In Toulouse, a racist comic book, withdrawn from sale, fetches exorbitant prices

“Ah, I bet it’s still asking me if I have the blue gorgon” sighs Jean-Pascal as he picks up the phone. “For a few days it’s been just that. Today alone, I must have had four or five calls on this subject” explains this Toulouse bookseller. “The Blue Gorgon” is the name of a comic strip published in September 2023 by Editions Dupuis and which traces a new adventure of the famous Franco-Belgian comic strip duo, Spirou and Fantasio.

Also read:
A “Spirou” comic strip withdrawn from sales for its racist and sexist drawings, the publisher apologizes

Having remained on the shelves for a little over a year, the book has however recently sparked a wave of indignation on the networks. Accused of racism and misogyny, the album was finally withdrawn from sale by Editions Dupuis who recognized “a caricature style of representation inherited from another era” and apologized “if this album could shock and hurt” . Enough to whet the appetite of the curious and the collectors who are now snapping it up at a high price.

Three-digit sums

“The people who buy it are either collectors attracted by its rarity now that it has been withdrawn, or people who want to resell it for €300, €400 or even €500 on the internet” explains Jean-Pascal. Inside, the women are all hypersexualized, and each character of African origin seems more ape than human.

“Everyone knows Dany's line (the illustrator, editor's note), but I find Dupuis' reaction a little strange. They should not have supported this from the start, or else left the responsibility to the artist. There, this backpedaling makes people who react on the networks look like those who censor,” he regrets.

Top seller on Amazon

If booksellers still had a few copies on their shelves, they quickly left after the controversy. The book was also in the Amazon top sellers for a few hours after the announcement.