story of being racist is absurd.

But changing them to purple could be viewed as racist

[AdamYJ]

I can see the argument either way for the color change. At first glance, some might see it as a racial thing with the Black Smurfs. And people have objected to a lot of stuff pretty vehemently over just a glance. On the other hand, the title was "The Black Smurfs" to begin with and black is historically considered to be more of a foreboding color.

Anyway, it's just nice to get some more European kids' comics over here. Generally, all you see in the book stores is Asterix and Tintin.

[Ivan Isaacs]

Anyway, it's just nice to get some more European kids' comics over here. Generally, all you see in the book stores is Asterix and Tintin.

I can understand that there's no "Spirou et Fantasio" or "Gaston" but it baffles me that there isn't even an edition of "Lucky Luke".

As for the "Smurfs": I hope that NBM succeeds and can publish ALL of the original albums because the German publisher canceled the series a long time ago and since the license holder is completely bonkers with what they charge for the series there hasn't been a series in Germany for years with several albums never been translated (same with "Johan et Pirlouit"). :(

As for the PURPLE: It's downright stupid but given the idiotic flack some "Tintin" albums receive it's understandable.

[AdamYJ]

I can understand that there's no "Spirou et Fantasio" or "Gaston" but it baffles me that there isn't even an edition of "Lucky Luke".

There might be, but you'd probably have to hunt for them.