[DrunkSmurf]

Hey, while researching what smurf comics I wanted to buy, I dug up some trivia that Johan and Peewit were Peyo's favorite creation. Smurfs perplexed him a bit for becoming so famous.

I thought that info was funny and a bit ironic. I sympathize with Peyo too--Johann and Peewit, from a creator's standpoint, were probably more interesting to write about. They just aren't "trademark-ish" / catchy. Blue guys in white hats are something you notice and remember.

I'm embarrassed that I can't re-locate the website that said this about Peyo, but the Wikipedia entry for him alludes to it (he worked on Johan and Peewit comics, but had his studio do some of the smurf comics under his supervision).

[chesneysmurf]

Wow, I didn't know that!

I enjoy the Smurf cartoons much better than the Johan and Peewit ones. I find them pretty annoying! I just love the Smurfs only ones!

[Rachel]

Hi Tim, that is really interesting to discover. Thinking about it, it probably was a bit of a suprise to Peyo at just how popular the smurfs became. I do vaguely recall reading something about how the smurfs were originally introduced into the Johan and Pewit stories and were only meant to feature as a small part so that all makes a lot more sense now.

Thanks.

[Fram]

Johan and Peewit was indeed his favourite series, and the only one he kept drawing himself until his death (all the others, including the Smurfs, were done by the Studio, supervised by him of course). He had started with Johan in 1948 in a newspaper, transferred him in 1952 to Spirou Magazine where his heroes and friends (like Franquin and Morris) already worked, and got very popular with it, certainly after introducing Peewit.
The Smurfs were a bit too childish for him, I think, and he was indeed surprised by the success. Still, he drew the first 6 micro stories himself, but afterwards quit the Smurfs (drawing). He wrote many of the stories though.
I think another aspect was that the Spirou drawers had a tradition of teaching younger artists, and similar to how he had learned lots from Franquin and the others, he was willing to teach new artists and give them a chance to learn the job. The success of the Smurfs gave him an opportunity to start a studio and many later famous comic artists started there.

[Gran Pitufo]

Thanks for all the info, Fram. It´s really interesting for me!

Johan and Peewit was indeed his favourite series, and the only one he kept drawing himself until his death (all the others, including the Smurfs, were done by the Studio, supervised by him of course).

But... I think the last long adventure of Johan and Peewit drawed by Peyo (Le sortilège de Maltrochu) was published in Spirou in 1969, a lot of years before Peyo´s death!

I think another aspect was that the Spirou drawers had a tradition of teaching younger artists, and similar to how he had learned lots from Franquin and the others, he was willing to teach new artists and give them a chance to learn the job. The success of the Smurfs gave him an opportunity to start a studio and many later famous comic artists started there.

For exemple, I love very much the works of Gos, and Peyo´s influence is evident in his most famous series, Le Scrameustache.

[Fram]

Well, yes, he tried to make new adventures, but didn't find the time and inspiration anymore... He also got some health problems. And of course, once the Smurfs really took off, he was so occupied with the commercial side and with supervising things that he didn't find the time to do any drawing anymore.