It did not take long before Dupuis editions reigned in controversy. The comic book publisher justified these drawings as “inscribed in a caricature style of representation inherited from another era“.
In the process, Dupuis decided to withdraw the album from sales. “More aware than ever of our moral duty and the importance of comics as a publisher and more broadly of books in the evolution of societies, today we take full responsibility for this error of assessment. This is why we would like to offer our most sincere apologies. We have implemented the withdrawal of the work from all points of sale“.
The number 1 selling album on Amazon
Despite the controversy, the album found itself number 1 in sales on Amazon and was also reported to be out of stock. “An album from the Spirou comic strip, the most racist and sexist of this year 2024. It must be withdrawn from all points of sale by the publisher. Black characters looked like monkeys and female characters were sexualized“, we can read in the reviews of the online sales platform. Ads have also multiplied on the Ebay platform with prices reaching up to 138 euros and this continues to rise.
An apology from Dany
Contacted by our colleagues from RTLinfoDany, the designer of this comic strip, says he regrets certain drawings. “I have total admiration for Franquin and I have kept his codes. I won’t do it like this again, I recognize that I made a mistake. I really regret that I could have hurt people“, he confided.
