While the seriesAsterix & Obelix: The Battle of the Chiefs, written and directed by Alain Chabat, has been a hit since its release on Netflix. It seems obvious to us that the platform with the red N would benefit from adapting the six comics in our selection into animation.
#1 Z for Zorglub, by André Franquin
Created by publisher Dupuis and cartoonist Rob-Vel in the late 1930s, Spirou and Fantasio have become two of the most important characters in comics. Their eponymous adventures have achieved phenomenal success, thanks in particular to the legendary writer and cartoonist André Franquin, to whom we owe the most important albums of the series. Wonderfully drawn and brilliantly written, with humor that always hits the mark, the Spirou and Fantasio albums by André Franquin continue to inspire many artists, starting with a certain Alain Chabat, who has never hidden his admiration for the Belgian cartoonist.
Recently, the director of Asterix & Obelix: The Battle of the Chieftains even confided that he would dream of adapting Z for Zorglub and The Shadow of Z, the fifteenth and sixteenth installments of the adventures of the most famous of bellhops; He also confided that this project, unfeasible for the moment, was more ambitious than Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra. When we see the great success of his adaptation of Combat des Chefs, we say to ourselves that the brilliant Alain Chabat could try the animation exercise again with Z comme Zorglub. (Note that other stories by Spirou and Fantasio would make excellent animated series; we are thinking in particular of the albums The Dictator and the Mushroom, The Bad Head, or QRN on Bretzelburg.) #2 The Yellow Mark, by Edgar P. Jacobs
Among the most important representatives of the clear line, Edgar P. Jacobs' style has undoubtedly left its mark on comic book fans. Moreover, his ability to blend a sense of adventure, detective fiction, and science fiction makes him one of the most exciting storytellers of his generation. The sixth installment of Blake and Mortimer, titled The Yellow Mark, is undoubtedly the two characters' most important adventure. With rarely matched suspense, this comic book follows the investigation of Captain Francis Blake and Professor Philip Mortimer, who are on the trail of a criminal who calls himself The Yellow Mark and who has kidnapped four London notables. Despite several film adaptation projects (including one with Kenneth Branagh and David Thewlis in the lead roles), The Yellow Mark has never been brought to the big screen. Netflix could take advantage of this opportunity to adapt it into a series.
#3 Red Rackham's Treasure, by Hergé
No introduction is needed for The Adventures of Tintin, which undoubtedly ranks at the top of Franco-Belgian comics, at least in terms of influence and fame. Known worldwide, the young reporter has even influenced American heroes, such as Indiana Jones. Moreover, Steven Spielberg has also directed an adaptation of the album Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn in the form of an animated film. The film, which is highly virtuoso, was intended to be part of a trilogy. Unfortunately, since 2011, we haven't had any news of the second installment, supposedly directed by Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings). While Netflix is "saving" as many projects as it is canceling, perhaps if the red N got involved, it would allow Red Rackham's Treasure to finally see the light of day? We have the right to dream!
#4 Black Face, by Raoul Cauvin and Willy Lambil
With its ability to blend humor, adventure, and great historical accuracy, the series The Bluecoats has established itself as the ultimate reference for fans of westerns and comics. It tells the adventures of Sergeant Chesterfield and Corporal Blutch, two Bluecoats who were privileged witnesses to the major episodes of the troubled historical period that was the Civil War. One of the great qualities of comics is also its ability to effectively address the social issues of the time with a very contemporary perspective. Without a doubt, Netflix - which has already produced numerous westerns, such as the miniseries Godless or the film The Ballad of Buster Scruggs by the Coen brothers - would benefit from offering an adaptation of The Bluecoats, and more specifically of the album Black Face. The twentieth album in the series is often considered the best; it directly addresses the way in which the African-American population was mistreated by both the South and the North. An adaptation in the form of a live-action series or film (why not directed by Jacques Audiard, who already directed a western with The Sisters Brothers?) or an animated series seems like a brilliant idea to us!
#5 The Incal, by Alejandro Jodorowski and Moebius
A true monument of French comics and science fiction, the comic strip The Incalis known for being unadaptable. However, the universe developed by the legendary Alejandro Jodorowski seems, on the contrary, profoundly cinematic. Let's remember that the Franco-Chilean artist is a jack-of-all-trades and is also a respected filmmaker, notably for his ultra-violent masterpieces El Topo and The Sacred Mountain. While it's true that it's futile to hope for an adaptation directed by Jodo - who recently celebrated his 96th birthday, after all! -,an animated series respecting the Moebius drawing style could cause a sensation.
#6 Valérian and Laureline, by Jean-Claude Mézières and Pierre Christin
Often cited among the greatest science fiction comic book series,Valérian and Laureline was one of the pillars of the magazinePilote directed by René Goscinny. The comic book has had a major influence on contemporary science fiction; In addition to inspiring Luc Besson's The Fifth Element, director George Lucas used many elements from it for his Star Wars saga to create Darth Vader and Cloud City. While Luc Besson's Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets has recently been a huge success several years after its theatrical failure, Netflix could well take advantage of the film's growing interest in the United States to offer an animated series produced by French studios.
And you, what do you think of these proposals? Would you like to discover adaptations of these masterpieces of Franco-Belgian comics? Tell us in the comments section.
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