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Dupuis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Dupuis (surname).
Dupuis
Parent companyMédia-Participations (2004–present)
Founded1922; 103 years ago (1922)
FounderJean Dupuis
Country of originBelgium
Headquarters locationMarcinelle, Hainaut, Belgium
DistributionFrance, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Canada
Key peopleClaude de Saint Vincent
Fiction genresComic albums and magazines
Official websitewww.dupuis.com

Éditions Dupuis S.A. (French: [dypɥi]) is a Belgian publisher of comic albums and magazines.

Based in Marcinelle near Charleroi, Dupuis is mostly famous for its comic albums and magazines. Initially a French language publisher, it now publishes numerous editions in both the French language and Dutch. Other language editions are mostly licensed to other publishers.

History

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Early years

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Dupuis was founded in 1922 by Jean Dupuis (1875–1952).

The growth of Dupuis towards becoming the leading comic book editor of Belgium started in 1938, when Dupuis added to its portfolio a men's magazine (Le moustique [the mosquito] in French, Humoradio in Dutch), a women's magazine (Bonnes Soirées [good evenings] in French, De Haardvriend [the hearth's friend] in Dutch) and the children's comics magazine Spirou.[1] The latter was originally only in French, and contained a mixture of American comics (e.g. Superman, Brick Bradford, and Red Ryder) and new creations (Spirou et Fantasio and Tif et Tondu). A few months later, a Dutch edition called Robbedoes followed.[2]

Growth after WWII

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After some difficulties during the war (mainly because of the scarcity of paper towards the end of it, but also because American comics weren't allowed to be published anymore), Dupuis started to grow quickly. Le moustique became one of the leading magazines with information on radio and (later) television programs in Belgium, and Spirou was one of the two leading Franco-Belgian comics magazines (together with Tintin magazine).[3]

Dupuis started publishing some books as well, but had real success by republishing the comics that had appeared as serials in the magazine, collected as albums afterwards. Sometimes these were one shots, but mainly they came in series. Dupuis has some of the best-selling European comic series, including Lucky Luke, The Smurfs, Gaston Lagaffe and Largo Winch.[4] Many of these comic albums have been reprinted constantly for thirty or forty years, thereby generating constant revenue for the editor.

Stabilization and diversification

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In the early sixties, Dupuis started with other activities, including the merchandising of its comic series (puppets, posters, etc.), and the making of animated movies. Most of these weren't very successful but further raised the visibility of their comics. Still, towards the end of the 1960s, the golden age of Dupuis seemed to be over. Some of the magazines were struggling, the merchandising activities were vastly reduced, and the movie studio did not seem to be producing any successful movies. But the core business, the comics and the main magazines, continued to be hugely successful, with a comics catalogue of more than 2000 titles available in French. Many of the series were turned into animated movies in the 1990s, including Papyrus and Spirou et Fantasio, and are being sold as movies and comics throughout Europe. Dupuis has also started producing computer games.

In June 2004, Dupuis was bought by Média-Participations, which now owns almost all major European comic book publishers, including Dargaud and Le Lombard,[5] More recently, in 2015, Dupuis joined with twelve other European comics publishing actors to create Europe Comics, a digital initiative co-funded by the European Commission's Creative Europe program.[6]

In March 2013, Dupuis who owned a minority stake in Marsu Productions announced that they're buying out and taking full control of publishing house Marsu Productions along with their catalogue, thus bringing their publishing activities and the Marsupilami franchise back to their original publisher Dupuis.[7]

In January 2019, Dupuis announced that they've launched their first European webtoon production subsidiary and platform dedicated to European and African authors named Webtoon Factory.[8]

In January 2024, Dupuis announced that their manga publishing imprint Vega Dupuis had joined forces with Japanese manga publishing company Kadokawa to launch a joint venture business named Vega SAS to publish Japanese and Korean comics for the French language markets alongside Kadokawa's own titles which will be their focus with Kadokawa acquiring a 51% stake in Dupuis's imprint Vega Dupuis whilst Dupuis retaining the 49% stake in the imprint.[9][10]

Main publications

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This is a selection of magazines and comics series originally or mainly published by Dupuis. Some titles later changed to a different publisher.

Magazines

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  • Moustique (created as "Moustique" in 1924, named "Télémoustique" between the 1960s and 2011) and its Flemish counterpart HUMO (since 1936, originally called "Humoradio"). Both versions have been sold to other publishers.
  • Spirou, since 1938: between 1938 and 2005 also a Flemish version, "Robbedoes".

Comics series

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This is a selected list of comics series, ordered by year of first publication by Dupuis, with main authors given. Many series were also continued or temporarily taken over by other artists and writers. Some of the series have been taken over by other publishers.

Dupuis Edition & Audiovisuel

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Dupuis Edition & Audiovisuel
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAnimation
Founded1965; 60 years ago (1965)
HeadquartersBelgium
ProductsTelevision series
Feature films
ParentDupuis (1965–2022)
Ellipse Animation (2022–present)
Websitewww.dupuis.com Edit this on Wikidata

Dupuis Edition & Audiovisuel is a French/Belgian film & animation audiovisuel production division of the comic book publishing house Dupuis that is dedicated to their adaptations of Dupuis' works into animated series and feature films. It is also one of the production labels that is part of Ellipse Animation.

History

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In 1959, six years before Dupuis Edition & Audiovisuel was established, Dupuis had another production house when Dupuis and Charles Dupuis the son of Dupuis' founder Jean Dupuis had launched their own animation studio named TVA Dupuis which became famous for producing their first animated series in black and white based on the popular comic series The Smurfs, which was their first adaptation.

In June 2022, during the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Dupuis Edition & Audiovisuel alongside their parent company Dupuis and its owner Media Participations announced that their bringing their French animation production labels (which were Dupuis Edition & Audiovisuel, Dargaud Media and Ellipsanime Productions alongside their in-house Paris & Angoulême-based animation production studio division Ellipse Studio) under one umbrella group named Ellipse Animation.[11]

Filmography

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Television

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Title Years Network Notes
The Smurfs 1961–1967 RTB
Musti 1968 BRT
The Smurfs 1981–1989 RTBF/RTL-TVI
France 2/La Cinq (France)
NBC (United States)		 co-production with Hanna-Barbera Productions, SEPP International (season 1–7) and Lafig S.A. (season 8–9)
Snorks 1984–1989 TF1/La Cinq
NBC/Syndication (United States)		 co-production with Hanna-Barbera Productions and SEPP International
Billy the Cat 1996–2001 France 3
S4C (Wales)
ZDF (Germany)		 co-production with EVA Entertainment, Les Films du Triangle, La Fabrique, Network of Animation, Sofidoc, Colonge Cartoon and WIC Entertainment
Flash Gordon 1996–1997 Canal+
France 3
Syndication (United States)
Channel 4 (United Kingdom)
YTV (Canada)		 co-production with Lacewood Productions, Carrere Television, Mediatoon and Hearst Entertainment
Based on the comic strip of the same name by Alex Raymond
Vor-Tech: Undercover Conversion Squad 1996 Syndication co-production with Universal Cartoon Studios, Mediatoon and Lacewood Productions
Papyrus 1998–2000 La Deux
TF1 (France)
YTV (Canada)		 co-production with Medever
Largo Winch 2001–2002 RTL-TVI
M6 (France)
ProSieben (Germany)
Global Television Network (Canada)		 co-production with Paramount International Television, Tandem Communications, TVA International and Betafilm
Cédric[12] 2002–2007 France 3
Canal J (seasons 1–2)
RTBF		 co-production with Neptuno Films (season 1) and Araneo (season 2)
Kid Paddle[13] 2003–2006 M6 & Canal J
Teletoon (Canada)
RTBF		 co-production with Spectra Animation
Spirou & Fantasio 2006–2009 M6
RTBF (Belgium)		 co-production with Araneo and Fantasia Animation
Little Spirou[14] 2012–2015 La Trois
M6 & Teletoon+ (France)		 co-production with LuxAnimation and Araneo
Little Furry 2017–2021 La Trois & Ketnet
Piwi+ (France)		 co-production with Dargaud Media and Belvision
Roger & His Humans[15] 2020–present YouTube/Animation Digital Network
The Smurfs[16] 2021–present La Trois & Ketnet
TF1 (France)
Kika (Germany)
Nickelodeon (International)		 co-production with Peyo Productions, Peyo Company, Dargaud Media (season 1), Les Cartooneurs Associés (season 2) and Ellipsanime Productions (season 3–)
Living with Dad[17] 2022–present La Trois
M6, Canal J & Gulli (France)		 co-production with Ellipsanime Productions and Belvision
Based on the comic book series Dad by Nob
Dreamland 2026[18] Animation Digital Network co-production with La Chouette Compangie

Films

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Title Release date Distributor Notes
The Smurfs and the Magic Flute December 24, 1975 Mercury Films co-production with Belvision, Lafig S.A and IMPS
Zombillenium[19] October 18, 2017 Gebaka Films co-production with Belvision, Maybe Movies and 2 Minutes
Yakari, A Spectacular Journey[20] August 12, 2020 BAC Films (France)
Leonine Distribution (Germany)		 co-production with Dargaud Media, Belvision, Le Lombard, BAC Films Production, Leonine Production, WunderWerk, Gao Shang Pictures, WDR and France 3 Cinema

References

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  1. ^ Curtis, Sarah Ann (2011). L'autre visage de la mission: les femmes (in French). Karthala. p. 187. ISBN 9782811104863. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  2. ^ Dierick, Charles (2000). Le Centre belge de la bande dessinée (in French). Renaissance du livre. p. 223. ISBN 9782804603854. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  3. ^ Sabin, Roger (1993). Adult Comics: An Introduction. Taylor & Francis. p. 321. ISBN 9780415044196. Retrieved 15 October 2012. Spirou and Tintin dominated European comics into the 1950s and beyond
  4. ^ Grove, Laurence (2010). Comics in French: The European Bande Dessinée in Context. Berghahn Books. p. 346. ISBN 9781845455880. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  5. ^ Miller, Ann (2008). Reading Bande Dessinee: Critical Approaches to French-language Comic Strip. Intellect Books. p. 364. ISBN 9781841501772. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Creative Europe Project Results: Europe Comics". Creative Europe. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  7. ^ Johnston, Rich (March 26, 2013). "Dupuis Takes Back The Marsupilami". Bleeding Cool News. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  8. ^ Nimmo, Michael (December 19, 2019). "Europe Comics Announces Launch of Webtoon Factory". 3 Million Years. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  9. ^ "KADOKAWA forms French Joint Venture with Dupuis of European Média-Participations Group". Kadokawa. January 25, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  10. ^ Hazra, Adriana (February 3, 2024). "Kadokawa Launches Joint Venture Business With French Publisher Dupuis". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  11. ^ Brzoznowski, Kristin (June 15, 2022). "Média-Participations Sets Out Cross-Media Strategy". Worldscreen. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  12. ^ Waller, Ed (August 7, 2001). "Dupuis sees Cedric pre-sales". C21Media.
  13. ^ Bell, Ryan (November 15, 2002). "Kid Paddle Out Of Dock For Spectra Animation and Dupuis Audiovisuel". Animation Magazine.
  14. ^ Arrant, Chris (April 10, 2011). "Toon Boom Picked For New French Series "Le Petit Spirou"". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
  15. ^ Stalcup, Jamie (November 2, 2021). "Dupuis Edition & Audiovisuel Sets Roger and his Humans Season Two". Worldscreen. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
  16. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (August 31, 2017). "IMPS & Dupuis Plan New 'Smurfs' Series". Animation Magazine. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  17. ^ Brzoznowski, Kristin (August 21, 2021). "Dupuis Edition & Audiovisuel Developing Living with Dad". Worldscreen. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  18. ^ "Dreamland TV Anime Adaptation Announced for 2026 Premiere". Anime TV. May 18, 2025. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  19. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (January 15, 2016). "Urban boards Arthur de Pins children's horror 'Zombillénium'". Screen Daily. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
  20. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (April 24, 2019). "Dargaud Debuts 'Yakari' Feature at Cannes Animation Day". Animation Magazine. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
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